A pic at the neighbors birthday fam doodad for Jacqueline, the little girl neighbor
Here is the kicker for this post though. I had to go to Zacatecaluca, the department capital, yesterday morning for money to pay for my monthly debts haha. I brought along with me Hal Lindsey and Jerry Jenkins’ book Left Behind. I read the first 50 or 75 pages, and then skimmed the next 450 throughout the morning. It got that feeling at moments here and there in my gut during that first 50 pages when I was like, uggggghhhh, that just feels so wrong. After getting the feel of the plot though, I could see how people could get in to that part, and just swallow the theological garbage in the process. Although, I did like the fact that the new, demonic world religion that would serve the Anti-Christ would be based out of Italy. Classic. I guess one of these days they will explain why all of their predictions of certain have to be edited every year because after the Vietnam War, was the Millerite movement the 1988 one?, Gulf War, 911, End of Mayan Calendar that’s coming, etc their endtime propaganda has to wait for the next bit of news to sell some more books. Although I have heard of a book called Father Elijah (?) that might be a nice book to read after something like this. Anyways, the Rapture makes me chuckle haha…although in reality it’s just a symptom of a greater problem. The Reformers would be flipping in their graves, however they have fully pulled away from the only authority that can do anything about it :)
Anyways, I’ve started Homer’s Iliad, so that and they Odyssey should take a while, but I’m already enjoying it. Although, I see Brad Pitt in my head every time I read Achilles now, oh Troy. Its funny though that the book is already differing more than I thought it would from the movie, go figure.
The valiant Lucero, the little male calf that chills by my house.
This quote was what someone said to Paul Thigpen, a current anti-Rapture scholar and doctor in American Religion I believe, who was talking to a friend about his beginning to read the early Church Fathers. After mentioning this, his friend remarks:
Friend: “Well I’m glad you are studying the Church Fathers, people like Charles Finney….”
Thigpen: “....Well Charles Finney was [only] 100 years ago…?!?”
He later notes that “historical amnesia” on this issue and many others is often prevalent.
February 3, 2008
I went to the ole Dance and festival last night, wow, lots of people. I went with Margherita and Fatima and Rudy (the last two were the ones that just got married). It was fun, we jumped on their little ferris wheel when we first got there, wahoo, although I learned not to jump on right after eating a bunch of pupusas, reallllly queasy after. We danced the rest of the night to a cumbia band called Guanaco Solido. Guanaco is slang for Salvadoran, in case anyone cared haha. Then on either side of them they had big spaces full of lights and too many speakers to count for an hour of dancing in between their hour of playing, Ultravision or something did that. It was a good time, although it made it hard to get up this morning for Mass.
Guanaco Solido doing their thing.
I will say that I think through college and now here in El Sal I have learned that you can tell a ton about a girl after you dance with her. Sometimes you can almost really see right through them. I didn’t know what to think about Margherita because I don’t know her too well and only heard how the fam had stereotyped her for loving to go crazy dancing. After dancing with her now though, I can now see through that some, as well as after seeing her expression at other people on the ‘pista’…dance floor. Anyways, the point of all this is to close with a quote that I’ve been wanting to use. Mwhahahahaha
8 comments:
So what's the greater problem that causes all the rapture/armageddon craziness?
This reminds me of a History Channel show I watched a few weeks ago about endtime/armageddon myths...They showed Ted Haggard talking about how the rapture would happen - guess that was before he got busted for banging male prostitutes :)
It sounds to me like you may be caught up in a rapture alright...a rapture of love. Margherita-ville here we come.
Before you ask, yes, I will be your best man. hahahahah. Couldn't resist.
First, I would like to say that John is a punk. I dont even like Jimmy Buffet.
Second, Edward as tempting as that is I dont want to bash too much (openly, thats why i implied it haha) on opposing doctrines on the blog. So I avoided discussing the fact that the lack of authority to interpret outside of the individuals personal "revelation", and the ability to actually "create doctrine" in this case. I base that opinion on a historical perspective that definite interpretation in this manner, and of these verses, was virtually nonexistant until the promulagation of Darby a 100 and some years ago (and a certain predecessor in South America I hear, a Catholic in fact).
