Monthly Archive for February, 2008

Vox Day on the New Atheists

Published
by
Ray Fowler
on February 29, 2008
in Quotes and Religion
. 0 Comments

Vox Day waxes eloquent on the New Atheists:

This trio of New Atheists, this Unholy Trinity, is a collection of faux-intellectual frauds utilizing pseudoscientific sleight of hand in order to falsely claim that religious faith is inherently dangerous and has no place in the modern world. I am saying that they are wrong, they are reliably, verifiably and factually incorrect. Richard Dawkins is wrong. Daniel C. Dennett is wrong. Christopher Hitchens is drunk, and he’s wrong. Michel Onfray is French, and he’s wrong. Sam Harris is so superlatively wrong that it will require the development of esoteric mathematics operating simultaneously in multiple dimensions to fully comprehend the orders of magnitude of his wrongness.” (Vox Day; The Irrational Atheist: Dissecting the Unholy Trinity of Dawkins, Harris, and Hitchens, pp. 13-14)

HT: Evangelical Outpost

Leaping Lizards, It’s Leap Year!

Published
by
Ray Fowler
on February 29, 2008
in History
. 0 Comments

Chris Turney shares some interesting information about the history of Leap Year in today’s New York Times:

Many of the earliest calendars were based on the phases of the moon. Each 29.5-day cycle amounted to one month, and the first versions counted only 10 months in a year. That turned out to be too few months, but even when two more were added, the problem remained: the calendar could not keep up with the seasons …

By Julius Caesar’s time, the calendar was running 90 days behind. Acting on the advice of an astronomer, he created a calendar based on the time it takes the Earth to circle the Sun. During the well-named “year of confusion,” in 46 B.C., Caesar lengthened several of the months and added a couple of temporary ones as a correction. The jubilant Roman public believed Caesar had extended their lives by the extra 90 days (you just can’t buy publicity like that). And by 45 B.C., the calendar was back in phase with the seasons.

The Earth’s trip around the Sun does not take exactly 365 days, however. It lasts an extra 5 hours and about 49 minutes. By adding an extra day every four years, Caesar could roughly make up for the discrepancy. Even then his scheme ended up being 11 minutes a year too long. This may not sound like much; you wouldn’t notice the difference during your lifetime. But by the mid-16th century, the calendar had moved ahead 10 days.

This shift had serious implications for the question of when to celebrate Easter. In 1582, a task force called by Pope Gregory XIII proposed that 10 days should be removed from October that year. And to make sure the calendar would then be self-correcting, leap years were subtracted from the last year of most centuries. Only those divisible by 400 would get the extra day. (That means 1600 was a leap year, but not 1700, 1800 and 1900.) This way, the calendar would gain only half a minute a year, and it would take 2,880 years before another day would need to be added. The trusty Gregorian calendar had arrived.

Happy Leap Day!

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Playing Mr. Mom

Published
by
Ray Fowler
on February 29, 2008
in Family, Mothers and Personal
. 6 Comments

I am playing Mr. Mom for a couple weeks while my wife, Rose, is away visiting family. I have done this before, and I am not very good at it. At first things go pretty smoothly, and I think, “This isn’t so hard after all.” But over the next several days things around the house begin to shift, and then to slip, and finally to slide. By the time Rose gets back, we are generally in freefall. Here are some of my observations this time around:

  • Food:  The church has been wonderful in bringing meals over for the boys and me. They do this because they love our boys and do not want them to starve. My boys made a big point of describing my cooking in gory detail to everyone just to make sure. They are true survivors.
  • Kids:  Boy, kids ask a lot of questions. About all sorts of stuff. All the time. They also get sick and need transportation to go places. Who would have thought?
  • Bedtime:  I hate going to bed alone. I fight it for hours, then finally crawl into the sheets exhausted. I know, I’m a wimp.
  • Homeschooling:  Three kids in three different grades take a combined total of seventeen different subjects every day. That adds up to a whole lot of work for both them and their teacher. (That’s me while Rose is gone.)   I am proud of how hard they work at their studies and amazed at what Rose does every day, all year long.
  • Mealtimes:  Mealtimes without Rose are quieter with less laughter. Friends from church have brought over some great meals, but nothing beats the whole family sitting around the table together enjoying mom’s good home cooking.
  • Clothes:  My magic dresser seems to be broken. What’s up with that?
  • Cell phones:  Cell phones with unlimited family minutes are a wonderful blessing when your loved ones are far away.
  • Fridays:  I miss Friday Morning Cracker Barrel with my Rosi. Enough said.

