New Poem: Room 105

I got the inspiration for this poem by watching  Angel Season 3 Episode 6 "Billy". The first part of the poem is from Fred's perspective, the second is from Wesley's.

Room 105

Raised voices, shrieking sounds

A faint figure hits the ground.

Bloodied axe glistens grim.

She flees from the ever-present him.

Without conscience, without remorse

Racing through the hotel concourse;

Hiding, scampering, whimpering,

Poor Winifred hides.

My soul is an abode

Where hellspawn breeds.

Heart beats, but my pulse slows

As I feel my new form grow.

Alas, my icy heart shatters:

Billy ripped it to tatters.

But lo! a primal urge lingers.

As terror streaks down my fingers

Five Positions on the Integration of Theology and Science (Pgs. 7-11)

At medieval universities, theology was often called "queen of the sciences." However, in recent times, these two disciplines have rubbed shoulders together often, usually in a negative way.

In their introduction to Three Views on Creation and Evolution, J.P. Moreland and John Mark Reynolds state that Christians should be interested in science because God created us with a mind that can be used to explore the world around it and see how and why it works. However, they have different views of how to fit science into a Christian life.

Some Christians use science to prove the theological ideas that the universe was designed and didn't evolve from chance or a process of natural selection. Others think that science and Christian theology can't mix because of the "evolution problem". A third school states that science has superseded Christianity because it relies on empirical faith whereas Christianity relies on blind faith. For example, the late American philosopher Wilfred Sellars stated, "In the dimension of describing and explaining the world, science is the measure of all things, of what is that it is, and of what is not that is not" (Science, Perception, and Reality 173). In summary, science is the only thing that can explain the existence and origin of the universe. It may even explain the meaning of life...

However, Christians must be prepared to defend their beliefs against modern science and see how their beliefs fit in with the beliefs of the zeitgeist. They can't be afraid to engage in dialogue with modern intellectuals. The purpose of Three Views is to show the beliefs of the three different schools of origins theories: Young Earth (YE), Old Earth (OE), and Theistic Evolution (TE). But before diving into this, Moreland and Reynolds briefly discuss five models for integrating theology and other academic disciplines, especially science.

The first view is Two Realms. This view states that theology is completely separate from every other discipline. For example, infant baptism doesn't matter in quantum physics.

The second is Complementarity View. Science and theology can work together, but they answer different questions. For example, science can deal with the particular (how an eye works?) whereas theology deals with the universal (who or what created an eye?). If one takes this view to its logical conclusion, it can mean that theology and science are both useful, but they must never interact. Some theistic evolutionists use this view to integrate evolution and creation

The third view is Direct Interaction. Science and theology can work together and can either support or go against the other. The theory of evolution can hurt a literal reading of Genesis 1, but the Big Bang theory can also support the Biblical view that the universe had a clear first cause. Many Old Earth and Young Earth creationists hold to this view.

The fourth is the Presuppositional View. Theology can support the presuppositions of science and vice versa. For example, some presuppositions of science (an ordered world with laws) support Christian theology, and some presuppositions of Christian theology (an imperfect world) support presuppositions of science (thermodynamic property of entropy).

The final view is Practical Application.  Theology can help an understanding of other subjects and apply principles of that subject. For example, in psychology, the principle of not provoking children to anger (Eph. 6:4) can help aid psychological principles of family structures and the root causes of anger.

Which view do you hold to or it is a mixture of a few? Next post: It gets controversial... creation vs. evolution!

"For centuries, theologians have been explaining the unknowable in terms of the not-worth-knowing."- Henry L. Mencken

Introduction to New Book Blog: Three Views on Creation and Evolution

Sorry people, but I haven't done much blogging except for the mad man's rant a couple weeks ago. At my college, there has been much debate over which theory of creation is correct and what impact does that have on one's theology as a whole. My Old Testament professor, along with a majority of students at my college, hold to the young Earth view that the world was created in six literal days. I am in a minority and hold to the view that the world was created in six "epochs" (day age theory) because the word yom doesn't always mean literal day in Genesis 1-2, no young Earth creationists have been able to answer how starlight can scientifically travel to the Earth in one 24 hour period, and that there were no "markers" for days and seasons until day four. My girlfriend Kendall once held to the theistic evolution model, but she has since switched over to the young Earth camp, and there are no theistic evolutionists (that I know of) at my college.

