Live 8 and Intergenerational Respect

Long after Live 8, the misguided attempt by Irish rocker Bob Geldof to "raise awareness" in the minds of political leaders of the G8 nations (which, for some perverse reasons, includes Russia, a nation not particularly great in anything except pride) will be remembered for its generational snobbery. In an act of Baby Boomer arrogance, Geldof has decided to go mainly with aging Baby Boomer rockers on the declining edge of their musical ability in order to appeal to the aging Baby Boomers who are ruling over the free and unfree world. Ah, the irony. Just call me when it's over, okay? I don't want to listen to a bunch of fifty-year olds who can't hold a tune in a bucket try to belt out songs that were hits thirty years ago. That just isn't my cup of tea. Obviously, Mr. Geldof decided against trying to appeal to younger people. Perhaps he thought that the retreat acts, for the most part, from Live Aid would have enough cred to appeal to young people without trying to get recording acts who have been successful in recent years. I personally think they're wrong, but they're probably trying to appeal to power-mad middle aged people anyway, not people like yours truly.

Now for my second rant about Live 8. What is the point of wasting a bunch of money on Africa? Bono and others are whining on behalf of Africa that the continent needs its debts forgiven and that it is unable to bear its burden. Well, no one (save Africa's own leaders) forced that debt on Africa. They have brought their disaster on themselves--through environmental degredation, civil conflict, a lack of democracy, culture that frowns on personal responsibility or respect for women and children (those nations who fail to properly respect their youth soon face the music), and the belief that they are entitled to everyone else's money. That sort of attitude doesn't do anyone any good. Let Africa show, through their deeds, that they are a worthwhile investment and not a lost cause, and then we will see about mercy. At this point, though, giving Africa aid and the chance to borrow freely is like giving a drunk a prepaid card at the local pub. It's a recipe for disaster. Sorry, Bob Geldof and you other bleeding hearts, but Africa isn't worth saving until it makes some major changes for itself. Then come and see us again. Until Africa can demonstrate the capacity to govern above the tribal level, proper respect for youth and women, sensible policies concerning agriculture and mining and forestry, a commitment to human liberty and dignity, and personal responsibility (rather than graft and dependence on charity), then it has no business asking anyone for help. And that is my rant for the day.

Order and Chaos

Many have said that creativity only comes from chaos, while others are paranoid about anything chaotic (and hence anarchic) whatsoever. I am a mildly chaotic person (but not excessively so), and am a relatively creative and productive person at the same time. The trick is to balance the order and the chaos. You see, in order to be creative, one must have some sense of chaos so the mind is free to wander and create anew. The problem is that the mind must wander within some sort of boundary. If the mind wanders anywhere and everywhere, the results are often less than pleasant (trust me, I know this from personal experience). God's law, if nothing else, places boundaries on our behavior and thoughts. Therefore, in order to be truly creative and productive there must be some structure to the chaos. However, too much structure is as damaging to creativity as too much chaos. Just as too much chaos gives the mind too many possibilities and not enough focus to complete any of the ideas, too much order stifles the creativity and stops the spring of ideas. That's just my two cents of the matter. It's an interesting discussion, though, but time forbids me to say more at this time.

The Importance of Having Your Own Seal

For those who are unaware, I am a civil engineer. Civil engineering, like most professions, is a "guild," where there are three layers to being a civil engineer. I am currently in the "apprentice" level, which is (of course), the lowest level of engineer. As an "apprentice" engineer, my job is to increase my knowledge, start trying to pass some exams (like the FE/EIT in October, more on that later), and move up to the next stage. After passing the FE/EIT (Fundamentals of Engineer/Engineer-In-Training Exam), one becomes a "Journeyman" engineer. As a journeyman, the wages get better, the skills are more easily transferrable, and there are more tests to take. During this level engineers often take other tests in various minor specialties and seek to further increase their own personal marketability. Often graduate school (an MBA or some other degree) comes into play during this stage (I'm shooting for at least one degree during this stage), as well as a host of other certifications (like GIS, Building Inspector, and so forth) which are transferrable personally as well. After at least four years of being an FE/EIT, one moves on to the ultimate level of the profession, which is the professional engineer.