I am counting the minutes until Rose returns.  Literally!  (Update: I had a countdown timer here actually counting down the minutes, but now the timer has finished and Rose is safely back home. Praise the Lord!)

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Mother Forgives Daughter’s Killer

Published
by
Ray Fowler
on February 28, 2008
in Christian Living, Crime and Current Events
. 2 Comments

Bobby Lee Cutts, Jr. was sentenced to 57 years to life in prison yesterday for the killing of his pregnant girlfriend, Jessie Marie Davis, and their unborn daughter, Chloe. Cutts and Davis also have a 3-year-old son, Blake, who is now being raised by Jessie’s mother, Patricia Porter. Through tears of grief Patricia spoke directly to her daughter’s killer in the courtroom, extending the following words of forgiveness before the judge imposed the sentence.

I have had this conversation in my head with you a million times. It is a day I will never in my life forget. When I walked in that room, the presence of evil was so strong in there you could hardly breathe, and I knew my daughter was dead. I never ever thought she walked out of that room. And when you walked up there that morning, Bobby, I never in my heart wanted to believe you could have hurt her, but in my soul I knew you had.

I remember pulling into the driveway the next day and asking God, “Where is my daughter?” and he said, “She’s with me, and she’s fine.” And I made up my mind that day that whoever did that, I would forgive them because I never wanted to allow that kind of hatred into my life. I would have never been able to raise Blake and hate you. And I’ve written a lot of things here, and none of them seem to make any sense. None of this makes sense. There’s mornings I have to cover her picture up or I can’t get out of bed. And I just move on. I pretend that one day she’ll walk through the door again, but you and I know she won’t.

I serve an amazing God, Bobby, a God that forgives and heals and restores people. And I want you to know today that I do forgive you. And I know that it’s only through him that I am able to do that, and I pray that you find him, and you find the forgiveness that nobody else in this room can give you. It doesn’t matter what anybody else in this room feels for you. And that one day you will tell the truth. I think you lied to so many people. I don’t think you know how to tell the truth. I think you’re going to have to learn all over again.

And, your Honor, I may not have a family to go home to after this, but I pray that you make a way for this man to someday be able to get out of there and begin a new life, and to hold his son, maybe as a man. And I hope you pray that I’m able to raise him to forgive you. He knows what you did. You would not believe the stories he’s told us.

In a press conference after the sentencing, Patricia was asked: “Not even just [during] the trial, but beforehand you were very forgiving. How are you able to do that?” Patricia responded:

I know it sounds very cliche, but it’s because of Christ, because I’m forgiven, because I remember when Jesus hung on the cross and he asked his Father to forgive people that killed him. Nobody understands what it’s like to lose a child more than God did. He was able to forgive, and because of that I am able to forgive.

What a tremendous testimony to the power of God’s forgiveness in the believer’s life through Jesus Christ. “Love your enemies, do good to them … Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful … Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” (Luke 6:35-37)

Larry Norman on NPR

Published
by
Ray Fowler
on February 27, 2008
in Music and People
. 8 Comments

NPR ran a feature on Larry today on their Day to Day program. The program began with that wailing guitar intro and vocals from “The Rock That Doesn’t Roll.” The announcer then shared biographical information about Larry interspersed with clips from Larry’s songs and comments from Larry’s brother, Charles Norman. Other song clips included: “Why Don’t You Look into Jesus,” “Sweet, Sweet Song of Salvation,” and “Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music.” The entire segment on Larry was just over two minutes long.

Here is the blurb from the NPR site:

Day to Day, February 27,2008 · Guitarist, singer and songwriter Larry Norman died earlier this week. Norman is sometimes called the father of Christian rock, but his long-haired look and hard-rock approach made him something of an outsider to mainstream religion. We hear from his brother, Charles, about Larry Norman’s legacy.

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No History without Jesus

Published
by
Ray Fowler
on February 27, 2008
in Christ, History and Quotes
. 0 Comments

Here is a great quote I found over at Of First Importance:

“God could have poured out judgment on mankind in the Garden, therefore the only reason there is any history is because God has purposed to send his Son into the world, to pour out judgment on him and thereby bring salvation. Jesus is the only reason there is human history, and therefore he is the goal of human history. Thus everything God says and does in history explains and prepares for the salvation of his Son.” (Timothy Keller, “Preaching the Gospel in a Post-Modern World,” p. 34)

Prince Caspian Movie Photos

Published
by
Ray Fowler
on February 27, 2008
in Movies and Narnia
. 0 Comments

Here are some sneak-peek photos from the upcoming movie: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian | Lucy on the Beach
                                          Lucy on the Beach
 

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian | Trumpkin on the Beach
                                        Trumpkin on the Beach
 

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian | Caspian Fighting a Telmarine
                                      Caspian Fighting a Telmarine

Want more? Head on over to NarniaWeb to view these photos and more in high resolution. And remember – the Prince Caspian movie is only 663 days, 9 hours, 24 minutes, 55 seconds ago away!

