Monthly Archives: March 2006

Circuitous Development

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I don’t usually like to be spoon-fed my ideas and opinions. I like to be able to work things out for myself, take what is known and think it through as comprehensively as possible to arrive at what seems to me to be a reasonable and elegant conclusion. I enjoy the process of analysis (go figure, right?), and I enjoy being able to figure things out for myself.

As a result whenever I approach a subject or an issue, I don’t always do it from the most direct route. Sometimes, it’s both fun and interesting to arrive at the subject through the back door, or through a side window, or by dropping in through the skylight. I don’t always like to present every aspect in the discussion, either, because I enjoy the process of dialogue. I enjoy provoking others to think, as well, so by providing only snippets and pieces, it prompts others to think and work through the issues accordingly, and it forces everyone to think about some of the lesser thought-of, but not necessarily any less important, aspects of the issue at hand.

I have been accused of being too much of a devil’s advocate at times, of being somewhat argumentative (though more the former than the latter). Because I don’t even always stick to arguing my own opinions and beliefs, people sometimes find me frustrating because they don’t know where I stand on an issue or because I seem to be espousing an incorrect and wrong-headed viewpoint. Usually, this is simply because I am trying to cover as many of the relevant details surrounding the topic as possible and, again, trying to prompt others to think for themselves.

Apparently, this also sometimes results in the notion that I have not actually addressed the subject at hand _because_ of the fact that I am not necessarily approaching it directly. And to their credit, sometimes I’m implying the connection between the subject at hand and what I am saying so subtly that no one but me can even see that a connection exists, at which point I have to force myself to be more clear and be even a little more direct in presenting my argument. After all it doesn’t do any good at prompting others to think when I don’t actually give them enough to think about. But I do sometimes like to provide as little as possible to hint at the connection to at least get the conversation going, with the hopes that everyone else participating will eventually be able to fill in the gaps and arrive at both the connection and the conclusion that I have.

So, if sometimes I seem to be saying one thing, particularly if it sounds extreme, rash, or harsh, read it again and think about how my argument might be approaching the truth of the matter from a slightly different direction. And if, after having thought about it, you still don’t see it, ask me again. You’ll probably find that my actual conclusion is far more fair and balanced than it seemed at first. I probably just tossed it in through a window and let it bounce around a bit, curious to see where it would end up.

Blogger Peeves

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Is anyone else supremely annoyed at how you can no longer simply navigate away from Blogger/Blogspot comment forms without first clicking through the ‘Confirm’ popup?

Never Leave Home Without Them

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Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary and Franklin Thesaurus Card

One of the best features in the “Palm Tungsten T5″:http://www.palm.com/us/products/handhelds/tungsten-t5/ handheld is its memory slot. So far, I haven’t had a reason to use it for expandable memory cards, but one of the first accessories I purchased after acquiring my T5 was the “Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary and Franklin Thesaurus Card”:http://store.palm.com/sm-merriam-websters-collegiate-dictionary-eleventh-edition-expansion-card–pi-1392481.html. I had plans to write on the go, since the T5 has MS Word built right in. I had the wireless keyboard and the ability to compose stories whenever, wherever. And an author should never be too far from his dictionary and thesaurus.

Fortunately, there was this handy-dandy expansion card with an entire reference set available, so I bought it first chance I got. And I’ve never been sorry that I did. Last night, as I was putting the finishing touches on my story, I probably had my T5 turned on continuously for the better part of an hour, searching through the thesaurus for just the right word to add that much-needed flair to a sentence, switching to the dictionary when I needed to verify that the word I liked did, indeed, mean the same thing as the one I wanted to replace.

I use this expansion card so much, in fact, that it never leaves the slot in my Palm. I do have a little plastic storage container for it, but since I never remove the card, the container stores only dust.

Probably the thing I love most about this card, is the intergration of the dictionary with the thesaurus. If there is a word that just sounds like it would perfect for what I need, yet I’m not quite sure what the exact definition is, all I have to do is tap it with the stylus to bring up the option to get a definition, which, when selected, loads in a ‘pop-up’ screen for quick reference. No cumbersome switching to the dictionary to look the word up. Just tap-tap and there’s the definition of the word. Another quick tap when you’re done, and it’s right back to your place in the thesaurus. I just wish the thesaurus was so smoothly integrated into the dictionary.

