Zepfanman.com (Stylesheets Off Version)

September Words: Katrina improves Zepfanman.com

On Sunday, My pastor quoted an "8-day-forget rule." I can't remember if he mentioned his source, but basically it's the idea that eight days after a disaster, public support drops off drastically. I'm hoping that this won't happen to the people on the gulf coast. Below are a few of my thoughts on the disaster which eventually lead me back to what's happening with my own website, Zepfanman.com.

It's now been about 8 days, but I think that, like 911, the American people will continue to give—just remember that the Red Cross will still be needing large donations three months from now, when things will finally start functioning again in the disaster cities. I'm tired of hearing all the complaints about how our country has responded. Instead, how about we explore our real options and determine the best way that we can help out? Taking a trip down there is only helpful if you're doing it with a program that knows what its doing!

I'm sure you've already heard too many opinions about the disaster, so without further commentary, I give you some helpful links.

June Words: Grand scheme paralysis

I've been on a quest to universalize everything, but it's starting to impede any practical progress I'm making in life. This isn't a pity party, but I wanted to explain why the Monthly Word is so late in getting out.

I like to research, but I'm not very good at executing. I can interpret others' opinions, but it's difficult for me to formulate my own! I've found this to be true in many areas of my life, specifically with this website and with religious issues. There are some great efforts going on across the web to standardize the way information is presented, and I'm excited about being a part of them.

May Words: Our marriage

There are too many books and resources on improving your married life. I'm not looking to give you any great insights, but I will throw in my two cents - my perspective.

Our class (The YPC) has been going through a pretty good video Bible study on the Song of Solomon. There are varying allegorical and literal interpretations of the book, but it is in essence a beautiful poem celebrating the sensuality of love. Here is a short sample:

I am the rose of Sharon,
The lily of the valleys.

Like a lily among the thorns,
So is my darling among the maidens.

Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest,
So is my beloved among the young men.
In his shade I took great delight and sat down,
And his fruit was sweet to my taste.

He has brought me to his banquet hall,
And his banner over me is love.

March Words: National Egotism

Faith in Christ Jesus is what makes each of you equal with each other, whether you are a Jew or a Greek, a slave or a free person, a man or a woman. - Galatians 3:28 CEV. Let me start by saying that I love the country I live in. I also support our troops, and am proud to be an American… but, I also believe that too many people in our nation are ignorant of the dangers of nationalism.

If one is born in the U.S.A., does that mean that they are a better person than someone who is not? From Galatians 3, we learn that that a nation (political entity) does not bind people together. We do, however, have different cultures and social groups throughout our nation, just like any other nation. Every country could be called a melting pot of cultures, but America is more of a melting pot of nations (Iraqis, Israelis, Japanese, and Mexicans can call themselves Americans if they are granted citizenship). With this in mind, I feel like the U.S.A. probably has the least justification for touting it's nation's greatness. The whole is only as great as the sum of its parts, and I think overly patriotic Americans get too caught up in excluding certain parts. With this in mind, why is it that Christians are always saying, God bless America? Why not, God bless the world, or God bless the Iraqi peasants? God wants us to be connected to each other through the Spirit.

I made Your name known to them and will make it known,
so that the love with which You have loved Me may be in them,
and that I may be in them.

February Words: Do you miss God?

I aim this question mainly at atheists and agnostics, but I pose it to myself, as well. I've come across a few songs as well as a library lecture this week that have led me to this question.

Stavesacre Suffocate Me:

What you call insecure
I call protection
I can't trust anyone who just gives away their whole world
No one gives that up for free

Casting Crowns Voice of Truth:

The waves they keep on telling me
Time and time again. Boy, you'll never win!
But the Voice of Truth tells me a different story
The Voice of Truth says, Do not be afraid!
And the Voice of Truth says, This is for My glory

Jacques Derrida (1930-2004):

You cannot address the other… without an act of faith…. This, trust me, I am speaking to you, is of the order of faith, a faith that cannot be reduced to a theoretical statement.

What do the voices in your head tell you? Do you miss God?

January Words: Wisdom, She Is God

I've finally caught up with my Bloglines feeds that have been piling up over the holidays. I've subconsciously set a new years resolution to spend more time in the real world, so I'm a little late with these latest Words.

This month, I'd like to share a few passages that help give a different perspective on the gender of God. Even though God is never coupled with she or her in the Bible, it is legalistic to say that we should not call God Mother or Her. We make up names for God all the time, so it would be appropriate to get a better picture of God by referring to her as she occasionally. Exploring God as more than Him is important because there are dozens of times in scripture (see examples) where metaphors describe God as a woman; however, how often do we actually picture God as a woman? We would gain a much better understanding of God's nature if we would recognize the embodied female, male, androgynous, and genderless qualities of our creator. On a side note, anyone have any good Bible personification links?

