The Hunger Games

I think The Hunger Games was the most refreshing fictional book series I've ever read. As easy a read as Harry Potter, shorter, and with tons of suspense and action. I also loved the romantic conflict that Katniss is put into. A dilemma not easily solved in real life (if ever such a situation could occur). Katniss' inner dialogue was terrific, and both Peeta and Gale had heroic characteristics. Mix humor from characters like Haymitch and Finnick to the incredible violence of the games, and you've got the makings of a New York Times best seller (i'm pretty sure it reached that already). I just hope the movies that start in 2012 won't ruin the story for everyone who doesn't read the books. I really liked these books and highly recommend them to everyone who reads.

P.S. - My only complaint is the ending to book three.

Rawls' Trail of Ignorance

John Rawl's essay "A Theory of Justice" is basically a theory of fairness. He equates what is just with what is fair. And he simplifies he theory into two principles.

1. (Liberty Principle) Each person is to have an equal right to the most extensive scheme of equal basic liberties compatible with a similar scheme of liberties for others.

2. (Difference Principle) Social and economic inequalities are to be arranged so that they are both (a) reasonably expected to be to everyone's advantage, and (b) attached to positions and offices open to all...

First lets look at how he comes to this conclusion. Rawls posits this idea he calls the "veil of ignorance". Behind this veil of ignorance, man (the term "man" refers to both male and female) is completely ignorant of his social, racial, and gender status, and he is unaware of his abilities, education, and opportunity. Thus a man would know if he was rich or poor, black or white, male or female, book smart, street smart, or mentally handicapped. Rawls calls this the "original position. And from the original position, behind the veil of ignorance, all men, being reasonable, would want equality and would be able to see what is just and fair. And they would all reason to Rawls' two principles of justice.

The first principle is very egalitarian and aligns with social contract theory posed by Locke and Hobbes. Like a Natural Law argument, you give every member of society as much liberty as possible such that it doesn't infringe on the liberties of others.

The second principle is more controversial, and mainly because part (a) is not egalitarian. Rawls says that because there are inevitable inequalities in society, they should be arranged as to be to everyone's advantage. An example he gives is "to the distribution of income and wealth and to the design of organizations that make use of differences in authority and responsibility. While the distribution of wealth and income need not be equal, it must be to everyone's advantage..." In American society this is played out in the higher tax rates for parties in higher income brackets.

One reason this is such a problem is that people will lose incentive to earn more if they know it will be taken from them. Rawls' theory hints to very socialistic ideals.

My problem with Rawls' theory starts behind the veil of ignorance. First, can we ever get there? Can we every reason from the "original position"? Thomas Kuhn argues that we can't ever get beyond our own paradigm. But suppose, like Edmund Husserl, we could bracket out all experience, historical circumstance, and personal situation, would all men reason to the same idea of what is "fair"? This point seems less likely. If you look at the history of philosophy, men have been reasoning differently from the beginning of time. If men didn't reason differently, this issue wouldn't be controversial. Just because Rawls names his original position as being behind the veil of ignorance, that does not mean that all men will reason the same. Also, if you talk to some, you'll come to conclude that some men don't reason at all.

If you ask me, Rawls' theory of justice originating from behind the veil of ignorance originates from Rawls' trail of ignorance on the condition of humanity.

The Great Divorce

I always thought "The Great Divorce" by C.S. Lewis was another one of his essays. But I was pleasantly surprised to find out it is a short story, a fiction, about the afterlife. It joins only two other books that I have read in one night. C.S. Lewis is one of the best writers I've ever read because he communicates thoughts that normally seems hard to express, like unto to how the Spirit prays to God the Father for us with "groanings that cannot be expressed" (Rom 8:26).

Here is one excerpt I found to be phenomenal:

"Don't you remember on earth--there were things too hot to touch with your finger but you could drink them all right? Shame is like that. If you will accept it--if you will drink the cup to the bottom--you will find it very nourishing: but try to do anything else with it and it scalds."

Hogwarts for the Holidays

I am now lost in the wonderful wizardry world of Harry Potter. And understand when i say "lost" i really mean in the middle of the series and enjoying them alot. I just finished the second book today, and i only have good things to say about it. All the characters are great. It is funny. The ends have wonderful twists. And everyone says it doesn't get good till book 4, so i have alot to look forward to.

