Owner: my friend ivan URL:http://natewatson.blogspot.com Join Date: Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:12:04 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: Christian, non-emergent, leaning orthodox, non-postmodern, slightly political, writings of a guy in his late 20's Site statistics:Click here
Ancient History 2008-04-24 19:32:00 It seems in the church (for sake of brevity, I am assuming church universal--all who designate themselves Christian) two types of folks exist, among many other possible polarizations: 1) Those who are content with the historical status of their church/denomination (that is, they feel it most closely resembles the "early church" of the New Testament, whether in structure, mission, liturgy, tradition, etc.), and 2) those who do not.It seems impossible that any modern group is mirror reflection of the ancient group that once rubbed shoulders with Paul, John of Patmos, and the physician Luke, so it encourages me to come across the latter group. This holy discontent is indicative of a desire for truth, and in most cases a commitment to personal growth and a missional mindset.Most often, when Read more:Ancient
, History
A Friar's Journey 2008-04-25 19:26:00 I read a lot of blogs, and once in a while, one impacts me to the point of posting it's link here. As I read through "Monastic Mumblings"--a blog that chronicles a man's spiritual journey, with the Brotherhood of St. Gregory as his final destination. His writing exudes true compassion, gentleness, humility, intellectual insight, and today, grief as he mourns on the anniversary of the passing of his wife. Read his blog. Say a prayer for him.Along the lines of those who commit themselves to service and piety as members of a religious order, check out another personal favorite of mine; Nun Blog.
Read more:Journey
My Wife, the Nurse 2008-04-27 21:40:00 I hate being sick...I feel so useless and ugly, and I cannot do the things I normally enjoy and cherish...especially on the weekend. This weekend I have been plagued by the flu. Aches, fever, fluid in lungs, etc. But God gave me a beautiful wife who possesses double the commiseration I lack, and has waited on me, more or less, hand and foot, making this experience far less uncomfortable than it could have been.While I think it is more natural for a woman to be endowed with the gift of empathy, I believe Sandra is far more endowed than the rest. Thank you San!(Stop by her blog if you have a chance)
Read more:Nurse
Human Animal Hybrids--The Human Fertalisation and Embryology Bill 2008-04-27 19:30:00 The Human Fertalisation and Embryology Bill has caused more than a stir in the UK, and I understand why. The US has not been exempt from stem cell issues. In fact, George W. Bush vetoed the House/Senate passed embryonic stem cell bill. Bush was in favor of stem cell research so long as the research did not utilize fertilized human eggs.But the Human Fertalisation and Embryology Bill that has bounced around Parliament (and I believed was approved last September) has the controversial edge, hands down. Under the bill, Scientists are enable to create human/animal hybrids. Simply put, the process involves taking an animal egg, removing nearly all the genetic material, and replacing it with DNA from a human cell. The new embryo, referred to as admixed, is reportedly 99% human. The embryo Read more:Animal
, Hybrids
"The Maker," by Daniel Lanois 2008-04-30 19:40:00 The pantheistic/animistic statement, "everything is sacred" bugs a lot of people, namely monotheists, but in a sense, I kind of get it...in the sense that John Calvin stated, "all truth is God's truth."People may not know, but I am a huge music buff. I don't tout it much so as to not come off as pseduo-hipster. While historically some songs were definitely considered more spiritual and others more fun, in my opinion the delineation between secular and sacred tunes is a more modern fundamentalist invention. Thus you won't find me boycotting either. I can chill out to Jonathan Foreman or Sigur Ros.However, in the same sense that I get a shudder of excitement from observing a display of cultivated morality in an obscure and primitive culture, like the Mek Tribe, a morality that wholly mir Read more:Daniel
Adderall--A Glimpse Into My Personality 2008-04-30 18:14:00 Those who know me well know that I am quite disorganized, and that my short attention span impels me to relinquish incomplete projects I am embroiled in for new, fresh projects.When I was in college, while I did hold down a full time job, the expense of tuition forced me to search for money in odd places. So I surrendered my body to medical science, voluntarily allowing physicians to test new forms of medicine in my system. I got so lucky as to be chosen for a study of a new generic form of Adderall for side effects. Besides a little cotton mouth and an overall fuzzy euphoric sensation, I remember cruising through a nearly 500 page compilation of the works of the Apostolic Fathers (not an "easy" read) in about five hours, which led me to believe I may be slight ADD, and that Adderall is Read more:Personality
The Housing Bill...House Endorsed, Ivan Execrated 2008-05-08 16:46:00 There are actually two bills floating around the bureaucratic epicenter of the United States. One of the measures is a $300 billion doozy aimed at the extrication of the housing slump (rescue those facing foreclosure), the other is a $15 billion beautification measure; property owners can apply for grants/loans to fix up unsightly properties. While both bills found favor in the House
, a Bush ve Read more:Housing
A Political Moment with Lil Wayne and John Hagee 2008-05-14 19:26:00 From the June 2008 issue of Blender Magazine, an interview with Lil Wayne
:BLENDER: Who do you want to take the White House?LIL WAYNE: Barack, I guess, but I can't made a real opinion. I ain't watching no debates. I just want my people to understand that Hillary and Barack are not running for president--they running to be able to run for president. There's a Republican party, too--we ain't ab Read more:Moment
