Archive for February, 2009
Top Ten Reasons To…
My cyber-buddy (via Facebook and blogrolls) Gary Zimmerli of The Sundry Times deserves to be on a list of top-something-or-other blogs. So, in honor of Gary and his blog, I give you the “Top 10 Reasons To Put The Sundry Times on a Top 10 List.”
10. The Sidebar Warning. And I quote, “Spammers will be deleted without notice. This includes anybody peddling unorthodox theology.” I’m bold, but not that bold. I even allow a spammer here and there as an act of service to spammers everywhere, but not Gary. And unorthodox theology, are you kidding me(?), it’s all over the place here. So, support Gary’s no-spamming policy and put him on a list.
9. The “My Bible Preferences Today Widget.” Unlike many bibliobloggers, Gary changes his Bible translation preferences like Dr. Jim West changes themes. I do too. My favorite translation is usually the one I’m reading at that moment. So, support Gary’s support of various Bible translations and put him on a list.
8. The Conservative Underground: I don’t know what it is, what it means, or how it’s “underground” with blog widgets circulating, but it sounds so conspiratorial. So, support Gary’s illuminati-ed brethren and put him on a list (tc, that brethren is also for you, my brother, put Gary on one of your lists).
7. Gary’s Funny: If you like your humor like fine wine (the dryer the better), perhaps Gary’s blog is for you. Gary seems to think, “All those other blogs are written by guys who are much more single-minded and mentally disciplined.” If his Google reader list is anything like mine, this is too funny. Doesn’t humor like this merit inclusion on a list?
6. Weather Updates: In the event you find yourself in Monkato, MN, look no further than Gary’s blog to know if you need an umbrella or snow shoes. Everyone in Monkato, MN should put Gary on a list.
5. Me: Yes, me. Gary accepted my Facebook friendship, listed this blog on his blogroll, and is a reader of mine. Such wisdom, intelligence, and taste deserves to be on a list.
4. Links: Gary’s links (how cool is that?):
3. Blogroll: Gary’s blogroll (even better):
2. Divers: Not as in scuba, but as in various. Yes, Gary still uses the King James spelling of diverse in his blog subtitle, The Sundry Times (and divers manners). Put Gary on a list and you could generate more traffic from scuba searches. If it’s just a spelling error, well, he got away with one.
1. The Smirk: And the #1 reason to put Gary on a list: his smirk. Can you beat this guy’s profile photo? He looks like someone you can’t help but trust while also looking like he knows something he shouldn’t, or something you don’t. Dick Cheneyesque, from the Cheney-Lieberman debates. I would trust him with my child, but I wouldn’t dare sit across a poker table from him.
Question: Why is the Tithe a Tenth?
I have a question for all you theology sorts. I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately, and I have been unable to resolve the issue for myself. I even tried texting my pastor but I had technical difficulties in the process. The question: Why is the tithe a tenth?
Frequent readers of this blog are aware of my preoccupation with Genesis, but I was reading in Genesis (surprise, surprise) last week, and the question occurred to me, “Is the tithe a tenth because God said so, or because that was what Abraham (and, later, Jacob) gave?”
In other words, is the tenth honoring God or is the tenth God honoring us? If Abraham had given Melchizedek 17%, or, if Jacob had said, “surely I will give thee a ninth” would our Sunday morning math be a lot more complicated? God could have very easily commanded 47.3% after all.
I don’t want this to be a discussion of tithing, per se. My humble opinion is that the tithe is no longer required under the law, but I think the spirit of the tithe is alive and well, and the blessings therefrom readily available. I still think we can make the whole lump (of money, labor, time, etc.) holy by offering the first fruits of same to God.
Nevertheless, why a tenth? Thoughts, ideas, comments?
Updated Bio
I clicked on my About page earlier today, and I realized how sparse it was. I originally wrote it when I migrated to WordPress from Blogger last April, and I haven’t updated since (to the best of my recollection, but don’t hold me to that).
One of these days I will really update it and write a thorough bio, but, for now, I just added a few details, explanations and elaborations (primarily my wife’s ascension to the office of Children’s Pastor, my religious lineage, etc.).
Do You Want to Write Book Reviews?
Posted by Peter in Blogging, Book Reviews, Cool Stuff on February 23, 2009
Attention Bloggers: If you are interested in writing book reviews for your blog, a couple of major publishing houses have established book-reviewing programs for bloggers.
Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Bloggers (BRB) and Bethany House Book Reviewers are now soliciting bloggers to write and publish book reviews on their blogs. Both also require that book reviewers write a review of each book reviewed on a major commercial website (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Christianbook.com, etc.).
Prospective book reviewers are required to fill out an application form and click through a confirmation email before reviewing books. As far as I can tell, the title selection is limited, but significant (there are plenty of good titles to choose from). Thomas Nelson’s BRB has a site dedicated for this program where bloggers can browse book titles. You will also receive periodic emails about products available for review.
Similarly, Bethany House Book Reviewers allows prospective book reviewers to select from several categories of interest, and the reviewer will receive periodic emails alerting them to titles available for review.
