Mofo from the Hood's Blog
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Dec. 7, 2008 at 11:55pm
Sunday Scriber (English version)
In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti
Welcome to Episode Eighteen of "Sunday Scriber." This week I will continue with my broad overview of Christianity in a secular society. Recently I have been rereading the 1951 book by H. Richard Niebuhr, "Christ and Culture." This book is Niebuhr's effort to explain that "the world of culture–man's achievement–exists within the world of grace–God's Kingdom." For everyone including atheists, Niebuhr is worth reading because he offers a guide for Christian decision-making. Atheist's lack of faith in a world defined as God's Kingdom relegates the atheist's decision-making to "a kind of arbitrary freedom of the moment." For the atheist, life on earth is a product of natural evolution; life is a product of matter, time, and chance–man is a product of undependable chance–not a creation of an absolute and dependable Creator, ordainer, and sustainer of all there is. What of it? Well, says Niebuhr, decisions made with a mind faithful to false absolutes differ from decisions made with a mind faithful to an absolute God. A mind to Christ affects economics, politics, science, and the arts positively. We're long past the high-point of Christian art but one should have a look at how those artworks, from paintings to architecture, expressed the passion of faith. One notable contrast to contemporary artworks is what Niebuhr calls "the repulsion from the unintelligible, the absurd..." That's an important observation that has parallels in different spheres of knowledge. In contemporary society many people try to devalue theological truth as unintelligible or absurd compared to science truth. But in reality each discipline represents a different way of knowing the intelligible universe. Each discipline offers a different but complementary truth. As a result, everyday it is getting harder for the atheist to defend their intellectual position and world-view as viable because everyday in God's Kingdom new findings in science–new science truth supports Christian truth. • This week's official prayer of the Catholic church circa 1963 is called PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT.***O God, Who taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant that, by the gift of the same Spirit, we may be always truly wise, and ever rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
comments [25] | posted under Mofo from the Hood, Tacoma
Comments
 by marumaruyopparai on 12/8/2008 @ 11:07am | Each discipline offers a different but complementary truth. As a result, everyday it is getting harder for the atheist to defend their intellectual position and world-view as viable because everyday in God's Kingdom new findings in science–new science truth supports Christian truth.
Recent examples? Drop some knowledge on me. |
 by Crenshaw Sepulveda on 12/8/2008 @ 11:52am | Please support the religion of your choice, I don't want those guys getting in line to get bailouts from our government. Oh wait, they already have been getting their bailout via our so called "faith based initiatives". |
 by Mofo from the Hood on 12/8/2008 @ 12:49pm | Legitimate Christian churches in the U.S. are self-supporting organizations mostly from tax paying U.S. citizens.
Given that, U.S. Christians are still fighting to defend their cause daily at all levels of society; and most recently against the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) who has sponsored a U.N. resolution titled "Defamation of Religions." This resolution promoted in the name of tolerance is actually an effort to make an international law that could imprison or execute anyone who speaks negatively against Islam. Is there any confusion about the fact that radical Islamic forces are intent on dominating the world? What examples from history, what method of inquiry, what source of knowledge is required to provide satisfactory evidence that Christianity is needed to ensure civil liberties against all forms of tyranny? My friends, Western civilization is on trial. I'm doing what is in my power to provide knowledge and support of a truly tolerant faith–Christianity. |
 by TacomaAtheist on 12/8/2008 @ 10:49pm | "U.S. Christians are still fighting to defend their cause daily at all levels of society." Indeed!
www.tacomaatheists.com/archives/407 www.tacomaatheists.com/archives/447 |
by Crenshaw Sepulveda on 12/9/2008 @ 1:40am | Something very disturbing about the notion of Christians "fighting". I thought Christianity was about peace and turning the other cheek and all. Seems like a lot if this stuff is being made up as it goes along. |
by Mofo from the Hood on 12/9/2008 @ 9:05am | "Something very disturbing about the notion of Christians "fighting". I thought Christianity was about peace and turning the other cheek and all."
How about if the next time a terrorist commits a horrific act against innocent people the world responds by requesting a lunch meeting with the perpetrators? I don't recommend that. The New Testament writings show the use of specific metaphors for specific audiences. There are athlete metaphors directed to the Greeks; military metaphors directed to the Romans. When I say that Christians are fighting to defend their cause daily I assume that in view of the written text of the Bible and human history, most people understand the metaphor and the reality of that statement. |
by Crenshaw Sepulveda on 12/9/2008 @ 9:17am | So this fighting by the Christians, MFTH, is kind of like a jihad? |
by Crenshaw Sepulveda on 12/9/2008 @ 9:19am | Or is this fighting more in the nature of a Fatwā? |
by Mofo from the Hood on 12/9/2008 @ 9:24am | "So this fighting by the Christians, MFTH, is kind of like a jihad?" "Or is this fighting more in the nature of a Fatw®°?"
Please define those terms for an American audience. |
by Crenshaw Sepulveda on 12/9/2008 @ 10:01am | A Fatwā is like the death sentence on Salman Rushdie, the author of The Satanic Verses. This Fatwā was issued by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Other Fatwās have been issued against offensive cartoonists.(RR might want to be careful)
A jihad is considered to be a holy war in Islam. Are there Christian terms for these sorts of things when conducted for the benefit of Christianity? I think I've heard of something called a "Falwell", but I'm not certain how it applies. |
by marumaruyopparai on 12/9/2008 @ 10:53am | I think I've heard of something called a "Falwell", but I'm not certain how it applies.
