Freud and the Old West: A Short Discourse on the Nature of Techno

Just FYI, this'll probably be my last post for a couple of weeks. As some of you know, I'll be in the States for two really super events taking place during the next ten days, and I'm guessing I might not have much email access. So please forgive me in advance for being incognito.

In the meantime, I leave you with this totally-unrelated-to-my-post but amusing quote from Curt Niccum's blog:

"Music has made a significant impact upon me in the last twenty-four hours. Perhaps this stems from the fact that I was lulled to sleep late last night by the constant thumping of the techno music broadcast from the neighboring hotel room. For those of you unfamiliar with this genre of music, picture fifty Sigmund Freuds hitting their heads on a brick wall in unison on beats one and three to a fast dance rhythm while fifty cowboys expectorate into brass spittoons and one hundred children rub heavy grit sandpaper on a chalkboard on beats two and four. Now, that describes GOOD techno. What I heard definitely never made that category."

--Curt Niccum, posted on July 8, 2005

cursing Christians?

Somewhere out in the big, wide world of Blogland, in someone else’s blog, I ran across a post entitled, “Why do We Swear?”, discoursing on whether or not it is acceptable for Christians to curse. Some commentors responded with yes, some with no. Some said that words are only words and don't matter; some said that God's grace covers all sins, even cursing; some that how we speak has nothing to do with loving Christ.

My thoughts on the matter are as follows:

Words do matter. Words do have meaning. And words can hurt. Even worse than sticks and stones. Ask an abused person if words are just words. Ask an abused child if it didn't hurt him when his parents cursed at him. Ask an abused wife if it didn't hurt her when her husband cursed at her.

II. Peter 2:11-12 and 3:15-16 tell us that as Christians, we represent Christ on earth.
Titus 2:6-8 tells us to exercise self-control, and specifially mentions "sound speech."
James 3:5-14 tells us how destructive words can be, and that cursing does not come from a pure heart.
Ephesians 4:29 tells us that our speech should be for building others up and giving grace to those who hear us.
In Matthew 12:35-37, Jesus himself warns us that our words come directly from what's in our hearts. And that we will be accountable to God for every word that we speak.
I. Corinthians 10:31 reminds us to glorify God in everything we do.

When I think about whether or not swearing/cursing/cussing/whatever-you-want-to-call-it is right for a Christian, I have to ask myself this:

Do I show self-control if I curse?
Am I building others up if I curse?
Do I want to stand before God one day and give account for every bad or negative or discouraging word that I have ever spoken?
Will nonbelievers glorify God because of me, if I curse in front of them?
Am I glorifying God if I curse?

Being a Christian is a process of spiritual growth. I pray for wisdom, that God will change my heart, so that I will not even curse in my thoughts. With God's help, I eradicated cursing from my speech a long time ago, but it's still in my thoughts sometimes. I know that God forgives me for these sins...but I still pray for his guidance and his wisdom, so that I can allow his Holy Spirit to change me fully into the kind of person he wants me to become.

The kind of person who glorifies him in every deed and every thought.

According to God's Word, it is not okay for a Christian to curse. But according to God's Word, he forgives us our sins, and he will help us to wipe them out. If we stop willfully sinning (Heb. 10:26); if we stop using God's grace as an excuse to do what we want; and if we make up our minds to submit to his will and let him change us.

Ed has a blog!

Just thought you all should know. Check it out:

http://edlovscourt.blogspot.com

And it has a cute address, too! ;o)

something stupid

Want to find out what Courtney really believes? Then check out this nutty “church quiz” I did online. If I believe the results of this quiz, then I must conclude that my faith is schizophrenic at best. Or maybe I have “Multiple Faith Disorder.” At any rate, I apparently don’t think at all the way I thought I think. But here are my results, so you can understand what I’m talking about:

You scored as Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan. You are an evangelical in the Wesleyan tradition. You believe that God's grace enables you to choose to believe in him, even though you yourself are totally depraved. The gift of the Holy Spirit gives you assurance of your salvation, and he also enables you to live the life of obedience to which God has called us. You are influenced heavily by John Wesley and the Methodists.

Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan: 82%
Fundamentalist: 61%
Reformed Evangelical: 54%
Neo orthodox: 43%
Emergent/Postmodern: 43%
Roman Catholic: 29%
Classical Liberal: 29%
Modern Liberal: 18%
Charismatic/Pentecostal: 11%

What's your theological worldview? created with QuizFarm.com

Good thing I’m more Roman Catholic than Anything Liberal or Pentecostal. I’d hate to think my depraved self is anything less than something highly traditional.

Good grief, Charlie Brown. :oP

two random gripes

1. Chessworld is slow tonight, so moving on my boards is a bit frustrating.

2. It's almost midnight, and I'm hungry.

Announcing Free Drinks

For anyone who's interested, I just started a second blog. You can view it here:

http://havesomewater.blogspot.com

This new blog will be my place to post my notes from Bible lectures, seminars, classes, sermons, etc. Since I seem to enjoy taking down practically every dot on every i that the lecturer, teacher, or preacher voices, my notes are what one would call copious. They come in handy on occasion, so I thought someone else might find them useful. If not, that's okay, too.

Feedback on the notes is welcome (especially if I'm wrong about something!) but not obligatory. ;o)

Biblical Scroll Fragments Found In Israel

By DANIELLE HAAS, Associated Press Writer
2 hours, 41 minutes ago

JERUSALEM - A secretive encounter with a Bedouin in a desert valley led to the discovery of two fragments from a nearly 2,000-year-old parchment scroll — the first such finding in decades, an Israeli archaeologist said Friday.

The finding has given rise to hope that the Judean Desert may yield more treasures, said Professor Chanan Eshel, an archaeologist from Tel Aviv's Bar Ilan University.

The two small pieces of brown animal skin, inscribed in Hebrew with verses from the Book of Leviticus, are from "refugee" caves in Nachal Arugot, a canyon near the Dead Sea where Jews hid from the Romans in the second century, Eshel said in an interview with The Associated Press.

The scrolls are being tested by Israel's Antiquities Authority. Recently, several relics bearing inscriptions, including a burial box purported to belong to Jesus' brother James, were revealed as modern forgeries.

More than 1,000 ancient texts — known collectively as the Dead Sea Scrolls — were discovered between 1947 and 1956 in 11 caves overlooking the western shores of the Dead Sea.

"No scrolls have been found in the Judean Desert" in decades, Eshel said. "The common belief has been that there is nothing left to find there."

Now, he said, scholars may be spurred on to further excavations.

Archaeologist and Bible scholar Steven Pfann said he had not seen the fragments. If authenticated, they would "in general not be doing more than confirming the character of the material that we have from the southern part of the Judean wilderness up until today."

But "what's interesting and exciting is that this is a new discovery," Pfann added. "This is the first time we've seen anything from the south since the 1960s."

Eshel said he was first shown the fragments last year during a meeting in an abandoned police station near the Dead Sea.

A Bedouin said he had been offered $20,000 for the fragments on the black market and wanted an evaluation.

The encounter both excited and dismayed the archaeologist who has worked in the Judean Desert since 1986.

"I was jealous he had found it, not me. I was also very excited. I didn't believe I would see them again," said Eshel, who took photographs of the pieces he feared would soon be smuggled out of the country.

But in March 2005, he discovered the Bedouin still had the scroll fragments. Eshel bought them with $3,000 provided by Bar Ilan University and handed them over to the Antiquities Authority, he said.

"Scholars do not buy antiquities. I did it because I could not see it fall apart," Eshel said.

The finding constitutes the 15th scroll fragments found in the area from the same period of the Jewish "Bar Kochba" revolt against the Romans, and the first to be discovered with verses from Leviticus, Eshel said.

The Dead Sea Scrolls were written by the Essenes, a monastic sect seen by some as a link between Judaism and early Christianity. The scrolls comprise more than 1,000 ancient texts found a half century ago in the caves above Qumran in the West Bank, one of the most significant discoveries in the Holy Land.
______________________________________


Courtney's Note:
Here's the news link, if anyone wants to check it out in person.

in honor of Serious Matt

I spilled a pot of coffee on the floor of the auditorium of the church building. Any recommendations?

work-in-progress pic 1

Well, this is a tiny little picture in comparison to the two-foot-tall original, but here are a few shots of the painting I'm currently working on. I can say 'currently' because I worked on it yesterday for the first time in two months. *sigh* I so wish I had more time to paint...I really need it.

