Something Light - Two All Beef Patties

Book Brief - The Angel Experiment: Maximum Ride, Book 1

The Angel Experiment: Maximum Ride, Book 1
James Patterson
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (April 1, 2007)

“The thing about facing imminent death is that it really snaps everything else into perspective.”

With an opening line like that I had “maximum” expectations for this book. Unfortunately, the “ride” goes downhill from there.

Max and his “flock” can fly, literally. They are unusually strong and have other talents that are emerging as they grow and encounter trials in their “flight” from home. It soon becomes obvious that they are the result of some recombinant DNA technology by scientists from the School. The youngest of the “flock” is captured and the rest of the novel relates the tale of her rescue as Max and the others try to save her, and themselves, from the scientists and their henchmen, a human/wolf mutant species known as the Erasers.

There is really nothing new here, at least compared to the typical, “written like a movie”, young adult fare of today. Parents are “total scuzzes”. “Grown-ups are the ones destroying the world...” and kids are the only ones that can save us. When they do they are going to do it in their own independent, crude (just think of the word and they use it), blasphemous (once again, almost any one you can think of), and violent way. They will go to any extreme including dishonesty, “Honesty is always good, except when it’s better to lie.”, stealing, “Are we stealing that car?...No, we’re sort of thinking about borrowing it.”, and lot’s of violence. Can’t we do better than this?

If you can get past all of the above, not to mention the lack of logic (Angel can’t read the thoughts of everyone?), one redeeming feature that could be used by parents in discussing this novel is around the use of genetic technology. This is just another reminder for us of the danger and potential for evil as we play “god”.

“The “scientists” back at the School had been playing with risky stuff, combining human and non-human DNA. Basically, the spliced genes started to unravel after a while, and the organisms tended to, well, self-destruct. The flock and I had seen it happen a million times: The rabbit-dog combo had been such bad news. Same with the sheep-macaque monkey splice. The mouse-cat experiment had produced a huge, hostile mouse with great balance and an inability to digest either grain or meat. So it starved to death.”

Even if, pragmatically, the technology works at some point, there are other reasons to hope that any DNA experimentation, in real life, is soon starved to death.

Rating: Avoid

Go Ask Your Daddy - What Does “Pearls Before Swine” Mean?

This saying comes from Matthew 7:6. The actual verbiage is specifically from the King James Version which reads, ”Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.”

In common usage this phrase usually refers to not offering a good thing to those who don’t appreciate it. Biblically the phrase is, perhaps, a bit more complicated than that. This verse is set within other verses where Jesus discusses judging others. According to the ESV Study Bible:

“Pigs were rejected by Jews, probably because they too were scavenging animals, and they were unclean according to OT law. Pearls symbolize the great value of the message of the kingdom of heaven (cf. Matt. 13:45–46). Believers are to be merciful, forgiving, and slow to judge (7:1–5), yet they should wisely discern the true character of people and not indefinitely continue proclaiming the gospel to those who adamantly reject it, so that they can move on and proclaim the gospel to others (cf. 10:14; also Acts 13:46; 18:6; Titus 3:10–11). "

The IVP commentary provides the following insight:

“In its most general sense 7:6 was probably simply a wisdom saying like Proverbs 23:9: "Do not speak to a fool, for he will scorn the wisdom of your words.”… But why did Matthew include this saying here? Some connect the saying to the preceding context by suggesting that it means it is worthless to try to correct (7:1-5) one unwilling to listen….Most likely verse 6 provides a transition between the preceding and following contexts. Correcting those who will not receive correction is futile (vv. 1-5; Prov 9:8; 23:9); we should discerningly continue to offer wisdom (or the gift of the kingdom) only to those willing to receive what we offer, just as God does (Mt 7:7-11)…If verse 6 means something along these lines, it does not allow us to prejudge who may receive our message (13:3-23), but does forbid us to try to force it on those who show no inclination to accept it.”

As you can see, I’ve relied heavily on others wisdom in interpreting this verse. It is somewhat difficult in context but I do think, at a minimum, we can say that we need to be discerning. Do not persist in offering what is sacred or of value to those who have no appreciation for it. We shouldn’t, however, use this as an excuse to not act when we should. We need to be careful in classifying all the wicked as “swine” and offering them no grace. In simpler terms we could say, prejudge but don’t force.

We surf...so you don't have to - Oct. 27

Laws Gone Wild

Grandma goes to jail…and America wants more government?

The Saga Continues

Eagle Scout suspended…and America wants more government?

Apartment Residents Told To Take Down U.S. Flags

Residents told to stop flying flag…and America wants more government?

Quote - A Shallow Brand of Christianity

“As knowledge of God’s truth ebbs, people follow popular views. They seek feelings and experiences. They hunger for miracles, healings, and spectacular wonders. They grope for easy and instant solutions to the routine trials of life. They turn quickly from the plain truth of God’s Word to embrace doctrines fit only for the credulous and naïve. They chase personal comfort and success. The brand of Christianity prevalent in this generation may be shallower than at any other time in history.

