iGens and Nobody's Happy

I was listening to the Net @ Night podcast with Leo Laporte and Sarah Lane (standing in for Amber MacArthur) the other night. Somehow the subject they started talking about was a portion of the Conan O'Brien show from earlier in the week. This was an interesting, because Scot McKnight, a theologian and blogger that I regularly read just got done with a series about the book Generation Me: Why Today's Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled--and More Miserable Than Ever Before. Both of these hit on the unique subject that with everything we have, people are more miserable. I see this with the youth group kids and the some people in church. Listening to the podcast Money Life with Chuck Bentley, he has been hammering the fact that we have put ourselves into debt to buy things that end up making us miserable. So we keep trying to earn money to buy our happiness, only to be unfulfilled. I won't go into details, but there are people that I am close to that they haven't figured that out yet. In fact, they once told me that the definition of insanity was doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. I think that in the coming years, that America will realize that we need to change...

Not works driven, but...

I know that Christianity isn't works driven, but as it says in James, a faith without works is dead. The other thing that most don't realize is that when you do good deeds, you usually have good feelings and vice versa.



Indexed » Blog Archive » Don’t do it for the tax deduction.

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Where do we draw the line?

Where do we draw the line? I understand not letting a teacher lead or organize prayer in a public school or related setting. They are government workers, and if a government worker in a work type setting is leading or organizing prayer or some sort of religious service then I understand how that under the Constitution that could be viewed as establishment of religion. I work for the federal government (National Weather Service) and it would be inappropriate for me to lead a prayer at a severe weather spotter talk.

However, here is where I have the problem. Somebody else who is not a government representative organizes a prayer at a function, and I am then not allowed to express my beliefs by praying along with them? 

I understand the original complaint with the coach leading the prayers, but now, if the students organize and lead the prayers, he can't participate? If he is showing favoritism to the Christian players over the non-Christian ones, then that is wrong, that's even non-Biblical (book of James). However, if he isn't doing that and expressing his beliefs who are we to interfere.

So if I go to a Lion's Club meeting to do a talk, and they pray am I not allowed to participate?

The Associated Press: Ban on a type of prayer in school allowed to stand

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Keep the Librarians Free

Link to the original at This is Indexed blog

I may not agree with every book in the library, but I think it is dangerous when people want to control what is in there. If you have trained your kids, then a book should not threaten your kids.

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Nothing like being misquoted

Ah, yes. You have to love being misquoted...from the Cadillac News

The 1 to 2 inches of rain combined with the melting snow may result in poor drainage areas, which may in turn result in areas of temporary flooding. Lutz urges residents to call 911 or the National Weather Service lines if they see areas of flooding. The NWS can then issue a warning to others.

"We will see a decent rise on a lot of rivers because we’ve had little in the way of frost. We’re not getting a lot of run-off. It has to do with the rain and snow melt," Lutz ¨ explained.

"It takes time for the snow melt to enter the ground, and since we had so much snow early, the ground never ¨ really froze. Some surfaces had freezing, but not down deep; it’s only 32 degrees in the first eight inches," he added.

Either I wasn't making sense from low blood sugar, or I got misquoted, because this statement contradicts itself. A better explanation would be:

Since the snow came early in the season, we have little in the way of frost in the ground. This will limit the amount of run off, since the water will go straight into the ground. However, we will still a pretty decent rise in a lot of the rivers, due to the rain and snow melt.

So when I rail against the media at times for misquoting people or not completely reporting at story, I like to think that I know what I'm talking about, because it happens to me from time to time.

How True - Barriers to Innovation video

I saw this on the UMNS reporter's blog yesterday and heard about it on an NPR podcast yesterday as well. An astronaut within NASA made a point about the barriers to innovation within NASA. It has been shown to senior NASA personnel, they thought it was funny and painful to watch, because it was true.

This is so true not only in NASA, but in the UM church as Amy Forbus points out. I say that most organizations that get large get into this rut. I think that Christians in general get into a tradition to the point that it is made into doctrine. All need to work at  breaking down those silos of compartmentation.

As funny that I could point at NASA, but my own agency can suffer from it as well, although I have seen some changes in recent years. I also see it in agencies that I have to work with as well, not only in the Federal government, but the state and local levels as well.

So, is this rampant in your own company or organization?  Look for ways to change. The end of the video has probably the best way for change...Servant Leadership.

I Question Everything

I've been into science for a long time. I've been a Christian for a long time. I've been an adult leader at a church youth group for almost 10 years now. A long time ago I found a book on my dad's bookshelf called ,"How to Lie with Statistics." I was a bit young to read it, but after having two statistics classes in college, and dealing with statistics in my job all the time, I see how people do this all the time, both intentionally and unintentionally. After a few years of the kids are out of control mantra, by some, hard data is beginning to refute that.