Just as an FYI....the gap in the middle of the bridge is intentional, as the bridge is broken there (see detail pic beloew). The gap on the far right, though, isn't supposed to be there and will be covered up at some point. "Where She Hopes" is very much a work-in-progress: the foreground isn't finished, the trees in the background need work, the stone pillar on the far right is incomplete, and even the girl needs touch-ups. So, though feedback is welcome, please reserve judgment till you see the final product!

Provided, of course, that I ever find time to finish. ;o)

in-progress pic 2

A close-up of the girl, though the image quality isn't the best here, either. The painting isn't anywhere near this blurry in real life. Oh well, at least this gives a better impression of her facial expression. The hair was fun to paint. ;o) I think I spent more than two hours on the eyes alone!

in-progress pic 3

This is one of my favorite sections in the whole painting so far. I'm just really pleased with how well the sledgehammer and the shadows turned out.

in-progress pic 4

Last but not least, a detail pic of the broken bridge. I had such a blast painting the cracks in the stone! It was an intimidating task at first, but I loved it once I got into it.

just a thought

This morning, I'm briefly pondering how so many Christians are willing to discard the abolsute truths in God's Word in favor of "acceptance" and "tolerance" and "being non-judgmental". It seems that more and more Christians are choosing the ecumenical over the scriptural. I find that scary and way too post-modern.

I don't want to expand these thoughts right now, but..... Somewhere, years ago, I read the following, and it stuck:

Be open-minded. But not so open-minded that your brains fall out.

Hmm.

'Benny & Joon'

After seeing the movie 'Benny & Joon' several times, and then buying it on DVD a few months ago and watching it at home, I’ve decided that this is one of my all-time favorite movies. The actors all give terrific performances, and Johnny Depp is just spectacular as Sam. I’ve also decided that Depp is one of my favorite actors: He’s one of very few actors so flexible and so un-typecast that he can perform a huge variety of roles. Watching him act is a pure pleasure; he *is* each of his characters in a way most actors aren’t able to be.

Those of you who know me well know how much I love quotes. I actually sat down and watched ‘Benny & Joon’ with pen and paper in hand, so that I could write down all the great one-liners. This movie always has me glued to the screen with fascination; wiping at a poignant tear; or rolling on the floor laughing. So here are some of my favorite quotes from ‘Benny & Joon’. Most of them are from Mary Stuart Masteson’s character, Joon. Enjoy!

Have we an internal sequin issue to deal with, Benjamin?
So, are you and Ruthie considering itemhood?
Having a Boo Radley moment, are we? (I love that one!)
Who died and made you Ed McMahon?
She was given to fits of semi-precious metaphors. (See my tagline at top of blog!)
Beware! The winds of reason shall blow stern!

Benny: Did you leave the house alone?
Joon: …Define ‘alone’.

Will someone get some air to his brain?
In Ireland, we have a saying: When the boat runs ashore, the sea has spoken!
Some cultures are defined by their relationship to cheese. (a favorite!)
[Raisins] taste sweet, but they’re really just humiliated grapes. (and another favorite!)

GO RENT THIS MOVIE!!! ;o)

The Reason Why Courtney Stays Out Of The Kitchen

WARNING: This blog post is not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach!

This is a picture of the nifty gadget that Ed bought me a few weeks ago. In my efforts to adopt healthier eating habits, I’ve been trying to eat more vegetables. Okay…I’ve just been trying to eat vegetables, period. Most of my life, I’ve been a meat-bread-potatoes girl, and green veggies have never been particularly appealing. But the last few years have taught me that wow! my body really does function better if I put fresh, uncooked things into it—the whole natural-sources-of-vitamins-and-minerals thing really is effective. God created broccoli and cabbage for a reason, it seems.

