So today I made a run to Walmart and bought the latest Switchfoot CD. I especially have taken a liking to the fifth song on the album . . .
Easier Than Love
by Switchfoot
Sex is currency;
She sells cars; she seels magazines.
Addictive, bittersweet, clap your hands
With the hopeless nicotines.
Everyone's a lost romantic, since our love became a kissing show.
Everyone's a Casanova, come and pass me the mistletoe.
Everyone's been scared to death of dying here alone.
She is easier than love, is easier than life.
It's easier to fake and smile and bribe.
It's easier to leave. It's easier to lie.
It's harder to face ourselves at night, feeling alone.
What have we done?
What is the monster we've become?
Where is my soul? (Numb.)
Sex is industry, the CEO of corporate policy.
Skin-deep ministry, suburban youth hail your so called liberty.
Every advertising antic our banner waves with a neon glow.
War and love become pedantic;
We wage love with a mistletoe.
Everyone's been scared to death of dying here alone.
Sex is easier than love.
This song is especially great when you can hear it. Switchfoot is making a strong statement about our current "pornographic culture." Everyone is looking for love; no one wants to be alone. But we do not really know what love is. Sex often feels like love; this is why women in particular are willing to make themselves objects to be used sexually by others, to be consumed . . . because when they are the center of attention and an object of desire, they feel wanted, they feel they have something to offer, they feel loved. Seems in our day and age that we have developed a wrong appetite. We make war with one another and our weapon is "making love." We have developed a taste for those things which most closely resemble the love and the mystery that we all seek. But we don't know that we are feasting on garbage and yet have a banquet of beauty and fulfilling sexuality prepared before us by our Maker. Until we get sick to our stomachs (or to our souls), we cannot see the wrongness of our approach to the human person, sexuality, relationships, and pro-creation. Even those of us who believe we have a Christian perspective still often have gaps in our understanding of the human person and sexuality. Our cultural norm is to revel in selfishness and physical pleasure until we "mourn at last, when [our] flesh and body are consumed, and say: 'How I have hated instruction, and my heart despised correction!' (Proverbs 5:11-12).
Fortunately, God reaches down to us to show us the more beautiful and fulfilling way to being human, to experiencing the fullness of all our sexuality, and to show us what our relationships were meant to be. Some, for whatever reason do not learn of these truths until they have spent their lifetimes in a confused pursuit of love. Such is the human condition. (Switchfoot sings in song #4 of the Nothing is Sound album: "Oh, Lord, why did you forsake me? Oh, Lord, don't be far away. Storm clouds gathering beside me. Please, Lord, don't look the other way. I'm a crooked soul trying to stay up straight. Shine on me; let my shadows prove the sunshine." Seems Plato's cave analogy would be fitting here.)
But I desire to hold forth to you now the fullness of truth that God has unfurled before all mankind. I want to be His ambassador. It is my intention to begin a lay man's discussion of the rich and philosophical writing of the late Pope John Paul II entitled Love & Responsibility. Although it has taken me years to get to this point, I do believe now that the Almighty God of heaven and earth has given us such men (popes) as John Paull II (and now Benedict XVI) to be the voice of Christ to us in our own age and culture. Please join me on my journey as I also learn the fullness of truth!
"The first to present his case seems right, till another comes forward and questions him. " (Proverbs 18:17)
"And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, 'How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?' When Jesus heard it, He said to them, 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.'" (Mark 2:16-18; Luke 5:30-32; Matthew 9:11-13)
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Saturday, September 10, 2005
Cherubs and Chicks
Welcome to the spot light Jones! Your response to my last entry* was:
"You said the children had cherubic faces...do you mean that their faces glowed like fire and they wielded flaming swords? Or were you employing Hallmark theology? If cherubs look like children, won't ALL children look 'cherubic'? I am just trying to think logically here, but then again, we are discussing emotions, and they seem to deny logic. Of course, I am a guy, and quite an amotionally detached guy, from what I understand. So this emotional outpouring of yours is quite alien to me and my...what are they called? Oh yeah, emotions. Whatever."