And what's so big about being the "master," or the "professional?" Well, for one, you get the cool initials P.E. after your name, which mean you can sign your own drawings. You have CEU (continuing education unit) requirements, but the ability to be recognized for your work is a good one. One of the fringe benefits of being a professional engineer is the seal. The seal is the sign of reaching the level of competence to being a professional. Until you have the seal, you are not truly an engineer. Perhaps such a lesson is applicable in other areas of life as well. The seal cannot be bought (though it costs a lot of money). It is earned through hard work, practice, knowledge, wisdom, and character, and is maintained through continual effort. In many ways, the life of a Christian is much like that of an engineer, even if most Christians aren't as "nerdy" as engineers tend to be, nor is engineering a particularly religious profession (though as designers there is certainly some comparison between engineers and those who strive after the divine in their spiritual lives). Anyway, it's something to think about, at least.

Writing Projects...

Okay, for those who want to know how I keep busy when I'm not working (which takes up a lot of time) or studying for the GRE, read on. I enjoy writing. Of course, I have a lot of writing projects that I'm not very good at keeping track of or making progress on. Some of the more prominent ones on my queue are the following.

Plays:

Learning How To Speak Corporate (This is a short, humorous (I hope) play taken loosely from personal experience involving speaking with my brother.)

Sagecraft: Secrets of the Past (This is part four of an epic play I have been writing this year about a young man who seeks to save the world from the consequences of arcane studying into dark arts. In this part of the epic, the young eponymous sage and his friends explore the world looking for ancient history books.)

Original Sin (This play is about the slave trade in England, told by a young man kidnapped in Liverpool to serve on a slave ship as a doctor, set in the late 1700's. This book is also a dramatization of "Bury The Chains" from Adam Hothschild.)

A Palace Coup (This play is set in the misty days of the Old Kingdom of Egypt, as told by a recent National Geographic article about the tombs of Saqarra.)

Prose Fiction:

Chevalier (This short story/short novel is to be the first in the "War Games" series, where a young man who tests virtual reality games is pitted against an old enemy in a deadly virtual enactment of a Civil War campaign.)

The Imperial Marines (This short story continues the Secfenia Dark story, looking at the stumbling, bumbling exiles from the first class of the Imperial School.)

Prose Nonfiction:

The Implied Social Contract of Romans 13 (I'm almost finished with this paper, which is an analysis of Romans 13 as a tract against tyranny, rather than as an apologetic for absolutism, as it is often false interpreted to be.)

Deuteronomy 17: The Law Concerning Kings (Probably my next paper, after I finish the Romans 13 paper, this work explores the consequences of Deuteronomy 17 as to the system of constitutional rulership the Bible requires for just government, which places strict limitations onto the activities of leaders.)

Lessons From The Jerusalem Conference (This paper looks at Acts 15 and its lessons as to participatory government, resolution of doctrinal issues, and communication between members and the ministry, and between leaders themselves.)

Melchizedek Priesthood (This paper is a look at what separates the Melchizedek priesthood from the Levitical priesthood, and analyzes the resulting lack of a recognizable human priesthood in the Church of God, since only Jesus Christ is our priest today.)

Some Long-Term Writing Projects:

Rules of Interpretation (This paper, which will have to wait on research, is a look at the subject of hermeneutics, and will seek to establish and defend a system of rules for sound biblical exegesis. Of particular importance will be a look at how to interpret the Bible properly, using such methods as context, harmonization, literalism, and so forth.)

Canonicity (This paper, another rather scholarly work, is awaiting research on the differing views over the books of the Bible, and will seek to defend the canon we possess, without unnecessarily denigrating the apocryphal works (some of which are actually good reading, for historical purposes at least.) )

Obadiah and Nahum: Prophets of Destruction (This paper will compare the two biblical odes to destruction, the short books of Obadiah (a book on the destruction of Edom), and Nahum (a book on the destruction of Assyria), looking at their historical fulfillment and prophetic importance for us today.)

Romans Project (This will include an exegetical analysis of the chapters of Romans and the book as a whole. This project will take awhile.)

The Twelve Apostles Project (This will include an analysis of the twelve apostles, and will also take a long while.)

Okay, I'll be busy writing these for years, and more will no doubt be added to the list as time goes on...

Remember The Days...

The title for this entry comes from the song Remember The Days (...On The Radio) by Nelly Furtado, the only single I remotely enjoyed from her first album, and that with serious reservations about its lyrics. That said, the song adequately reflects the two sermon messages given today by Mr. Veller and Mr. Treybig, and hence the title will stand and will be explained in more detail below. Suffice it to say that on this most "Church History" of Holy Days that remembering the days of our own past in the Church was front and center, more so than it usually is. I would have called the two messages nostalgic, only that they dealt with events that I find impossible to be nostalgic about, as I was a bright, attentive, and very concerned 13 year old at the time I had to deal with the historical disaster of 1995.