The purpose of this blog will be my personal journey through Three Views on Creation and Evolution written by Paul Nelson (Young Earth), John Mark Reynolds (YE), Robert C. Newman (Old Earth/OE), and Howard J. Van Till (Theistic Evolution/TE) with responses from other theologians. I will flesh out the points and arguments made by each theologian and add a short response at the end.

Enjoy! Soli Deo Gloria! Comment down below with your view of the origin of the universe.

"Two things fill the mind with ever new and increasing admiration and awe- the starry heavens above and the moral law within."- Immanuel Kant

Random thoughts

I couldn't get any bleeding rest on the last day of Outreach Week, so here's a blog. Sorry, for the stream of consciousness style. So, life's all about identity right? We wear tons of different caps. I'm a Christian first and foremost, saved by grace through faith. Going through trials, like losing my Grandpa, my dad's affairs, and switching schools, have really solidified this faith.

Another identity I wear is geek or nerd or otaku. OK, scratch that last one. I'm not that much into anime. (Do have a couple shows like Blood+ and Gun X on my Netflix Instant Queue though and enjoyed the Wolverine Anime and the random, yet hilarious comedic stylings of Bobboobo or however you spell his name). For example, I would rather have a 12 hour LOTR marathon in my dorm room with a small, select group of people than go out to the beach with a BUNCH of people, like two whole dorms combined. Hobbits and pizza> sand, surf, loud Jesus pop . This is why a RiffTrax Thor/ Super Smash Bros. party appeals to me more than an all night kegger. Maybe, the kegger would be cool if Felicia Day, Joss Whedon, Brian Michael Bendis, and an undead  Steve Jobs were there...

Quick follow up: You know you're a geek if you say something completely random on the spot, and people take it as canon. Take Harry Potter for example. A dude at a post-Outreach Week dinner plucked out three of my dainty ginger hairs. After doing that, I said, "If you mix those hairs with eye of newt and toad broth, you can become invisible." The norms bought it hook line and sinker even though I basically ad-libbed my quip off Macbeth. (Good old Will Shakes)

But how do I mix my faith, geekdom, love for more highbrow culture (mythology, history, literature, dabblings in philosophy), and identity as a citizen of a polis (United States) into one cohesive brew? Right now, I have no idea. Faith, geekdom, and academia are easy. As long as glorify God through my passion for comics, film, gaming, TV, fandom etc. and thirst for knowledge, everything works out in the end. (I really think there were be scholars in Heaven...) However, being a citizen is different. I like to stay reasonably politically informed through BBC, Huffington Post etc, but I think I'm falling into the same partisan trap that I point out in other people.

Despite my heart to help the poor in society through homeless ministries in my college, I feel distracted by a need for identity. I know I'm a Christian, but at the Christian college I go to, my debates aren't about the big stuff (was Jesus God?, is the Bible inerrant, does the gospel really save?), but about the small stuff (Old Earth vs. Young Earth, can a Democrat be a Christian (shoot me) ). I haven't even mentioned that I think that Hell is an emotional state after death, not a literal hot pit. How can fire and complete darkness coexist, literally and logically speaking?

But, despite my struggles, I've decided to weather the small storms and carry on. I really love the diverse ethnic environment at my college, especially coming from WASP-y Roanoke, Virginia. Hopefully, I can build some strong relationships with the professors in my department. Extremely pumped to hang out with Dr. Horner next Friday, which could have been Wednesday if it wasn't for my general ed Math mandatory money lecture.