Two sociologists in Philadelphia, Kathleen A. Bogle, of La Salle University, and Maria Kefalas, of St. Joseph’s University, both specialists in teen sexual behavior, told Parker-Pope that they’d had to struggle mightily to get people out of their “moral panic” mindset, and make them understand that teens are not “in a downward spiral” or “out of control.” The Myth of Lost Innocence - Judith Warner Blog - NYTimes.com

I work with teens, trying to build relationships and helping to guide them through that time of life that I would never want to go back to. I have to say that the students seem to be pretty healthy with most of their attitudes, and that it's only a few kids that are the "at risk type." My experience has been that the kids are all right. It isn't time to panic.

The last several years have been a turning point in the band wagon effect that I have suffered from my youth. I'm beginning to question everything I read and hear on the internet and test it all. From things that come out of religious circles like the 4% generation, to some man made global warming thoughts. My dealings with the media in the past to not tell the whole story, from the reporter being a flawed human being to the editor trying to sell newspapers or TV ratings. I have even seen and remember people pushing their own agenda, that was out of selfish motivation and not for the common good.

I looked on at the last presidential campaign and saw things on both sides of the spectrum that had little to do with anything. From the "is Barack Obama a natural born citizen to the Sarah Palin downs syndrome baby was really her daughter's. All of which have been proved false, but to this day continue on into the concious thought of the American public.

So, if people call me conservative, it is because that I think that we should slow down and not rush to judgement and question all of the things that people say. If people call me liberal, it is because I have looked at the raw data for myself and agreed that there is a problem that we need to combat now. That is why on my Facebook page, I list myself as, "A Little to the Right but not by much." Slow down people think about the crap in the media that is shovelled. Some is right, but some is wrong.

My main point that I guess that I'm trying to make is that my opinons have come to me over a long period of time. I try to remain open to new data, but I question it, and I question the old data, as well. I respect other people's opinions and try to arrive at my conclusion by using the scientific method. However, I am a flawed human just like the rest of us. I realize that I can be fooled by people, and that I need to remember to question everything.

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Here is One Thing about the Former Prez

Love him or hate him, President Bush did some things that most people would have thought him impossible to do. Here's one and it has gotten little press:

The information director at the UM sponsored Africa University has written an interesting article for UMNS with thoughts from some of the students about what an Obama presidency means for Africa. I had many differences with President Bush over the years, but I never quite understood why most of the people who hate him never gave him credit for what he did for Africa. During his time in office, he more than tripled humanitarian aid to the continent, and he made AIDS and HIV a huge priority. Tens of thousands (maybe more) of people are alive today because of his policies, and it would be good to see his detractors at least give him props for this.

I hope that President Obama can do more.

Rick Warren Interview: On Gay Marriage and Divorce - Beliefnet.com

Rick Warren Interview: On Gay Marriage and Divorce - Beliefnet.com

Rick Warren nails my views on gay marriage. My thought has been that gay and lesbians can have civil unions, but as a church, we do not have to bless them, just as we need to deal with two heterosexual people living together before being married, or deal with someone who is doing x. Sin is sin we should not bless it. We should love the person, respect them, and pray that the Holy Spirit will convict them of their sin.

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My twitter posts et al

I don't know if my twitter posts being summarized is bothering anybody, but I like them. For one, I actually talk about things weather related. That was always something I did rarely, in the past. Also, I sometimes wonder aloud some of the things on my mind. I try to get too mundane with the twitter posts, but I can't help myself sometimes. One thing that it has done, is spurred on my blog writing. I was sputtering for a while. Now, I am writing a post at least once a week, sometimes more.

On a slightly different thought, I'm glad the elections are over. I know hope that people are moving on with their lives. I thought that the tenor of the whole election got a little too muddy for my liking. Actually, I know some conservative friends who were freaking out over the Obama election, but I knew it was a done deal. I relaxed as I heard all sorts of things that are supposed to happen with the Obama election. However, a lot of the news sources I read the progressive are a bit perturbed at his picks for cabinet posts.

I have to say this, I vote. Sometimes for the winner and sometimes not. I participate. However, I continue to live my existence based on something totally different. If the government comes and takes my 401k (something one of my conservative friends said) oh well. While I may not be that complacent about it, my hope is not placed in the government to bail me out. I will live a life of significance no matter who is in the White House.

Tyra ‘shocked’ by risky teen sex

Tyra ‘shocked’ by risky teen sex - Parenting & Family - TODAYshow.com

I guess Tyra doesn't get out much. While I don't doubt some of the information, this survey is skewed by who goes and takes it. It doesn't have any scientific validity, so I question the statistics.

But when some of girls surveyed came onto her show and described their sexual activities, “I was shocked again,” she added. "I don’t think they were trying to be sensational. I really do believe that they were telling the truth.”