The dictionary and thesaurus are the writer’s best friends, moreso now that they have gone digital.

Megalomania

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I completed my second short story last night. It’s shorter than I would have liked – only 1170 words – but it _feels_ finished. And I know from practical experience that when a story feels finished, it’s best to just let it alone. Otherwise, you risk making it less than the tale it ought to be. From here I am going to put it aside for awhile, turn down the heat and let it simmer, and come back to it in a few days or a couple of weeks so I can read it again with a fresh perspective. Maybe it will decide that there _are_ a few more details to add, a couple of things it forgot to mention that will make it a better story. For now, though, it needs to think about it, and when some time has passed, we’ll sit down and talk again and decide where to go from here.

One of the most valuable tips I’ve learned in writing is that when telling a story, you are an actor. Except that in storytelling, you act out every role and get to be multiple characters. I have discovered, though, that writing a megalomaniacal character is not as easy as it might seem. I had to continually ask myself, What would I say? How would I view the world, the universe? What opinions would I have of myself and of everyone else around me? How insane would I be, and would I be aware of my own insanity? No small task, to write a character that sees himself as bigger than life (quite literally).

So, time to move on to the next writing project (or move back to one of projects sitting in the queue). I want to end up with two or three stories that are complete and that I am satisfied with, and then I want to submit them concurrently to different places – I have a couple of SF&F magazines and writing contests in mind. With any luck, I’ll sell one, or at the least, get some feedback. Here’s hoping, at any rate….

Caesura

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Some days are better than others. I had good intentions to write something witty and prosaic today. I even had a couple of interesting topics. But as I find myself learning my job, I also find that those moments when I am between projects or when I am waiting for queries to run are fewer and farther between. I guess I really need to start writing at home in the evenings a bit more and transporting those little bits of digital mayhem back here.

In the meantime, feel free to chime in on this “discussion”:http://open-dialogue.com/blog/?p=317. I would love to get a bit more feedback, if possible. (Frankly, I’m a bit surprised it generated as much discussion as it did. I guess that just proves that I still don’t really know what the ‘hot’ topics are, eh?)

Kind of Like Marriage

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Let us not, therefore, be insensible to His kindness. For, were Jesus to reward us according to our works, we should cease to be. Therefore, having become His disciples, let us learn to live according to the principles of Christianity. For whosoever is called by any other name beside this, is not of God. Lay aside, therefore, the evil, the old, the sour leaven, and be ye changed into the new leaven, which is Jesus Christ. -Ignatius of Antioch, one of the early church martyrs (ca. 117 C.E.), Letter to the Magnesians 10

When men are called by any other name they cease to be Christians for they have lost Christ’s name and have clothed themselves in human and foreign titles. -Justin Martyr (ca. 150), Dialogue with Trypho 35

Never at any time did Christian people take their name from their teachers among them, but from the Lord, on whom we rest our faith. Thus, though the blessed Apostles have become our teachers, and have ministered the Savior’s Gospel, yet not from them have we our name, but from Christ we are and are named Christians. -Athanasius of Alexandria (340 AD), Against the Arians 1:2

I dislike calling people onto the carpet, yet sometimes it is a necessary thing to do. The more “I think about”:http://open-dialogue.com/blog/?p=310 this issue, the more “analysis”:http://cpsdiscernment.blogspot.com/2006/03/ruminating-on-emergent-church.html I hear about it, the more I read what others write on the subject, the more I have to conclude that the folks who have stopped going to church are wrong in their decision to do so. I don’t like saying this about my brothers and sisters, yet I have no option but to conclude that the church was never meant to be broken up and fractured the way it is now.

Yesterday’s sermon at “my church”:http://www.yourchurch.com hit the subject of unity very hard. One of the things that Pastor Kauffman hit on specifically is that no matter what the problem, no matter what the issue, you do not leave the church. If your leaders are drunk around the communion table, if someone in the church takes you to court and sues you for everything you have, if something occurs that causes strife and conflict in the church, you do not leave the church. It actually occurred to me that it is something much like a marriage. No matter what happens in the marriage, you stay together and work it out, no matter how difficult it is to do. ((This symbolism is, perhaps, why the sanctity of marriage is so important.))

The fellowship of the Body is so very important for the Body functions better and more ably when it is whole. If people split off whenever there is the slightest amount of trouble (or even when there is a great deal of trouble), then the Body itself is broken into small pieces and is rendered impotent.

