Science: Issac Newton's Tehological Papers

A collection of religious papers authored by Sir Issac Newton has now gone on public display. For those who seek to assert that a man of science must be a strict materialist, the papers clearly show that it was not so with Newton who was a strong believer in Christianity. Regardless of the fact that Newton lived 300 years ago, his life proves that a belief in religion hardly stands in the way of scientific inquiry. Newton is perhaps the most prolific scientist in history (go read up on his accomplishments if you are unsure) which goes to show that a desire to discover how God's universe works is just as effective a motivator for a scientist as the belief that matter is all that exists.

Video: Malibu!

Folks who live in Malibu, California apparently like to have license plate frames and other items that say, "Malibu, a Way of Life." Not being a Californian, I didn't know what they are referring to...until now. Behold!...the glory that is Malibu.



*Hat tip to David Peacock for the link.

The Arts: Sarah Mac Attack

Saturday evening, I received a phone call from my friend Jay Woodham inviting me to join him over at the American Legion Post 13 hall in Tallahassee to listen to The Sarah Mac Band. The band is a local group featuring two guitarists (one on bass) and the lead singer who also plays the keyboard on some songs. I'm pleased to say that they were quite good, singing their own songs for the most part with a few covers sprinkled through the show. Sarah Mac definitely has a powerful voice, and both guitarists did a nice job too. I was struck by the fun the band was having on stage--they weren't full of themselves and interacted with members of the audience that they knew like they were old friends. It is nice to see folks who are serious about their craft, and yet also having fun and being joyful, and encouraging the crowd to join in their joy with them. If you get a chance to catch The Sarah Mac Band, you should do it.

PS: Check out their website if you want to know more about the band and where they will be performing.

Finance: Forever Doesn't Pay

The US Postal Service is now offering a "Forever Stamp" that can be purchased for the new regular price (.41) but can be used forever. However, does it make financial sense to buy loads of them? No.

Christianity: Knowing and Loving God--Good News From the University of Kentucky

I traveled back to Rockledge, FL, this past weekend to visit my mom for the Mother's Day holiday. It was a nice weekend with her, if not a bit awkward since it was my first time back home since finding out about my parent's divorce. On Sunday, my mom and I attended church services at Suntree United Methodist Church in Viera, FL. We caught a guest speaker, a young man (at least younger than me, I think) by the name of Philip Tallon who is working on his PhD in theology at the University of St. Andrews. Mr. Tallon spoke on the importance of Christians loving God with their minds, and he did a solid job. This is an important issue that needs to be addressed within the church and on college campuses in particular. A person cannot know another person intimately, much less God, without learning who that person is, and that process includes both the mind and the emotions.

The most intimate relationship that most people will ever experience is a serious romantic relationship that (hopefully) ends in marriage. Imagine a man who says to his beloved, "I love you with all my heart; my whole being overflows with love for you. I desire you more than anything and love you truly." The woman awkwardly says, "Thank you so much. However, we've never really talked about who we are. You've never asked me about what is important to me, or about my life's story, or even about what I want out of our relationship. In fact, we never talk at all. I am a little confused, how can you love me if you don't really even know me." Our man then responds, "Oh, I don't care about any of that. Love is what is important, and I love you with all my heart and it feels wonderful. You will always have my love. I know all that I need to know--that I love you." Our woman, who is a smart cookie, wonders to herself "he says he loves me, but he doesn't even want to get to know who I am, my history, my desires, my character. He doesn't love me, he loves either a fabricated idea of who I am, or simply loves the feeling of being in love."*

Similarly, a person cannot know God intimately without learning who God is--His character, nature, and purposes. A person who loves another will want to learn all about the other. Note the use of the word learn. The person who learns about another engages their whole being--their mind along with the other faculties to learn about the other, and the same goes for the true love of God. Please note that I am not saying that a deep theological education or a genius IQ is required. The person who loves God desires to know who God is, and since the mind is the organ of knowing, it will be engaged in learning about God throughout life.