Proverbs 4:6-7 (NASB)

Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
love her, and she will watch over you.
Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom.
Though it cost all you have, get understanding.

December Words: Going to Hell?

I've been thinking a lot about the core of Christianity lately. Jesus is our savior, but does that mean that everyone else is going to hell? This passage from one of my favorite writers gives a simple answer: No. (His opinion, not necessarily mine.)

I took a class in my undergrad religious studies that defined religion as the basis for a belief in the afterlife. Honestly, isn't that what it all comes down to? Despite the religious laws that we try to follow, things are never that clear cut. The following passage is from Real Live Preacher. While not directly related to hell, this recent entry quoted below happens to be very relevant to the heart of the matter. Read RLP's A Preacher, A Rabbi, and A Professor Go Into a Computer Store to see the response to, Preacher, do you think I'm going to hell? Read those two entries and people's comments; I'd need a book to write down my own thoughts on the issue.

This is what I say. She is guilty, so stone her according to the law of Moses. Yes, stone her now and let God's justice be done!…

Jesus used the confusion of the crowd to maximum effect. He slowly raised the rock over his head and faced the woman. The crowd became silent. All eyes were on him. Then Jesus turned to the man in the fancy robe, the Pharisee.

You have heard my judgment. Now hear my terms. Let the first man to cast a stone be a man who is himself guilty of no sin! And let him come forward now, before us all, and claim his right to take this rock and carry out this justice.

November Words - Canon Doubt

Every once in a while, I'll read something or see a film that really challenges me. Rarely will the piece be satisfying in itself. It's usually a spark of annoyance that makes me want to explore the issue to no end. This website is actually a result of many of these explorations; Zepfanman.com is my global medium for documentation.

The latest challenge I've come across is a book called Beyond Belief by Elaine Pagels. Pagels is basically unsatisfied with the way Christian texts have been canonized. She spends most of her book exploring the losers' perspectives; for example, what if five gospels were canonized (instead of four)? I write "losers" because Christianity was very diverse in its first 300 years. People like Irenaeus in the second century condemned any "heretical" sect that emphasized personal experience over orthodox belief. "Seek and you shall find" thought and writings were literally wiped out by Christian leaders who wanted to unify rather than diversify Christianity. While unity is not a bad thing, Beyond Belief does a good job exploring early "heretical" Christian thought, thanks mainly to research on the 1945 Nag Hammadi Library.

October Words: Big Fish Myths

What is it that inspires you? What are you planning to accomplish? Have you been challenged with these questions in self-help books? My first response has always been, "Spread the good news, because it brings joy." Countless parables and illustrations from the Greek Testament of the Bible attest to the sharing of faith. I'd like some honest comments on why so many insist that faith is a personal matter. "Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand? For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed...", said Jesus.

"You're not necessarily supposed to believe it," he says wearily. "You're just supposed to believe in it. It's like—a metaphor," said Edward Bloom (Wallace, 112). This statement puzzles me because a lot of people believe (in) it!

September Words: The Butterfly Effect

"We know that the persons we used to be were nailed to the cross with Jesus. This was done, so that our sinful bodies would no longer be the slaves of sin. We know that sin doesn't have power over dead people.
As surely as we died with Christ, we believe we will also live with him. We know that death no longer has any power over Christ. He died and was raised to life, never again to die."
   ^ Romans 6:6-9 (CEV)

I don't understand why lower budget films like *The Butterfly Effect* aren't more popular than they turn out to be. There should at least be an Oscar or two for the screenplay, directing, or acting in this film; they even casted great Ashton Kutcher lookalikes (ages 7 & 13). I thought it was a great dive into psychology, abuse, love... and time travel! On the flip side, the R rating comes mainly from the unneccessary profanity throughout the film.

August Words - What's Your Response?

"A farmer went out to sow his seed.... some fell along the path.... some fell on rocky places.... other seed fell among thorns.... Still other seed fell on good soil."
   ^ Mark 4:3-20 (NIV)

Look closely at verses 14-20 to see what the elements of this parable represent. I often have to look back at my own life and wonder if "other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful" (v.19) - am I receiving God's Spirit and the Word but being choked by thorns? FYI, You can cross reference the Parable of the Sower from Matthew and Luke.

July Words - Root of Racism

"From one person God made all nations who live on earth, and he decided when and where every nation would be."
   ^ Acts 17:26 (MSG)

Genesis 11 tells the story of the Tower of Babel. This is often used to teach how languages came about, but it is also the root of racism in the world. Verse 4 highlights the purpose of building the tower: to make a name for themselves so they would not be scattered all over the earth.

Read more about a Bible-centric view of "race" at AnswersInGenesis.org. See particularly the articles "How did all the different 'races' arise (from Noah's family)?" and "Not another ape-man!" to debunk all the "Ground-breaking skull find proves evolution" articles you read from month to month.

Related: Beliefs > Links section.