I remember back in the day when everyone was making a big fuss about not reading the books or watching the movies. Now most of my close friends love the series, talk about them alot, and highly recommend reading them. So i finally decided to listen to my friends and pick the series up. They have been refreshing to my soul, as i often now get to sit with my own imagination and read a fun and easy story. "An easy read" is what i heard the most from everyone who had read the books. And this easy read is exactly what i needed. Between some of the heavy theological books i've picked since the summer and all my college textbooks, i feel like i've been running long distances as fast as i can. Harry Potter has been more like stroll in the park. Like a nice easy walk in the fresh air, just looking at big houses and old trees, wondering what it'll be like to grow up.

Hopes and Dreams

I've had this reoccurring dream a while

Mountains stack and I am underneath the pile

When I am under, wake's a mile away

You are my sun but I can't seem to find the day

My hopes are tangent to my dreams this time

My hands want to be warmed by you rather than rhyme

I know it's out of reach but I must try

Though passion melts the cold it invites the fire

I have a fear of being on the ground

Might miss my flight

Walk away, don't make a sound

But this charming sound has made its way to me

It's such a shame to leave the passenger's company

I'm so afraid to get off this plane

Because I fear I won't get on ever again

The ground may be safe but it's the air I love

Take me up high, I like the view from up above

Plans of War

You are such a clever lie

Cuz I can never figure why

I keep running back to you

Why I do the things I do

I smell the fresh scent of your breathe

But know you merely breathe out death

The trick and scheme is never new

You mask the lie, and hide what’s true

So here is what I’ll do:

I’ll curse the man you’ve built in me

And tear apart each stone building

I’ll run to the nearest open road

And rip off all these shameful clothes

I’ll wait till your memory is gone

As long as the light in the sky lives on

And still I’ll wait just to be found

And until then I won’t make a sound

A Widsom Riddle

I need this every single day

My lack of this is why I pray

It holds me safely from myself

In between poverty and wealth

I love it as my major find

Its secrets I try to unwind

Its enemy will bend and bind

And keep you wounded, deaf, and blind

It’s worth a fight and worth a blow

A treasure many never know

It has its limits like the rest

But it will help you pass the test

It goes a long way, that’s for sure

It points you to what will endure

Your love for it will love you back

It won’t deceive and won’t attack

Its praise is shouted throughout time

Both throughout pros and throughout rhyme

It’s virtuous by its own will

Its truest form is humble still

- Castor

"Moving Mountains"

I speak in many tongues of many men
Argue with angels and they always win
But I don’t know the first thing about love
I prophesize and know all mystery
All living things are opened up to me
But I don’t know the first thing about love
Know the first thing about love
I have the keys to open many doors
Give all my possessions to the poor
But I don’t know the first thing about love
I’m moving mountains and have faith in me
Have faith enough to caste them to the sea
But I don’t know the first thing about love
I don’t know the first thing about love
all other things shall fade away
Love stands alone and still holds sway
all other things shall fade away
Into the ground into the grave
I give my body up into the flames
And never once did I deny your name
But I don’t know the first thing about love
I don’t know the first thing about love
- Thrice

Teach Me to Pray

Direct my thoughts outside myself
So i will sit up on the shelf
While on the shelf, let me see
Others in their misery
So i can help them through their pain
Be someone to stand with them in the rain
Another voice to call on high
For justice, love, a better life
Teach me how to see their hearts
That when one dies, another starts
Old hearts of stone turned into flesh
How theirs and Yours will start to mesh
Give me Your love for desperate friends
To seek You on behalf of them
To beg for mercy and for grace
So they might see Your aweseome face
For when our hearts are fixed on You
There's nothing else that we can do
- Castor

How God Can Bless

If there is a way to tell you all about how God can bless

If you could share with me in God's presence in my mess

Oh what a wonderful grace would crash down

And break us to pieces, simply at the sound

Once we're broken and we've lost all our pride

God can start to make us anew from the inside

He'll show you everyday, just like He showed me

That He has truly loved us from the start of eternity

How real and true are His great acts of grace

That it's alomst as if we are seeing His face

- Castor

In God's Hands

I was talking with a friend recently, and I mentioned to him that I am in God's hands. Obviously this doesn't mean a huge giant I call God is phyically grasping me as we speak. So what really do I mean?

The way i understand it i have surrendered to God's will in my life. I am not only letting Him direct me, but rather i've climbed up into his arms and He's carrying me to where He wants me to go.

