Fact and Science Fiction

Hello All!!!

I'm really not sure where to start as I have a few points that I would like to make in (hopefully) very little space (in other words I'm not planning on this being a very long entry, but you never know with me). Maybe I'll start with something flashy and snappy then move to the more cerebral portion of this entry (I half apologize for the self-annotations that I've been incorporating I just figure that if I express my own train of thought that sometimes it helps my audience follow). :)

So as some of you may know one of my (if not my very) favourite television shows is Doctor Who (the new series that started in 2003...no, I've never seen any of the old series). I'll get into why I like the show a little later right now I am just concerned about the opening/theme song. For the number of years this show has run the creative forces behind the show have never changed the opening theme (they have modernized and jazzed it up, but the tune remains the same). Every time I get to sit down and watch an episode and the music starts I can't help but feel like I'm getting sucked into something that is quite exciting. Just below I have posted the latest (and my favourite) rendition of the theme song.



Now as you also may know one of my favourite bands is Muse. A couple of months back I read that they were planning on releasing a new album this fall. Last week on my Internet wanderings I found out that the new album, entitled The Resistance, will be released September 14th (15th in North America), AND that their new single "Uprising" had already been released. When I heard this song I couldn't help but hear Doctor Who-esque-ness in the intro, much to my excitement. For those unfamiliar with Muse's work it can have a very driving/apocalyptic/spacey ruch to it at times (with their own share of slower ballads as well). At any rate I am quite excited for this new album, and on the basis of the two songs I've heard it sounds like a very natural follow-up to their previous studio album Black Holes and Revelations. Give it a listen.



A few weeks ago I decided it was time that I started spending less time watching TV, which was something I wasn't doing too bad with until I made that resolution. Instead I have found myself watching more TV in the last few weeks (an issue I may discuss in a later blog). But something that I noticed about myself, a few months back, was that I am definitely turning into a bigger "sci-fi nerd." While I have always been somewhat of a fan of sci-fi my recent TV/movie watching has definitely moved away from more typical dramas (think The Curious Case of Benjamin Button or Gray's Anatomy (I should mention I dislike almost all TV drama, especially doctor shows and cop shows...that's a rant for another blog)) and embraced more sci-fi oriented material. Here's what I mean:

• In January I purchased the complete series of Firefly and loved every minute of it
  
• This past season (2008-2009) on TV my favourite show, hands-down, was Dollhouse (no I'm not a Joss Whedon junkie)
  
• I started watching Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series) and have been pleasantly surprised thus far (just into season 2)
  
• For a while daily recorded/watched The Outer Limits
  
• Am eagerly anticipating District 9 (I know it's out, just haven't seen it) and 9 (check it out here)
  
• The other day watched The Last Man on Earth (1964) with Vencent Price (much better than it's terrible remake, I Am Legend)
  
• Thought the pilot episodes for TV's 2 new space opera-esque shows were both great; Virtuality (which didn't get picked up as a regular show, see it if you can) and Defying Gravity (which is basically drama in space, and is getting a longer run)
  
• I've made a list of sci-fi movies that I plan on eventually seeing (both classics and those that fly under the radar)
  

My science fiction interests do not solely sit in TV/movies (contrary to what this list may imply), but with the genre as a whole.

Why?

Glad you asked. While many works of science fiction often adopt elements of any other kind of drama I feel that it often deals with issues that "mainstream" drama cannot, or does not, deal with. In a world where our techology is advancing at such a rapid rate (in everything from medicine to entertainment) science fiction is not afraid to speculate on questions that have not been, but may at one time in the near future need to be be, asked; with varying "answers" or speculative results. I was just reading in the August 24th, 2009 edition of Maclean's that there are scientists trying to bring back dinosaurs. This may be an extreme example, but how people deal with issues regarding everything from stem-cell research, the human genome, or cloning to cell phones, the mass sharing of information, and technology making people stupider and lazier (yes, I'm preparing another blog on this or see previous entries) are issues that are ripe for science fiction.

Science fiction, however, not only deals with the facts or fiction of science in our current (or future) time, but also with the facts of everyday life as well. Notice that while sci-fi often asks, assumes, or speculates about the most abstract ideas the "answers" still point to that which is most human: not a single thing, but the human experience as a whole.