Titles and denominations are both terribly detrimental to the unity of the Body, as Pastor and Dr. Bebawi have “pointed out”:http://open-dialogue.com/blog/?p=315. In giving ourselves titles, in following one teacher over another, we lose our focus on the One we _should_ be following. We forget that it is all about Christ and him alone. It’s not about “labels”:http://open-dialogue.com/blog/?p=111 – it’s about being identified with Christ. It’s about joining with the Body, with the Church, and working from the foundation of our faith, that being the Gospel, to reach the rest of the world with the hope that we have. We may disagree on various points of theology along the way, but if we agree on the Trinity, on the depravity of man, on the personhood of Christ and His work on the Cross, on the work of the Holy Spirit, then we can be unified under God and we should work together to further the Gospel, no matter the problems and issues and conflicts that arise in our midst. We need to work through them, no matter how hard it may be to do so, so that the glory of God may shine in us.

Does this mean that God cannot use those times when people go off on their own? Does this mean that God is not present when they ‘do church’ in the coffee shops and private residences of our communities? Does this mean that God does not speak to and grow His children when they are absent from the Body? By no means, but I do think that the goal should be for these people to return to the Church as quickly as possible, for the strengthening of the Body and the edification of the saints. We are made all the stronger when we gather in greater numbers.

The Church is not perfect, that is sure, for it is still composed of as-yet imperfect people. Sometimes, the Church can be downright ugly, when people forget Who it is they represent. But how we the Church grow when those who most desire to do so leave it and turn their backs on it?

I appreciate the voices of those who have left, who have voiced their concerns and have spotted some of the problems within so many of our churches. But I feel that they have made the wrong choice in leaving, in depriving us of their vision and of their hopes. I recognize and realize that they are disillusioned and burned out and hurt, but we need them all the same. If we could give up our titles of Arminian and Calvinist, of Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, and Catholic, I believe we could once again function as a unified Body and turn this world on its head for Christ. This will likely never happen, but it does not mean that we cannot, and should not, work toward that end. We will never be perfect this side of Heaven, but we do have perfection as a goal, and we should be taking steps, however small, toward that end.

So, please return to us, those of you who have left. We need your energy, your vision, your hope of what _could_ be and what _should_ be in our churches and in our Church. We need that inspiration, that continual renewal of vigor, especially where that vision has grown stale and stagnant. More’s the power when you are with us and when we are together as one for the cause of Christ.

Christianity – Distinct From All Others

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I could have sworn I’d written previously about the uniqueness of Christianity from all other religious faiths, yet when I searched my archives to find it, I was unable to do so. Apparently it was something I’d _intended_ to write about and never did. Allow me to rectify that situation now.

One of the things that absolutely convinces me that my religious faith is the correct one, the only one that _can_ be right, is its very distinctiveness. In all the world, there is not another religious faith that is as unique, and simple, as Christianity. The one that comes closest, perhaps, is Islam, but as we “have seen already”:http://open-dialogue.com/blog/?p=315, even it falls away to be little different than all the others. What follows are a few of the things that set Christianity apart and spotlight it as being so very special.

*Nothing We Can Do, Nothing We Have To Do*

In every religious system, personal salvation is worked out by the deeds and actions of the individual. If someone desires to get to heaven or attain a higher position or status in the next life or to ascend to a nirvana-like state, that individual must first live a life that consists of more good deeds than bad. At the minimum, the scales have to be balanced, and at the maximum, they have to be tipped in favor of good deeds. It is a game of continual tension and anxiety, the individual never knowing if they have done enough to earn that special place in the next life.

Within Christianity, there is nothing that we _can_ do that is ever good enough to earn our way into Heaven. We are prohibited from doing so by our very sinful nature. But at the same time, there is nothing that we _have_ to do to earn Heaven, for what needs to be done has already _been_ done. The payment has already been made.

*God Himself Making the Way for Men*

Christianity is also unique in that it is the only religious faith where God Himself made it possible for human beings to get to Heaven. It is the only place where you will hear about God becoming a common man simply for the sake of taking on the punishment for sin. The gods of other religions have always traditionally been petty and cruel, warring and bickering amongst themselves and forcing humankind to perform all manner of menial and degrading tasks to earn a shaky place of security in the next life. Only in Christianity is admittance into Heaven a free gift, offered to any and all who would accept it, made possible by God Himself.

