Ask Bweinh! Poll — Favorite HS Subject

10/22/2007, 10:00 am -- by Bweinh | 1 Comment

This edition of the Ask Bweinh! poll is sponsored by indoor plumbing: because the alternative is unthinkable.

These are the most enjoyable subjects in high school!

Rank	Subject	Points
1.	History/Social Studies	27
2.	English	23
3.	Gym	16
4.	Writing/Journalism	12
5.	Math	11
6.	Biology	7
7-9 (tie)	Lunch; Chemistry; Spanish	6
10-12 (tie)	Geometry; Band; Science	4
Other	Computers; Chorus; Physics; Study Hall; Astronomy; Sociology; Politics; Accounting; Economics; US Law; Music	1-2

Football Results (Week Seven)

10/22/2007, 8:30 am -- by Bweinh | No Comments

This year, the Bweinh!tributors shall compete each week by proxy on the mighty gridiron!

The seventh week’s results
New England def. Miami; Dallas def. Minnesota; Cincinnati def. NY Jets
New Orleans def. Atlanta; Tennessee def. Houston

Bweinh!tributor	This Week	Overall	GB
Steve; Djere; Josh	5-0	26-9	—
Mike	5-0	25-10	1
Tom	2-3	24-11	2
Erin	3-2	16-4	2.5
Connie	4-1	23-12	3
MC-B	4-1	22-13	4
David	3-2	21-14	5
Chloe	3-2	12 wins
Job	2-3	12 wins

By category
Avid fans: 89-36 (.712)
Slight fans: 47-23 (.671)
Uninterested: 97-58 (.626)

Joke of the Day, 10/22/07

10/22/2007, 7:00 am -- by Bweinh | No Comments

“Nurse, I keep seeing spots in front of my eyes!”

“Have you ever seen a doctor?”

“No, just spots!”

Blessed Is He, Whosoever Is Not Offended In Me

10/19/2007, 12:00 pm -- by David | No Comments

These words appear in red, sent by Jesus in a message to John the Baptist as he lay in prison. John appeared to be faltering in his belief in Jesus as the Messiah. In their initial meeting, there were no doubts; in fact, he leapt for joy in the womb.

At the next meeting, he saw the Spirit descend on Jesus like a dove, and proclaimed, “Behold the lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.” But after some time in prison, he sent a message saying, “Are you the one that should come, or do we look for another?”

Why would John doubt Jesus? Perhaps if you were in prison and the Great Deliverer, the Messiah, the Coming King — who happens to be your cousin — showed up, but you wound up in prison while His ministry grew so phenomenally that even there you hear reports about His fame, you might have some doubts yourself. You might expect a rescue or a pardon.

Have you truly never let your expectations about who Jesus is, and what He came to do, cloud your perceptions of life? I know I have. I want my bills paid on time. I want a clear path in life, with universally recognized milestones of achievement, so that anyone who looks at me can say, “Surely God is with him!” Instead I get the path that fits His plan, His timetable. His idea of success.

Continued here!

Local Car Commercials

10/19/2007, 10:00 am -- by Djere | 2 Comments

I’d forgotten why I don’t watch local news anymore.

It’s not the quality or nature of the broadcasts — it’s the car commercials.

And it’s not the quality or nature of the commercials – all those liars have the same thing to say. It’s how they say it.

“Hi folks, it’s Tom Parks’ here…”

It’s how HE says it.

Though I’ve never met the man, I’d have no qualms about putting a boot through his face.

And I think that when I go back to work after lunch, I’m going to invent a new word.

Billy, you’re HUGE-tarded.

Quote of the Day, 10/19/07

10/19/2007, 7:00 am -- by Bweinh | No Comments

“Multiculturalism is simply the state between two different cultures.” — J. Lileks

The Chick Tract . . . From Hell

10/18/2007, 3:30 pm -- by Steve | 1 Comment

{democracy:152}

Shoes in the Room

10/18/2007, 1:30 pm -- by Steve | 2 Comments

One of the most amazing things about living creatures is their ability to adapt to almost anything. Life exists at every extreme of climate in this world, and it hangs on through great adversity. Much of what is defined as evolution is simply the result of acclimatization, as outside pressures produce long-term, beneficial changes in the way plants and animals live.

This is no less true about humans. Just in the past few years, I’ve visited rocky crags in Maine, forest-covered mountains in New Hampshire and New Mexico, swampy, humid Georgia and Washington D.C., and oppressively hot and crowded Juarez. People live, happily, there and many far worse places.