For the various sources of science fiction that I enjoy there are varying issues that are dealt with: Doctor Who's constant dealings with the issues of human nature, Battlestar Galactica's queries on religion, prophecy, government and sociology, Dollhouse's questioning of what it is to be a person, or C.S. Lewis's endless dealings with sin, salvation, redemption and nature in his cosmic trilogy (which were meant to deal his view science fiction).

Sure, even though the veneer of "science" and adventure scares some away I appreciate how the genre is not afraid to ask larger questions, and perhaps get people thinking about issues that they may not otherwise think about. I appreciate the storytelling, adventure and special effects that goes into many of these bodies of work. This isn't meant to tell you to embrace the sci-fi genre whole-heartedly, but just to put a bug in your ear.

Thanks for Reading!!!

So, I was going to attach this to the blog I am going to post right away, but thought that a propper thank you should not just be the introduction to something larger, but a piece that is able to stand alone as a simple thank you.

Since my last blog I have had a few people get in touch to tell me they've been reading and encourage me to continue. It's nice to know that there are people who read this and are able to interact with what I've written (whether it be on the comment/discussion board or in person), even though at times I feel like I am just writing for my own satisfaction of doing so. At any rate I greatly appreciate the encouragement, thank you very much.

Thoughts from my front lawn

So, I was sitting outside, on my front lawn, reading, and found myself no longer able to read because I was being plagued with thoughts of things that I have been reading and thinking about lately...ok, mostly just today, but things that were preventing me from my reading nonetheless. I should warn you before I begin, though, that this may be my most open and honest blog yet, not to worry though I am not feeling vulgar :)

Perhaps I start by stating that my thoughts here mainly revolve around theology and the "theological."

First of all let me wonder for a minute about the word "theology." I know that the two Greek words that make up this wors are theos (meaning "God") and logos (meaning "Word") (I must apologize to all Greek scholars at this time that I am not amongst your ranks and beg forgiveness for any ignorance in what I may state or have already stated). Maybe you Greek scholars could help me out in understanding the exact meaning and connotations of these words (and word), but in putting the two together I wonder "How are these two to go together?" What I mean by this is when we use the word "theology" are we talking about God's word, God's Word, God's words, words about God, the study of God, the study of God's words, the study of words from God, words by God, words about God or something I've completely missed??? (I know for sure at least one person reading is just thinking "yes" to all those "defifitions"...which is fine with me...you people just bug me sometimes :)

Now, getting on with what I'm actually getting at: recently my problem has been not so much theology but what academia has done with theology. I should first state that I am a huge fan of theology and supporter of academics; my issue comes when the academy (or academics) forget that theology has a purpose...theology without purpose is pointless and vain.

...sorry, I just got two phone calls and completely lost my train of thought/don't know if I was making any sense to begin with...hmmm...(oh, yes this is raw, unedited blogging)...maybe I'll just make a whole bunch of points and tie them altogether at the end (thought Josh)...

I remeber a little over a year ago thinking that while it would be nice to be back in my home church, participating in our church's life which I so longed for, I would quite miss the rigors and learning of college academia, specifically in the area of theology. Having been at college for four years part of me thought that once I got home any theological wanderings would come to a halt, and, in my great arrogance, that if country churches weren't the place where theology goes to die it at least gets some bad plastic surgery. Man has this past year been an entirely different type of school (namely the getting schooled type). I quickly found out that churches are not the place where theology goes to die, but are the places where theology lives and breathes. What I mean by this is that once the college student is forced to interact with the Church as it is outside of the academic world (with crying kids, burt out parents, expectant mothers, "old" people, grumpy people, professionals, blue collar workers, white collars workers, wish-they-wore-a-collar workers, and worship leaders :) theology must be put to action (and hopefully this was being practiced all along). The Church outside the academy is not where theology goes to die, but where it encounters the everday rigors of society that face everyone in the Church; one now has to understand Christology in the face of antichrists, pneumatology in unholy places, and preaching the eucharist to starving people.

In talking to people, who are/were still attending the college from which I graduated, I have definitely noted a certain tone of ivory tower syndrome at times (I don't feel bad for picking on you because I was there as well). However, I have heard from others that the first year of ministry is often the most humbling.

