Category: Technology

Forgiving Holocaust Deniers?

As a Christian, I believe in the redemptive quality of the creation (and humanity).

That being said, I dare not speak for Pope Benedict XVI, but I can’t imagine why this move was made:

Anger, Dismay as Pope Reinstates Holocaust Denier

Has the work of John Paul II and his outreach to Jews been made null with this move? John Allen of the National Catholic Reporter (and participant in the NPR story linked above) calls this move a “disaster” for Jewish-Christian relations.

The Anti-Defamation League’s Director Abraham Foxman sums it up well:

This decree sends a terrible message to Catholics around the world that there is room in the Church for those who would undermine the Church’s teachings and who would foster disdain and contempt for other religions, particularly Judaism. Given the centuries-long history of anti-Semitism in the Church, this is a most troubling setback.

We need you back, Prof. Goodman. This world is ready for the types of healing you described when you told us of your vision or real and honest Jewish-Christian dialogue. I wish you were there to temper my righteous indignation on such issues.

Welcome to the Holodeck

Are you real? What does that mean, anyway?

Our world may be a giant hologram – space – 15 January 2009 – New Scientist: “The idea that we live in a hologram probably sounds absurd, but it is a natural extension of our best understanding of black holes, and something with a pretty firm theoretical footing. It has also been surprisingly helpful for physicists wrestling with theories of how the universe works at its most fundamental level.”

Maybe Mr. Moriarty had it right all along…

The End of Solitude

Great piece:

The End of Solitude – ChronicleReview.com: “This is what the contemporary self wants. It wants to be recognized, wants to be connected: It wants to be visible. If not to the millions, on Survivor or Oprah, then to the hundreds, on Twitter or Facebook. This is the quality that validates us, this is how we become real to ourselves — by being seen by others. The great contemporary terror is anonymity.

So we live exclusively in relation to others, and what disappears from our lives is solitude. Technology is taking away our privacy and our concentration, but it is also taking away our ability to be alone.”

Lots to reflect on there.

Atonement

My seminary pal Thomas has a thoughtful post on atonement theories and how the more traditional models ring hollow for him:

Thomas Whitley – What’s Your Atonement Theory?: “If you pick one of these, why? If you operate from a different theory of atonement what is it and why? I am curious because I am having difficulty finding these theories very meaningful for me.”

I have to echo Thomas here. I’ve never been extremely comfortable focusing on the atonement side of my faith, so this is an issue I struggle with (when the issue presents itself).

I’ve always been attracted to Terry Brook’s The Druid of Shannara for my own atonement allegory 🙂

Asheville Tweetup at Nine Mile

Here are a few great shots of today’s awesome tweetup at Nine Mile (my new fav restaurant here in town) courtesy of Travis (@orbiting_chaaa)

Asheville, NC – Tweetup pics 01-22-2009 at Ninemile

Finding my place here in Asheville is becoming much easier because of the new friends that I’m meeting at these events. These things are really becoming a highlight of the Asheville scene for me!

Thanks to everyone who put this one together!

Goodman mp3’s

Fellow Goodmanite and recently graduated Gardner-Webb Divinity student (and all around fantastic guy) Steven Norris has put together a collection of mp3’s from Prof Goodman’s New Testament 2 class in the Spring of ’05.

In the attempt to process through the emotions of Dan’s recent passing, I found myself trying to pull together everything that reminded me of him, regretting that I would never hear that voice lecture again. Then, I remembered that I had recorded his lectures when I took Dan for N.T. II in the Spring of 2005. There are a couple of lectures missing, but I know that many who called him “teacher” and “friend” might also cherish being able to hear his voice again.

There are 22 mp3’s in all. I am SO thankful to Steven for making each second of them available.

I wrote Steven to thank him and he also pointed me to the mp3 collection of sermons that Prof Goodman had given over the past year at Calvary Baptist here in Asheville. Tremendous:

Goodman at Calvary

Frankly, I was in tears at minute 1 of the first lecture Steven has posted. It’s an amazing experience to hear the words (especially in a classroom setting) of a person and friend you thought you’d never hear again.

Truly, we live in an amazing age.

Funny thing is that as much as Goodman loved music, he was never quite the fan of mp3’s and recordings since he was such a legalist on issues of copyright, etc. I always looked up to him on that one. Yet, I take great pleasure in knowing that I’ll be listening to the great luddite on my iPod Touch (and whatever comes next) for many many years to come.

Thank you, Steven.