That comes to my final rant. Money. Money really ticks me off because you can't live with it or live without it. Money can help you satisfy your basic needs (food and water) and complex wants ($40 philosophy books, weekly comic book run), but it can also lead men and women to sell their souls to profit. It would be cool if the ideal of pure socialism could actually work, and people didn't care about how much private property they had and their salary size and concentrated on being creative and improving culture and civilization, but that will never happen until Heaven or the millennial kingdom, depending on your eschatological view which I don't have currently. Sorry, back up preacher guy at PCB who tried to sell me on pre-millenialism. I must study Revelation personally and try not to hold dogmatic views on that book like a guy named Calvin who didn't write a commentary on it and didn't let his preachers preach on it. Since I moved to CA, I literally have heard three sermons on the Book of Revelation, probably more than in my entire life time.

So, really sorry about this mostly incoherent post about money, identity, faith, school, being a geek, politics etc., and I'll leave you with this quote from Plato. (whose theory of Forms does really float my boat, but the boat is beginning to sink)

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."

Nota bene: Plato probably didn't say this, but he is a boss...

What is Conservative?

In contemporary  news media, it seems there is a huge divide. This divide may or may not be an illusion. It sometimes reminds me of Star Wars and the dark/light side of the force. Both sides have strong, almost impenetrable arguments for the rightness of their cause. The Jedi are selfless and protect the galaxy while sacrificing their own pleasure and comfort. The Sith are aggressive and passionate and gain great power for themselves alone. A major problem in contemporary politics is dividing people into "Sith" and "Jedi" and not learning and understanding why someone believes something.

There are many dichotomies in 21st century politics and its reporting. The biggest one is the dichotomy between conservatives and liberals. Statements are made everywhere about this division. Fox News is conservative; MSNBC is liberal. Republicans are conservatives; Democrats are liberals. Drudge Report is conservative; Huffington Post is liberal. Then, the division becomes almost like hyperbole. So-called liberals call so-called conservatives "backwards", "fundamentalists", and "fascists". On the other hand, so-called conservatives call so-called liberals "socialists", "communists", and "politically correct." Reporting news of current events often gets lost in these epithets. My goal is as objectively as is humanly possible to define conservatism and liberalism and show how their meanings have changed throughout. Positive and negative criticism is accepted.

What is a conservative? Dictionary.com, one of the five fountains of knowledge (along with Google, Wikipedia, Bing, and Spark Notes) defines conservative as "disposed to preserve existing conditions, institutions etc., and to limit change". This is why many "conservatives" are against new taxes and are big fans of the Constitution and Founding Fathers. A second definition is "cautiously moderate or purposefully low." This seems to be an apolitical definition, having to do with estimating costs or placing bets. The final definition is "traditional in style and manner; avoiding showiness or novelty." This definition could be applied to politics like supporting "family values", but in my opinion, it mostly applies to personal things, like fashion choices. For example, someone who wears a turtleneck instead of a V-neck.

So, you now know what conservatism is, but where did it come from? Some argue that Plato was an early conservative.(See this helpful blog) He hated democracy and thought it would lead to mob rule. Plato also thought that society should be ruled by "guardians" who received the best in training and education and protected the people from chaos, like a doctor protects his patients from disease The guardians will make sure the people revere the city's gods and protect them from "new" poetry and music. Plato's respect for religion is shared by some modern conservatives like possible GOP presidential nominee Michelle Bachmann, who won the endorsement of the Faith and Freedom Coalition and is supported by some Evangelical Christians. However, many modern conservatives would be appalled at Plato's idea of a big government to protect the people.

An important, early conservative thinker was Edmund Burke, who is also seen as an early classic liberal. He was a Whig member of the House of Commons and supported the colonists in the American Revolution, wanting them to choose their own taxes. He saw a common kinship in the the freedoms of England and the colonies, calling both countries "the sanctuary of liberty." However, Burke was against the French Revolution, saying that it was based on ideas alone unlike the earlier Glorious Revolution of 1688 which "was made to preserve our antient indisputable laws and liberties." Burke didn't believe in the divine right of kings, but he did want to hold onto English traditions like the Magna Charta and was wary of the Enlightenment.

But what did Karl Marx, who some call the father of communism, say about Burke? In a footnote to Das Kapital, he calls Burke, " the sycophant who in the pay of the English oligarchy played the romantic laudator temporis acti (praiser of acts for time) against the French Revolution just as, in the pay of the North American troubles, he had played the liberal against the  English oligarchy- was an all out vulgar bourgeois."