At times I find that the academy wants to develop theologies of everything and nothing. What do I mean by this??? What I mean is while we develop theologies of pain, suffering, hunger and war when does it push us to go to a hospital and visit someone at death's doorstep, comfort someone in need, feed the homeless guy on the corner, or love our neighbours more??? Theology cannot simply be a mental assent, but a life-changing encounter.

I find that too often we've forgotten that while theology is there to protect the sheep from the wolves and draw the sheep to the shepherd's voice, the sheep often forget that they need to get out of their pen for the best grazing (I know, TERRIBLE analogy, but I think you see my point).

Perhaps James says it best: "If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted from the world" (James 1:26-27, NIV).

When it comes to the study of theology I learned two very important things in my final year of college:
1) Right theology and right practice go hand in hand. This was something that I saw demonstrated by many professors time and again (especially those I was closest to).
2) Remember the basics, return to the basics, never forget the basics. I had a rather humbling experience in my last 6 weeks of college (after having been neck deep in Rahner all year) when I (in pride) pulled the "deep" theological/philosophical card on my exit paper and had my butt handed to me. Why??? Because I had forgotten the basics and opted for some "deep" stuff instead.

So, let's review (in case you want to string me up by this point);
- theology good
- academics good
- being smart about our faith in Christ good
- don't beat those who "don't know as much as you" (if you must instruct do it gently)
- don't become arrogant about what you know
- remeber Philippians 2:1-11

This has, perhaps, been my most scattered post yet as I am attempting to straddle a fine line (...and wrote this in three separate sittings, trying to keep it coherent).

I actually just finished reading a very interesting blog entry from my friend Colin (which you can read here). While it does not directly deal with the issue at hand I think it is an interesting read nonetheless. And I read this a while ago, but feel it is quite appropriate for this discussion.

In other news I've been reading some good stuff lately and may actually post some thoughts and quotes in the near future...along with all those other blog entries I keep promising...but then again I often say that and it doesn't happen...hence my self-loathing.
:)

The Return...

HAPPY CANADA DAY!!!

Hello everyone. Yes, I am back and with a new look.

I apologize for my extended absence from the blogosphere. I could regale you with tales of how I've been too busy to blog over the last number of months, but we all know that would just be a lie. During my absence I have been places, seen things, and made notes about things that intend to blog about in the next little while. Possibly the most significant of these events was my trip to Israel in May (initially I thought that I had waited too long to blog about this even, but have reconsidered, especially since my friend Dr. Miller is still faithfully blogging through our trip. See Dr. Miller's blog here).

As a way to mark my return to my blog I have posted a video below from the Coldplay concert that I went to in Winnipeg, at the MTS Centre, for my birthday. While I did not take the video it gives a pretty good idea of where I was sitting.




Happy blogging all :)

Looking for Info or an Opinion

Hello to all 4 of you that read my blog.

Today I seek to tap your knowledge and theological prowess on a couple of books that I am considering to read.

A couple of weeks ago I was in Winnipeg purusing McNally Robinson when I stumbled across two titles which caught my eye and had left me thinking, "Maybe I should read these." These books were:
The Existential Jesus by John Carroll (Counterpoint, 2008)
How Jesus Became a Christian: St. Paul, the Early Church and the Jesus Cover-up by Barrie Wilson (Random House Canada, 2008)

Any information that any of you can provide on either of these books or their authors would be helpful. I am really trying to find out if either of these is worth my time reading or if they just happened to grace(?) the shelves of a well-known book store for their edginess.

I you don't feel comfortable posting just fire me an email.

Thanks.

Ode to my friends Eric

I have two very dear, close friends both by the name of Eric; one is a carpenter currently living in Brandon, Manitoba, the other is a professor at the college I attended.

Over a year ago I decided to adopt this song as my own personal theme song because it is catchy and epic-sounding; if I ever needed fight music or a death scene this would be the music I would want to be played over it.

This last weekend I was visiting Eric in Brandon and this CD just happened to be playing in my car stereo. Whenever we would stop to go into a store or restaurant Eric would be humming or singing this song. I eventually told him, "That's part of the reason why I picked this as my theme song: it's catchy."

While I had a mix of hilarious emotion after reading Eric's (the professor) latest blog entry I couldn't help but abandon words. This video was the first thing I thought of immediately after reading his blog (especially the first minute).

For those who know either of these Erics I hope you can appreciate this.

Guys this one's for you.

Cheers.

Making the Switch

Hello readers (yes, this is my second post in 2 weeks...applaud now).