Click here for more Narnia and Caspian related posts.
Click here for Narnia sermon series.

Don’t Play with Your Food

Published
by
Ray Fowler
on February 26, 2008
in Random Thoughts
. 0 Comments

Mother to child: “Don’t play with your food, dear.”

Child: “I’m not playing with my food. I’m eating my toys.”

Click here for more Random Thoughts.

Sunday Morning SoundBytes – 2/24/2008

Published
by
Ray Fowler
on February 26, 2008
in Sunday Morning SoundBytes
. 0 Comments

Sunday’s message in the The Road to Jerusalem series was called Rest Stop on the Road to Jerusalem, taken from Luke 10:38-42.

Luke 10:38-42 – 38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (NIV)

The main idea of the message was that we must take time to be with Jesus on the road of discipleship. Here is a brief summary of the message:

I. We must take time to listen to Christ. (38-39)

Jesus and his disciples made a rest stop at Martha and Mary’s house in Bethany. But this was also a rest stop for Mary. Mary “sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.” It was common in those days for pupils to sit at the feet of their teachers. By sitting at Jesus’ feet Mary was showing a desire to learn and demonstrating respect for Jesus as her teacher.

We too must take time to listen to Jesus. A rest stop is not just a break from the daily routine of life. It is a refueling for the journey. We must take time daily to draw near to Jesus, to sit at his feet and let him teach us. We do this through careful reading of God’s Word and through prayer.

II. We must beware of distractions. (40)

Mary sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said, but Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. The Greek here literally says, “she was distracted by much service or ministry.” Can ministry distract us from Jesus? It sounds strange at first, but it can happen. It is possible to get so wrapped up in serving the Lord that we can forget to love the Lord.

Martha wasn’t involved in wrong things. She wasn’t engaged in sinful activity. She was serving. In fact, she was serving Jesus! Martha’s problem was that she was distracted in her serving. She was missing what Jesus wanted for her that afternoon. She was missing the joy of sitting at Jesus’ feet, enjoying his presence, hearing his word which is life itself. She was traveling the road of discipleship without taking time for the rest stops.

III. We must choose the one thing necessary. (41-42)

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.” The truth comes out. Martha was not just upset about Mary. She was worried and upset about many things. And yet Jesus said only one thing was really necessary — to sit at His feet and hear his word. Before we can truly give to others, we must receive from the Lord. We must have fellowship with the Lord in prayer and in his word.

Jesus told Martha, ““Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” There is a time to serve and a time to sit, and sitting takes priority. Service must grow out of sitting. Those who sit at Christ’s feet and learn from him will not serve him less, but they will serve him better.

Note: To read the complete message, go to the Sermons tab at the top of the blog.

Some Larry Norman Videos

Published
by
Ray Fowler
on February 25, 2008
in Music and Video
. 8 Comments

In case you are not familiar with Larry Norman or his music, here is Larry singing some of his songs:

Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music?
(Video length: 2:51)

 

Sweet Sweet Song of Salvation
(Video length: 3:47)

 

Also:

So, what are your favorite Larry Norman songs?

Related posts:

My Tribute Song to Larry Norman

Published
by
Ray Fowler
on February 24, 2008
in Memorial, Music, Personal and Songs
. 31 Comments

“Song for a Small Circle of Friends” (rewrite)

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Click “►” button to play | Length: 3:35
Click here to download the MP3.

One of my heroes died today. It is hard to put into words the impact Larry Norman’s music and ministry had on my life. All I know is that through his music and witness, I grew to love Jesus more and desired to serve God better. That’s not a bad legacy to pass on to another person.

Music has always been an important part of my life, and no musician has had a greater influence on me than Larry. I remember long hours as a teenager blasting his music at full volume on the stereo, just enjoying the energy of the music and the depth of the lyrics. (Thanks Mom and Dad for understanding!) When I worked landscaping during summers in college, I used to play Larry’s blues album, “Something New Under the Son,” while driving to work early each morning. It always put a smile on my face and a lift in my step.