The first sermon was by Mr. Veller on the subject of dealing with the fight when it comes to you. As a part of his sermon, he commented on the ubiquity of heresies in the history of the Church of God throughout recorded history. Of course, while I cannot remember HWA, I remember 1995 all too well. It happened at that rare moment where I was becoming aware of what was going out without yet being able to have any remote control over it. It was a delicate time, to say the least. To watch authority crumble before your eyes in a living example of Acts 5:29: "We should obey God rather than men" was a painful and scarring experience, one that I am still dealing with the reverberations from. One cannot invoke the sacred right of rebellion without paying the long-term costs of having to establish a new order when one has knocked out the support of tradition and human authority. And it is important to note that rebellion is a sacred right, but a very dangerous one to invoke. Anyway, to put it mildly, as a pioneer in the Tampa Bay United congregation (if a young one), I'm not too keen on having to relive those awful and chaotic times. There was a sense of strength and relief at joining together with others of like mind who also fought against the heresies, but I wouldn't want to have to go through it again, as it was a major crisis of "place," as I tend to have on occassions where I make massive shifts in my life and do not know exactly how I am supposed to behave or what role I truly have. I guess I think way too much about these things, but I have to try to make some sense of what happens. Mr. Veller commented on the early days of long question an answer sessions, alternate services, and private bible studies, days I remember very well.

The afternoon sermon by Mr. Treybig was a similar, though not identical message. Comparing the events of the early church in Acts with his own 1995 experiences as the pastor of Spokane, Washington. He commented, obliquely, on his own problems as a UCG pastor with local boards in Spokane, without going into a great deal of detail as to the issue. Methinks he protested too strongly. It was interesting to see how he dealt with the changes in 1995, and how it was predicated on the good of the congregation, as well as his own personal and professional sense of virtue and brotherhood with fellow ministers and elders. Obviously, that is not a perspective I have personal experience with. It is intriging that he tried to focus some of his comments on those of us who were under 30 (about 1/4 to 1/3 of the audience), who were too young to remember HWA personally. Those younger than myself may not have had the same sort of painful experiences from 1995, but I belong to the middle group of young people--those who do not remember HWA or have any sort of personal nostalgia for the "good old days" of HWA, but rather remember the negative effects of the hierarchial system that HWA set up. Perhaps it's a bit unkind or unfair, but such is the life. The end result of tyranny is anarchy and the end result of anarchy is tyranny. Those of us who seek after wisdom realize there must be a better way that avoids either, a pitiless and narrow road. The events of 1995 are a natural result of the tyrannical system of hierarchy practiced by those who were in high positions in Worldwide during HWA's time. Hopefully the ministers who have remained with the truth have not, as the Bourbons of France (post-Napoleon) "learned nothing and forgotten nothing." That would be a tragedy yet to be written. Only time will tell if these days augur well or ill for the future. Perhaps that is the reason why it is good, in such an anniversary time as this, to reflect on the past. With that, I take my leave.

On The State of Baby Boomer-Gen X relations...

Alright, I had a conversation with a friend in the local congregation (and a former employer actually), and a large part of the conversation related to the difficulties between communication between Baby Boomers and Gen Xers. He, a late cchort Baby Boomer (born in the same year as my mother, and Sputnik), is seeking dates (in the Church, of course) with women between 25 and 35 years of age. These women would all be members of Generation X. The younger ones would be in my cohort (at least to the extent that I am considered a Gen Xer), and the older ones would belong in the first cohort. His attempts have not been very successful, largely because he is a typical Baby Boomer (more on that later), and they are more-or-less typical Gen Xers. Those two generations get along like Hitler and Stalin, or cats and dogs, or oil and water. You get the picture; it's not pretty. And why do the generations not get along so well? Well, I wrote about 40 pages on the subject in my "Generations Study" paper. Many more illustrious scholars (with a better ability to speak dispassionately on the subject) have also written extensively on the subject. In particular I enjoy reading the books from Strauss and Howe.