I don't know how many of you read magazines but I have always quite enjoyed this medium of written media. I typically never read (or commit) to more than one magazine at a time (because (a) I don't think there are many magazines worth reading and (b) I would feel like I was cheating on one magazine if I read another), although it happened at times.

For some number of years now my magazine of choice has been Rolling Stone (I know some of you are making a face...stop that) because I consider myself to be a 'rocker' in some sense of the term (I was born to be a rock star, but I won't go into that now) and somewhat enjoy keeping up with the ebb and flow of the music industry in general. I started reading Rolling Stone when I was in high school while my brother had a subscription. Ever since whenever I see a new issue I pick it up and page through it, and, depending on the articles, make the purchase. While in college there were times when I would just feel that need to relax a little so I would buy the latest RS and listen to Neil Young (why Neil Young??? Well it was specifically his Freedom album, and particularly the song 'Crime in the City'...listen to it, you'll understand).

Over the last few months I have regularly been purchasing Rolling Stone magazine, regardless of the articles, in order to keep my reading a little more interesting (and there's an excitement finding the new issue each time). However, since this steady purchasing has come to pass I find myself getting more and more frustrated with Rolling Stone regarding their very left wing (liberal) perspectives on world happenings. While I consider myself to be a person who can appreciate a well thought out argument, regardless of position, RS seems to blindly shoot from the hip with very little thought or explanation of their points of view. I now find reading RS to be a brainwashing exercise; those who read are just expected to go along with whatever the editors of RS print.

For this reason, along with my growing dislike of entertainment-driven culture (you've probably caught that already if you've been following this blog), the need to grow up and pay attention to larger issues, and feeling that I should be supporting a Canadian publication (and therefore more Canadian-driven content) I have taken out a subscription to Maclean's magazine (if you don't know Maclean's think Canada's take on Newsweek).

While some may argue that in regards to political content Maclean's is about the same stance as Rolling Stone in reading Maclean's publications lately I have been attracted to it for the following reasons:
1) I find it to be enough of a mixed bag, most of the time, in terms of political stance
2) Agruments made in Maclean's largely seem to be thought out and explained (at least more than RS)
3) Maclean's is a Canadian publication with Canadian content
4) Maclean's writes about world issues as well as Canadian
5) I have come to the realization that it is time to grow up and quit being so self/entertainment driven and start being informed about larger issues affecting my country and world

I am not completely sold on Maclean's being a weekly news magazine, as I am more comfortable with a monthly pubication, but I guess it's just going to have to be something I get over.

While I am largely walking away from Rolling Stone I think the allure of the glitz and glamour of it will always remain to some extent. Knowing myself I will probably buy the occasional issue...if there is an interesting article or someone great is on the cover...hence my self-loathing.

Interpretation of the Songs

(I deleted two longer, less pointed intros to write this one...enjoy)

Recently I have been frequently listening to 'The Killers' lastest album Day and Age and one particular song on this album (their first single) 'Human.' While I did not really care for the song on first hearing I started to grow a liking for it, particularly the lyrics.

Being someone who is a fan of the radio and some Top 40 music (even if I don't like it I still appreciate the change up from what I ordinarily listen to), I have, at times had a tendancy to take these songs and try to tease out a deeper, alternate, or spiritual meaning to their often ignoble or confusing lyrics. (I'll have you know that I once even turned one of Hamlet's soliloquys into a prayer).

Anyway, upon multiple listenings I've teased out some meaning to 'Human' which may not be processed on a primary listening. Here's the lyrics:

"I did my best to notice
When the call came down the line
Up to the platform of surrender
I was brought but I was kind
And sometimes I get nervous
When I see an open door
Close your eyes, clear your heart
Cut the cord

(Chorus)
Are we human or are we dancers?
My sign is vital, my hands are cold
And I'm on my knees looking for the answer
Are we human or are we dancers?

Pay my respects to grace and virtue
Send my condolences to good
Give my regards to soul and romance
They always did the best they could
And so long to devotion
You taught me everything I know
Wave goodbye, wish me well
You've gotta let me go

Will your system be alright
When you dream of home tonight?
There is no message we're receiving
Let me know, is your heart still beating?"