Clearly, spiritual ignorance and biblical illiteracy are commonplace among professing Christians. That kind of spiritual shallowness is a direct result of shallow teaching. Solid preaching with deep substance and sound doctrine is essential for Christians to grow. But churches today often teach only the barest basics-and sometimes less than that.

Churches are therefore filled with baby Christians-people who are spiritual infants…They are utterly preoccupied with self….spiritual babies don’t know what is good for them and what isn’t.”

John MacArthur, The Truth War

The Greatest Threat to Christianity - John Eldredge

Undoubtedly, John Eldredge books, workbooks, study guides and media occupy prime shelf space in your local Christian bookstore. His books are wildly popular and have been recommended to me countless times by well meaning believers. I have read through one of his many titles and found the writing engaging. Eldredge draws attention to some problems in the culture and the church that are important to note. His main theme, of which most would agree, is the feminization of men as a whole and thus a despairing lack of male leadership in the home and the culture at large.

Unfortunately, his low and heretical view of God, as well as his unbiblical view of man, undermines his whole proposition. Without a picture of the true God from Scripture then what is left except worldly wisdom and secular masculinity, of which there is plenty in this book. We are called to discernment and to “test all things, holding fast to what is good”. (1 Thessalonians 5:21) When Christianity Today, a magazine never known for its own discernment, calls Wild at Heart a “syrupy pop book that pleases undiscerning ears” you know something is amiss.

Eldredge lays the foundation for his view of man in Wild at Heart.

“…man was born in the outback, from the untamed part of creation. Only afterward is he brought to Eden and ever since then boys have never been at home indoors, and men have had an insatiable longing to explore.”

“The theme of a strong man coming to rescue a beautiful woman is universal to human nature. It is written in our hearts, one of the core desires of every man and every woman”

What scriptural support do we have for such bold statements? Adam was brought to Eden from the outback? Much of Eldredge’s support is from popular or ancient culture. He bases these erroneous views on movies, books, fairy tales and men’s desires.

As Gary Gilley says,

“Quite frankly, this is the root of the problem—Eldredge has virtually no understanding of Scripture and zero belief in its sufficiency. His source of truth is consistently outside the Bible. Had he spent even a fraction of the time contemplating the Word as he did watching movies and reading Bly, this would be a very different book. As it is Wild at Heart is a secular book with just enough proof texts and “God-talk” to fool the undiscerning and the biblically illiterate, which ought to scare us silly when we think about the awards it has won and the people who have endorsed it.”

There is so much else that could be said. From his understanding of women to his unbiblical view of Satan, Eldredge paints a different picture than the Word of God. Undiscerning men everywhere are being led away from a true understanding of God and His revelation and, often, their leaders are implicitly, or explicitly, leading them down that path.

“The overtones of this book to follow your new and good heart only help to create the "false self" that Eldredge is so intent on destroying. What men need is a clear picture of who God is and the truth about their own sinful tendencies as they attempt to follow him. What they need to know is that their regenerated heart still has an inclination to sin, but they can overcome their inclinations to sin by the power of the Holy Spirit who indwells them. They do not need to place confidence in their "good" heart but in the God of the Bible who is not taking risks, wringing his hands, or waiting to see how all of this turns out.

Eldredge has some good things to say to men today, but coupling these good things with an unbiblical view of God and the believer in Christ, deals a blow to the entire book from which it cannot recover.” (The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood)

Daryl Wingerd states it very clearly:

“I feel compelled to warn Christians to keep it away from others, especially from the lost and from the immature believer. Books like Wild at Heart—books that humanize God and glorify man—books that teach a generation of Christian men, already weakened by humanistic philosophy and biblical ignorance, to look anywhere other than the pages of the Bible for guidance—have a seductive appeal to the flesh—a poisoning effect in the already deceitful and desperately wicked heart of man.”

Next week: How did we get to this point?

Previous posts: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Sermon Notes - Uncommon Marriage - Sacrifice

Uncommon Marriage - Sacrifice, Ephesians 5:21-25
Larry Parsley, Valley Ranch Baptist Church, attended October 25, 2009

We are walking into a “holy mystery” of gender as we look at this. Christians often disagree about this text, so may be walking into a “minefield” here. (?)

Psychologists tell us there are gender differences, i.e. girls walk around and boys walk through, so there are differences.

1. Both husband and wife are called to serve one another – Ephesians 5:21. Christians filled with the Spirit submit and serve one another. This is the thesis statement of this entire text on marriage. (?) Christians filled with the Holy Spirit submit and serve one another. Perhaps she majors on earning wages and she minors on the children. (?)