Okay, so I’ve been trying to eat more veggies, which means salads for me. But there’s a serious drawback: Salad-making is, for me, a tedious process. Which means I’m less likely to do it. Not necessarily because I’m lazy (though I’m sure that’s part of it), but because I can always think of more productive things I could be doing with my time while I’m trying to turn that piece of tomato into something that could conceivably be called diced.

So Ed bought me that nifty gadget, designed to lighten my load and goad me on to health and wholesome eating. This natty doodad slices and shreds and basically need nothing more than elbow grease and a good rinsing after use. As a result of its entry into our home, my salads have been looking more and more appealing, as well as being more enjoyable because I’ve been having oodles of fun preparing them. And when I have fun with food, it tastes a whole lot better.

That is, until yesterday. The following picture shows what I did with my new toy yesterday. If you get all fluttery at the sight of blood, stop reading and looking now.

If you're one of those rare, brave souls, however, please continue on to the post below:

***

This, friends and neighbors, is why Courtney generally stays out of the kitchen. Bad things happen. Sometimes, things break. Sometimes, she gets things to catch on fire that aren’t supposed to be flambéed. Sometimes, she hurts herself. This is why she leaves the cooking to Ed: because while in the kitchen, she doesn’t pay enough attention to be trusted with sharp objects.

It was really my own fault, because I got a bit too enthusiastic with the slicer. I’m fortunate that I didn’t do more damage; that thing is razor-sharp. I trust Larry when he says I don’t need stitches (not that there’s enough left to stitch together, anyway)…but this sure does hurt. Even under pressure, it took two hours to stop bleeding, and then I made it start again when I put a bandage on it before going to bed.

And it’s on my right hand, which means that I’m now slightly impaired. I brushed my teeth with my left hand this morning, I can’t shower properly, and right now I’m having to hunt-and-peck a great deal more than I usually do when typing. And it’s my middle finger, too, so when I’m holding my hand up in order to make the throbbing stop, I have to be careful not to flip everybody off.

*sigh* So many cookbooks, so little skill. Just call me “The Girl Who Could Ruin Cereal.” ;o)

a few things that tick me on

Back in December, I wrote a list of “a few things that tick me off”. Since then, I’ve been meaning to sit down and compile a list of positive stuff in my life. Yesterday, I led part of our ladies’ breakfast devotional on thankfulness…so I figured it was high time for me to blog about a few things in my life with which God has blessed me. This is a pretty random list...just involving a few things swirling around in my head.

The magazine National Geographic. It’s no accident that this has been one of the most popular geographic and scientific publications since 1888. Every issue I read, I’m more amazed at how much info they manage to pack into it about this beautiful world God has created. And that, of course, is part of what I enjoy the most. The National Geographic Society is most obviously Darwinian and anti-Creation/Design in their thinking. However, the more I learn from NG about science and the way the world works, the more in awe I am…not of men’s wisdom, but of God’s power. Every tidbit of scientific knowledge strengthens my faith in my Lord and Creator. So much for NG’s efforts to “enlighten” me from what I’m sure they would consider my primitive beliefs. ;o)

Though I haven’t worked on it lately, I’m still enjoying my newest painting. I started it, oh, six weeks ago, I suppose. If it turns out the way I imagine, it’ll probably be my best to date…and my most meaningful, because it expresses an integral and not always beneficial part of my personality. I’ll post a work-in-progress pic here sometime soon.

Back in January/February, I rejoiced in visiting Barnes & Noble while Ed and I were in Oklahoma. Wow. Talk about a rush. Do you have any idea how fantastically wonderful it is to walk into a place like that filled with books in your native language??? Yeah, yeah, I read and understand German without any trouble…but it’s pure enjoyment to read my favorite authors in the language in which they actually penned their works. Some things, no matter how skilled the translation, just get lost in translation. I stocked up on about ten books, I think. And I still have enough to tide me over till I am next privileged to walk the hallowed halls of B & N! ;o)

God brought me to Saxony, and the Saxons introduced me to coffee. Coffee is wonderful. Coffee is great. Coffee tastes best with sugar and coffee creamer. YUM!!!