People make their homes at the extremes of hot and cold, wealth and poverty, joy and despair. They do things they never dreamed they could, for good and for ill, and once having done them, usually forget what life was like before. Very few can imagine living on any less money than they make right now. Give them more and you’ll be amazed how quickly they feel the same way.

Psychologically, once we get accustomed to something, once we internalize it as part of our normal environment, we become capable of dealing with it unconsciously. I think this is why seasonal change is so gradual. A week of slight chill, then a return to sun; a cold wind followed by a shorter break of warmth — until finally, when the first flakes of snow come down, they just seem right.

I am told that my brother Djere hated wearing shoes as a toddler. The very idea could send him into a screaming fit, the likes of which only The View provokes now. My parents eventually discovered that the secret to eventual acceptance was to simply put the shoes in his room for a while. No demands, no requests, just the presence of the shoes. After a while, he got used to them. Soon the shoes went on calmly.

There are some things with which we should not and must not make peace. For all the concern about drastic external impositions on our culture and our church, I worry much more about the process of gradual compromise, starting in my own life.

What have you become accustomed to? What ground have you surrendered by default?

Get rid of the shoes.

Ask Bweinh! Poll — Political Issues

10/18/2007, 11:30 am -- by Bweinh | 1 Comment

This edition of the Ask Bweinh! poll is sponsored by DX-Ball: the computer game that best defined the turn of the century at Houghton College. Accept no substitutes!!

Sometimes? Sometimes it makes you hit the kill paddle.

Rank	Issue	Points
1-2 (tie)	Iraq/Iran; Terrorism/National Security	20 (2)
3.	Health Care	19
4.	Abortion	10
5.	Poverty	9
6.	Taxes	6
7-8 (tie)	Immigration; Zombies	5
9-10 (tie)	Social Security; Judicial Nominations	4
Other	Environment; Lobbyist Reform; Foreign Aid/Int’l Dev’t; Gas Prices; Welfare; Campaign Finance Reform; Education; Corporations; North Korea	2-3

The Nameless Answer

10/18/2007, 9:15 am -- by Steve | No Comments

Which literary device was not used in this tract??

If you picked “Tragic flaw,” you’re a winner!!

Almost every Chick tract is an allegory, with characters representing the three main categories of people: those who die in their sins, those who hear the Good News and repent, and those who hear the Gospel, but reject it.

“The Abyss” is an important motif in this tract, and the first trip there foreshadows the second.

No tragic flaw (a single characteristic leading to one’s downfall) exists in the protagonist, however.

OOPS! There’s Baphomet again!

Joke of the Day, 10/18/07

10/18/2007, 7:00 am -- by Bweinh | No Comments

A man came to the doctor’s office with a cucumber up his nose, a carrot in his left ear, and a banana in his right ear.

“What’s the matter with me?,” he asks the doctor.

The doctor says, “You’re not eating properly!”

Battle of the Bands XXXI

10/17/2007, 4:00 pm -- by Bweinh | 1 Comment

Moving on are Free and Will Is Present; here are the next contestants, from Romans 8!

{democracy:151}

Bible Discussion — Romans 8 (Part Two)

10/17/2007, 3:00 pm -- by Bweinh | No Comments

This week, Bweinh.com looks at the next chapter in the book of Romans, Romans 8. Romans 8 Day continues!!

Again, joining us as guests are Capt. Steve Carroll, Rev. Dave Maxon, and Maj. Doug Jones!

Genesis: 1-4 | 5-9 | 10-14 | 15-18 | 19-22 | 23-26
27-29 | 30-32 | 33-36 | 37-39 | 40-43 | 44-46 | 47-50

Exodus: 1-4 | 5-8 | 9-11 | 12-14 | 15-18
19-22 | 23-26 | 27-30 | 31-34 | 35-40

And the book of Romans: Ch. 1 | Ch. 2 | Ch. 3 | Ch. 4 | Ch. 5 | Ch. 6 | Ch. 7

RANDOM THOUGHT:
Maj. Jones:
There is now no condemnation. Satan can’t condemn. Jesus won’t condemn. We shouldn’t condemn ourselves; unfortunately, we sometimes forget that truth.

MC-B:
This would easily make my top ten list of chapters of the Bible that a Christian should be extremely familiar with.

Steve:
Freedom from the Law was one thing, but for us to be described not only as children of God, but “joint heirs with Christ,” is an unimaginable honor. We will be glorified together.