The typical qualities of Baby Boomers are a moral zeal that overcomes all rational sense, a certain smugness towards youth (who are never as mature as they are), an arrogance about their importance and place in society, and an implacable hatred towards that which falls short of a pitilessly impractical ideal. In short, Baby Boomers are idealists (as a general rule), and leave others (see Generation X, the Millennials) to pick up the pieces of the inevitiable moral/physical/economic breakdown. Wherever Baby Boomers go, and they always seem to go in mass, destruction and gridlock seems to follow just as surely as night follows the day. This isn't to say that Generation X is a perfect generation either. As a matter of fact, I myself am a cusper, and as a practical consideration, I tend to claim whatever generation is the least popular at time time (sadly, this a common Gen Xer trait). Gen Xers are usually bitter about their fate, and I can't blame them (obviously, I sympathize and empathize). Gen Xers are the perfect foils for Baby Boomers, and vice versa. Gen Xers often show a complete lack of concern for the ideal, and gain a well-earned reputation for immaturity, materialism, bitterness, lack of self-esteem (if you were constantly upbraided by Baby Boomers, it would happen to you too), survivalism, cynicism, lack of respect for authority, and so forth. Since Baby Boomers are the quintessential implacable moralists, and Gen Xers loathe hypocrisy and seek the easier road (in general) of avoiding the appearance of morality than striving after the reality of it, the results of Xer-Boomer interactions are often tragic. My friend ought to rethink his dating interests. Sadly, the perfect match for a Baby Boomer is the Millennial, but I would not suggest that option to my friend, given the age disparity. Come to think of it, I have a great level of appreciation in the virtues of young ladies of the Millennial generation. That said, my friend should stick with the Baby Boomers. Unfortunately, it is the curse of Baby Boomers to not get along so well with other Boomers. Putting two equally self-righteous, smug, hypocritical, and arrogant individuals who disagree on "values" (*cough,* as I loathe that term) is an especially rewarding sight for those with bullet proof vests and helmets, and who happen to be behind barricades of some impenetrable kind. Come to think of it, that sounds like loads of fun. Unfortunately, many Baby Boomers think I am "very bright, but need to mature." This is undoubtably true. However, it might charitably be pointed out that the same is also true for them, as it is for us all. If we were perfect, there would be a host of other theological issues we would have to deal with. Life would also be much less amusing, or frustrating for that matter.

Politics in the family...

Ugg, I hate the fact that my family is so political and so hypocritical about it at the same time. I vote (not all the time, but at least occasionally, whenever I can, as I'm an absentee voter for California, and it's not always easy to get the ballot in a timely fashion). My brother is a registered "independent," but he really leans more towards leftist politics (though he doesn't want to commit to a party, a classic move). The discussion started (surprisingly enough, I don't bring up the subject of politics all that often in my family. I prefer to write about it.) when my brother brought up the goth music he likes to listen to, in particular, the song "B.Y.O.B." (The title stands for "Bring Your Own Bomb," and it's a shaft job on our current president). Among my family members, I am the only one who has views that are right of center, even if they are moderately conservative in nature (very conservative on "moral" issues, but with a greater concern for social welfare and equality than can be found by most conservatives). The argument, thus launched, continued into a wide variety of fields. My brohter made all the standard left-wing whiny comments about Bush's lack of intelligence (Bush has an MBA, my brother has no degree, and a lesser capacity for the English language at times), his mistakes in invading Iraq, and so forth. I let him have it with both barrels smoking about Roosevelt's frienship with Stalin leading to the subjugation of many millions of Eastern and Central Europeans. He tried to compare Iraq to Vietnam, which I had to correct him on (as well as defend the US involvement in Vietnam, which was a just involvement, if badly mismanaged from the start). He also tried to make the claim that Clinton did a better job at avoiding foreign entanglements than Bush. I reminded him of Bosnia, Haiti, Somalia, and Kossovo. Some people just never learn. If you want to play partisan politics, don't play them with me. Personally, I see places where our president has made mistakes (and I'm not usually slow to comment on the mistakes anyone makes, not even myself), but certainly he is far better than the alternative. In the real world, where we live our daily lives and have the responsibility to make as decent as possible (realistically, of course), we have to be aware that no one is perfect, and that the imperfectability of humanity does not mean we should fail in either of our obligations towards those in power: reminding them where they fall short (for they often do), and reminding them that they are our servants, are responsible to us, and can be voted out at our leisure (well, except for those Supreme Court Justices, but that's another rant) or should be voted out at our leisure.

Updates on activity/Call for papers...

Okay, this post is divided into two parts. The first is an update on the activity in my life. Since my last entry where I commented on how busy I was, I have since begun work (today, my shift for right now is 9AM-6PM), and I have added another activity to the list. On June 11th (Pentecost Eve) I will be attending the annual Tampa Bay choir appreciation dinner hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Treybig at their place (now, if only I could remember how to get there, I know it's over near where I work somewhere on the West side of Tampa).