My interpretation:

I can't help but hear this song being sung by someone looking in on our Western culture, most likely a follower of Christ. The first verse is hearing the call to follow Christ; closing their eyes to step out in faith, clearing their heart of that which binds them to sin (accomplished only when we are "called to the platform of surrender"), and then cutting the cords that keep them entanlged in that sin.

The Chorus flashes back to the human race (or in this case "Westerners") and they ask themselves "Are we human?" beings created to feel, live, love, breathe, to walk with Christ "or are we dancer?" beings who are caught up in what they are doing: entertaining, and being entertained, by everything around them that they have become children of that entertainment, no longer do they care about those who are human. In fact "human" is something that is lying on its deathbed, the dancer has taken over and almost completely forgets what human even means. But there are those few who are still on their knees seeking the Truth found in Christ.
(My point here is not to get down on dancing, I like dancing, have even taken lessons, and realize that it is a biblical practice. Please understand it as a metaphor.)

The second verse continues on; either character in this story could be realizing that in the pursuit of the "dancer" all of these traits, which are indivisible from being "human," are being lost. To the follower of Christ they "wave goodbye" to an old life, to the "dancer" they wave goodbye to their remaining humanity, instead chasing their own passions.

The final verse (the bridge) of the song switches back to the perspective of the follower of Christ asking those "dancer"s (or those caught somewhere in between), "can you handle a vision of your true Home? You are not hearing the Message (of the cross) that was sent, can you truly live without it? Have you abandoned the 'human' all together, are you all 'dancer'? Or is there still a chance of your 'human'ity?"

While I have edited out repeats of choruses and other lyric repetition the main thrust of the song, the question, "Are we human or are we dancer?" is repeated 9 times. This is a question that keeps coming up over and over again, it is the most recurring lyric in the song.

I post this because two weeks ago I got to preach in my home church. I fully intended on sharing what I have written in part of my sermon as I asked at one point, "Why do we need to be so entertained?" While the excerpt I have written here, regarding 'Human' did not make the final cut of the sermon for the sake of flow and content the song did inspire many other thinking points of my sermon. The answer I proposed to my own question, of being a society in constant need of entertaining, is that perhaps we are trying to drown out the voice of God who wants to be in relationship with his children and we are afraid of what he might say.

Maybe your thinking, "Wow, that was out there." That's not entirely unexpected from me, but I hope you enjoyed.

Questions, comments, abuse???
I hope not the last one, but I have inspired it before :)...hence my self-loathing.

...Footnote.

I figured it was time to write another entry here, and instead of editing my first post yet again (something I've done countless times already) I thought it best to just write a sort of footnote to that post.

In correspondence with a good friend last week this person told me that the name of my blog seemed quite depressing. I couldn't help but laugh. As I have already much explained why I titled my blog as I have I now wish to offer a more thought out (mature?) apology for my blog's name.

Recently I have been dealing with the reality of what Paul writes in Romans 7 on struggling with sin (emphasis on verses 21-25). At times I find myself questioning my faith because I do struggle with sin. I'm not sure if I can put it any simpler than that other than to say that I have been learning the hard way what it is to struggle with not just sins, but a life surrounded in sin. Every day I still come to this place of realising that following Christ is an EVERYDAY thing, turning from sin is an EVERYDAY thing, but I still want to get to this place of feeling like I have arrived at some spiritual "higher ground."

Also, in regards to my subtitle, "Thoughts of a Theologian at Large," I wish to state that by presenting this information that I, in no way, consider myself a Theologian in the sense of "Ph.D, writer and professor," rather in the sense of "I am a Christian." All Christians are/should be Theologians, in some sense of the term, in that they should always be able to follow the admonition of 1 Peter 3:15-16. It is my hope that most of my posts will express some theological bent, but I by no means promise this

Some of you may have noticed my change of bakground format. I did this for two main reasons: (1) having a black background and blog name that I do just seemed too depressing and (2) my previous background just didn't have the same quirkiness that fit my personality (not that this one does, it's just more my style).

Moving on...After this post I promise to actually start posting "bloggable material." I'm sure just about any of my profs from college would tell you about my need for extensive introduction and definition of terms/ideas so that once a person actually got to the point of a paper they knew exactly what I was talking about. But I promise I do have a number of blogs I've been meaning to write on a variety of topics (...not that you care, I'm just writing this for my own benefit), but sometimes I'm just too lazy to sit down and start writing...hence my self loathing.