I’m sure other publishers will follow suit. If so, I will keep you posted.
I’ve Never Been Described Like That
The Biblioblog Top 50 is now a stand-alone blog. The blog contains a purportedly complete list of active biblioblogs. If you are interested in some new reading material, you might want to check out the list.
If you scroll down the “Complete Biblioblog List” page to the “Early Judaism” category, you will find Beauty of the Bible. I’m not entirely sure about the categorization, but it works as well as any other I suppose. What is interesting, however, is the “Conservative-Liberal” classification, which ranges from “Very Conservative” to “Very Liberal” with several stops in between.
To my surprise, Beauty of the Bible is classified as “Very Conservative.” This will be news to my wife, who makes Ann Coulter look like a weenie.
…If you read further, the label is not a political description, but a description with respect to Biblical inspiration/doctrine, but don’t tell my wife that.
If You Were Stuck On A Desert Island…
Posted by Peter in Bible, Bible Translations, Blogging on February 19, 2009
When I first started blogging, I spent a lot of time worrying about SEO and what search terms were going to get readers to my blog, with little success as far as I was able to tell. However, over time, it seems that the Googlers or Yahooers I was hoping would find there way here have. (There just aren’t millions of people searching for “ancient hebrew pictographs,” yet, go figure.)
But, from time to time, I get a surfer who washes ashore here from an interesting search string. I think this is the most interesting so far:
If you were stuck on a desert island which…
Huh? That’s as much of the search string as I was able to retrieve, but I am curious how it ended. In July, I wrote a post wherein I mentioned that if I were stuck on a deserted island with only two Bible translations, I would take my NASB and King James Version, but I don’t recall ever writing about desert islands or being stuck on one otherwise.
Assuming someone did actually ask:
If you were stuck on a desert island, which Bible translation(s) would you take?
I now ask you to help this lone Googler out and advise him or her which Bible translation(s) you would take if you were stuck on a deserted island and why.
And don’t list seven, that would defeat the purpose. I won’t put any limits, but be reasonable, you would be traveling afterall.
And the winner is…
Pharisees, Scribes and Sadducees in Palestinian Society
Yours truly! Tada!
It seems as though I have new reading material. Esteban Vazquez of The Voice of Stefan announced today that the winner of Pharisees, Scribes and Sadducees in Palestinian Society is none other than me.
My apologies to Esteban for the egregious spelling error in my first post on the subject, and I will gladly accept the imposed punishment of a few extra shipping days for the misdeed.
I, of all people, should be sensistive to the spelling variations of Hispanic/Latino surnames. Afterall, Lopes doesn’t quite work, does it(?), nor should Vasquez when the proper spelling is Vazquez.
Regardless of how he or I choose to spell his last name, Esteban’s blog is great reading material, and I encourage you all to subscribe and prepare to have your thoughts provoked. Have a great weekend everyone.
Question: Can You Be Legalistic About Anti-Legalism?
I hope that I am as anti-legalism as they come (which is funny seeing as how I am a lawyer by trade). However, I was wondering if you can actually become legalistic about being anti-legalism.
I hope to one day be as bold and comfortable in my own skin about my views of legalism as the Apostle Paul was, but I sure want to avoid becoming legalistic about it. It’s just something I have been thinking about lately. Any thoughts?
Falling in Love with the King James Version All Over Again Because of Words Like “Concupiscence”
Posted by Peter in Bible, Bible Translations on February 12, 2009
For the last several months I have been reading my King James Version every day deliberately. I want to reacquaint myself with it. I have intentionally set aside my primary reading and study Bible, the New American Standard Bible (NASB), specifically to reread the King James Version.
And, I’ve got to confess, I’m loving it. Admittedly, I once a hard time with the King James, but not any more (I might even try to go back and reread Shakespeare – kidding).
I especially love words like “concupiscence:”
But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. Romans 7:8.
You won’t find that in any of the modern translations, and I understand why, but doesn’t concupiscence just sound cool?
Nick Norelli is Giving Stuff Away Too
Posted by Peter in Bible, Christianity, Giveaways on February 9, 2009
Institutes of Christian Religion
Nick Norelli of Rightly Diving the Word of Truth is giving away free stuff also.
In fairness, Nick’s contest began before Esteban’s contest, but Nick’s also requires that the winner post, in 50 words or less, why the winner wants to read Calvin, and I haven’t come up with a clever enough 50-word response.
But, time is running out, so if you want to win Calvin’s Institutes of Christian Religion, here are the rules:
- You must have a blog (sorry nonbloggers),
- You must be a US resident (sorry nonresidents),
- You must not own the set (sorry all of you who spent your hard earned cash already),
- Announce the contest on your blog,
- In 50 words or less, persuade Nick of your deservingness in the comments section, and
- The winner must acknowledge the publisher and Nick’s blog in a blog post linking back to same.
The winner will be announced the day after Valentine’s Day (Feb. 15, in case you don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day, in other words, if you’re a single male, as many computer guys are, go figure).
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