The English oligarchy that Marx speaks of is the Tory dominated British Parliament of the 1770s that would not allow the colonies to tax themselves and have self-representation in Parliament. Burke was a classic liberal in this since and believed that states had the right of revolution, if they had proper reasons. The French Revolution, in his opinion, was not a valid revolution because it was based mainly on Enlightenment ideals and not on what the people needed. Marx considered Burke " a vulgar bourgeois" because he only believed in revolution for the middle class, not the workers which made up the core of Marx's political philosophy.

In conclusion, Edmund Burke was a mixture of classic liberalism and conservatism. He was liberal because he supported the American Revolution and conservative because he wanted to preserve the traditional Protestant values and political structures, like the House of Lords and Commons and was suspicious of the "new" thinking of the Enlightenment and the more radical and violent French Revolution. Burke is an example that people are complex and can't be pigeon-holed into conservative and liberal molds.

Who would Plato and Edmund Burke vote for 2012? Do you consider yourself a conservative? Why or why not?

Fantasy Fiction and the Importance of Companionship and Self-Sacrificing Love

This past Sunday my pastor preached a sermon on Genesis 2:18-25 on how marriage should be, using the example of Adam and Eve, the first marriage. He talked about that humans are incomplete without relationships, and marriage is the deepest and strongest of all relationships. A quote by Michael Williams, a theology professor at Covenant Seminary, summarizes this, " God intends that we be social creatures...". The Biblical reason for marriage is to have companions along the journey and co-laborers in the gospel. This principle also applies to platonic relationships. True Christian relationships are built on community and self-sacrifice, not a pragmatic "what can I get out of it" mentality.

OK, nice sermonette, you're probably saying. But because God created humans in his image, they can create works of art, including fantasy fiction that bear his stamp even if the book/TV show/movie isn't written for a "religious" reason. The book Exile by R.A. Salvatore, TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and film trilogy Lord of the Rings show the good of self-sacrificing relationships like in Genesis 2.

Drizzt Do'Urden  is the protagonist of R.A. Salvatore's Dark Elf trilogy written in the early 1990s. It is set in the Forgotten Realms, which is a popular Dungeon and Dragons campaign setting. Drizzt is a dark elf who is trained to be a powerful warrior for his clan Do'Urden, which is dedicated to becoming the most powerful clan no matter the cost and observes pagan rites, like human sacrifice. However, Drizzt is taught by his mentor Zaknafein to respect life and not slaughter innocent creatures, like light elves or deep gnomes. He leaves the house of Do'Urden after refusing to kill a light elf child and becomes an exile in the dark pits of the Underdark.

While in the Underdark, Drizzt battles within himself. He has two personalities: the hunter, a character that seeks only to survive in his dark environment. This personality allows him to subsist in the Underdark and defeat monsters like a basilisk. The other personality is Drizzt, a creature of conscience and character who wants to live a moral life. The creature of conscience overcomes when Drizzt surrenders to the deep gnomes. However, he's spared from execution by Belwar, who Drizzt let live after a dark elf raid.

Belwar lost his hands in that battle, but the deep gnome reaction to this shows the self-sacrificial nature of their society. Instead of casting him out like a beggar, the gnomes build Belwar two special hands: one shaped like a hammer and one like a battleaxe. This allows Belwar to continue in his role as miner and fighter. Drizzt falls in love with the companionship and selflessness of the gnome society. He even reenacts his battle with the basilisk for the young gnomes and goes on patrol with the gnomes when an evil dark elf is spotted... The dark elves' "friendship is born out of mutual profit" whereas the gnomes' relationship are "based on the strengths of community" and are great examples for Christian community.

Another example of self-sacrifice is found in the famous cult TV show  Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003). Buffy Summers is appointed the Slayer, a young girl whose task is to defend the world from vampires and other supernatural entities. She lives in Sunnydale, CA as a normal high school student and is helped by Rupert Giles, the Watcher, whose job is to help and protect the Slayer.