Friends, I am pleased to tell you that IT IS FINALLY SUMMER HERE. In May, things started warming up enough to become slightly uncomfortable. (Well, not for me, but the rest of the mortals don’t seem to like the heat too much.) Then, it started getting colder again. Last week, we had temps in the 40s. That’s FORTIES. As I type this, it is 19:21 (FYI, that’s 7:21 p.m.) in Chemnitz, the sun is shining, and it’s 70.9 degrees Fahrenheit. Ahhh…… I went for an hour-long walk earlier and enjoyed thinking about God and watching the baby ducks in the big pond.

More and more people are realizing that teaching someone about God doesn’t mean just having a Bible study with them.

More and more people are realizing that teaching someone about God doesn’t require being in a paid position with a title.

Though not so advantageous for my hip region, chocolate makes me happy. As for the hips, that’s why God made parks to walk in and lakes to stroll around. ;o)

I’m so thankful that God gave me his Holy Spirit to live in me, guide me in decisions, and change me from the inside out. Without him, I would be nothing.

The other day, Ed and I were sitting on the couch, and I was watching him talk. Suddenly, it was as though I were seeing him for the first time, and I thought, “Wow. I am married. That’s a weird concept. And wow. I’m married to a wonderful man who wants to serve God and help me get to heaven. I can’t begin to understand what a great blessing this man is in my life.”

And that’s all I got to say about that. ;o)

in need of him

I’ve been reading further in Strobel’s The Case for a Creator, and the more I read, the more fascinated I am. I know most people—including many Christians—find this stuff to be dry, boring academics…but I get SO excited about it, I just can’t keep my mouth shut!

If I had been better in math and physics in high school, I seriously think I might have gone into a field of scientific study. So many Christians believe that science is irrelevant; that science can add nothing to their faith (that science will detract from their faith, in fact); and that science and faith are fundamentally incompatible. But I believe exactly the opposite: In Genesis 1:28, God commanded us to “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it…” Well, we’ve fruited and multiplied and filled, but we haven’t yet subdued. I believe that part of what God meant by “subdue” is that he wants us to learn and understand and benefit from his physical creation as much as we possibly can. This means learning from his physical creation. This means studying it. This means science.

Everything I have learned from science has not only supported my faith in God but actually increased it. Cell biology, cosmology, quantum physics…they all point toward God, if Christians and non-Christians will only open their eyes to see it. I read the following in Strobel’s book this morning and thought it would provide something interesting to consider…and perhaps something challenging, as well:

“…[W]hat we know today gives us heightened confidence—from science—that God exists. The weight of the evidence is very, very impressive—in fact, in my opinion it’s sufficiently conclusive to say that theism provides the best explanation for the ensemble of scientific evidence…

“Science and faith are not at war. When scientific evidence and biblical teaching are correctly interpreted, they can and do support each other. I’d say to anyone who doubts that: investigate the evidence yourself.

“…And here’s what the scientific evidence for God does for me: it realigns me. It helps me recognize that despite my natural tendency toward self-focus and self-absorption, I can’t ignore what God has accomplished in this world to let everyone know that he is real, that he is the Creator, and that we need to get right with him.

“I see this not only in cosmology and physics and biology, but also in the historical revelation of the Bible, principally in the revelation of Jesus Christ himself. He is so compelling! Einstein thought so. Napoleon thought so. This Nazarene captivated their attention, and he continues to captivate mine.

“…Jesus is so beyond what I can comprehend! And the evidence for God in nature constantly challenges me to a deeper and fuller relationship with him. My study of the scientific evidence isn’t separate from my life as a Christian; it’s marbled throughout that experience.

“…I look at the stars in the night sky or reflect on the structure and information-bearing properties of a DNA molecule, and these are occasions for me to worship the Creator who brought them into existence. I think of the wry smile that might be on the lips of God as in the last few years all sorts of evidence for the reliability of the Bible and for his creation of the universe and life have come to light. I believe he has caused them to be unveiled in his providence and that he delights when we discover his fingerprints in the vastness of the universe, in the dusty relics of paleontology, and in the complexity of the cell.