Mike:
What is the difference between foreknowing, predestining, and calling? Why does Paul draw this difference?

Pastor Dave:
“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” If people ever truly understood the depth of God’s love towards us, it would radically change their Christian experience in a positive way. Gone would be all those nagging thoughts — “He doesn’t love me,” “What did I do wrong to deserve this,” “What am I being punished for,” “Am I saved?” We would all walk with encouraged hearts, full of anticipation, knowing that no matter what’s around the next bend in the road, our ever-present help in time of need, the Lover of our souls, was with us.

Capt. Steve:
At night, when I am putting my son to bed, I often tell him, “Of all the little boys in the whole wide world, your Daddy loves you the best.” What am I going to say if my wife has another boy?

Erin:
What does it mean for the Spirit to intercede for us with groans?

David:
This chapter presents Christians as “spiritual” people, while Jude presents the wicked as “sensual” people. Are we being led by our senses or the Spirit? All that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — are not of the Father, but of the world (1 John 2:16).

WHERE IS JESUS IN THIS PASSAGE:
Capt. Steve:
“At the center of it all.” He provided the means of this new life. He Sent His Spirit, who empowers and frees us from sin’s control.

Djere:
Not condemning, rather, having set us free, He is raised from the dead!

MC-B, Connie, Pastor Dave:
Everywhere — without Him, there is no way that humanity can approach God in order to have the relationship with Him that is detailed by this passage.

Erin:
This passage is all about Paul trying to understand Jesus!

Mike:
He is the pattern for the life of this new family, the church, and the giver of the Spirit which animates the life of this new family.

Chloe, Josh:
At the right hand of God, interceding for us.

Maj. Jones:
Jesus is throughout the entire chapter, beginning with freedom from condemnation and sin, making us joint heirs of the kingdom, keeping us firmly in His hands through any and every trial.

David:
In 8:32, being delivered up for us all.

VERSE TO REMEMBER:
Steve:
8:18 — “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

Mike:
8:19 — “The creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God.”

Tom:
8:32 — “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”

Chloe, Pastor Dave:
8:28 — “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

Erin, Connie:
8:38-39 — “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Capt. Steve:
8:6 — “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”

David:
8:14 — “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”

Josh:
8:15 — “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’ ”

Djere, MC-B:
8:31 — “What then shall we say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”

Maj. Jones:
So many verses, so little space — verses 10, 17, 26, 28, 31, and 35-39!

Continued here!

The Fall-Ness of Corn

10/17/2007, 1:00 pm -- by Erin | 3 Comments

Everyone knows that non-Brach’s candy corn gives you AIDS. Everyone, that is, who reads The Onion. Everyone also knows that Aztecs sing drinking songs about “maize, maize, potato.” Everyone, that is, who knows SeÃ n Cullen’s stand-up routine called “House.”

These facts notwithstanding, each fall I, my friends, and my family consume a healthy amount of corn — both candy and regular — but usually refrain from singing Aztec drinking songs. At this very moment, on my little table, my housemates and I have three ears of Indian Corn — that beautiful dry multicolored stuff — tied together as a centerpiece. As the days get colder and the weather decides, well, maybe I won’t spoil them after all with another month of 80-degree temperatures, we start to see how and perhaps why corn (“maize,” or scientifically, zea mays) is such a staple in our culture.

First, corn is a starchy vegetable, which makes it wonderful to add to soups, stews, and any light meal. One can often find “meat-lover” (often read as ‘vegetable-hater’) recipes trying to overcompensate for their lack of starch by being sludgy or including too much rice. Or they can be served over none other than — ta da! Cornbread!

Second, corn has been a staple in the Americas for much longer than the European colonization. Maize was one of the original “three sisters” — along with squash and beans — of the Native Americans of the Atlantic Northeast. Can anyone remember back to kindergarten, when a kindly older lady sat you and your classmates down, showing you how those silly Pilgrims were just starving away in the New World, until the kind and benevolent Native Americans came and shared their bounty, and taught the Pilgrims to grow corn, resulting in a rare thing: a cooperation and fellowship of two very different cultures?

In fact, corn only spread to the rest of the world after European contact with the New World in the 15th and 16th centuries. The rest of the story of the cultural exchange was not nearly so pleasant, if you recall.

We can also reflect on the delightful experience of toting oneself and a gaggle of confused friends around a maize maze — and the myriad of bad puns that can come from such an unfortunate homonym. Honestly, what could be better than understanding how a lab rat feels, except that instead of cheese, maize maze participants are usually promised cinnamon apple cider?