*Personal Relationship with God*

Christianity is also the only religious faith that teaches that men can have a _personal_ relationship with God Himself. It is the only place where God has literally reached down into history itself and spoken one-on-one with men, where He has walked with men and fellowshipped with them. It is the only place where God Himself took on the form of a child and grew up as a man, providing the bridge necessary for God and men to relate to one another in perfect harmony. The Greeks believed that the gods sometimes disguised themselves as men for a period of time, for any number of reasons, but always they returned to Olympus and never could common men maintain contact or continued communication with them. The gods were indifferent to the needs of men, caring more for their own comfort than for the welfare of men. The God of the Christians is different. He genuinely cares about His people and is fully accessible to all of them. We may go to Him personally to speak with Him and present our needs, our requests to Him. And what is more, He actually listens to and hears us. Nowhere else will you see this relationship between deity and mortal played out.

*Focus on Self, Focus on God, Focus on Others*

As a result of this relationship with God, the focus is not on ourselves, as it is in every other religious system. Everywhere else, the focus is on getting oneself into heaven, doing enough to insure that one has lived a good enough life to move to a better place when one dies. Within Christianity, everything that needs to be done has already been done, so there is no longer a need to do anything for oneself in order to get to Heaven. The focus, then, moves from self to God, and from God to others. We are able to focus on our relationship with God, following Him and serving Him. We are also able to focus on others with the joy that we have, urging them to also choose God, to choose Christ, over the cumbersome ways of self-righteousness and self-justification. We can tell them that it is so much easier than all that to make sure that one gets to Heaven, that the price has already been paid, that there is actually a personal, loving God who has already done everything for us that we need and that all we need to do is accept that gift He has offered us.

This is what makes Christianity so very unique in the world, what sets it apart from all others. The rest of the world religions may _look_ unique from one another at first blush, but when you boil it down to what each demands of its supplicants, what you find is that they all demand the same thing – good deeds of the individual in order for him or her to _earn_ his or her way into heaven. Christianity is the _only_ religion where the individual has to do nothing, where it is already done. Christianity is the only religion where its members are truly free, where the shackles of a legalistic and rules-driven life have been cut away and discarded forever.

This is what I believe sets my faith apart from all the rest, what convinces me without doubt that I have chosen the truth. There is no God like my God, no Lord like my Lord, no freedom like that freedom which He has given to me, and I will follow Him all the days of my life. I can give Him no more and no less than all of me, for He has secured my hope and my salvation.

What Are the Differences Between Christianity and Islam? Part 1

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Dr. George Bebawi is perhaps the closest thing we will ever see to Timothy. ((Timothy was a young pastor in the early days of the church who came under the guidance and tutelage of the apostle Paul. He was half Gentile, half Jew, a family heritage typically frowned upon and despised in those days.)) Here is a man who is half Egyptian, half Jewish and who converted from Islam to Christianity. As a result he has been imprisoned twice and tortured by the Egyptian government for his faith.

Dr. Bebawi now resides in the US and is a member of my church. Pastor Kauffman began a six-part ‘interview’ series with Dr. Bebawi that will bring to light some of the major differences between Chrsitianity and Islam. This is the first part:

*What are the differences between Christianity and Islam?*
by George Bebawi

Islam is a rapidly growing religion – even in America. As Christians, it is extremely important that we understand our own faith as well as the major and subtle differences between Christianity and other faith. The following provides a brief overview regarding some intial differences between the two belief systems:

*What is the significance of the names, “Christianity” and “Islam”? In what ways do the names help to distinguish the two religions from each other?*

_Christianity_
First, let’s start with Christianity. Christianity took its name from Christ. In Antioch the disciples were called Christians. The word in the Greek essentially refers to those who belong to Christ Jesus or follow Christ Jesus. In the sub-apostolic period (about 100 C.E.), Christians called themselves Christoi which means, “The anointed ones by the Holy Spirit of God.” Christos is the Greek translatioin of the Hebrew Messiah which means the “Anointed.” Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit at his Baptism and the Father declared him as his beloved Son. The followers of Jesus are also anointed by the Holy Spirit.

bq. You have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you have knowledge.
- 1 John 2:20

So we take our name from the great gift which God the Father bestowed on us by his Spirit through the mediation of his Son. Hence, our name goes back to the Christian doctrine of the Triune God.

