Unredeemed Human Nature

“People will go to any length to take what you have or harm you in some way just because they don’t have what you have.”  Thomas Jones, former running back for the National Football League team, The Kansas City Chiefs.

I am convinced that Thomas is correct.  Below the thin layer of civilization which we maintain, the animal still lives.  The horrors portrayed in the films, No Blade of Grass  (1970) and Time of the Wolf (2003), represent the truth.  Our only hope is in transformation of our selves into new creations in The Lord.

Christians

At some time during their lives, the following people have publicly identified themselves as Christian.   Inclusion in this list does not indicate approval or disapproval of the person, of their orthodoxy or lack of it, or of their actions.  Readers are encouraged to suggest persons who should be included on this list.  This is a recurring segment in this blog.

Mary of Clopas: This woman is possibly the same as Mary Salome, who was either the wife or daughter of Clopas.  She is mentioned in John 19:25.

Julia Anne Sweeney: (b. 1959, Washington, USA) Film, stage, and theater actress. She left the Catholic Church to become an atheist and is associated with the Freedom from Religion Foundation.

William Todd Aikin: (b. 1947, New York, USA) Engineer, United States Representative from Missouri, elected 2001.  He is an opponent of abortion and embryonic stem cell research.  Presbyterian.

Jeremiah Horrocks: (b. 1618, England –d. 1641) Astronomer, mathematician, mechanic. Considered to be the Father of British Astronomy.  He was the first person to demonstrate that the moon orbits the Earth in an elliptical pattern and was the only astronomer to predict the Transit of Venus which occurred in 1639.  Puritan.

Hifikepunye Lucas Pohamba: (b. 1935, South Africa) President of Namibia, elected in 2004 and 2009. Anglican. 

Watching

Yogi Berra (b. 1925, in Missouri, USA, as Lawrence Peter Berra) is considered to have been one of the greatest players ever at the Catcher position in professional baseball.  As a team manager he led teams in both the American and National Leagues to the World Series.  He deservedly became a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972 but, in the mind of the general public, he is best known as a mangler of the English language.  One of his most famous malapropisms is "You can observe a lot just by watching."


Malapropisms, on their faces, seem to be absurd, but sometimes they carry a grain of truth.  You really can observe a lot by watching.

"Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." Luke 12:27  (If God takes care of mindless plants, He surely will take care of you!)

"Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace." Psalm 37:37  (Strive to imitate the finest examples of humanity.)

Go to the ant, O sluggard, Observe her ways and be wise, Proverbs 6:6 (Use the hyper-industrious insect as an example for your own life.)

Be an example for others:

http://www.openbible.info/topics/lead_by_example

An Example for Other to Imitate

http://bible.org/seriespage/mark-1-example-others-imitate

Singing in the Light

"You can sing about the Light, or you can sing about what you see because of the Light. I prefer the latter." T-Bone Burnett  (Joseph Henry Burnett, b. 1948, Missouri)

Barlow Girl

I have to admit that I don't follow contemporary Christian music.  My tastes in music run to guitar-heavy instrumentals (Joe Satriani ), classical music (Wolfgang Mozart , Erik Satie ), and electronic music (Isao Tomita , Kraftwerk ).

I learned of the beautiful music of the three member group known as BarlowGirl  from "The Walk," the blog of Glen Cantrell , a bivocational Southern Baptist preacher in Sikeston, Missouri (USA).  Bivocational pastors work for small churches which choose not to, or are financially unable to, support a full-time pastor.  Though they work full time away from the church to support themselves, most end up working full time at the church also.  They are a special dedicated breed.

BarlowGirl  consists of three sisters (Alyssa, Rebecca, and Lauren Barlow) who produce beautiful three-part harmonies in what is defined as Christian Rock Music.  They have been nominated for ten Dove Awards.