Well, some of them may be telling the truth, but knowing that people fake stuff just to get on Jerry Springer, then I think that Tyra is really naive.

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The Pro-Life Obama Voters: What Do They Want?

My brother-in-law pointed me to site on his twitter feed the night of the election, or somewhere around there, about this. It was about a pro-lifers who support Obama. Then Scot McKnight posted a link to this beliefnet.org article on his Jesus Creed.org This was the breakdown of the statistics.

So what do they [Obama pro-lifers] believe? They are fundamentally different from McCain Pro Lifers because they simply don't believe that criminalizing abortion is the most effective means of reducing the numbers.

Here's the key:
11% believe the best way to reduce the number of abortions is through legal restrictions
87% believe the best way is "by preventing unintended pregnancies (through education and birth control) or providing financial assistance to pregnant mothers."

Just as surprising, is that a third of McCain pro-lifers, and 42% of McCain voters, agreed that the second approach was more effective.

The Pro-Life Obama Voters: What Do They Want? - Steven Waldman

I have stated (maybe not on the blog) that I could vote for someone even if they don't want to reverse Roe v.Wade, if they have good plans to do the "preventing unintended pregnancies (through education and birth control) or providing financial assistance to pregnant mothers." However, I didn't see enough proof of that from Obama, and a few other things. I didn't vote for McCain for the same reason I didn't for Bush Sr. v Clinton (I voted for Clinton.), no vision and a disorganized campaign.

I really would like a two pronged attack on abortion. It would be both of these options. Surprisingly to most, I came to my beliefs about abortion through my science roots. The fact that I oppose all life ending things (death penalty, abortion, euthanasia, etc.) comes from my faith as well. I look at life starting from conception and ending any life should have legal consequences. However, I think that before we can get to that point we need to look at how we defend the weak and oppressed. I think that there are better ways than to terminate a pregnancy when one comes along. I think that a child should be looked at as a blessing, whether that blessing is meant for the mother, or possibly to another if she carries it to full term.

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How I view the embryonic stem cell debate

Those who know me know that I like science fiction. That's why I am reminded of this episode of Babylon 5. It's called "Deathwalker." The main idea is that a wanted war criminal walks onto the station and has the secret to immortality. Besides being wanted for war crimes by several species, it is found out that to make one vial of serum, and you have to kill another being. Some want to get their hands on it, but as the character and her vial of serum is transported, a very ancient race steps in and destroys it all saying, that we aren't ready for immortality. I look at the embryonic stem cells research in the same vein, what right do we have to pull apart any sentient being for us to gain immortality.

Am I really a fundamentalist?

I don't do a word for word literal interpretation of the Bible.

I do believe in Jesus dying for my sins and rising on the third day to give me a new life.

I do believe, that life begins at conception, not because its in the bible (because it's not), but because as a scientist that is the conclusion I have come to.

I believe that a Christian should be generous and that our hope is not found in the government.

I'm not sure that I agree with the redistribution of wealth that Obama proposes. I think that like the Hebrews began to enslave Hebrew during Jeremiah's time that American corporations are enslaving Americans through debt.

I don't agree with McCain in the campaign finance, doesn't that limit the freedom of speech?

I'm beginning to see that I am more libertarian and I am conservative or liberal. Although, I'm not 100% sold on the libertarian ideas either.

I get tired of the name calling, the half truths and things taken out of context. Like Obama being  a Muslim and Palin being as right wing as they say.

I get tired of the conspiracy theories, on the left and the right. But I can see how some things appear to be like they do.

I guess this last month of the election has tired me out that I don't want to approve either side. I want my voice heard.

I'm tired of the making fun of the other side. It is leading to anger in this country. An anger that we cannot afford to have.

I love all. I try to help all. I try...

Christianity is totally hijacked

Now that the Republican party has hijacked what being a Christian is, and with stories like this, I predict that despite the Christians in the Democratic party, that there will be larger backlashes that what we have seen for people of faith.

My news consumption

I admit it. I'm a news junkie. I sometimes drive Mary crazy with the news things that I listen to. I have never lost the thought on how, I would sit with Dad and watch the news. In a way, it is part of who I am because some of my early conversations with my dad was sitting down to watch the news. However, as my life as changed over the years, my news consumption hasn't, but it has changed forms.

My main news was through the TV when I was younger, but as podcasting and blogs caught on (i.e. RSS). I began to gravitate to news sources that had good feeds of information. Well, I realize now that with the advent of Twitter, another piece of the puzzle has filled in. So here is my daily news consumption:

I get up and load my iPod Nano with the podcasts that have come in overnight. Two of the podcasts are the ABC News webcast and the NBC Nightly news. I listen to these on my way into work as well as the first part of my day in the office. Then there are various niche news and media critic podcasts that I listent to as well. Next, I go back over my Twitter timeline to scan for the news and people that I follow back to about when I last saw them day before (I have a few news sources, MLive.com, CNN breaking, NPR top stories, NBC news, and Breaking News On).Then comes the RSS feeds, with local news papers and various blogs and an alt news website (Pajamas Media).