But before Buffy, there were other slayers. Spike, a violent vampire with a heart of gold, has killed two slayers in the past century and arrives in Sunnydale during the second season episode "School Hard" ready to find and kill the new Slayer. He has easily defeated the previous Slayers because they worked alone. However, Buffy has friends who support her despite her dangerous lifestyle.

For example, in the season one finale, Buffy's friends Xander Harris (the school loser/goofball/virgin) and Angel (a 241 year old "good" vampire that struggles with his blood lust) revive her when the Master (vampire leader) kills her. Xander and Angel both have feelings for Bufffy, and Xander makes many jokes at Angel's expense. Also, while walking in the graveyard, Angel tells Buffy that he is jealous that Xander gets to be with her during the day because he's human. However, when  Buffy flatlines, Angel fights off the vampires while Xander does mouth to mouth CPR to revive her. (What movie does this remind you of?) To fight evil, Xander and Angel put aside their problems to protect Buffy even though Angel is a vampire and Xander is on the bottom of the totem pole in popularity.

Buffy's other "companions" include Willow Rosenberg (the school nerd and computer whiz) and Cordelia Chase (popular, rich cheerleader). Many students take advantage of Willow as a tutor in their classes, and she humbly helps them. Willow's only friend is the goofball Xander, renowned for his horrendous pickup lines. Instead of shunning Willow, Buffy befriends her even though it means she moves down the "social ladder." Buffy trusts Willow and relies on her computer abilities to help research "mysterious deaths." Cordelia is the most popular girl in school, but she feels like she's alone in a crowd. But after Buffy, Xander, and Willow save her life from vampires, she joins their group even joining them at the graveyard  after cheerleader camp and making stakes for Buffy. Throughout the series, Cordelia understands that to be a true friend, one can't expect anything in return, and she hangs out with Buffy, Xander, and Willow even though they are unpopular. The vampire Spike sums up the value of self-sacrificing companionship with this one-liner, " A slayer with friends and family. That as sure as hell wasn't on the brochure." Buffy succeeds where other Slayers have failed because she has a close community of friends and mentors to help her fight evil.

A final example of self-sacrificing friendship is Gandalf the Grey in Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring. Gandalf is a Maia (basically an angel), has an Elf ring, and is one of the most powerful wizards in Middle Earth. But he decides to allow Frodo Baggins, a small, weak hobbit, wield the One Ring. He gives Frodo guidance and urges him to not go alone but pick trustworthy companions. In the book, he recommends Aragorn, who is Frodo's guide to Rivendell and defends him from the Black Riders.

But in the Mines of Moria he gives the greatest gift any true friend can give: his life. Gandalf alone holds off the Balrog, so that the Fellowship (including Frodo) can escape and continue in their quest to destroy the Ring. He breaks the bridge underneath to defeat the Balrog and falls into the abyss. Even though Frodo is much weaker than him, Gandalf befriends him, instructs him, and sacrifices his own life for Frodo. This is true agape love, and Gandalf can be seen as a Christ figure, sacrificing himself for the salvation of the many and rising again stronger and more powerful (Gandalf the White).

"We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." 1 John 3:16 (NASB)

Marvel Superhero Island

Marvel Superhero Island (MSI) is a great little nook in Islands of Adventures, but it seems overcrowded. Something tells me that the builders tried to fit most of the Marvel Universe on two streets in New York. And where are the Avengers and Xavier mansions?

A cool, random thing about MSI is that there are characters everywhere! This fact hit me immediately upon entering, and I took tons of pictures/tons of pictures were taken of me. (They will be on Facebook soon) For example, when you walk in, there's a small replica of the Baxter Building, disguised as a cafe. I got a picture with the Fantastic Four sign and "driving" the Fantasticar (an obvious publicity tie-in to the 2007 possible blockbuster Fantastic Four: The Rise of the Silver Surfer).