Corn is also on the forefront of science. It is being used to create biomass fuels such as ethanol since 2005, in efforts to reduce the cost of food, heat, and just about any other transported good affected by rising fuel costs; most of which increase in demand during the fall and winter months.

So although this little blurb is turning out a bit more argumentative than I had hoped, please know that I’m not trying to convince anyone to become a vegetarian, renounce other wonderful fall foods like chili or pumpkin pie, or even to support the University of Michigan (their colors may be blue and maize, but they are still your mortal enemy when it comes to football — believe me, root for Michigan State).

However, I am hoping that you’ll stop this fall and take some time to savor the colorful, healthy, knee-high-by-the-fourth-of-July, American-grown, Veggie-tales-forsaken, delightful fall staple that is corn.

And I’m not sure that candy corn counts.

Bible Discussion — Romans 8 (Part One)

10/17/2007, 11:30 am -- by Bweinh | 3 Comments

This week, Bweinh.com looks at the next chapter in the book of Romans, Romans 8. That’s right, it’s Romans 8 Day!!

And not only do we have almost-universal participation, but joining us as guests today are Capt. Steve Carroll, Rev. Dave Maxon, and Maj. Doug Jones!

Genesis: 1-4 | 5-9 | 10-14 | 15-18 | 19-22 | 23-26
27-29 | 30-32 | 33-36 | 37-39 | 40-43 | 44-46 | 47-50

Exodus: 1-4 | 5-8 | 9-11 | 12-14 | 15-18
19-22 | 23-26 | 27-30 | 31-34 | 35-40

And the book of Romans: Ch. 1 | Ch. 2 | Ch. 3 | Ch. 4 | Ch. 5 | Ch. 6 | Ch. 7

INTRODUCTION:
David:
This Chapter articulates the key difference between the world and the Christian. The people of this world walk in the flesh, “fulfilling the desires of the flesh, and of the mind” (Eph 2:3) — but “as many as are led by the Spirit, they are the sons of God” (Romans 8:14). The test to determine which you are is Romans 8:9 — “…ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit if . . . the Spirit of God dwell in you.” You must be born again of God’s Spirit.

Capt. Steve:
This is the kind of passage that I start reading quietly to myself, but by the end of the passage, I am shouting the words at the top of my lungs, and people are sticking their heads in my office to make sure everything is okay. “It’s all fine — I just got a little excited!”

Mike:
Set free from our slavery to death, we are made God’s beloved children. In a flourish, Paul declares that the calling of the children of God is the crowning moment for all of creation (v. 19-20) and that God’s love for his children never fails (v. 31-39).

MC-B:
This passage contains some of the most important tenets of Christian faith, so I suppose I should probably actually discuss this one, huh?

Maj. Jones:
Whenever I am asked about my favorite portion of Scripture, I always say Romans 8. As I now reflect and ask myself why, I am reminded of the assurance of life, liberty and the source of my joy and contentment.

SOMETHING YOU’D NEVER NOTICED BEFORE:
Pastor Dave:
How yellowed and worn, the edges of the page that holds Romans 8.

Capt. Steve:
The Holy Spirit is praying for us. How does that work?

Josh:
Verses 38-39 contain a fairly well-known list of things that cannot separate us from God’s love, but the list actually starts in verse 35.

Djere:
“Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” — The words “for us” are omitted in the NU text. I’d never noticed that before.

Mike:
The phrase in v. 2: “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free…” Still wrestling with what precisely that means.

Connie:
The verses preceding Romans 8:28 are the ones that emphasize the Holy Spirit as our Intercessor. I always separate them and use them separately, instead of realizing that His intercession can lead us right to knowing HOW all things in our lives can and will work to our good, as long as we love Him and walk in His calling.

Steve:
It can’t be wrong or inappropriate to pray for God’s will in a situation — that’s precisely what the Holy Spirit is doing.

Maj. Jones:
Paul begins in verse 35 by asking who, but then lists many whats.

BEST BAND NAME FROM THE PASSAGE:
Connie: Sheep for the Slaughter
Capt. Steve: Plan B
Chloe: For Your Sake
Tom: The Pangs; Indwells
Pastor Dave: Glorified; Foreknew
Djere: Firstfruits of the Spirit
David, Mike: Abba
Steve: Peril
MC-B: The Whole Creation
Erin: The Creation Waits
Josh: No Charge; Famine Nakedness Danger