“So exploring the scientific and historical evidence for God is not only a cognitive exercise, but it’s an act of worship for me. It’s a way of giving the Creator the credit and honor and glory that are due to him. To attribute creation to a mere natural process is a form of idolatry to which we’re all prone. I don’t judge my naturalistic colleagues for being prone to that. That’s how I’m constituted as well. All of us have a tendency to minimize God, to think and behave as if we weren’t really immersed in his creation and that we aren’t ourselves the product of his unimaginable creative power.

“Looking at the evidence—in nature and in Scripture—reminds me over and over again of who he is. And it reminds me of who I am too—someone in need of him.”

--Stephen C. Meyer, PHD
Director and Senior Fellow, Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture, Seattle, WA
in Lee Strobel’s The Case for a Creator
(emphasis added)


“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”

--Romans 1:18-21

I found my motto!

Okay, so I've been shocking even myself with how much I've been blogging lately. Maybe I'm expanding my communication skills. Or maybe I'm on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Since my verge keeps getting swung past my rim absolutely, who could tell one way or the other?

Anyway, all of that to say that I heard my motto on TV today. It was so profoundly me, I scrambled for pen and paper in order to write it down while I still remembered it. The irony is that I never watch the show I'm quoting. Had I not been here in range of Armed Forces Network broadcasting, I might never have heard this. You can't tell me there's any such thing as coincidence. ;o)

So here it is:

Ray: You know that little part of your brain that doesn't think things all the way through before you say something?
Robert: That's not the little part of *your* brain.

~Everybody Loves Raymond

Friends and neighborinos, is that me or what??!?!??!?!?!!!!????!

*big grin*

once more, cheese badly goes

I thought that I struck something in mine blog to amuse myself just. I did not know how about that what to write, I decided to join to the request from Weakly and some things by this big translator in http: // www.online-translator.com/ to lead.

Apparently, nobody’s blogging a lot recently, like I note that mine has begun blog to suffer from this discomfort about which have already complained Weakly and Amy; since, the lack of remarks. Or commentors. Or annotators. Or such a thing. However, I have not come to the point completely to offer the kind of the bribe which Amy on hers blog offered whose challenge I submitted myself shamelessly. (Just so know, I write only like this to impress the on-line translator.) And why do I not offer a bribe in the way, did Amy act? Because I am decayed. They want that I write a post, that would require me to *think* really??? ;o)

I am in the house of my parents at this moment. Like normal people my parents observe and read the news. And because I am here, I also observe it. And this reminds me, why I do not observe in general the news. I bend often to too much cynicism anyhow, and I suppose the whole negative stuff in the news - and that on television generally! - would serve only to make my opinion worse.

Me reminds that I have one more positive list to write, to make up for the list of negatives in December. Maybe morning. ;o)


Translation into something we can all comprehend:

I thought I’d post something in my blog just to amuse myself. I didn’t know what to write about, so I decided to accede to Matt’s request and run a few things through that great translator at http://www.online-translator.com/.

Apparently, no one’s been blogging much lately, as I notice that my blog has begun suffering from that ailment of which Matt and Amy have already complained; namely, the lack of comments. Or commentors. Or commentators. Or whatever. However, I haven’t quite gotten to the point of offering the sort of bribe that Amy offered on her blog, to the challenge of which I shamelessly subjected myself. (Just so you know, I’m only writing like this to impress the online translator.) And why do I not offer a bribe the way Amy did? Because I’m lazy. You want me to write a post that would actually require me to *think*??? ;o)

I’m at my parents’ house right now. Like normal humans, my parents watch and read the news. And since I’m here, I watch it, too. And this reminds me why I generally don’t watch the news. I often tend toward too much cynicism anyway, and I suspect that all the negative stuff in the news--and on TV in general!--would serve only to worsen my attitude.

Which reminds me that I still have a “positives” list to write, to make up for the list of “negatives” in December. Maybe tomorrow. ;o)

(P.S. Matt, I’m really sorry that the translator translated your name as “weakly.” I promise you the most veralid promise I know, I had nothing to do with the translation!)