2. Unique roles in marriage – Ephesians 5:22-25. There are parallels between the husband and Christ and between the wife and the church. Obviously the husbands aren’t saviors and aren’t equal to Christ but is a parallel.

Wives are called to a special submission here. This submission cannot be forced or demanded by the husband but must be freely given. In a culture of equality this is backwards.

3. Paul’s motives for describing unique roles – This was revolutionary at the time. He would have been considered a radical feminist at the time. We live in a different understanding of equality of men and women but we shouldn’t ignore this teaching because we are in a different culture.

There are more similarities than differences between men and women, e.g. we all have eyes, hearts, etc. (?) Adam does have bias to independence from Genesis, i.e. naming animals, etc., while Eve has bias to interdependence, i.e. helper, etc. (?)

4. What Paul is not endorsing – not endorsing a military hierarchy or rigid stereotypes, i.e. one works outside other works inside. The culture tells us can have women CEO’s, women Secretary of State, etc. Bible also tells us this with Deborah, Miriam, Phoebe and the Proverbs 31 woman. Bible women show leadership. Paul wants us to discover the main focus of Ephesians – unity.

5. What Paul is endorsing – discover what God made you to be. She sacrificially undergirds him. She strengthens him to do what he is called to do and it is all done to the honor of Christ.

Something Light - Hold on tight!

Book Review - Peace Like a River

Peace Like a River

Leif Enger

Atlantic Monthly Press (August 20, 2002)

In short: Reminiscent of Dickens and Hardy, this lyrical novel, rich in Biblical allusions, is a poetic tale of relationships and faith.

“Many a night I woke to the murmur of paper and knew he was up, sitting in the kitchen with frayed King James – oh, but he worked that book; he held to it like a rope ladder.”

Reuben Land is an eleven year old asthmatic boy whose father, Jeremiah, like his namesake, is a larger-than-life presence with an ever-present and living faith. Reuben and his sister, Swede, are a witness to the miraculous occurrences that surround their father, especially as they journey across country in pursuit of their fugitive brother, Davy.

“Once traveling, it’s remarkable how quickly faith erodes. It starts to look like something else – ignorance, for example. Same thing happened to the Israelites. Sure it’s weak, but sometimes you’d rather just have a map.”

The cast of rich characters are as varied as they are memorable. Like Thomas Hardy, the setting is as important a character as the humans are. Rural Minnesota and the badlands of North Dakota are mythic and heavenly. Providence could be considered part of this wondrous cast, as well, and plays an important role as the adventure unfolds.

“So no one led you here,” he said.

Well the question was dismaying. Of course we’d been led; why did everyone keep bringing this up? We’d had leading by the bushel!...even the putrid Fed had been part of the old rod and staff employed by the Lord to goose us along.”

This is an adventure novel of the grandest sort - but more. A coming-of-age novel for all ages. A novel of memorable characters that touches on transcendent themes. A work that mixes the simple and profound, like Dickens, in meaningful ways, with descriptive prose giving us glimpses of the after-life, as well as the inner thoughts of a child. Filled with lasting quotes this is a novel for the ages.

“Pride is the rope God allows us all…”

“I saw it happening but could not stop it. Humility came to me too late. I’m a living proverb. Learn from me.”

“Someday, you know, we’re going to be shown the great ledger of our recorded decisions – a dread concept you nonetheless know in your deepest soul is true.”

“Fair is whatever God wants to do.”

Rating: Hardback

Book Brief - The Great Brain

The Great Brain
John D. Fitzgerald
Puffin (February 9, 2004)

Tom, the “great brain”, is conniving and arrogant, as only a ten year old boy can be. After helping to save the life of a friend lost in a cave he says:

“I would have done it sooner but I wanted to give the grown-ups every chance. And now, folks, please go home. I’ve got to rest up my great brain so it will be ready the next time something happens which you grown-ups can’t solve.”

This book might be a little shocking to anyone brought up in the comfortable culture of modern America. Set in the late 1800’s this is a nostalgic, and often harsh, picture of another time. It was a time when losing a leg to blood poisoning, although perhaps not common, was not surprising.

“He kept the secret of his injured foot from his mother and father until blood poisoning had set in and turned in to gangrene. By that time there was nothing else Dr. Leroy could do but to amputate Andy’s left leg just below the knee to prevent the gangrene from spreading.”

It was also a time, however, when children were free to explore and discover the world on their own – outside, away from the “guided discovery” of the computer screen. It was a simpler time.

“A Sunday dinner in our house without guests was unusual…This was the day of the week when we made ice cream, and everybody helped.”

Tom concocts various schemes along the way that showcases his “great brain”. Some are harmless but others are not. Tom ends up hurting others as he learns. He does undergo reformation as the tale progresses and although he may not be the best role model this is still an enjoyable read if for nothing else than to get a picture of an earlier life that has been lost.

Rating: Borrow