What the Carp???

So to be completely honest, as much as I like talking about ways to fix Huntingdon (or the problems I see with it) I don't know that I care enough to change it. Before you jump all over me read my reasoning. I am a fifth year senior, I have been here all 5 years of my collegiate experience, and I love it here. I would not have stayed if I didn't. So, I think there are things that need to change: like a new President that can tangibly show where our Tuition, room and board, and "student fees" are going. (That's my big problem with the school and also why I probably will not donate money to Huntingdon until he leaves. Ranting, I know.) But I say all of this to say that we all have things to complain about and would like to think that we would/could do something about it, but the truth is that the world has taught us to either change our beliefs or to move away from the problems. So, if we go by what we are taught, we will all either deal with the problems (as I have for the past 5 years) or go to a new school (check the retention rate for Huntingdon. It backs up my point). I hope we can change the school, but hoping and having the actual drive to do something are two different things.


If you haven't already discovered, I'm a pessimist. Good day.

J-Pow

Holy crap!!! Not literally.

I'm just excited that I'm getting this done early. I think. (It's either early or really late.)

So today in class we went over the Patron-Client relationship. We also talked about how this is still used today in society. We never really discussed how this also plays a role in our spiritual lives.  We did hint at it when we talked about sports. While everyone was trying to justify why they pray for no injuries or to have fun I was thinking what most people want to pray. "God, make us win. Let them suck it up today." After that, I thought about other parts of the average persons life and how we take the same approach to them but we also go another full step in the wrong direction with it.  When we want something really really really badly we begin to bargain with God.  It sometimes becomes a Patron-Client relationship in the wrong way.  We begin to use the formula "God if you just "blank" I promise I will "blank" for You." The problem that I see with this is that we, as Christians shouldn't need anything from God in order to justify our actions for him. (I'm kind of rambling... sorry.) For an example I'll use a sports team's pre-game prayer.  "God if you just let us win, I'll finally talk to my friends about You." It seems like a fair trade-off because of how the world views it now. But in actuality, we should be longing to talk to our friends even without this "gift/victory" from God. I guess the point I'm trying to get across is that prayer is not and should not be used as a bartering system with God.  Instead prayer should be used as a way to connect with God and give praise to him.  I'm not saying not to ask for things in prayer. I don't think it says anywhere not to ask for things. The main point I want to convey is that the Patron-Client relationship we have with God (if that's what you want to call it) isn't the same as depicted by the Roman society.  God blesses us and we should praise him for it but not because of it.

Going back to the whole sports prayer.... instead of "Yo God, make us win and them suck at life today." Maybe it should be more like "Give us the strength to praise you in our game today." Sounds weird and is kind of simple, I know. But I feel like, since that is what we are called to do, the rest just isn't that important.

J-Pow

Deeds or Faith

So I think someone needs to sit all of the "Christian" mainstream artists down and give them a good slap. That's just a random thought. here's the blog. woot


I just read through my notes from class and a song that my friend wrote came to mind. The main "punchline" of the song is "what good is faith without deeds?" I agree that faith is no good without deeds but as we discussed in class, faith without deeds isn't faith. I think. But I also think that a lot of people focus on the wrong deeds or life habits, especially here at Huntingdon. I see the same pattern within a certain, nameless group. They like to claim to be Christians and I believe they understand the ideas of Christianity and they try to model their lives after Christ. Both of these are good things. The reason I bring them up isn't because of that though.  These people also tend to be the most judgmental people I have ever met. They judge others for cussing, sexual immorality, drinking (under or of age), and many more.  I guess the point I'm trying to make is there is one deed that, in my opinion, must be done to truly "faith." One must love unconditionally and love everyone. I don't like to think of it as "no sin is greater than the next." I like to think that "no deed is better or worse than the next." In my opinion, you are either loving or not. I don't see a gray area on that.


"EVERYBODY LOVE EVERYBODY!" - Jackie Moon

Late but... It's here now.... right...

Okay so I'm super late with this but it's all good. I figured I would post anyway. SO...


This is kind of off topic(ish). I just want to say that I really want to read some of these gospels that weren't included in the Bible. I mean, what if I get something good out of it? What if it answers a question better than the others? What if they could be used as a better tool to show people Christ? I realize that they went through this big long thing to decide which ones were to be included but that was back then.... they didn't even have cars.... (if that made sense to you... congratulations).  I just want to read through them and have a better understanding. I don't have to believe it but like we said in class: more perspectives give a better understanding of what happened. Unless they're stupid, and I'll be the judge of that.

Epistemology... That's what she said...

Okay. So... epistemology got me thinking 2 things:
      1) Funny word
      2) All this below....


So everything we "know" is based off of how we've been raised to understand things. It makes me think of the Matrix when they explain to Neo that chicken might not taste like chicken at all, but maybe steak or something else.  I now realize the validity of this statement.  I understand some things because "that's just how it is" or "it's always been that way."  But why? I don't know. So as the class went on we moved to how the Gospels became (?? I can't think of a better word) appropriate perspectives.  After I thought about this more, I realized that if the same selection process used for the Gospels were to be used in everyday life to make decisions, it might actually end well. This is kind of what I was thinking. Let me know how off you think I am...

Scripture

 I think that it is safe to say that most Christians believe that "all situations and events are covered in the Bible." By that I mean that no matter what comes up in life, the Bible can lead you to an answer or solution to it. So finding scripture to back one's situation is the start.

Tradition

I guess if it really came down to it... you could ask someone that has been through it??? I don't know.

Reason

This one is kind of self explanatory. Think about the long term impact of your decision before you make it. I will say some people have a big problem with this. My advice to those people is to stop being stupid. 

Experience

This is the one I'm not too sure about.  There are two sides to this. The saying "if you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always gotten" comes to mind. Now, if you've seen or had good results in similar situations go for it. I guess the other side is to do the opposite if it ended poorly last time.

Anyway, I know that's kind of a stretch but it was just on my mind.

“No sensible decision can be made any longer without taking into account not only the world as it is, but the world as it will be."

               -Isaac Asimov