Showing posts with label Internet. Show all posts

Can I use this as an excuse to finally get an iPhone? After all, it's all about communicating in the language that these wacky kids are using -- technology!

The Google Language from The Work Of The People on Vimeo.

Via--Make Use Of

For the first time ever, I branched off of Yahoo leagues and joined a pastoral league with Matt Kelly as the commissioner.  Matt is a United Methodist pastor from Nashville, TN who writes at "The Truth As Best I Know It." 

This new league is on Facebook, through Sports Illustrated.  It is a new setup for me.  I was very unhappy with how SI ran the draft.  It was "autopick" which can be a problem.  But, unlike Yahoo (and other leagues) that makes sure you get a complete roster, with all positions filled, this one didn't do it.  I ended the draft last night with NO QUARTERBACK, NO TIGHT END, AND NO KICKER.  That meant I had to very quickly get onto the system to add and drop a few players.  And, today, I completed a trade with another "owner" who had SIX QUARTERBACKS.  I had to give up my top Wide Receiver and a good Running Back to secure a top Quarterback.

Anyway, the season starts Thursday and I now have a complete team at my disposal.

Are you ready for some football?

As a fairly devoted Mac user, I'd say "yes."  But the cartoon artist who wrote this thinks otherwise.

                                                 Image via WikipediaDuring a recent password audit by Google,  it was found that someone was using the following password:


MickeyMinniePlutoHueyLouieDeweyDonaldGoofySacramento”

When asked why he had such a long password, he rolled his eyes and said:

“Hello!  It has to be at least 8 characters long and include at least one capital.”

via

What are you doing to reach people during the next 60 seconds?

HT/Ministry Best Practices

I think this is an important video, telling the story about how one man's faith in God is replaced (to some extent) by the internet.  It's where religion becomes the interconnectedness of separate individuals working for good.  There are a lot of very Christian themes that come through this talk and I think it's an important video to watch.

It might make you tear up.

It might make you want to tell him all about Jesus.

It might make you wonder where the church is in the story.

It might help you see technology in a new way.

You might just agree with everything he says.

(Also, know that you might be asked to offer up an email address in order to watch more than about five minutes of it.)

HT/Matthew Paul Turner

It's a video about people who need to share everything they do and see and view and say on social media. 

It only made sense to share it here with you.

It's by the group "Improv Everywhere".

(HT/ Make use of)

Image via WikipediaStations of the Cross

I'm a big fan of the work of Michael Spencer, the "Internet Monk" who died last year.  I've not been able to read all of his stuff, but, during Lent, I've tried to go back and read some of his older posts. They challenge what is is I believe about the church and how I view my own evangelicalism, which I know doesn't look like the "evangelicalism" I grew up around.  The blog is now being carried on by those who worked and talked and learned and journeyed with Michael.  I'm enjoying the daily reflections on the stations.

Reflections on "The Our Father"

Jennifer Fullwiler is someone I've gotten introduced to lately.  She grew up as an atheist and converted to Catholicism, entering the Catholic church on Easter in 2007.  While she dives into her new faith, she knows what it's like to be outside of it as well. I have appreciated her reflections on The Lord's Prayer.



Do check these devotionals out for yourself if you'd like.  I can highly recommend both of them.

Well, this morning I sat down to go over my RSS feeds, using Feedly (which taps into Google Reader).  And, LO AND BEHOLD I FIND ROB BELL.  Not just a little Rob Bell, but A LOT of Rob Bell.  Rob Bell, for those who don't know, is the Pastor at Mars Hill Church in Michigan and behind the very popular Nooma videos (which we've used at Girdwood Chapel) and the Velvet Elvis Book (which I really enjoyed).

Well, he has a new book out called Love Wins and it's causing quite a stir as it appears that Rob either enters in to UNIVERSALISM or at least touches on it, perhaps saying that God's love is so big that hell is an empty place.  Let's be clear.  I've not read the book.  I'll probably read it after it's out next month.  So, all I'm doing now is reading reviews--by people who have not even read the book but all have their opinions.