The second update is on my future writing projects. I finished "Servants, Leaders, and the Class System of the Church of God" a couple of days ago, and since a few friends asked to read it, I sent it to them. The rest can read my other blog (www.livejournal.com/users/nathanalbright) in order to see an outline of it. I needn't duplicate the post here. The next paper I will try to work on is a paper on Deuteronomy 17, to go along with the one I am slowly writing on Romans 13 (as both passages are truly companion chapters on the limitations of rulership, a subject of major interest to me). If anyone has written their thoughts on Deuteronomy 17 before, feel free to send them my way. I have an idea of what I want to write, but it's always interesting to see what others think about this momentous text, which demonstrates beyond the shadow of a doubt that absolutism is bibically impermissible as a form of government. So, before I become too remiss in my updating of this blog, I beg my rest for today. Life is too busy for me to write as much as I would otherwise...

Reflections on the Political Development of a Loyal Oppositionist

Yesterday I completed a short essay entitled "Second Thoughts on the IB Exception," which is a reflection on my first political document, called the IB Exception. The essay looks at the circumstances that surrounded my first (but not the last) foray into pampleteering and political discourse, a protest against school authorities seeking to increase discipline when they were unable to fulfill their basic responsibilities to educate, provide textbooks, and so forth. Those who cannot handle the power they have do not deserve more power and control over others. The IB Exception, oddly enough, did not get me into trouble (perhaps it encouraged my later/current efforts), and my complaints were answered in time. Why does it seem like those in power are so quick to increase the coercive powers of central government when they are so pitiful at their tasks as servants of the people?
Perhaps we are a bit too human sometimes, but I was always predisposed to be a loyal oppositionist towards those in power. While some would consider such a stand to be oxymoronic, at best, both are essential aspects of my political worldview in the broadest possible ways. The loyal part of the worldview is an active participation in the efforts of whatever group I happen to be a part of (whether that is a school, a professional group like the American Society of Civil Engineers, or the United Church of God, or even such groups as my family) as well as a commitment to obedience to God as well as an avoidance of violent and disruptive means of discontent. That part cannot be emphasized enough. However, it cannot be forgotten that in my political development I have defined myself in opposition to entrenched power, wherever or however it may be found. At the basic level, I don't trust other people--especially people with power involving me in any sort of fashion. On a more intellectual level, though, I feel the need to point out what is lacking (as, inevitably, something is always lacking in any human organization and effort) so that reform from within may lead to greater improvements and amelioration of existing conditions. By nature I tend to shy away from violent and public conflicts, but that does not make my opposition any less strong on occasion. Just because we're realistic and have to deal with the imperfections of humanity doesn't mean we shouldn't always strive for perfection and seek constant improvement of ourselves and our institutions. Such is the life, I suppose. At least it provides a lot of material to write about.

Commentary on Ladies' Night

Okay, I'm going to my speaker's club ladies night with my dear cousin Amber. If I had a digital camera, I'd take pics, but you'll probably have to be satisfied with my writing about it. Oh, I didn't mention earlier, when I was talking about how busy I'd be this month, but June 18th is the day of my next sermonette as well, which will be on "The Faith of Barak." For those of you who don't know who Barak is, check Judges 4 and 5 for a refresher. I don't know if anyone else takes their relatives to ladies' night for Speaker's Club, but it was an idea of my mom's, and a good one. Let's just say I don't want to be hearing about this for the next few months/years. People in Tampa have long memories, sometimes almost as long as mine. As for my cousin, she'll probably be angling for a few names/phone numbers/etc. And I can think of a few young members of the Speaker's Club who will be looking for hers. Just none of those scary middled aged people, alright. I'll have to break your knees if you try. So, it looks like the cheesecake is set, and everything is else is going well as well, and it's not even June yet. I like planning. Tomorrow my father turns 59 years of age. I'll give him a call in the early evening/late afternoon, when he's still awake and hopefully not out at the barn. (For those who don't know, my father's family is a farming family in Western Pennsylvania.) So, that's my update for today. From the looks of it, most of the people who look at my blogger comments are only interested in my more political rants. Too bad. :-p...

A slice of the activity in my life...