I filter through all of these sites and more through the day. Being an analyst, it is then fun to poke through and distill this information into usable things. Most of which goes into my youth ministry.

I don't read everything, but I read what I think I can. Otherwise, I would get overloaded. Eventually some these stories bubbles up into a though that ends up on my blog. You are reading some of the end results of this process.

C. S. Lewis Quote

I saw this on my C. S. Lewis Quote Google gadget the other day:
"In the midst of a world of light and love, of song and feast and dance, [Lucifer] could find nothing to think of more interesting than his own prestige."
--A Preface to Paradise Lost

I think about that with our youth group kids as they struggle with things. A lot of them just want to be popular, when there is so much more to experience. In my experience, you will become popular if you learn, listen, and experience the things that God has for you. Experience life, don't be interested in your own prestige!

After Christmas thoughts

I feel like a nearly drove Mary over the edge this year. A lot had to do with the fact that by the end of November, I was feeling a deep sense of conviction with the whole Christmas thing. It started around Thanksgiving when we were buying the food for the feast. We were in the Wal-Mart parking lot and somebody was beeping their horn for some unknown reason and I began making up some song about consumerism to the tune of "Silver Bells." Mary started to call me Scrooge. I then started having flashbacks to a time in my childhood, when Dad would make remarks and Mom would get on his case by calling him Scrooge.

I tried to explain that Scrooge in "A Christmas Carole" didn't believe in Christmas. I believe in Christmas and Christ for that matter, but I feel that we are getting so far away from the meaning of what this time of the year is supposed to mean. As Rick McKinley, pastor at Imago Dei church in Portland, OR, said in one of his sermons, imagine you are at your birthday party and everyone is giving gifts to everyone else. As I listened to various sermons, from our local church to Mars Hill and Imago, the more I felt convicted.

It's not that giving is wrong, but with all of the money that we have here in the US, I think we still do a poor job at helping others in need, whether they be here or overseas. The commercialism and the consumer mentality of the season has been making me realize that our focus is on ourselves and not on who Christ said that we are to help: the poor, oppressed, widowed and orphaned. It is there in the Bible from the Old Testament to the New.

My biggest problem was that I felt that it would be nearly impossible to bring the family on board and I grew increasingly frustrated. Well, I came to terms with the conviction after talking with Mary several times. We are going to try and do something different for next year.

To see some ideas for next year check out the Advent Conspiracy page.

How do we adjust to society?

The last couple of days, I have either read or heard some interesting things about Christian teens and their sexuality. The first was this article about sex and evangelical teen. It makes this quote:

And the Bible does offer a direct solution for people who are burning in lust: marriage (1 Corinthians 7:9). Adolescence—that time when a person is physically an adult but socially a child—is a modern invention. In the past, people married much younger, as soon as they were sexually ready. Today's culture postpones marriage while stretching celibacy to the breaking point.

I have read this in the past and makes sense if you follow the history relationships and marriage. Recently, I listened to the YS podcast for August with Ginny Olsen. She recently wrote a book called Teenage Girls, and in the podcast shared her research for the book that shows girls are getting more aggressive and despite their constant social networking are getting emotionally lonely. I have noticed, anecdotally, this same thing as I have had conversations with some of the girls in the youth group.

So the magazine article makes an interesting proposal, that is so counter-cultural, that I think that the church would never go with it.

A counter-cultural church may do well to encourage younger marriages. The young couple may still need the financial support of their parents and the social support of their fellow Christians. But this would be better than the current hypocrisy and guilt. And it would fulfill God's positive purpose for sexuality.

An interesting thought. If you look at the communal living of the past, young marriage is what was done, however, the marriages were also arranged. Considering that we are so me-based instead of relationally based with others, this would be a tall order. You would have to be so involved with your kids lives without controlling them, that they would trust you to help pick out the right spouse and the help you take care of household chores and such so that you could help them financially and get them through high school. Again, this seems tall order considering the selfishness of the society and what has infiltrated the church.

MTV currently has a show on called Engaged & Underage where they follow a couple who is still in high school as they plan their wedding. So it's not like some of this doesn't happen, but it is unlikely that there is any spiritual support through any of this and that usually what is needed for any marriage to work.

Why I voted for Bush

I was reading Instapundit and ran across this post which sums up why I voted for Bush and why I grew to dislike Clinton (most people don't know this, but I voted for Clinton both times!).