Hello Jones, I'm glad to know you are out there. Well, you seem to have mistaken my intent. You presumed that I was implying that the children's faces looked like the cherubim which God placed on guard outside of the Garden of Eden to prevent man from re-entering and eating from the tree of life while in a fallen state. (Genesis 3:24 "After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.") Oh, but you are mistaken. I meant that the children's faces were full of eyes and had 4 wheels surrounding them like the cherubim in Ezekiel 10. Terribly sorry for the mix-up; I must not have been very precise in my description.
Hehehe. Anyway, I wasn't thinking so much "Hallmark" or emotional theology, I was thinking more along the lines of SAT words. As we both know, "cherubic" has other definitions that extend beyond strict theological references. You're familiar with those paintings of naked babies with wings; well, I don't know how the concept of a cherub got transformed into that in paintings, but nonetheless, the word "cherubic" now also refers to pudgy, sweet, childlike beings. As long as we know the difference between the cutsie babies and the winged, higher order angels called cherubim in Scripture, then I'm fine with using the term "cherubic" for . . . well . . . sweet, pudgy childlike beings.
Although, I've not yet read the so-called Apocryphal books (which are rather the "deuterocanonical" writings which you'll find in Catholic Bibles), I have been informed that the Book of Enoch and Books of Esdras have some angelology in them. Might be interesting to check out. Oh, and I am currently listening to Tolkien's Silmarillion on cassette tapes (thank you local library), and it's so rad. You've probably already read the Silmarillion, but I absolutely love hearing this fantastical story of the creation of the angelic beings and the earth and other cosmological whatnot. Highly recommend it to you all out there in blog land.
Oh, and I should like to share the lyrics to a Relient K song with you, my dear Watson, for you seem to be perplexed that girls, like myself, are more emotional beings than guys, such as yourself. Well . . . it's not meant to square with spiritual and psychological realities, but the song is quite funny and rings true in some ways. I wonder if you can relate.
Mood Rings
by Relient K
We all know the girls that I am talking about.
Well they are time bombs and they are ticking,
And the only question's when they'll blow up.
And they'll blow up, we know that without a doubt,
Cause they're those girls,
Yeah, you know those girls that let their emotions get the best of them.
And I've contrived some sort of a plan to help my fellow man.
Let's get emotional girls to all wear mood rings
So we'll be tipped off to when they're ticked off
Cause we'll know just what they're thinking, just what they're thinking.
[Chorus]
She's so pretty but she doesn't always act that way.
Her moods are swinging on the swing set almost everyday.
She said to me that she's so happy its depressing (stressed out that its soothing)
And all I said was someone get that girl a mood ring.
If its drama you want then look no further.
They're like The Real World meets Boy Meets World meets Days of our Lives.
And it just kills me how they get away with murder;
They'll anger you then bat their eyes,
Those pretty eyes that watch you sympathize.
And I've contrived some sort of a plan to help my fellow man.
Let's get emotional girls to all wear mood rings
So we'll be tipped off to when they're ticked off
Cause we'll know just what they're thinking, just what they're thinking.
[Chorus]
Cause when its black it means watch your back because you're probably
The last person in the world right now she wants to see.
And when its blue it means that you should call her up immediately
And ask her out because she'll most likely agree.
And when its green it simply means that she is really stressed.
And when its clear it means she's completely emotionless (and that's alright I must confess).
We all know the girls that I am talking about.
She liked you Wednesday, but now its Friday, and she has to wash her hair.
And it just figures that we'll never figure them out.
First she's Jekyll and then she's Hyde;
At least she makes a lovely pair.
Mood ring oh mood ring
Oh tell me will you bring
The key to unlock this mystery
Of girls and their emotions?
Play it back in slow motion
So I may understand the complex infrastructure known as the female mind.
(Thanks www.plyrics.com )
* That entry has been removed from public view because I decided to eleminate some of the more personal entries I had originally posted just in case an employer were to locate and peruse my blog and suspect that I might share personal things about my work life.
"You said the children had cherubic faces...do you mean that their faces glowed like fire and they wielded flaming swords? Or were you employing Hallmark theology? If cherubs look like children, won't ALL children look 'cherubic'? I am just trying to think logically here, but then again, we are discussing emotions, and they seem to deny logic. Of course, I am a guy, and quite an amotionally detached guy, from what I understand. So this emotional outpouring of yours is quite alien to me and my...what are they called? Oh yeah, emotions. Whatever."