But, I've been known to get my toes up to the line of universalism, but never able to cross over.  I want hell to be a small place because the grace of Christ is so big but I put my trust in God to make the final designation, knowing it will be good and just.  The words of one of my professors, Geoffrey Wainwright, still rings in my ears:

It may or may not be Christian to be universalist.  It is definitely NOT Christian to not want to be one.

There's a lot going on here.  Is universalism heretical?  What does our understanding of hell tell us about God?  Are Jews who were killed by Hitler, now with Hitler in hell?  Does God's holiness demand that hell is a big place and heaven for a select few?  Are those who believe in universalism damned to eternal fire? 

Hey, these are big questions.

So, it is with great anticipation that I saw all of these links today.

First, the cartoon above from Naked Pastor.

Second, an account of how the media has spread this from Challies.

Third, a post from Hacking Christianity which reflects on an anti-condemnation book getting condemned.

Fourth, Rachel Held Evans says Bell is asking some good questions that people are already asking:

Will only a few select people make it into heaven?

How does one become one of these few?

Are people like Ghandi and Anne Frank really in hell, along with millions and millions of other people?

Do we need a loving Jesus to rescue us from a hateful God?   Is this what the gospel is all about?

Is the gospel good news or bad news?

What is the essence of God's character?

Fifth, over at Connexions in Wales, one comment on a post says:

The early church seemed eager to excommunicate people over such matters as having the wrong tonsure. You’d think we might have learned something since then. Apparently not. Pharisaic Orthodoxy is so much easier to try than Christian love and grace, it appears.

Sixth, a more critical (and theological one) from Trevin Wax.  Read the comments to see how it shakes up.

And, lastly, from Justin Taylor and The Gospel Coalition, another critical look at Rob Bell's potential universalism.

Look, all of this is before the book has been released.

But I think we have here the classic debate between holiness and hospitality.  They are both good.  And I sometimes find it hard to camp out in the middle.

We'll find out more after the book release on March 29th.

Well, one of the blogs I look at frequently, Jesus Needs New PR, is saying that Anonymous has released a press release saying that, contrary to the discussions happening on the web (even here) they really do believe in free speech and are not going to take time to attack the Westboro Baptist Church.  Here's the apparent release.

I guess, if you're gonna be a proponent of Free Speech, you need to be a proponent of ALL free speech.

So, the hacker group "Anonymous" says they're going after the WBC.  And now, according to the horribly named WBC site (NSFW), they've told Anonymous to "bring it."  I'm not saying that I'm opposed to free speech here.  I'm only saying this could get interesting. 

And as a Christian, I need to be aware that the media could have a field day with this...and that's partly what the WBC wants.  Even they note that it's ironic that they rail against the media yet get their message out through the media.  I think I could even question myself and ask whether my mentioning them is bringing them more attention than they deserve or if it is a way to combat their ideology.  I dunno.

Anyway, here's the press release from the WBC -- linked from a different site.  I truly didn't want to have any WBC links here.

This is not my letter.   This is a letter from the vigilante hacker group "Anonymous" -- the folks who are targeting the sites of businesses who have worked against WikiLeaks.  Anonymous has, in the past, attacked the Church of Scientology and even the government of Egypt.  They consider themselves militant proponent of free speech.  So it's interesting here that they are willing to threaten a group who's very existence tests the limits of free speech.

The Westboro Baptist Church, as you may or may not know, is a group famous for picketing military burials and for their "God Hates Fags" signs and website.  They are religious activists led by Fred Phelps and the members include many of Phelps' family.  They make me want to throw up and they force other Christians into an apology that persons who claim to be Christian can spout the things they spout.

Well, "Anonymous" has issued a threat against their group.  I found the full letter, below, over at Digital Trends:

So, what do you think? Is this a way to go after the folks at the Westboro Baptist Church? I'm kinda' holding out hope that Anonymous goes through with the attack. While I believe in free speech, and think that WBC should "legally" be allowed to spew their hate, I'd love to see them shut up by someone...you know, someone else. Then again, perhaps my own limits of free speech are being tested here.

These folks on The Today Show must.  Here's a video of them as the concept is being introduced.

The internet.  It's a BIG thing.

(From Fuchsia Macaree)

photo © 2005 Jason Scragz | more info (via: Wylio)

In case you had any questions.
From Make Use Of.