tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660634856634399832.comments2023-06-19T04:05:11.919-04:00The Augustinian DemocratIrenicumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13409091214695782381noreply@blogger.comBlogger77125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660634856634399832.post-44783245836485728582013-12-26T17:03:33.580-05:002013-12-26T17:03:33.580-05:00I like you find myself transcending two worlds. I ...I like you find myself transcending two worlds. I feel sometimes like I can never live up to what I call the three Cs, Conservative Christian Correctness (the conservative Christian version of political correctness). At the same time I think being a Christian requires me to take some stances that are not necessarily PC in the secular world. I've come to realize that unless you embrace either extreme you really don't have a "side." Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14805091847251706470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660634856634399832.post-32483336699107209312013-09-18T17:20:31.512-04:002013-09-18T17:20:31.512-04:00Irenicum, we'd like to invite you to become on...Irenicum, we'd like to invite you to become one of our Authors in <a href="http://www.aleksandreia.com" rel="nofollow"><b>Alexandria</b></a>.<br /><br />In addition to posting on anything you wish, as you desire, you may of course mirror posts you've already written from here or elsewhere to gain a different or additional audience or for any other reason that appeals to you.<br /><br />If you think you might be interested, contact me through Alexandria or by return email via this comment and I'll forward our formal invitations for you to look over and return if you decide to proceed.<br /><br />Come contribute your perspectives and opinions to the ongoing conversations there or, even better, start some new - and different - ones of your own.<br /><br />I look forward to hearing from you.<br /><br />H. M. Stuart<br />AlexandriaH. M. Stuarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13058391782467086976noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660634856634399832.post-11401351696100257352013-03-04T17:29:31.998-05:002013-03-04T17:29:31.998-05:00Thank you for sharing this, A.D., and I'm real...Thank you for sharing this, A.D., and I'm really sorry you and your mom had to go through this - Benbenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02353121975863911323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660634856634399832.post-32039718185543244332012-08-18T01:33:51.190-04:002012-08-18T01:33:51.190-04:00The problem is when you say God does not know ever...The problem is when you say God does not know every aspect of the future, you are limiting Him. God does not exist in just this time but rather in all time at all times therefore God knows everything that has happened is happening or is ever going to happen. God is the same yesterday, today and forever.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03054975140535744189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660634856634399832.post-24773759774772411142012-05-22T08:21:14.680-04:002012-05-22T08:21:14.680-04:00Wow. What a profound treatise on the image of God...Wow. What a profound treatise on the image of God.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01079514306009505801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660634856634399832.post-35086796346104328152011-08-02T11:27:59.206-04:002011-08-02T11:27:59.206-04:00I rather enjoyed these reflections, John. Sadly, I...I rather enjoyed these reflections, John. Sadly, I don't see humankind moving beyond this identity crisis anytime soon, if at all. The "need" for collective identity is well engrained, finding it's fullest expression and sense of purpose in political and religious enterprises. Were "lesser," "lower" or "local" institutions and enterprises (i.e. family, labor associations, city/village, etc.) to be perceived as anything but "lesser" and/or "lower," I believe we would be free (and far better prepared) to answer the the questions you pose in this post. Until then, we have the same old song and dance... and the same old insistence that everyone has a sacred duty to put the lyrics to memory and the steps to motion.Paleocrathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09247190026778661113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660634856634399832.post-35162371636463726612011-07-22T12:51:27.002-04:002011-07-22T12:51:27.002-04:00You write: "Oh, how times have changed! Now, ...You write: "Oh, how times have changed! Now, every candidate for elected office, especially the presidency, has to prove how their faith has impacted their policy decision-making, or else they are seen as suspect."<br /><br />The times have changed? Really? Not for Mitt Romney. Aren't people suspect of his religion? What about Sarah Palin? Aren't folks afraid she'll unexpectedly break forth into glosalalia?<br /><br />I think the notion that "Times have changed!" is a bit of a hasty generalization. Perhaps the proverbial, "the more things change the more they stay the same," is more appropriate on this particular issue.Steve Griffinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02515673155947634025noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660634856634399832.post-16467242177390394432011-07-21T04:27:04.723-04:002011-07-21T04:27:04.723-04:00Sounds like an interesting book. I'm still a l...Sounds like an interesting book. I'm still a little fuzzy on his bottom-line. The fact is, there is simply no escaping our politics being informed by the sum total of who we are. As Christians a big part of that has to be our theology --whether or not that theology is very biblical. Or, even if it is coherent.<br /><br />Bad theology or good theology; we all have theology, and somewhere there inside of us it affects us, often in ways we probably don't realize. And, of course, it even affects us if we consciously compartmentalize it out of our self-conscious political thoughts. A theology which had no effect whatsoever on our politics wouldn't be of much use for anything at all, would it?Charles E. Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00755048352548349049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660634856634399832.post-39228231644895074322005-07-04T23:52:00.000-04:002005-07-04T23:52:00.000-04:00Have you read Mark Twain's 'Letters from E...Have you read Mark Twain's 'Letters from Earth'? He explains this Kingdom very succintly.porchwisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091770156209512495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660634856634399832.post-54925162046705705602005-06-09T09:45:00.000-04:002005-06-09T09:45:00.000-04:00Response to Christian Smith article:- classical li...Response to Christian Smith article:<br><br>- classical liberalism's emphasis on the individual is a source of family breakdown. Early teens are attracted to this definition contra their family, and parents let it happen.<br><br>- responsibility to society is important, though I have reservations about the environmentalism part of this. Haven't seen lots of stats, but enough to suggest that human negative contribution to environment is less than we tend to think. Could be wrong. Agree, though, that we are stewards. We tend creation to glorify God, just as God tends us to glorify Himself. We want to care for something God made for us. But we should not give creation a personality in our thinking; we are not pagans who remember Gaia.<br><br>- We pay for freedom with isolation. Right on.<br><br>- classical liberalism's overemphasis on self-interest: I think this eval is overdone. To be sure, cl lib can be wrested from a moral base to end up with selfishness at the center. But a Christian society can also function on the self-interest basis, just with restrained interests. The issue is, who shall govern my desires? Obviously, God first. Who's second? Family? Government? Self? If the baker's self-interest is to get shoes for his child, and the cobbler's interest is to get food for his family, this system works fine. It's all in the morals of the desires.<br><br>- materialism: again, I'm not sure if the system per se, of cl lib encourages this, or if there is something else going on. Certainly, the system allows it, but some other balancing force (taken away in recent decades) often restrains it. Coming back from 2 weeks in Israel and Turkey to Chicago was major culture shock - made me aware of the advertising we are inundated with. But ads are not inherent to cl lib.<br><br>- We need paragraph very good.<br><br>Would recommend Face to Face, by Steve Wilkins for a start on building community one by one.Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621898379268683588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660634856634399832.post-49473048024881052172005-06-11T19:04:00.000-04:002005-06-11T19:04:00.000-04:00I must say that I downloaded the 95 theses, and I ...I must say that I downloaded the 95 theses, and I get ashamed by them. Sometimes I realize that my attempts to be an American conflict with my attempts to be a citizen of the Kingdom. What am I to do? Did early Christians deal with this problem? I could go Essene- but that seems to raise its own problems. My idolatry would be my beliefs rather than the object of my beliefs. <br><br>I'm going to drop a bomb here- let's try our best to stop fighting the church/nation battle, whatever side we are on. Let's fight the good fight of faith and unity in Christ, and not fight the adequete fight of "In God we Trust" written on the idol of money.Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660634856634399832.post-41764636316026146852005-06-17T18:51:00.000-04:002005-06-17T18:51:00.000-04:00Thanks to both Steve and Andy for your comments. I...Thanks to both Steve and Andy for your comments. I've been moving in the last week from my old address to my new one, and I'm waiting for phone service to be hooked up, so my own responses may be somewhat spotty. On one point: Colonial America was not more devout than we are now. The evidence is that we are much more religious than the people of the revolutionary period. I forget where I read the article, but I was really surprised at the findings. I always accepted the assumption that our forefathers/mothers were more devout than we are idea, but the demographics show that they were much less "churched" than we are today. I imagine those that were churched were probably more doctrinally grounded than most of today's church goers, but I'm not gonna bet the farm on that idea either. I think we always tend towards a "good old days" motif when we look at our current problems. And sometimes the good old days weren't so good. Anyway, thanks again for posting!Irenicumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13409091214695782381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660634856634399832.post-78555784144517742962005-06-18T20:32:00.000-04:002005-06-18T20:32:00.000-04:00Pelagius is a perfect role model for the American ...Pelagius is a perfect role model for the American dream. If you need an example- look a how he is idolized in movies like King Arthur, where Pelagius preaches freedom where destiny is a fetter. Liberty becomes a civil rather than a religious right. <br>The question becomes then: what is liberty? I would argue that liberty is a political issue in America, but neither of the "two" parties gets it right. The right would have us believe that liberty is safety, and the left sees liberty in personal choice. Both come from a basically Pelagian point of view, whether saving us from "sinners like Muslims" or the loss of our "rights."Andy B.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660634856634399832.post-72814002789568322722005-07-02T05:19:00.000-04:002005-07-02T05:19:00.000-04:00John, I really appreciated seeing this Hauerwas in...John, I really appreciated seeing this Hauerwas interview. The best line of all was the suggestion that calling 9/11 an act of war, instead of an act of murder, played into UBL's hand, making him a warrior, instead of a murderer (as he should be regarded).John Bugaynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660634856634399832.post-79446526169492227712005-06-30T15:44:00.000-04:002005-06-30T15:44:00.000-04:00Do you know the difference between Vietnam and Ira...Do you know the difference between Vietnam and Iraq? <br><br>Bush knew how to get out of Vietnam.aggiesoonermomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660634856634399832.post-13450802785350475572005-07-02T06:41:00.000-04:002005-07-02T06:41:00.000-04:001. That God has a special "covenant" rel...1. That God has a special "covenant" relationship with America; thus causing America to be under the blessings/cursings dichotomy that God specified with OT Israel.