The person who learns who God is with their mind and heart then (and only then) is prepared to think about how the truths of God can be applied in all areas of life, not simply in a segment of life that is religious. This enables that person to have the wonderful experience of being prepared to use their mind in areas (such as the person's career) outside of theology (for not all of us are professional theologians, thank goodness) to the Glory of God. Thinking about God and then taking that truth and applying it to the world around us can and should be done at all times, but the university is a particularly important and strategic setting for this to happen in. It is the time in life dedicated to thinking and learning, and a time when men and women decide what their profession will be. Thus the Christian who learns truths and how to apply them with wisdom will be prepared to tackle all the areas of life from a Christian point of view, including their careers.

During Mr. Tallon's sermon, he mentioned his website and organization Appleseed Ministries which I looked over today. Mr. Tallon and another campus minister Brian Marshall are helping to foster an environment on the University of Kentucky campus where students and scholars can think Christianly. The group hosts various debates on campus and is seeking to start a Christian Study Center on campus where students can take courses and receive college credit for them. It is exciting to see what is going on at UK, at UF at the Christian Study Center there, and with people such as Jay Woodham through InterVarsity Grad Fellowship at Florida State.

*Of course, a person cannot truly love another by engaging only the mind and not the emotions. For instance, if our man provided a logical proof to the woman he was seeing that proved that he loves her and showed it to her explaining that, "the light of reason indicates that I love you, so therefore I must" he would be laughed at by our woman. She would realize that he doesn't really love her; at best he loves thinking about things and using her as a discussion parter (assuming they talk intelligently about all sorts of issues). He is willing to think because he finds it pleasurable, but does not truly desire her other than an object of thought or means to thinking via conversation. In the same way, the Christian thinker can love thinking about God (no one is more interesting), but not love God Himself.

Movie Review: Blades of Glory (**1/2; Fair to Good)

Blades of Glory stars Will Ferrell and Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite) as rival figure skaters who eventually join forces in order to win a gold medal. There really isn't much of a point in describing the plot any further. If you are a fan of Will Ferrell's humor, you'll find this movie provides you with a few laughs, but the flick never reaches the hilarity of Anchorman or Talladega Nights. If you want to see a comedy it might be worth a matinée ticket, or a trip to the discount theater, but if you end up waiting to see it on video or cable it will not be a big loss.

News: What is Success in Iraq?

Most Americans want U.S. troops out of Iraq and for the U.S. to be victorious. Arguments over the proper course to take are usually arguments over which of these two priorities are paramount. Within this argument two additional questions present themselves. First, at what cost is victory attainable (if it is attainable). Second, what is the cost of failure? In any argument, the key is to define the terms involved, and the same applies here. So, what is victory in Iraq?

The initial objective of the war against Iraq was to remove Saddam Hussein and his Baath party from power and to eliminate any capacity that nation might have to produce and use or sell weapons of mass destruction. This initial objective has been accomplished. Saddam Hussein is dead, his party has been removed control over the government and military, and the country does not have WMD capacity (if it ever did). However, the second objective of the war is now at issue--in what condition should Iraq be left? This is the question that must be answered, and that in most minds will define what "victory" is, and whether it is attainable.

Victory in Iraq should entail a quality of life for the people living in that country that is superior to that enjoyed during the old regime, and the establishment of governmental authorities that will not support terrorism against the U.S. There are other desires that the U.S. could have, but these two objectives ensure that the U.S. is safe with regard to Iraq (the main justification of the war was that Saddam's government was an imminent threat to the US). The establishment of a democratic regime in Iraq that is friendly to the USA and provides western-style freedoms to its people (perhaps modified to allow for a small level of modification to reflect the Koran), has been the goal of the Bush administration for quite some time. This is one possible definition of victory and is the one most beneficial to U.S. interests. It is also a goal that is ambitious and difficult to obtain, given the difference in the intellectual and religious history of Iraq when compared to western democracies as well as the tribal distrust and differences between Sunni, Shiite, and Kurd.