Okay, there is currently some sort of functional division between my livejournal blog (www.livejournal.com/users/nathanalbright) and this blog. My livejournal blog is to update the more prosaic details of my life, and take quizzes, and this blog is for the more serious/political discussions I have. I just got a xanga blog for the purpose of commenting on my friends who have xanga blogs. It's so difficult to keep in touch with people when you have way too many means of communication, unless you don't mind having three or four (or more) chat clients, accounts on four or five (or more) friend networks, and have at least three or more blogs. It's all madness to me. But, to get to the point, I'm a busy man. Since my personal sort of activity is detailed elsewhere in greater detail, and I don't have the time to desire to be redundant, here goes my weekend activity for the next month or so:

May 28th: I get to show the Lifenets Charity Auction DVD to some friends from church visiting Tampa from Seattle, as we have a mutual friends who helped me co-write an entertaining skit.

June 4th: UCG wide church fast, Tampa Bay Family Weekend, lots of eating (after 5PM that is), dancing, and talking (sometimes the last two simultaneously).

June 5th: Well, I'm going to try to find reasonable housing in Wildwood, NJ, and I might (repeat, might) go to the beach event at Ft. Desoto Park, and pay $5 for lunch to hang out with some friends of mine who like the sunlight a little more (okay, a lot more) than I do.

June 12: Pentecost. Well, we're having a lovely lunch to celebrate the 10th anniversary of UCG, with lots of photos (it almost pains me to think of what photos they have uncovered to show us...I'm not a big fan of having pictures or videos taken of me). I'm also singing in the choir, as usual, for special music. Ironically enough, my family officially joined United (we had been a part of the independent congregation that later became United from the beginning) the Sabbath after Pentecost of 1995.

June 18th: Ladies' Night at Speaker's club. So far I'm responsible for the cheesecake (though that might change, since I reminded our acting president that we had forgotten a bread course, it's a guy's cookout sort of event, so I might end up being responsible for that as well). And I don't know who my "guest" will be for the event. It's not like there is an overabundance of young ladies in Tampa/St. Pete, but the ones there are nice and friendly enough, and certainly worthy guests. The problem is that there just aren't enough of them, given the fact that there will be over a half dozen single guys all looking for, at most, 5 young women in both congregations. Actually, this should be entertaining to watch, more entertaining if I wasn't involved.

That's it for now, but before I leave I'd like to make some comments on yesterday's sermon we had from our Pastor (Mr. David Treybig). I have to admit, I wasn't so psyched at the title (a closer look at the Second Commandment). But I warmed to the sermon rather quickly. It didn't take too long to appreciate that one of the best ways to fight against idolatry was to be a literate person (I read for enjoyment at least once a day, whereas it appears most people have trouble reading for fun once a week). Obviously, such a message found very fertile ground. Of course, a large part depends on what we choose to spend our time doing. Even among reading, not all books are created equal, or even close. Reading the Bible for fun is obviously an important part of maintaining a close connection with God. Reading nonfiction material of a morally uplifting nature is also an aid to mental (and occasionally spiritual) development as well. Other reading is not so valuable for intellectual/spiritual purposes. However, the mental activity involved in reading stimulating nonfiction material is a good thing. Watching tv (to the exclusion of other forms of entertainment) and receiving only mentally passive entertainment is not mentally productive, and can make us more susceptible to images, and thence the emotional reaction characteristic of idolatry. It was an excellent message, and one much appreciated by yours truly.

We're Very Concerned

The title for this entry comes from "Leminy Snickett's: A Series of Unfortunate Events." Today's blog will be about the sermon messages from Mr. Holladay and Mr. Kilough, since the day has held little else of interest besides those messages and endless permutations of interpretation of those messages (particularly Mr. Kilough's, which will take up the majority of this rant) afterwards. So, without any further ado, here goes.

Mr. Holladay's message was good. I had only minor quibbles about the message, but overall I was pleased by his focus on the programs that United has offered for its membership, especially the youth. Also, showing appreciation to the membership (for their service) and the elders (for theirs) was much appreciated. The only quibble I had about the message was his comment that members were the greatest asset of the United Church of God. I take umbrage to that, because I am not owned by the corporation that is UCGia, and hence I am not an "asset." Perhaps it was meant as a compliment, but I take it as an insult. That was, however, a minor annoyance, relating as it did to a different language spoken by managers and employees.

The message by Mr. Kilough was more problematic. His incessant focus on the need in the church for more zeal was not reassuring, and I had no clear understanding of the end to which he sought our greater zeal. I was also very nonplussed by his call for a fast (a fast about what, exactly), and I was not sure as to the point of his message, or whether he was aiming more to being the next Nehemiah or being the next Rehoboam. I guess time will tell. I sent an e-mail to him, though, expressing my concerns. I hope he takes it for the best...