I think that involves hellfire, brimstone, self-righteous condemnation and picket signs. . .lots of picket signs. |
by Crenshaw Sepulveda on 12/9/2008 @ 10:57am | Also, marumaruyopparai, i believe those people have to call atheists "homersekkuals". |
by marumaruyopparai on 12/9/2008 @ 11:06am | Indeed! So I heard. |
by Mofo from the Hood on 12/9/2008 @ 11:25am | "Are there Christian terms for these sorts of things when conducted for the benefit of Christianity?"
There are no examples of the terms jihad or fatwa in the New Testament–they're not part of the Christian vocabulary of salvation history. People do a lot of things in the name of Christianity. There's a significant difference between Biblical Christianity and politicized Christianity. |
 by NineInchNachos on 12/9/2008 @ 12:14pm | if you view the video embedded on this page you'll get a better perspective on well, everything. johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2006/12/ren-and-...  |
by Crenshaw Sepulveda on 12/9/2008 @ 3:01pm | I'm one of those people that can't seem to see the difference between Biblical Christianity and politicized Christianity. Maybe if the Biblical Christians would go to war with the Political Christians first I might be able to see the difference. Otherwise they all seem to be the same thing in my book. |
by Mofo from the Hood on 12/9/2008 @ 4:32pm | Here is a Christian academic resource that daily addresses contemporary popular media. Issues and arguments are critically evalulated with the goal of discerning any justification for a claim: www.albertmohler.com. Dr. Mohler also has a radio program weekdays from midnight to 1am on AM 820.
In the first century, the Apostle Paul, who had a Classical Greek university education, was performing the same sort of service. He was constantly addressing sceptics of Christ's resurrection. Paul's most comprehensive explanation of Christianity is his Letter to the Romans. However, a brief yet great example of Paul's style of argumentation regarding the resurrection is 1 Corinthians 15.1-22. The resources that I've noted offer a point of view from classical orthodox Christianity. The acknowledged authority for all spiritual matters is the Bible. |
by NineInchNachos on 12/9/2008 @ 6:43pm | Mofo, crenshaw is telling you about a niche market you could excel inside of. I too am fascinated by the schism between television Christianity, and old school analog Christianity. I would like to see a new feature on mofo news network where you bench-test the different sects. |
by Crenshaw Sepulveda on 12/9/2008 @ 6:46pm | I'm also looking at another venture as well, it is a Vietnamese noodle shop on hilltop called Mo Pho in the Hood. |
by NineInchNachos on 12/9/2008 @ 7:03pm | Mo Pho from the Hood. I like it. Is the establishment ritual suicide friendly? |
by Mofo from the Hood on 12/9/2008 @ 7:31pm | Mo Pho from the Hood Noodle Shop is way closer and suitable to my real life temperment and daily cuisine habits (Top Mofo Ramen with frozen mixed vegetables, if ya can dig what I'm sayin').
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by Crenshaw Sepulveda on 12/9/2008 @ 7:38pm | The noodles will be to die for, that's for sure. |
by TacomaAtheist on 12/11/2008 @ 12:38pm | Mofo, you should read this: blog.au.org/2008/12/09/persecution-compl... |
 by dawntown on 12/11/2008 @ 1:04pm | Thank you, Mofo. I enjoy your perspective on many topics that you post on FT. I can't say I agree with you most of the time, but your viewpoints pull me back to the reality that we do not all see eye to eye on the ways we believe we should all, as a social group of beings, arrive to the same result. I want to believe in a higher power through the Christian way and make decisions based on this belief, but CHristianity as a religion lacks something for me. |
by Mofo from the Hood on 12/11/2008 @ 2:00pm | Thank you TacomaAtheist. I read the link and I'm not surprised by the content.
The thing that Christianity offers and that most Christians don't understand is that it offers a comprehensive view of what man is. Most Christians don't read Bible and they do not know what the Gospel message is. Let me illustrate this with what Paul's Letter to the Romans says: "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands, no one seeks for God. All have turned aside, together they have gone wrong; no one does good, not even one." Rm. 3:10-12. The message is this: man is born with a fallen nature (fallen from the grace of God); all men are born sinners and they don't have it in their earthly power alone to make themselves right. So, man needs a savior. The Gospel (good news) is that God has provided a way to make things right–His Son Jesus will pay the penalty for all men's sins–God's Son will substitute for man as the ultimate sacrifice to put an end to all sacrifices of the type before his crucifixion and for all sacrifices forever after. The last words on the cross by Christ: "It is done." Now, the thinking is that once a person comes to realize the difference between God the creator, and man the creature then a person will come to understand why and where one should direct their obedience and gratitude. With contemporary issues I just want to make a brief comment. If people who claim to represent Christianity are responding to groups that are counter-Christian, the representative Christian should have the understanding that they themselves are also sinners from birth, and that any final judgement rests with Christ. I don't think that most Christians take the time to understand the Faith. That is one of the problems that I illustrated with Paul's quote. |
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This is my real-time novel, "Idealism in Tacoma," which will attempt to sort out the virtual new order I discovered in local blogs and in local 'hoods. I welcome you to join me as I attempt to answer the ongoing question: "Is it new?"