Hello Jones, I'm glad to know you are out there. Well, you seem to have mistaken my intent. You presumed that I was implying that the children's faces looked like the cherubim which God placed on guard outside of the Garden of Eden to prevent man from re-entering and eating from the tree of life while in a fallen state. (Genesis 3:24 "After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.") Oh, but you are mistaken. I meant that the children's faces were full of eyes and had 4 wheels surrounding them like the cherubim in Ezekiel 10. Terribly sorry for the mix-up; I must not have been very precise in my description.
Hehehe. Anyway, I wasn't thinking so much "Hallmark" or emotional theology, I was thinking more along the lines of SAT words. As we both know, "cherubic" has other definitions that extend beyond strict theological references. You're familiar with those paintings of naked babies with wings; well, I don't know how the concept of a cherub got transformed into that in paintings, but nonetheless, the word "cherubic" now also refers to pudgy, sweet, childlike beings. As long as we know the difference between the cutsie babies and the winged, higher order angels called cherubim in Scripture, then I'm fine with using the term "cherubic" for . . . well . . . sweet, pudgy childlike beings.
Although, I've not yet read the so-called Apocryphal books (which are rather the "deuterocanonical" writings which you'll find in Catholic Bibles), I have been informed that the Book of Enoch and Books of Esdras have some angelology in them. Might be interesting to check out. Oh, and I am currently listening to Tolkien's Silmarillion on cassette tapes (thank you local library), and it's so rad. You've probably already read the Silmarillion, but I absolutely love hearing this fantastical story of the creation of the angelic beings and the earth and other cosmological whatnot. Highly recommend it to you all out there in blog land.
Oh, and I should like to share the lyrics to a Relient K song with you, my dear Watson, for you seem to be perplexed that girls, like myself, are more emotional beings than guys, such as yourself. Well . . . it's not meant to square with spiritual and psychological realities, but the song is quite funny and rings true in some ways. I wonder if you can relate.
Mood Rings
by Relient K
We all know the girls that I am talking about.
Well they are time bombs and they are ticking,
And the only question's when they'll blow up.
And they'll blow up, we know that without a doubt,
Cause they're those girls,
Yeah, you know those girls that let their emotions get the best of them.
And I've contrived some sort of a plan to help my fellow man.
Let's get emotional girls to all wear mood rings
So we'll be tipped off to when they're ticked off
Cause we'll know just what they're thinking, just what they're thinking.
[Chorus]
She's so pretty but she doesn't always act that way.
Her moods are swinging on the swing set almost everyday.
She said to me that she's so happy its depressing (stressed out that its soothing)
And all I said was someone get that girl a mood ring.
If its drama you want then look no further.
They're like The Real World meets Boy Meets World meets Days of our Lives.
And it just kills me how they get away with murder;
They'll anger you then bat their eyes,
Those pretty eyes that watch you sympathize.
And I've contrived some sort of a plan to help my fellow man.
Let's get emotional girls to all wear mood rings
So we'll be tipped off to when they're ticked off
Cause we'll know just what they're thinking, just what they're thinking.
[Chorus]
Cause when its black it means watch your back because you're probably
The last person in the world right now she wants to see.
And when its blue it means that you should call her up immediately
And ask her out because she'll most likely agree.
And when its green it simply means that she is really stressed.
And when its clear it means she's completely emotionless (and that's alright I must confess).
We all know the girls that I am talking about.
She liked you Wednesday, but now its Friday, and she has to wash her hair.
And it just figures that we'll never figure them out.
First she's Jekyll and then she's Hyde;
At least she makes a lovely pair.
Mood ring oh mood ring
Oh tell me will you bring
The key to unlock this mystery
Of girls and their emotions?
Play it back in slow motion
So I may understand the complex infrastructure known as the female mind.
(Thanks www.plyrics.com )
* That entry has been removed from public view because I decided to eleminate some of the more personal entries I had originally posted just in case an employer were to locate and peruse my blog and suspect that I might share personal things about my work life.
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