New UCG President

Mr. Kilough was chosen to be the fourth president of UCGia during its 10-year history, according to reports from www.ucg.com, following Mr. Hulme, Mr. McCullough, and Mr. Holliday. The last two in particular have been devoted and able servants of UCGia, and Mr. Kilough will be stepping into some big shoes. I would like to congratulate Mr. Kilough on his new position. He and his family will apparently be moving soon from Sacramento, California to the Home Office in Cincinnati. Since he previously served as the chairman of the Council of Elders, he will have to resign that position, and someone else will be chosen to fill the spot. Hopefully his sermon to the GCE on Sabbath will provide some hint as to his plans for the three years that he will more than likely have to head UCGia.

Grad School Planning

How strange it is, that as soon as I finish with one academic endeavor that I immediately begin work on the next. I suppose some of us are well suited, if belatedly, for permanent academic study. Not that this sort of thing bothers me--if anyone knew what books I tend to read as a regular basis they would rightly assume that my interests are very scholarly, perhaps too much so. I am reminded of the comment in Acts said to Paul, "Much studying has made you mad." I'm trying to work out my grad school plans right now, though. Right now it looks like the contenders are down to the M.B.A., M.E.M. (or M.C.M.) and M.Geog. The reasons for the first two are that they relate very strongly to my field of Engineering, with a lot of potential for employer compensation for the work. The third is because I happen to know, and been one of the best students, of the chair of the department of Geography at USF. Never underestimate good connections. We'll see how that progresses.

Job found

Alright, so far today has been a good day...I'm about to finish my last project for USC (it should be done within the next half hour or so), and I just got a job that will start either May 16th or June 1st, depending on when the boss gets back from surgery (I didn't ask). To all of those who have been asking about my job situation and all, thanks for your prayers!

The Wisdom of Silence

There are unfortunate consequences of being intelligent and being extraverted, namely thinking out loud rather than doing one's thinking silently. To add to what appears to be a semi-regular feature on this blog, humorous definitions of serious terms, this entry's definition is about wisdom. Wisdom: n. measure of the distance between the brain and the mouth. Ant. folly. Syn. discretion, savvy. Perhaps a worthwhile future study of mine (so much to study, so little time) would be to look at the manifestations of wisdom. Certainly Solomon was not a fan of thinking out loud, or at least he did not wish his son (presumably Rehoboam) to do so. There are constant comments about even the wise appearing to be fools when they speak too much, a serious concern. I've always disliked the cliches about speech being silver and silence golden. There's something wrong with holding in one's speech and having to be concerned about what other people are going to think. I can certainly appreciate the results of the wisdom of silence, but it's not something I have any native skill or inclination in. That said, advice from others in this regard is always appreciated. If you've got something to say, feel free to tell me. I don't appreciate such commentary as much when it comes from third parties, however. There may be some who have the power to tame the tongue, but I am not one of those people yet. However, since I know that, I'm not too inclined to be hostile on those who point it out--gently--on occasion...

See, I told you so (Part One)...

Okay, this is for all of you blog-haters out there who said I didn't know what I was talking about when I handicapped the UCG race. Out of the five listed contenders, I picked the following as the three favories: Mr. Franks, Mr. Kilough, and Mr. McCullough, and those are the same three the council picked for the second round of interviews before making a choice. We'll see who is chosen on that side. As for other matters, the job interviews are going well, but it doesn't look like I'm going to be able to make Kansas City (no $$$ = no trips).

Writing and job hunting...

Today has been a good day so far. Amusing nonfiction books and the successful running of errands always makes me feel better. Hopefully I can get an interview or two scheduled this week. That would be nice. Oh, and I've started writing the next installment of Sagecraft (it's a series of plays about a group of young people who are off to save the world). Anyway, I'm relatively happy today, which is nice. I'm hoping to be productive reading as well as writing...Cheers!