Car Wreck Ghost 2008-05-13 21:53:00 More often than not, the consonant consumer faces an unfortunate dilemma as they approach the vast expanse of oratory media. The polarization between music that titillates the ear but is lyrically shallow and melodies that ought not to have ever existed yet satisfies the mind is farther than the east is from the west. However, my eighteen year old brother in law has bridged the chasm.It would b Read more:Wreck
, Ghost
, Car Wreck
The United Methodist Genreal Conference and the Next Christendom 2008-05-22 19:57:00 In his 2004 work, The Next Christendom, Philip Jenkins compellingly argued that while God may not be dead, as Nietzsche said, he is moving on. Number crunching statistics that are far more obvious than they are mathematical, Jenkins noted the decline and liberalization of Christianity in northern more occidental nations, notably the U.K. and less notably the U.S., and the growth of a more orthodo Read more:United
Another Blog Post on Evolution and Robots 2008-05-27 19:03:00 To be honest I am quite fatigued from the endless bantering within the Christian community regarding the "E" word. The hardcore and exacting conservatives maintaining their literal interpretation of the Genesis count have wore me out, and the more liberal and enlightened faction with their esoteric and at times haughty disdain for anything traditional have equally worn me out with their esoteric Read more:Evolution
Aimee Allen for Ron Paul 2008-05-29 19:17:00 No matter how hard you try, you can't get the emotionally gripping yet ideologically shallow, "Yes We Can" pro-Obama song produced by Will.I.Am out of your head. Maybe this will help.This gem, which I came across via Apoloblogology, was put together by AimeeAllen
in support of presidential hopeful and extreme under dog, Ron Paul. For all my readers in Springfield, MO, Paul will be speaking Fri
Me, Angelina Jolie, and Darwin Fish 2008-06-08 19:34:00 The Ivan household has been busy beyond belief as they are in the midst of a consuming and stressful transition. Prayers would be coveted! In times like these I become apathetic when it comes to this blog. To top things off, in the midst of such unpredictable times, we are taking the first steps at starting our own business, and I am working on launching a new blog, which may serve as the platf Read more:Angelina
, Jolie
, Darwin
, Angelina Jolie
Ten Ideas that are Changing the World 2008-06-10 21:13:00 A recent Time cover article sports 10 ideas that are changing the world. I was pleasantly surprised at the singularity of each item, having expected to see the usual suspects; think green, socialism, the global market, etc. I was most intrigued with idea #1o: "Re-Judaizing Jesus." How did this ides blip across Time's radar?The article, objectively well written and intelligent, states:Ben Withe Read more:Changing
, World
Alan Rabinowitz on the Colbert Report 2008-06-16 19:47:00 Jon Stewart lost my attention a long time ago. While his humor never left me in stitches, it did capture my attention for a while when I would come home late after a long night of waiting tables back in college. But then the jokes became to predictable, as did his opinion, and I pretty much wrote of political comedy.Recently, however, I have become quite a fan of the genre via Stephen Colbert
an
Gay Marriage and the Church 2008-06-17 20:39:00 Yesterday at 5:01 PM on the Western Coast of the U.S. lovers of the same sex became more than just lovers as they exchanged matrimonial vows under the loving (or politically acute?) eyes of San Fransisco mayor, Gavin Newsome. The first couple to participate comprised lesbian couple Del Martin, 87, and Phyllis Lyon, 84. More homosexual exchanged vows today, most rushing to legalize their relation Read more:Church
, Gay Marriage
"You've Been Left Behind" and I'm at a Loss for Words 2008-06-29 13:04:00 Well not really...I'm rarely at a loss for words, but I came pretty close.A nifty little website, www.youvebeenleftbehind.com, is now making it possible to communicate from the grave. In a nutshell, the site was set for Christians to communicate to their loved ones who didn't make the final cut after they have been caught up in the rapture. This home page of the site states:You've Been Left Behi Read more:Words
Uh, Oh...Here We Go Again (Dobson, Evangelicals, and Party Alliances) 2008-06-25 16:35:00 I grimaced a bit as the headline popped up in my news feed: "Evangelist Accuses Obama of 'distorting' Bible." Across the blogosphere liberal secularists and theists alike were instantly all over Dr. James Dobson
, head of focus on the family, citing this as another example of Right Wing Christianity.Ironically, minutes before reading the article I had listened to radio broadcast in which Dobson Read more:Again
, Evangelicals
, Party
Theological Journeys 2008-07-19 13:34:00 When I was a kid, maybe 8 years old, I was watching a movie at my grandma's apartment. I recall a character from the movie--an elderly man, not a regular gambler by any means--at a casino playing roulette. He started with a small sum and within a half an hour his luck had grown his cache to a sum of tens of thousands of dollars. A crowd had gathered in the meanwhile, cheering him on. He took h Read more:Theological
, Journeys
Family Men 2008-07-10 17:32:00 Being a husband and father is by far the most rewarding experience afforded to man while on this earth, in my opinion. The Church, recognizing the beauty and importance of marriage a liturgical rite--a sacrament; that is, in effect, a method for imparting grace on the individual.Similarly the act of child bearing and rearing is a lofty miracle. For theists, like myself, we see ourselves privilege Read more:Family
I Heart Craigslist 2008-07-07 19:35:00 Not a day goes by that I don't scan the pages of Craigslist (particularly the 'free' section) hoping to spot a deal. A few days ago I saw a posting that simply stated "Toboggan 8 ft Lund with Pad." After I hastily replied, the owner said I could pick it up on Monday.So today I drove by the house. There it was, a beautiful 8ft toboggan in mint condition, sitting on the owner's porch waiting for Read more:Heart
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