Another possible objective is similar to the one just mentioned, except without seeking to ensure that western style freedoms are established in Iraq. This option instead states that it is sufficient if the Iraqi government keeps the peace and is strong enough to prevent the country from becoming a terrorist haven. This option helps U.S. safety, and likely leads to a better future than was likely under Saddam (a murderer and tyrant) unless a similar type ruler succeeds him in time. The big question here is whether the current regime can prevent the nation from descending into Civil War, a situation that would totally destabilize the region, provide a haven for terrorists, and if long and bloody lead to a worse situation for Iraqis than they faced under Saddam. Perhaps, if the odds of the current government succeeding can be greatly improved by maintaining troop levels for a time longer, or keeping a smaller force in the country then that would be the prudent move to make. A third possibility is to partition the country in three, which allows the Sunnis, Shiites, and Kurds to each have their own nation. There are obvious difficulties in doing so, as all three groups would have to buy in to such a plan. Each faction would undoubtedly desire to get the best deal for itself, particularly with regard to Iraq's oil.

If the three options just mentioned are not obtainable at a reasonable cost in American lives and resources, or simply have a minimal chance of success, then a withdrawal should be immediate. If all other options will not make America safer or Iraq a better place, then they should not be attempted. Anything other than an immediate withdrawal only delays the inevitable and wastes lives and money.

In thinking through the various options the U.S. has, I am struck by the fact that the goal of establishing democracy in Iraq is not necessary in order to have "victory." Nor is it necessary to leave behind a nation where there is no violence. Quite simply, it is not realistic to expect that will be no strife, no bombings, no attempts by different factions to try and stir up trouble. What needs to be done is the establishment of a government and corresponding military that can keep the peace in Iraq and does not threaten America or slaughter its citizens. The option that is most likely to lead to this result is either maintaining a force in the nation for one or two more years until the government is strong enough to take over much of those functions, and then to maintain a reduced military presence in the nation for a number of years afterwards. If the government is unlikely to be able to govern effectively, then the nation should be partitioned if at all possible. Either of these two results can lead to results that would be considered a victory for the U.S. in this war.

Pop Culture: BP's New Commercial is in My Head

BP has some new animated commercials out with an infectious little musical ditty that is in my head now. These commercials are REALLY effective, I have noticed them immediately with the interesting look, and the "sey hey" jingle they are using is actually enjoyable and not irritating, like so many commercial jingles. I'm guessing this will be one of the more popular commercial series in a long time. I'm posting a few of their commercials here. The first one has the kids--pause it when you see the dashboard instruments and check out the various gauges as it's pretty funny.



And here are some outtakes from the commercial...

Nature: Knut Update

Unfortunately, Knut is not feeling well these days. There is not an indication that the health concerns are serious, but let's hope the little guy--born December 5, 2006--will pull through.

UPDATE: Apparently, Knut is just teething, so it appears all will be well.

Misc: Krystal Hall of Fame

Those who get to know me eventually find out about my love of Krystal. Those little burgers are just delicious, as are the chili cheese pup mini-hot dogs. My buddy Brent and I joke that Krystal is the "nectar of the gods." Well, although I do drive up to Valdosta, GA a few times a year with Brent to get Krystal, and always try to stop off either in Live Oak, FL or Jacksonville, FL to pay homage on trips back home, I must admit that I don't quite measure up to this fellow in dedication. Jay Barr of Cape Coral apparently flies to Orlando every couple of weeks to pick up a box of Krystal burgers and then flies home. For this, he has been inducted into the Krystal Hall of Fame (click on the statue). Quite frankly, though I don't measure up to Jay in effort made to obtain Krystal, I do believe that I merit consideration for this august honor, as I have driven many miles in order to enjoy Krystal. However, winning the award isn't my focus, just the chance to eat Krystal food is honor enough.

Humor: Heading to Paris

With a hat tip to Bill Simmons of espn.com, here is a funny weblink. Head over to Google Maps and check the directions from New York, NY to Paris, France. In particular, check out step 23. You will also find similar directions for New York, NY to Berlin, Germany.