Walking down Stan Lee Boulevard (winning), I bumped into the Green Goblin. How many times in your life have you walked down a street named after a famous comic book creator and ran into an uber-famous comic book villain. Actually, in a former life, I have walked down Bob Kane Court and met the Joker and Catwoman (not Halle Berry). Being the knowledgeable comics fan that I am, I asked Gobby if he was Norman or Harry Osborn. OK, so what self-respecting supervillain would give away his secret identity to some random ginger kid. But he was totally in-character and in a sneering voice, answered, " I'm the Green Goblin." I got a picture and partially redeemed myself by telling him to "Go kick Spider-Man's butt for me" ironically before getting on Spider-Man's ride.

Speaking of Spidey, the first and sadly the last ride I went on at Islands of Adventure, was the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man. The pre-ride area goes through the back rooms of the Daily Bugle. There, you see that J. Jonah Jameson (JJJ) has files on every person or thing in the Marvel Universe, and that Aunt May and Mary Jane have left voicemails for Peter Parker (who is the webmaster for the Daily Bugle like in the Ultimate Spider-Man comics). This ride is the personification of awesome.

You're strapped into special "Scoop" cars by some random guy that reminds me of The Man in Black in X-Men: First Class, given 3D glasses, and told "not screw this up" by JJJ. Immediately, Spider-Man pops into your sight and tells you things are dangerous. You see the Statue of Liberty down and Hobgoblin and Dr. Octopus cackling away. Electro is definitely the scariest baddie, and his electric generator "spins" your car around. Scream (a Venom/Spider-Woman hybrid) looks really good in 3D, and Hydroman gets you wet but not soaking. Hobgoblin and Doc Ock stretch the limits of the 3D projector and do some great fire effects, but the best part of the ride is when you drop to your impending doom...

After going on this stunning motion simulator ride, I rode Dr. Doom's Fearfall alone. The pre-ride loading zone is nothing to write home about, but you pass Fogwell's Gym and Murdoch and Nelson's Law Offices on the way (obvious Daredevil references). I actually had literal fear before riding because a wasp was buzzing on my harness but thankfully moved on to another rider. Dr. Doom starts out with a bang after a ton of build-up and features a 300 ft. drop, but then it transforms into a Tower of Terror ripoff. Great view though.

While exiting through Kingpin's Arcade (no X-Men vs. Street Fighter or Marvel vs. Capcom in sight), I saw several X-Men characters. I ran up to Rogue, started chatting and realized there was an actual line for her. Embarrassed, I walked over to the Incredible Hulk coaster which is probably the best ride in MSI. The pre-ride area is big and green, like the Hulk. The coaster itself starts out slow and then boom! 0-40 in two seconds is no lie. This is a wonderfully engineered steel coaster that belongs at Six Flags or Cedar Point. I really felt like I was Wolverine holding on for dear life while battling Hulk and Wendigo in Canada (Incredible Hulk 181). The ride dips, turns, and goes upside down several times. I've never been a huge fan of Hulk's comics, but I'm definitely a huge fan of his ride.

So, I finally got in with the X-Men. Rogue looked like she was 50 and didn't have a Southern accent, but Storm was great. She giggled when I asked her if she was going to bring the mohawk back and really carried herself regally. Wolverine had the longest line and shortest attention span, but what do you expect. I got to touch his adamantium claws and call him "bub." But Cyclops was the best. He made me repent of all my Cyclops jokes that I sometimes use on straight-laced people. It also made me feel sorry that Toad beat him in X-Men, he was stuffed in a fridge in X2, and was killed off in X-Men: The Last Stand. He thought my red-tinted sunglasses were cool, and we had a nice " bro chat" about Jean Grey and shared a hug. My picture with him will be my profile pic on Facebook.

It's not every day that you meet four X-Men. However, in MSI, there was some definite anti-mutant bias. Storm gets stuck with a tea cup ride lamer than Disney's with an implausible story to match. The epicness of MSI meant that I spent some $$$ at the "Comics Shop." Having recently read Civil War on Marvel Digital Comics, I picked up the first graphic novel of the "Death of Captain America" arc. I also bought a Loki action figure from the Thor movie because he's my favorite Marvel villain.

"I'm the best at what I do, and what I do isn't very nice."- Wolverine