Ulterior Motives and Baby Boomer Codes

Today's entry will deal with the Last Day of Unleavened Bread services yesterday in Largo, Florida. I was pretty tired, and rather puzzled by both sermons (the morning sermon was from Mr. Veller, and the afternoon one from Mr. Treybig) . In both messages there was a heavy amount of taking someone to task. It's not really my business (unless I was among those being taken to task, but I don't think I am). What made it particularly mystifying was that both messages were heavy on ulterior motives (unless I'm just paranoid, which is possible) and had large amounts of baby boomer codes (which I really dislike...it's a generational thing). Mr. Veller's message ended well, with a rousing account of the First Day Unleavened Services from the same Largo Cultural Center back in 1995 (which I was a part of as a precocious 13-year old). However, the sermon contained lost of HWA quotes, which really bother me. I'm not a particular fan of HWA, who I consider to be rather tyrannical, anti-intellectual, and idolized in the Church of God community to an unhealthy extent. Besides, he's been dead for almost 20 years. As far as I'm concerned, if you bring up HWA in a sermon, you might as well bring up Polycarp or Polycrates. It's about as relevant to my life. That sermon was full of sarcastic references to those who post secret articles online (I didn't see that as involving me, because not much that I write is a *secret*) or who think they "know" a lot and who have been to 25 or more feasts (again, that's not me, because I haven't been alive that long). Still, it was annoying. I called Mr. Veller and left a message, because I want to talk to him and find out why there have been so many Sabbath harangues lately, rather than edifying sermons for the entire congregation. Mr. Treybig's sermon contained a lengthy digression on those who don't tithe because they're in debt. Personally, I don't tithe right now because I don't have an income. I don't know who he was talking to in this case, but I can't stand those who use the term "values." The term "values" reeks of baby-boomer moral relativism. One should use terms such as "morality" or, better yet, "virtue." I'm assuming that both people were trying to talk to Baby Boomers of various stripes, either in the St. Pete congregation, or, more likely, Tampa. Still, as a Generation Xer it bothers me when ministers use baby boomer linguistic codes in sermons, since I abhor them greatly, as they strike my ears as condescending and self-righteous. Of course, when I speak (or, more often, write) in Generation X lingustic codes, as I tend to do, it sounds rather rebellious to said Baby Boomers. Words such as "accountability" and "personal responsibility" and "democracy" and "local church government" tend to alarm people who are in power in centralized beaurocracies. That's not a slam, that's just the way it is. When it comes to politics, we see things as we are, not how they are. Only God has the sufficient perspective to rule properly, and he hasn't been giving that gift out in spades to those of us on earth right now, not since Abraham Lincoln anyway (that's another rant, for another time perhaps). Still, there is something rotten in the state of Denmark, and I'm not sure what it is. But I'd appreciate sermons that edified the congregation instead of bashing certain members. Perhaps that's a matter of personal taste, but admonitions for "unity" when repeated several times in the past two months in messages from the pulpit strike me as somewhat self-serving, and very troubling. If there are people in congregations who are serving to be divisive, one should talk to them privately, and not speak anonymously but insultingly from the pulpit. Like I said, though, I called Mr. Veller so I can speak with him about the matter personally. I'm pretty sure he doesn't intend to come off badly, and he may not even realize that what he takes for granted as a baby boomer who went to AC and knew HWA while he was alive does not translate very well to the next generation, who doesn't know (and, for the most part, isn't particularly interested) in HWA. Perhaps ministers should try to speak without using annoying Baby Boomer codes, especially if they intend to reach people who don't share their particular language, or outlook. Just a thought.

If You Can't Take The Heat...

Over the last few days, I've been rather annoyed by the stupidity of people on forums. Of course, forums are loads of fun until strangers who don't know what they're talking about start bashing on you. It's a lot more enjoyable to talk about other people's problems than to have people eviscerate you for your own. Furthermore, it's vastly easier to do works of destruction than construction on such places. I know, I've done both. Of course, it remined me of a definition I thought of for a theological term. Legalist: noun, perjorative. Someone who believes in a part of the bible you disregard. I think we're all legalists in some ways. Where we are stronger, or where our knowledge is greater, or both, we tend to be stricter in our actions, and hence we judge people as lacking when they do not meet up with our standards. Of course, we are all weak in some areas too, and we tend to dislike it when other people are strict or nasty towards us and fail to apply mercy. It's a nasty sign of human nature rearing its ugly head again (although, to be fair, human nature is not entirely evil, just a mixture of good and evil that represents the sum potentiality of humankind for either good or ill unaided by God). Truly, God holds us responsible for every idle word we say. The internet just gives us opportunity to say more idle words than we could before. I don't imagine I'd get in half as much trouble if I had to write everything with pen and paper. Not that anyone could read my writing anyway, so they'd be unlikely to assume the worst, unless they were just bad people to begin with. Still, life would be a lot more boring without the internet. That's for sure. It's made everyone who can type and has a passable vocabulary an expert. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing, I'm not entirely sure.