Sports: Delmon Young Will Be Baseball's Next Great Young Player

The Tampa Bay Devil Rays have never been associated with excellence. Since their inaugural season in 1998, the Rays have finished last each year other than 2004 when they finished 4th in the 5 team A.L. East with the best record in team history at 71-91. However, the Rays are showing some signs of being competitive thanks to talented young hitters such as Carl Crawford, Rocco Baldelli, and B.J. Upton; Japanese import Akinori Iwamura; and young star pitcher Scott Kazmir. However, the best player of this group is going to be Delmon Young--the 1st overall draft pick in 2003 and younger brother of longtime longtime Tiger and now Washington National Dimitri Young. Delmon Young hit .317 late last year when he was called up from the minors to get a bit of experience, and his performance has only gotten stronger this year as he is hitting .342 with 3 HR and 10 RBI through 12 games. Young has an incredible balanced swing that is most comparable to 2-time MVP and future Hall of Famer Frank Thomas. He generates great power to all fields, has incredible balance, and his bat stays level and in the strike zone longer than most players one sees. The only question with Young is his attitude--he was suspended for over a month in the minor leagues last year for throwing a bat at an umpire. However, he's been quiet so far this year, and has been making only positive news. Check out this game tying homer (check the video on 4.6.2007), where he waits on a 95 mph fastball from B.J. Ryan, takes a smooth controlled swing, and lines it out to right field to tie the game in the bottom of the 9th (the Rays would go on to win). The Rays terrible relief pitching and mediocre starting pitching will prevent a winning season this year, but with Delmon Young leading the way don't be surprised if they win a few more games this year. And if they can get some pitching in the future--watch out.

Don Imus' Mistake

Radio talk-show host Don Imus has been all over the news lately after calling members of the Rutgers womens basketball team "nappy headed ho's." That Imus shouldn't have said the remark is obvious. That the women he insulted and their friends and families would be upset is unsurprising, as is the fact that he is paying a price for his remark. MSNBC just canceled the simulcast of his morning program, and he will never again have the access to politicians and news makers that he once enjoyed. There has been plenty of commentary about the race and women related issues surrounding this event, with very little left unsaid.

One aspect of the slur that has not been discussed is the near inevitability that Don Imus would do something like this. In reading about Mr. Imus, it is clear that part of his shtick for many years has been to insult people who are in the news using juvenile name-calling. It's part of what has made him popular--when you refer to some politician as a "fat moron" you can be sure that at least half your audience is going to have some sympathy with that viewpoint. When you continually insult people, it becomes a pattern of life, and insults immediately spring to mind when noticing people. Mr. Imus has indiscriminately spoken thousands of nasty insults over the years, and his equal opportunity nastiness has gotten him a reputation for being "entertaining" and "fair." That, and his admittedly talented ability to interview, has made him a wealthy man. With our culture becoming increasingly coarse, things have escalated to where on a news program you have a couple of guys who think it is OK to refer to people as whores--probably because on TV and in popular music you can hear a woman being called a any number of expletives and it is celebrated. Well, Mr. Imus, as Spike Lee put it "went to the well once too often" and insulted a group of young women as a bunch of whores. When a person engages in sinful (an old religious word, admittedly) and indecent behavior in the same way over and over, it dulls the senses (one's conscience and ability to make wise decisions) with regard to that particular behavior and eventually the behavior is outwardly destructive. After decades of acting in this matter in his professional life, it was inevitable that Don Imus' judgment would grow increasingly worse over time, his behavior would escalate, and he would do something like this.

In the end, I hope that Mr. Imus and the Rutgers basketball players have a heart-to-heart meeting and that he offers sincere apologies and shows true contrition. And I hope that if this happens, the Rutgers players are able to forgive Mr. Imus and put this episode behind them--other than the lessons they hopefully are learning about enduring insults with dignity and grace and forgiving those who with sincerity of heart ask for compassion and absolution.

Video: Knut

Here he is, the pride of Berlin--Knut the polar bear! Clearly Knut is a cute little guy. I hope that he is able to mate with a female polar bear in a couple of years and have a son, for then, we will have the greatest polar bear ever...

Knut's son.

Okay, enjoy the cuteness...

Culture: New Age Narcissism and Yoga

Anything smacking of new age narcissism deserves to be savaged. This endless discovery of oneself which logically leads a person to be prideful about being both spiritual and about their spiritual development while not worrying about the needs of others creates selfish people. Ron Rosenbaum over at Slate.com gets this, and has written a very good article about how plenty of folks who do yoga also are into new age narcissism. My favorite quote, regarding a cringe-worthy recounting by Rosenbaum about an article that appeared in a recent yoga magazine, is:

"The final step in the great journey of self-understanding the Yoga Journal editors have force-marched her on is realizing it's all about her "relationship with herself." Whitney Houston yoga: I found the greatest love of all—Me! It's the return of New Age Me-generation narcissism. And there's nothing worse than narcissism posing as humility."