The tricky thing about this is it means i have no control. But the beauty of it is that it means God is in complete control. The same God who created our solar system and every intricacy therein is also carrying me. He knows better than I.

But often times i'll get bogged down with guilt from my sin. What's happening there? I believe an analogy i learned this summer describes it perfectly. Satan is called the accuser. One of his main gimmicks is telling us Christians we aren't good enough for God, and that we need to work harder. He injects guilt when we don't do this. This is like Satan putting a treadmill next to me as God is carrying me. Believing Satan's lie is like getting on the treadmill and try and run to where God is taking me. Imagine how ridulous that would look like. Not only am i not going anywhere by my own effort, but it should be clear that i am going somewhere because is holding me. Before i know it i'm exhausted and discouraged because i can't see past the stupid treadmill.

Here is where God's grace comes back into the picture. Inevitably my hard work, running as fast as i can on the treadmill, is going to give out and i'm going to fall hard. It'll hurt for sure (if you've ever fallen off a treadmill you know what i mean), but i'll just fall right back into God's hands. All i need to do is see it and believe it, and go back to relying on God's strength to get me through this life.

As soon as i start relying on my ability to please God, i'm getting right back on the treadmill.

My only problem now is God's hands are so big and powerful that i can't see over them. I'm doing all i can to peer in between his fingers to see where He's taking me. That's the real adventure.

Comtemplative Learning - (Smile)

This was a homework assignment i posted this evening in my Phil, Rel, and Environment class. I love the freedom i have in my given assignments.

___________________________________

I walked into a field next to my house. The ground was wet from the recent rain. I walked barefoot in circles for a while. I looked down and noticed something small jump across my foot. I thought about all the millions of creatures that live in that field. Some probably even die in that field. Some probably don't live much longer than a few days. How short compared to my life. Then i thought about how short my life is compared to God's, who created me and the earth, and created time. How small my life is compared to His. Yet He tells me that He formed me in my mother's womb and knows me by name. And He loves me so much that He died for me. That truth is still somewhat incomprehensible.

Then lighting flashed. I immediately thought about how cool it is. And how it gives light to the whole world (as far as I can see) for just a second. Yet the light makes known all the secrets of the dark. Truth is in the light. In the darkness is held fears, mainly of the unknown. I think the spiritual world is like this too. Often times I know the truth. But when i'm surrounded by spiritual darkness, it's easy to forget what the truth looks like. But then I see flashes of God that remind of the truth all around me. It's scary but comforting at the same time.

Journal Article Review for Research Methods

Christopher Randazzo – Philosophy Journal Article Review

“Free Will and the Problem of Evil”

Author: James Cain

Source: Religious Studies, Vol. 40, No. 4 (Dec., 2004), pp. 437-456

Published by: Cambridge University Press

Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20008555

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The central problem of this article is to defend the incompatibilism that is required by the free will defense that allows for the problem of evil to arrive out of a misuse of our free will in a world created by an all perfect God. This article is in response to the objection that determinism can be compatible with free will in such a way that God might have predetermined our free will to be exercised sinlessly.

The way Cain goes about this is first to distinguish between three different types of compatibilism—metaphysical, conceptual, and epistemic—and the logical relationship between them. He explains that to say two statements are “compatible” means they can both be true at the same time, thus he breaks down the three types of compatibilism into representative truth statements. At first glance it looks like a complicated proof you might see in a logic and proof class, but all in all he is plainly using symbols to simplify long statements.

First he defines a statement (S) as metaphysically necessary if it is true with respect to every metaphysically possible world, and (S) as conceptually necessary if it is analytically true in each possible world. Likewise a statement (S) is metaphysically possible if the statement is true in at least one possible metaphysical world, and (S) is conceptually possible if the statement can by proved analytically in at least one possible world. Thus “metaphysical compatibility” is when two statements are metaphysically true at the same time. Likewise “conceptual compatibility” is when two statements are conceptually true at the same time. Cain makes the point that if two statements are conceptually compatible, they must be metaphysically compatible. On the other hand, two statements can be metaphysically compatible but not conceptually compatible. Cain practically skips over “epistemic compatibility” as he refers to it as the least plausible type of compatibilism because it is the most complex and includes the most variables.

