professor_dan's Xanga

free samples and a shout-out

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 20:10:46 GMT

I love free samples at Starbucks. I came in early before my French lesson to do some emails and they were dishing out egg nog and gingerbread lattes...ooh la la!

On a side note, I miss my friends who are overseas...whoever you are, wherever you are, "I miss you!"

Living in the moment

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 16:05:15 GMT

I've been constantly reminded of this simple truth the past few weeks: All we have is today. Tomorrow is not guaranteed, the past is past. Experience right Now to the fullest. God wants us to encounter Him moment by moment, throughout our day. If God is omnipresent (which He is) than it is possible to commune with Him in each moment we find ourselves in (think Psalm 1). All we have to do is became aware of His presence in us, surrounding us, flowing through us, and we can begin to engage in that heavenly communion called "abiding."

It's been a year since...

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 16:36:33 GMT

Wow, I rediscovered the joys and complexities of xanga today after a year's absence. I kind of forgot that I had a xanga account. Hello to all who may have wondered where I went...is anyone still out there? Given the way technology these days morphs and conquers whole planets in a matter of weeks, I wouldn't be surprised if anybody still uses xanga anymore. Let me know if you're still out there!

60 Minutes' Darfur Story

Mon, 23 Oct 2006 12:54:39 GMT

Check this 12 minute video out. It is well worth your time:

"Searching for Jacob"

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/60minutes/main3415.shtml

300,000,000

Mon, 16 Oct 2006 17:15:23 GMT

Tuesday, at 7:46am, population in the United States will top 300 million people.

Why do people think this is a big deal? One out of every three people on earth live in either China or India.

Matt. 6:33

Mon, 16 Oct 2006 16:28:59 GMT

Often, in conversations I have with people about God, the common phrase, "I'm just trying to be a good person" comes up. Most say it as a rationale or motto for their existence. For others, it seems to be a sincere quest. I am perplexed, however, by the idea behind it; i.e., that one can be good enough.

A brief synopsis of history will tell you that humankind has never been good enough. We need not look any further than to our own selves to see that human beings are corrupted. So why is it that contemporary culture seems bent on being "good"?

I'm tired of watching the Oprahs and Madonnas of the society trying to make the world a better place (and, in the process, a better name for themselves). I'm tired seeing the vice of public opinion, which is driven by either fear or pride, dictate what "good" is.

From a biblical perspective, it has never been about being good; rather, it's about being "right with God." That, after all, is what righteousness means. We, as humans, are constantly seeking the approval of others: be it our bosses, or spouses, or friends, or strangers. What we really need is to be approved by God.

city life, new environs

Wed, 20 Sep 2006 01:35:29 GMT

The following is an excerpt from an email I recently wrote to a friend about life, mine in particular:

"We've settled into our place in the city...i love the urban environment! It is so refreshing for me personally. I have found the diversity of people, cultures, things to do and see, to be envirgorating to my faith and desire to know God more. These past two years in the burbs, though out of the "ordinary," were nonetheless "boring"; meaning, it is easy to get into a routine of doing the same thing day in, day out, not breaking out of the rut.

The Lord has been using this new environment to better shape my image of who he is, of who I am, of what he is calling me to be."

And I am grateful.

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Wed, 06 Sep 2006 15:45:55 GMT

I want to introduce you to a friend of mine, one who to me imitates Christ. I had the joy of spending time with him last night. He is often traveling, so we try to connect each time he passes through Chicago. I always savor time spent with this friend, because he holds a lot of wisdom and perspective, two things I greaty cherish and need in my life.

One thing I noticed about my friend is the simple manner in which he brings joy and ease to his conversations with people. He reminds me of what Charles Spurgeon speaks of: "A Christian ought to be a comforter, with kind words on his lips, and sympathy on his heart; he should carry sunshine wherever he goes, and diffuse happiness around him."

I wouldn't say that my friend, or anyone for that matter, always emulates joy in every situation. But something about the mystery of the gospel, namely, Christ dwelling in us, should spring forth in us tremendous, contagious joy.

"Gracious Spirit dwell with me / I myself would gracious be / And with words that help and heal / Would Thy life in mine reveal / And with actions bold and meek / Would for christ my Saviour speak." -Spurgeon

Homeward Bound

Tue, 01 Aug 2006 09:50:17 GMT

Coming back to the States this week. First time returning not as a single man! A lot awaits us to do: get an apartment, move in, find a job, etc...

I read Psalm 37 today in the Message by Eugene Petersen. It was such a refreshing look at a familiar passage. Sometimes I need a change in translation to not just casually glide over the passage I'm reading. It is easy to get used to certain version and miss the whole point the author is trying to get at. The Message really gripped me this morning: I was challenged to strive towards godliness and wholeness in my relationship with the Lord and others. Everything the World stresses as "necessary" really runs counter-intuitive to what God's Word places value on.

Friday, July 28, 2006

Fri, 28 Jul 2006 13:35:46 GMT

I thought I would add to the discussion on the Israeli-Lebanese conflict, (1) because I care for Israel and the Middle East greatly, and (2) because I am currently in Israel and privy to an exorbitant amount of analysis and information on a daily basis.
I think the article below, by Jim Wallis, in my opinoin did a fairly good job at presenting a balanced viewpoint between voices on the Left and Right of the political/religous spectrum. Though I do not agree fully with all of Wallis' propositions, I do nonetheless think it is a voice that needs to be heard.
I think Wallis should do more justice to the Israeli perspective by broadening his sources from more than just writers from Ha'aretz (a poignantly left-wing biased Israeli newspaper). However, his argument for a deeper solidarity towards Arab Christians by their brethren in the West is right on.