_Islam_
In contrast, Islam means, “Submission and surrender to Allah and submission to his Law or Sharia.” Sadly Islam has confused the Holy Spirit of God with the angel Gabriel. Moslems think that the Holy Spirit is an angel and not God.

What is lost by this confusion between Gabriel and the Holy Spirit are the follow points that make for stark theological differences from the Christian faith:

  1. God does not dwell in the human form.
  2. Submission to God is the work of the human will alone and thus we do not submit to come close to God but to the Law.
  3. The human person is not sanctified by the Holy Spirit and made holy by God and thus remains far away from God. This means an eternal separation from God.

To this we have to add that the earthly life which the Moslems expect to have in Paradise is logical and is in harmony with their understanding of the divine-human relationship. Christians know that, _”the kingdom of God is not of food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit”_ (Rom. 14:17).

_The Importance of a Name: The Witness of Ancient Christian Writers_
In conclusion, in light of these initial observations, it might be helpful to end by reflecting on the words and insights of some of the early church fathers who helped shape and guide the Church in its infancy. These comments serves as guides to protect the Flock from heresy and false teaching and continue to echo through the centuries of church history, making them still very applicable to our situation today:

“Let us not, therefore, be insensible to His kindness. For, were Jesus to reward us according to our works, we should cease to be. Therefore, having become His disciples, let us learn to live according to the principles of Christianity. For whosoever is called by any other name beside this, is not of God. Lay aside, therefore, the evil, the old, the sour leaven, and be ye changed into the new leaven, which is Jesus Christ.” – Ignatius of Antioch, one of the early church martyrs (ca. 117 C.E.), Letter to the Magnesians 10

“When men are called by any other name they cease to be Christians for they have lost Christ’s name and have clothed themselves in human and foreign titles.” _Justin Martyr (ca. 150), Dialogue with Trypho 35

“Never at any time did Christian people take their name from their teachers among them, but from the Lord, on whom we rest our faith. Thus, though the blessed Apostles have become our teachers, and have ministered the Savior’s Gospel, yet not from them have we our name, but from Christ we are and are named Christians.” -Athanasius of Alexandria (340 AD), Against the Arians 1:2

SF&F Poll

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There have been six votes cast so far in my ongoing SF&F poll. If you’re reading this, please take the time to visit the poll and log your vote. The more votes cast, the more accurate the results.

Roller Coaster Writing

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It’s always wonderful to get the chance to work on writing some of my fiction, since I don’t always get the opportunity to write every day. Last night, I pounded out another 1200-word section of a story idea and watched as about two hours just melted away. I had fun, and the time just flew by. It was such a high, getting a new idea written out, seeing the mental image I’ve been carrying with me for most of the week play out in actual written words.

Of course, on the flip side of the high is the almost inevitable low that accompanies it. I’ve “written”:http://open-dialogue.com/blog/?p=195 about the sympathetic/parasympathetic relationship before, and its influence is felt in my writing, as well. I don’t always feel low and discouraged right after writing, but it does happen with enough frequency to make me notice. In this case, I finished up my little bit of writing, printed it off for my wife to read, and headed to the kitchen to find something to eat.

In the few short steps it took me to reach the kitchen, I felt exhausted and discouraged, filled with self-doubt. Who was I kidding? What made me think I could ever hope to write as well as any of the great authors? What made me think I’d ever be any more than a hack writer, pretending to write great works of fiction, when in reality it was just garbage that no one in their right minds would read? Where did I ever get the idea that I would be able to actually _sell_ a story, let alone _finish_ one? And on and on and on it went.

It’s true what they say about writers having fragile egos that need stroking. When we write, we write from our hearts. We essentially put ourselves on display for the whole world to see, bare our inner secrets, make ourselves vulnerable is very frightening ways. It’s hard to do, sometimes, and I know that for myself, it makes me doubt my ability to write anything of any quality. The sympathetic system kicks in when I’m writing, giving me that creative high that keeps the mental juices flowing, that keeps me writing with feverish intensity, that makes me think this just may be the best work of literature yet. Then the parasympathetic kicks in and annihilates that high, and I am filled with self-doubt and discouragement.

Of course, after a night of sleep, I feel at least marginally better, and while my writing may not be the best ever, I’m sure it’s not the worst, either. I know that if I keep plugging away, eventually I will finish one of my stories and, Lord willing, actually be able to sell it. Only time will tell the whole tale…