Based on this point, Cain spends the majority of time talking about his “difficulties” with metaphysical compatibility because if he can persuade the reader that there are simply too many problems with this kind of compatibility, he has no need is expounding upon the other kinds of compatibility. Cain admits that metaphysical compatibilism is the most plausible for the opposing argument, but he is far from convinced. He does this by using typical arguments for compatibilism—namely paradigm-case arguments, conceptual analysis, and Frankfurt-style examples—and shows that they are poor proofs for compatibilism.

I think Cain’s article is true under the assumptions and definitions he uses, most of which I would agree with. But there are so many terms to define and base assumptions made that one can hardly fully agree. Another sense of this article’s “trueness” is that Cain does not boldly say that one side of the argument is true or false. He does not refute the opposing argument as false, but only shows “difficulties,” and he only spends about a page arguing for his own side, which is no “proof” by any stretch of the word.

However, this article is still profitable to reader because Cain is not trying to convince the reader that his thoughts are irrefutable truths, but rather to think through the issue of free will and determinism in a new, hopefully clearer, way.

I could not find any style guidelines or instructions for authors.

The journal Religious Studies is peer-reviewed by a renowned international board of scholars to ensure that the articles are of the highest quality.

A Word to New Students:

Pray
If God is for you, who can be against you?
When the comforts of this world drift away
When it's sunny with a high of 75
And the leaves of the trees in millions of colors
Cannot cheer you up
When sunsets, sunrises, and wind just makes you cry
Cast your cares on God, because He cares for you
Take comfort in your faith
Comfort in your sufferings
Knowing that God came
Not to bring peace, but a sword
To fight the powers of this world
Powers of darkness and famine
Of riches of fame
Of loneliness
Pray
And have joy
Count it all joy
For climax of this play is grace
This stage's star is perfect
And He brought you into His act
Because He loves
Pray

"It's not the best"

There are a few sayings my mom used to say to me and my brothers all the time when i was a little kid. And one sticks out to me more than all the rest. This thought has shaped how i think. It creeps back in my mind and convicts me. I have no doubt that i will remember this saying on my death bad, even if i forget who my mom is.

If we asked her why we couldn't have that cereal, or watch that t.v. show, or own that item, or eat that candy, she would tell us, "it's not the best." If the youthgroup at my church was participating in a certain event that my parents didn't want us to go to, my mom would say, "It's not 'what's wrong with it?', but its just not the best."

My mom always wanted the best for us. And when someone like John Piper agrees, it's like
honey on my lips.

In his book Don't Waste Your Life, Piper talks about the right questions and the wrong ones:

People who are content with the avoidance ethic generally ask the wrong question about behavior. They ask, What's wrong with it? What's wrong with this movie? Or this music? Or this game? Or these companions? Or this way of relaxing? Or this investment? Or this restaurant? Or shopping at this store? What wrong with going to the cabin every weekend? Or having a cabin? This kind of question will rarely yield a lifestyle that commends Christ as all-satisfying and makes people glad in God. It simply results in a list of don'ts. If feeds the avoidance ethic.
The better questions to ask about possible behaviors is: How will this help me treasure Christ more? How will it help me show that i do treasure Christ? How will it help me know Christ or display Christ? The Bible says, "Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (I Corinthians 10:31). So the question is mainly positive, not negative. How can I portray God as glorious in this action? How can I enjoy making much of him in this behavior?

I think this is what my mom was getting at, only not in so many words.

Thanks mom!

A Tragedy In the Making

Have you ever read something, and immediately thought, "that's me!" This is a passage from John Piper's book "Don't Waste Your Life." where that to me severely. I think it accurately decribes a tragedy in the making that still has a partial hold on my life, but also in the lives of millions in our culture.

"You may not be sure that you want your life to make a difference. Maybe you don't care very much whether you make a lasting difference for the sake of something great. You just want people to like you. If people would just like being around you, you'd be satisfied. Or if you could just have a good job with a good wife, or husband, and a couple of good kids and a nice car and long weekends and a few good friends, a fun retirement, and a quick and easy death, and no hell--if you could have all that (even without God)--you would be satisfied. That is a tragedy in the making. A wasted life."

In Honor of Rosamond Herklots

23 years ago today a woman named Rosamond Herklots died. I stumbled upon a hymn she wrote last Sunday in church. This is one of the most beautiful hymns i have ever read.