The body of Christ in Lebanon

by Jim Wallis

Like many of you, I have been glued to CNN and other cable news channels and feeling my heart broken by the vivid scenes of war's devastation and human suffering in the Middle East. We mourn this violence and, habitually, pray for peace. But what does that mean? What is the context and why is this happening?

Let me first say that I affirm Israel's existence and its right to live in peace and security. Let me also say that I believe Hezbollah has provoked this current crisis. Since the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000, Hezbollah has built a stockpile of thousands of rockets, continued attacks on Israel, and then, recently, kidnapped two Israeli soldiers.

So we start by condemning kidnapping and Hezbollah's attacks on Israeli civilians. Hezbollah is a militant organization and movement that uses terrorism, i.e., it deliberately carries out lethal violence against innocent civilians. And no matter what the grievances or injustices, deliberate violence against civilians must be universally and unequivocally condemned as what a group of Palestinian intellectuals after 9/11 called a "short path to hell." Killing innocent civilians (often families and children) is evil and must be steadfastly opposed, and in response to such ugly violence we must draw a clear line in the sand. Further, Hezbollah is an organization that does not recognize Israel's right to exist and has vowed to destroy it. So let's be clear, by kidnapping Israeli soldiers and attacking Israeli cities with rocket attacks aimed directly at civilians, Hezbollah provoked this latest war.

Jan Egeland, the U.N. under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, who has been critical of Israel's "disproportionate" response, has also assailed Hezbollah's tactics: "Consistently, from the Hezbollah heartland, my message was that Hezbollah must stop this cowardly blending ... among women and children."

Hezbollah's rocket attacks into northern Israel have killed 19 civilians and injured hundreds more. But the disproportionate Israeli air strikes in Lebanon, with their horrible death toll among civilians with nothing to do with Hezbollah must also be condemned. The latest estimate is more than 400 Lebanese civilians killed, with the needless destruction of the country's infrastructure, which took 15 years to rebuild after the devastating civil war. Israel has gone after Hezbollah, but is destroying Lebanon and, don't forget, its fledgling democracy. And let there be no double standards when it comes to how we label "terrorist" acts. When a nation state, such as Israel, carries out military policies which it knows will kill many civilians, including the use of cluster bombs, and deliberately targets civilian infrastructures and areas, does not the label also apply?

This week, Ze'ev Maoz, an Israeli professor, wrote in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz: "This war is not a just war. Israel is using excessive force without distinguishing between civilian population and enemy ..." Another Haaretz columnist, Gideon Levy, wrote, "This war must be stopped now and immediately. From the start it was unnecessary, even if its excuse was justified, and now is the time to end it. Every day raises its price for no reason, taking a toll in blood that gives Israel nothing tangible in return."

The U.S. has provided no real leadership thus far, being unwilling to embrace the international call for a ceasefire. It has rather been Israel's major supporter and has expedited the shipment of additional weapons. I also believe that the U.S. invasion of Iraq has, inadvertently, contributed to the ascendancy of Iran and radical Islam in the region. Robert Kuttner, of The American Prospect magazine, who has been a constant critic of the U.S. war in Iraq, recently wrote: "Bush did not create radical Islamism, but he certainly gave it a boost. The point is not that the rulers of Iran, the Baghdad suicide bombers, and the fanatics of Hamas and Hezbollah are misunderstood good folks who need only a naïve olive branch from the west. On the contrary, these forces menace everything modern and democratic. They must be stopped, not appeased. The issue is the most practical and effective way of containing them." And that is indeed the issue.

Ultimately, the U.S. must take an active role in helping to negotiate a ceasefire and prisoner release, in the creation and deployment of an international force on the Israel-Lebanon border, and in aiding in the enormous humanitarian crisis that has resulted (the World Health Organization estimates 860,000 people have been displaced.) And, if the situation is not to spiral out of control in a wider regional war, the U.S. must also talk to Iran and Syria. The whole idea of diplomacy is trying to talk to your enemies and not just your friends.

For Christians there are also deeper issues involved regarding faith and the body of Christ. It's time for American Christians to start listening to Christians and churches in the Middle East, and Lebanon would be a good place to start. How many American Christians even know that Lebanon has had, for much of its history, a sizable number of Christians? Current estimates are 1.5 million Christians, or 40% of the population - which means there are fellow Christians potentially affected as casualties and refugees by the U.S. backed Israeli military attacks. It's time to challenge the theology of Christian Zionism advanced by many of the American Religious Right who are completely uncritical of Israel's behavior and totally oblivious to the sufferings (or even the existence) of Arab Christians in the Middle East. These Arab Christians may not be sympathetic to the tactics of Hezbollah, but they are certainly not supportive of the highly disproportionate military responses of Israel which now target their own families and fellow Arab Christians. Where is the American church's solidarity with them? In the Middle East battles between Islamic terrorism and Israeli military attacks, the perspective of Middle Eastern churches might indeed provide a much needed third perspective. I recommend an important dialogue in the online version of Christianity Today with Christian Arabs from the region. It's time to listen to some new voices.

The people of Israel, Lebanon, and Palestine have suffered enough. It's time for immediate action by the U.S. and the world community to achieve a situation in which Israel, Lebanon, and Palestine are secure and viable states living side-by-side in peace.