<br>I am going to write down my thoughts just off the top of my head. I doubt if most Christians in america have any covenant theology going on in their heads. What you write in question one is some idea of certain branch of calvinism-a tiny group of men have this idea that american is under somekind of covenant<br>2. That the founders were largely orthodox Christians. Once again this is an idea debated by a small segment of Christians-what does it mean to be "orthodox"? who were "the founders"?<br><br>3. That even if some of the founders were deistic, they weren't influential in the writing of the Constitution.<br>do not have a clue? I never read the Constitution-my big problem is getting from one moment to the next-who cares if the founders (?) were deistic?<br><br>4. That since most of the founders were "orthodox" in their Christianity, the founding documents are therefore refective of "Christian" concepts.<br>what are "Christian" concepts?<br><br>5. That the general population was more "godly" than we are today.<br>what does it mean to be "godly"-I never knew the "general population".<br>6. That America has never had imperial ambitions. Ask america yourself if it had imperial ambitions-maybe fallen men all have imperial ambitions?<br><br>7. That all of our wars have been defensive. I am always on the defensive<br><br>8. That American's are basically a "good" people. what is "good"?<br><br>9. That getting "under God" recited nation-wide will bring America "back to God." what does it mean "back to God" we all need to get back to God<br><br>10. That putting the ten commandments in public buildings across America will do the same thing. has america ever cared about the Torah? it is all a mystery to meJonny Keennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660634856634399832.post-8417797276939624962005-07-04T15:19:00.000-04:002005-07-04T15:19:00.000-04:00John I recommend reading the book "America...John I recommend reading the book "America's God" by Noll chapter 9darkcloudnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660634856634399832.post-12680217430712502302005-07-04T23:47:00.000-04:002005-07-04T23:47:00.000-04:00anon.seems out in left field. As to Bush being an ...anon.seems out in left field. As to Bush being an evanglical babtist..yes..read he was 'converted' in 92. I believe Schlenger reported Bush believes he is one of the 100,000 'chosen' ones. Christianity today? It's all about cash. God's probably weeping crocodile tears that his experiment failed so miserably.porchwisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091770156209512495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660634856634399832.post-29355985791979660022005-07-20T13:01:00.000-04:002005-07-20T13:01:00.000-04:00I did notice that our homeschool section did carry...I did notice that our homeschool section did carry a lot of "Christian America" stuff, and that kinda bothered me. <br><br>And the "America never built an Empire" thing- I thought that was the premise we were built on. The British wanted the Americas as part of their Empire (mainly the modern US), and after that became a blaring disaster, the US decided to create an empire on the land (not one overseas). Statehood for the West was disrespected and slow at best, at least until slavery became a voting issue. <br><br>My favorite part of modern imperialism is that it has no national face. The corporation, a largely American construct, is the new face of imperialism. It is as much European as Asian as American, yet it exploits workers (through "outsourcing" and factories in third world countries) and devestates economies home and abroad. And since it's run by stockholders, every investor gets their own throne and crown... Yay globalization, make my throne a comfortable one, and let me drive an SUV to get there.Yitztakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01523620729748388252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660634856634399832.post-47264861212387918142005-10-06T00:26:00.000-04:002005-10-06T00:26:00.000-04:00Thanks for the link Steve.Thanks for the link Steve.Irenicumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13409091214695782381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660634856634399832.post-74751330002693056672006-05-10T10:53:00.000-04:002006-05-10T10:53:00.000-04:00Yo! I have found you again. Or, I have returned. W...Yo! I have found you again. Or, I have returned. Whatever. Good to see you thinking and writing and considering. And, we need to reassemble, no?narratorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778532336723246676noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660634856634399832.post-45022382128784204522006-08-03T13:48:00.000-04:002006-08-03T13:48:00.000-04:00I downloaded "Love Found Me" by DecembeR...I downloaded "Love Found Me" by DecembeRadio for free on iTunes to my ipod, and thoroughly enjoy it!Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621898379268683588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660634856634399832.post-87350980908654796092006-11-18T15:44:00.000-05:002006-11-18T15:44:00.000-05:00Hi there. I read from Internet Monk that you had ...Hi there. I read from Internet Monk that you had an article from Virginia Yip. Is it possible that I could obtain a copy of that? And if so, how can I get it?<br><br>Thanks!<br><br>Jason S. Kong<br>kongjs at gmailJason S. Konghttp://www.chem.cornell.edu/pc252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660634856634399832.post-65939178565778059622008-11-11T05:27:00.000-05:002008-11-11T05:27:00.000-05:00Well said.Well said.Marlihttp://naninsurance.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6660634856634399832.post-23825906100210147142008-08-13T21:45:00.000-04:002008-08-13T21:45:00.000-04:00Hi John, I stopped at the new store, but it appear...Hi John, I stopped at the new store, but it appeared tightly closed. Will I see you Sunday? I hope to have anecdotes and maybe more from my weekend at an Eliot conference...LenLennoreply@blogger.com