Pictures, rendering our words worthless

Food Not Bombs: Cute Animation

Found this on Food Not Bombs website, made me giggle!

R f E a A i S t O h N

It seems that whether I read about the statistical relative of the size of 1st Century cities and with what ease the cities are converted (Stark, The Rise of Christianity), or if I am reading about the history of Biblical Interpretation, I find myself wanting to apply things in rational terms.

Today in Chapel a Female Pastor came and spoke on evangelism. She claimed she was speaking on prayer, but she was talking about how Prayer is necessary for Evangelism and Revival.
I found myself taking notes like:
- What is Revival? -What's the difference between Revival and Reform? -When was the first Revival historically? Biblically?
- What's the sociological significance of the campmeeting?

This one Got me excited.

After reading Stark, my whole view of Evangelism/Conversion experience has changed. Historically and Sociologically you observe that people come to new Religions, when they have close ties with people in that Religion. Also when the norms and values of the Religion are not a far drop from the culture the converted individuals experienced before. This is why the Early Christian movement is so Jewish in nature. There are thousands upon thousands of Diaspora Jews spread throughout the Roman Empire, who no longer hold to Jewish Law strictly because they are enveloped in hellenized culture. They don't have to change much because they already meet together, are monotheistic in nature, and struggling with living the Torah in these hellenized cities.

So I begin thinking of the campmeetings of the early 1800's and how this time was filled with families traveling and especially on the east and west coasts, there are disassociated "cultural christians" coming, newly to the country, and they have no ties.  There are huge tents with lots of people coming to them from all around, especially out in the frontier land, near the big rivers.  If you take your family, and finally you feel a sense of belonging, not to mention what the guy is saying sounds alright, but mainly you have a social network now.

My thought process jumps to why God asks early on, that we take care of the widow, orphan, and the alien.  Obviously economically these people in the time, can't take care of themselves and are alone. But I think the fact that they are ALONE is much more important here than any lack of resources. We need each other. Social networks.  Table. A place to belong.

I almost feel like a heretic because I define the word Religion's purpose as "finding meaning and belonging."

Creative Demonstration: Iraqi Vets against the War

I was reading articles and watching videos online about the IVAW (Iraq Veterans Against the War) to understand what perspectives they were bringing to the table.




This creative demonstration in city streets was shocking to me. To see scenery that I familiarize with home, being at odds with these people. The idea that we could be bringing more terror to the people of Iraq than democracy frightens me. Yet the involvment level of these veterans who have lost friends to these same scenarios they are acting out seems to take an amount of courage I hope to have one day. Courage to go back to the very place that scares me most because that place needs justice.

gods

Terrell Sanders put it this way...

"gods are what motivate anything we do. why do you wake up in the morning? why do you go to bed on time? why do you do what you do, the way you do? what motivates you?

Rage Against the Machine puts it this way...

"Fear is your only god on a radio, nah, f*** it, turn it off!"

"shut down the devil's sound, where's your freedom now?!"

Little morning thought, brought to you in part by MVNU and Parental Advisory stickers.

Earthships

Please go to my friend Ryan's blog page by clicking on "Ryan Walker" as it is found on my Blogroll and watch the youtube links on his last post.  I will be frequenting the site hoping to read some interesting comments as I was excited and somewhat moved by the videos, and would hope that my friends would share the same enthusiasm I have for such things.

Or you can click on this

 POOP

OR you can click HERE to visit the earthships site directly.