Check out the article HERE

Movie Review: Amazing Grace (3.5/4 Stars; Good to Excellent)

Amazing Grace tells the story of William Wilberforce's efforts in Parliament to abolish the slave trade in England around the turn of the 19th century. The son of a wealthy merchant, Wilberforce was elected to Parliament in his 20's. As the movie details, after becoming a Christian he became unsure whether to continue in his political career or become a Christian minister. Eventually, he comes to realize that he does not have to choose between glorifying God and changing the world--he can do both in his political career by ending the slave trade. Wilberforce would attempt to outlaw the slave trade in England for the next two decades, with many difficulties along the way.

I certainly don't want to give away the general plot of Amazing Grace. However, it is worth noting that it is one of the few movies in recent years to portray a Christian in a noble light, and not as a crank, bigot, fool, or wierdo. It was a nice change. The movie is well acted, with Ioan Gruffold playing Wilberforce. Other excellent performances include Albert Finney as John Newton, the writer of Amazing Grace; Ciaran Hinds as the villanous Lord Tarleton; Romola Garai as Barbara; and the scene stealing Michael Gambon as Lord Charles Fox. The movie moves along at a solid pace, for which the director Michael Apted is to be credited. I was inspired to make a difference in the world after watching Amazing Grace, and it is my hope that after seeing this excellent movie you will be also.

Video: NBA.com Top 10 Career Dunks

With a nod to espn.com columnist Bill Simmons, here is a link to some of the best dunks in NBA history by players such as Michael Jordan, Dr. J, Kobe Bryant, and a few others. A nice time waster to see some truly amazing plays.

Politics: Hillary Clinton is Hoping Al Gore is Fat, Apparently

Newsweek has a silly article by Eleanor Clift this week. The article briefly discusses the possibility that Al Gore will run for President. The article is generally much ado about nothing, but what is really silly about it is the theory it proposes that Gore's "slimming down will be a signal he intends to run." The simple truth is that Gore is going to see if Hillary Clinton shows serious signs of weakness over the next few months. If it looks like he can "poach" the nomination, he'll try it, regardless of whether he looks like Louie Anderson or Brad Pitt. If Hillary looks strong, he won't run. If Clift writes more articles like this one, I will consider my opening statement to be redundant.

Funtime: Ramen Goldberg Device

The Japanese have some of the most interesting shows around. If you've got 6 1/2 minutes to burn, here is footage of the most difficult way to cook Ramen noodles imaginable.

Politics: Bad Mood Rising

I am a firm believer that U.S. Presidential elections are often won or lost based on whether people in the country feel good about the general direction of things in the nation. That being the case, I think that the GOP should be worried about its chances in 2008. The 2006 Congressional flip to the Democrats was caused by worries over the course of the Iraq war, and various scandals surrounding the Republicans such as the Foley page incident. Well, the hits keep on coming. In the past week the Walter Reed Army medical hospital scandal broke due to a Washington Post expose showing that some wounded soldiers have lived in unsanitary rooms and detailing the bureaucratic difficulties many have faced to obtain needed treatment. The scandal resulted in the firings of the Secretary of the Army and the hospital's commander. No American wants to feel like their country does not appreciate the sacrifices of wounded soldiers, and this scandal on President Bush's watch will cause many people to conclude that all the rhetoric from politicians (particularly the President) regarding how much the soldier's sacrifices are meaningless words. Granted, President Bush likely had no idea the conditions were so poor in some parts of the hospital, and perhaps was unaware of the bureaucratic difficulties many wounded soldiers face to obtain needed care. However, when things happen in a country the President often gets the credit or blame, whether it is deserved or not, and I believe that in the minds of many people the Commander in Chief of the military and his party which has primarily led the war effort for the last few years will bear the blame for it. This will have a more negative effect on the GOP's chances in 2008 than the Scooter Libby conviction. Most Americans assume all politicians are shady and dishonest and thus will not care too much about this incident. The good news if you are hoping for a GOP President in 2008? The election is 20 months away, and neither Hillary Clinton nor Barack Obama are unbeatable candidates.