Sorry, Im rambling Edward, the implied point that I had was that through the abuse of Sola Scriptura, people can do whatever in the world they want with Christian doctrine without consequence. They just have to be persuasive enough to get enough other people to believe so they feel validated.
Speaking of that, Third: Anyone hear that the Mormons have a new President?
Wow. I feel so welcome to join in on this discussion. Dare I confess to be a protestant? Yikes!
First, Edward:
I guess there is one thing we can agree on: whether a pastor, priest or prophet, sexual perversion seems to be the sin of choice these days.
Second, Rhett:
What??? I think your reduction of protestant beliefs to one person basically boondoggling others so that they FEEL better is a ridiculous dramatization. And, based on that description, I think much of Christian history (i.e. from Christ until now) could be summarized the same way. I think you use too broad brush strokes.
Cari - I hope you didn't think my comments were directed at all protestants...I meant just the ones who think the whole bible actually happened and are trying to poke their crazy beliefs where they don't belong.
I would like to point out that this Catholic was only making fun of Rhett and his lady friend. :)
I personally take no offense to rapture fans, including the common corollaries that the Catholic Church is the whore of Babylon and will assist the reign of the Anti-Christ. It just nice to be thought of in the end. :)
I think the point about creating doctrine that appeals to people has some merit. Perhaps Rhett, in jest, exaggerates, but I think it is hard to deny that sola scriptura has given license to a large number of people (including the uneducated) to start churches on their own and preach any interpretation they want. In such an environment, it would be hard to deny that some have used this to preach what people want to hear and find comforting. Frankly, it is good business to offer a message that sounds good and appeals to a large base. And mega-churches are good business.
Joel Olestein, for example, openly admits he is not about taking hard lines on doctrines, but improving peoples lives. And he fills the old Houston Rockets stadium with a positive (and I would say watered down) message. I think the health and wealth gospel is very appealing, and so is the idea of once saved always saved (it sounds nice to me), and the idea that when Jesus comes you will be raptured since you are already saved. I am not saying, and I don't think Rhett is either, that all Protestants hold beliefs because they sound good, but some do.
In contrast, I think there are clearly churches, do not water things down and take stances that are challenging.
Ultimately, how is one to determine who is right? When two brothers/sisters disagree, how is the matter settled? Often times it isn't, but new churches are formed. People argue about scripture round and round, how can we be sure our personal ignorance and bias is not blinding us?
What does Matthew 18 have to say about this?
I kind of got carried away here...oops.
First and foremost, sorry Edward but I had to swipe that last comment off, because I thought it showed a lack of respect toward my sensible readers as far as language goes. But seriously though ladies and specifically gent, let’s keep it clean out of respect of all those participating.
On that note, I would like to apologize to Cari, and say thank you for calling me out on the last sentence when I can see it some reading it could apply it to all Protestants. In the moment I wrote it in frustration with Joseph Smith in mind, and even Luther and Muhammed. Characters that took things to a new radical level, and when they had enough people join, felt secure enough to do what they wanted (hence Smith’s later change to accepting polygamy, after he did get caught, as Cari notes, in the sin of choice…. Little did he know that this move was no new one, for Luther had already approved of polygamy for his German Prince Protector, back in the day based on his exegesis of Scripture alone.)
Nor, do I not mean to infer that you, or any other well intentioned Protestant, only believe what you do because it makes you feel good. Once again, this validation was referring to the comment above.
To sum up the 2 page response I unknowingly initially wrote to this idea haha.... Christians seeing doctrine as relative makes me queasy, and its important to remind people at times the forces that are behind a perpetually dividing Church...as well as remind them that division is nowhere accepted in the Bible, nor in our forefathers. If there was division within the Church, a council was called, the bishops decided what was orthodox, and the doctrinal division was put outside the Church. Social strife would continue but the doctrine itself was fixed. Nowadays...majority rules our culture, and our culture seems to slowly be corrupting the teaching of denominations one at a time.
But of course thats just my opinion :)
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