Larry’s music helped me to develop a Christian world view long before I ever heard the term. Larry didn’t just write “Christian” songs. He wrote about everything. He wrote about God, love, current events, relationships, politics, the environment, and more. He did not feel compelled to write specifically about Jesus in every song, nor was he ever afraid to mention the name of Jesus in concert or in song. He understood that all of life belonged to God and wrote accordingly. His influence on me is even apparent in the tagline and general style of my blog: “Thoughts on God and life from a Christian perspective.” When I started to blog, I didn’t want to write just about specifically “Christian” topics. Jesus Christ is Lord of all, and I wanted to write about all of life under God’s care. (Note: Larry also introduced me to the writings of Francis Schaeffer, which continued to shape my thinking and Christian walk in profound ways.)

Larry was an honest songwriter and performer. He wrote and talked about the joys of life as well as the sorrows and disappointments. He had a heart for the disadvantaged and poor, and a sincere desire to share Christ others. He also had a wickedly sharp sense of humor. There are few people who have made me laugh so hard over the years as Larry with his music and at his concerts.

Five years ago I had the opportunity to record a song for a tribute CD for Larry. It is a re-write of a song Larry wrote called “Small Circle of Friends.” In the original version, Larry mentions the names of various musical friends and influences in his life. So in my version, I wrote the song back to Larry, thanking him for his influence in my life. Although the CD was never released, I know Larry at least got to hear the song, and that was more important to me anyways. When I saw Larry in concert last summer in New York, I mentioned the song to him, and told him, “I hope you didn’t mind!” and he just laughed.

So here is my tribute song to Larry. God bless you, Larry, and thank you for your ministry in my life. It is so good to know that you are free from pain, free from sorrow, safe in the arms of your Heavenly Father – “a better life begins.”

“Song for a Small Circle of Friends”
  – Original words and music by Larry Norman; Revised lyrics by Ray Fowler
  – Recorded and performed by Ray Fowler in March of 2003

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Click “►” button to play | Length: 3:35
Click here to download the MP3.

Well my life is filled with songs,
But I just could not get along without my friends.
And I’m happy now but when this good life ends,
I know a better life begins.

And love to you, dear Larry
With your guitar full volume on your amp.
You’re so crazy, but you know it,
And we love you as we all crawl toward the lamp.

With Jon Linn on guitar,
And Randy singing harmony,
Your brother Charles plays everything,
Your music means so much to me.

Dear brother, watch your fears all hide
And disappear while love inside keeps growing.
You’re older but less colder than the jokes and folks
You spent your childhood snowing.

And Jesus died for all your friends,
But even better yet he lives again.
And if this song does not make sense to you,
I hope his Spirit slips on through,
He loves you.

He loves you. He loves you.
And if these words do not appeal to you,
I hope his Spirit slips on through,
You know he loves you.

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Larry Norman Sings Goodbye Farewell

Published
by
Ray Fowler
on February 24, 2008
in Death, Music and Songs
. 14 Comments

Death Comes to Us All (Larry speaking)

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Click “►” button to play | Length: 1:24

“When we’re young, growing up, we don’t think about death. We think death is for our grandmother. Death is for the old man down the road. But death comes to all of us, at a time when most of us do not expect it. We’re not looking for it, and then it is there. And sometimes people are not ready to die. They’re unprepared. They haven’t thought about getting their life together. But I’ve had this opportunity. I’ve had three heart attacks in the last year and a half. And I’ve had a lot of time to think about life and death and what’s important. And I’m glad that I have some time to talk to God, to talk to my friends, to think about what’s important, and get ready for my end, my death. We should live each day as though it might be our last day, because it might.”

Goodbye Farewell

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Click “►” button to play | Length: 4:03

Goodbye, farewell, we’ll meet again
Somewhere beyond the sky.
I pray that you will walk with God,
Goodbye, my friends, goodbye.

The light grows dim, but in this hour
I have no tears to cry.
My heart is full, my joy complete,
Goodbye, my friends, goodbye.

I feel no loss of hope as I’ve grown older,
Only this world’s weight upon my shoulder.

My heart beats to a slower song,
So softly in my veins.
The night is warm, but in my sleep
I dream of heaven’s reign.

Everything I am I’ve tried to show you;
In this life I’ve been so blessed to know you.

Goodbye, farewell, we’ll meet again
Somewhere beyond the sky.
I pray that you will walk with God,
Goodbye, my friends, goodbye,
Goodbye, my friends, goodbye.

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