"Forgive our sins as we forgive"
You taught us Lord to pray
But You alone can grant us grace
To live the works we say
How can Your pardon reach and bless
The unforgiving heart
That broods on wrongs and will not let
Old bitterness depart?
In blazing light Your cross reveals
The truth we dimly knew
How trifling others debts to us
How great our debt to You
Lord cleanse the depths within our souls
And bid resentment cease
Then by Your beauty reconciled
Our lives will spread Your peace -- Rosamond Herklots

As i was reading Acts, it is wonderful to see all the different people God uses to spread the gospel. Ananias, Aeneas, Tabitha, Cornelius, Paul (formerly a persecutor of Christians), and Peter (formerly nothing but an unschooled fisherman). Fastforward to today. The hymnal is full of the art of hundred of different poets and musicians. Each author has experienced the life-transforming power of the glory of the greatness of the grace of God! God has used each one to help Christians all around the world preach the gospel to themselves through song!

23 years ago the Lord took home one of His own. Paul said, "to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21). If we truly believe that, then 23 years ago today, Rosamond gained. And to this very day, 23 years later, she has no less days to sing God's praise!

The Power of Grace

"BUT BY THE GRACE OF GOD I AM WHAT I AM, AND HIS GRACE TO ME WAS NOT WITHOUT EFFECT. NO, I WORKED HARDER THAN ALL OF THEM -- YET NOT I, BUT THE GRACE OF GOD THAT WAS WITH ME." - 1 COR 15:10

At a Bible study tonight we listened to John Piper talk about the power of future grace. And by future grace, he means the grace that God has given to us moment-by-moment. And in this grace, Paul tells the Corthinthians, is power. We humans are sinful, weak, and unholy (Rom 3:23, Is 64:6), but God has given us the Holy Spirit, and through Him the power of grace. Grace is what saved from our sinful nature and the punishment of sin (Eph 2:8). Grace is what allows us to resist sin and live a life pleasing to God (Tit 2:11-12). Grace is what humbles us, pointing us always to the giver of grace: God. How can we do anything but praise Him for such a gift.

Next Chapter: John Piper

John Piper has recently become very influential in my growth in my relationship with God this summer. I started by watching a sermon a friend recommended to me concerning the importance living off the Word of God. There is a book he wrote a while back called Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist. I haven't read the book yet, but i'm starting to watch his seminars on the subject through the website desiringgod.org - which is a website devoted to John Piper's ministries. The site is a great tool and full of wonderful resources.

This post is a summery of the first lesson of the seminar for Desiring God, and it is the summery of his philosophy of Christian Hedonism.

Christian Hedonism
1. The longing to be happy is a universal human experience and is good, not sinful.
2. We should never try to deny or resist our longing to be happy as though it were a bad impulse but instead we should seek to intensity this longing and nourish it with whatever will provide the deepest and most enduring satisfaction.
3. The deepest and most enduring satisfaction is found only in God. (Ps. 16:11)
4. The happiness we find in God reaches its consumation when it expands to meet the needs of others in the manifold ways of love
5. Therefore: To the extent we try to abandon the pursuit of our own pleasure we fail to honor God and love people... in other words: The pursuit of pleasure is a necessary part of all worship and virtue.

Image of the Invisible

We're more than carbon and chemicals
We are the image of the invisible
Free will is ours and we can't let go
We are the image of the invisible
We can't allow this, the quiet cull
We are the image of the invisible
So we sing out this, our canticle
We are the image of the invisible

We all were lost now we are found
No one can stop us or slow us down
We are the named and we are known
We know that we'll never walk alone

We're more than static and dial tone
We are the image of the invisible
We're emblematic of the unknown
We are the image of the invisible
So raise the banner, bend back your bows
We are the image of the invisible
Remove the cancer, take back your souls
We are the image of the invisible

We all were lost now we are found
No one can stop us or slow us down
We are the named and we are known
We know that we'll never walk alone

Though all the world may hate us, we are named
The shadow overtake us, we are known

Raise up the banner, bend back your bows
Remove the cancer, take back your souls

- Thrice
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He is the image of the invisible God
The firstborn over all creation
For by him all things were created
Things in heaven and on earth
Visible and invisible
Whether thrones or powers or rulers and authorities
All things were created by him and for him
He is before all things
And in him all things hold together

- Col 1:15-17
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So God created man in his own image
In the image of God he created him
Male and female he created them

- Gen 1:27