Not the Real Thing

 

Free over the air television in the United States is advertiser supported.

During the United States NCAA National Basketball Tournament (we call it “March Madness”), the television viewership numbers are enormous. As a result, companies pay large sums of money to run 30 second commercials for their products during the broadcasts. The link below is one of the commercials: for AT&T, American Telephone and Telegraph.

At every game during the tournament, vendors gather to sell memorabilia relating to the participating college teams: hats, caps, shirts, jerseys, sweatsuits, flags, banners, magazines, figurines, toys, and other doodads. Doodads, that is a good slang word meaning little ephemeral items that your children will insist that they must have but which they will discard, break, or lose as soon as they get home. In the South, we also call them doohickeys or whatchamacallits. Merriam-Webster https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/doodad defines doodad as “an often small article whose common name is unknown or forgotten: gadget.”

In the commercial in the link below, the vendor is obviously trying to avoid the cost of paying royalty licensing fees to the universities. He is selling counterfeit items. His main problem is that his counterfeits are glaringly obvious. The university names are spelled incorrectly, or the colors on the items are not the colors associated with the university. His counterfeits include: Unsee instead of UNC (The University of North Carolina), Gonzaza instead of Gonzaga University, Markett instead of Marquette University, Oregano instead of The University of Oregon, and Dook instead of Duke University.   

Not all counterfeits are as obvious as these and, sadly, they also occur in spiritual matters. There are spiritual counterfeits which have arisen from well-intentioned ignorance and stupidity, or from peculiar mis-readings of the biblical texts, or from secular concerns being forced into the scriptural interpretation (eisegesis).

            Eisegesis is reading a pre-held belief or agenda into the scriptural text rather than determining doctrine from the text outwards (exegesis). Theologically orthodox and conservative theologians reject this since it imposes ideas on the scriptures, rather than seeking to understand their original meaning. Eisegesis is usually well-intentioned.

            There are also more sinister counterfeits, sometimes resulting in enormous profits for the perpetrators. Some want to tap in to the eager Christian market without any actual personal input, no real study, no real discipline, no real cost to themselves. This is a form of the sin of simony. The results can be very doctrinally suspect and doctrine does matter.

            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usN32eMIc6k

            or, https://www.ispot.tv/ad/TGQy/at-and-t-inc-march-madness-jersey

Whatever You Do ...

Nick Saban, the coach of the University of Alabama football team insists on only the best from his players.  Those players who do not play to their best level of ability are asked to sit down and others are brought forward to replace them.  Saban’s players almost unanimously credit him with teaching them how to be men and how to approach the rest of their lives after football.

One of the things which Saban teaches the young men is to approach each event as if it is the most important event ever.  He uses the example of the professional basketball player, Michael Jordan.  Saban has said of Jordan that “It doesn’t matter how many game-winning shots he’s made in the past.  The only one that matters is the one he’s about to take.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAr6oAKieHk

I have spoken in the past that Christians should approach their lives as a quest for excellence for God. This is what the layman cook and shoe repairer, Brother Lawrence, did.  When he washed dishes, he washed the dishes for God.  When he repaired the sole of a shoe, he repaired the shoe for God.

“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31

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.

John Wooden: (b. 1910, Indiana, USA – d. 2010) John Wooden was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame as a player in 1961 and as a coach in 1973.  His University of California at Los Angeles team won 10 National Collegiate Athletic Association championships.

Jonas Michaelius:  in 1628, Michaelius organized the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church in New Amsterdam (the modern New York, New York, USA)

Beatrix of the Netherlands: (b. 1938, Netherlands, aka: Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgaard) Queen of the Netherlands.  Protestant.

Jacques Dupre (b. 1773, Louisiana –d. 1846) Louisiana State Representative and Senator, Governor of Louisiana (1830-1831).  Roman Catholic.

Julian Wellshausen: (b. 1844, Germany – d. 1918) Bible scholar, orientalist, university professor. Protestant.

Practice Your Religion

On 26 February 2010, Northwest Yeshivam, an Orthodox Jewish high school in Yakima, Washington, chose to forfeit a game in the Washington State high school basketball tournament rather than have its students violate a religious fast (the Fast of Esther) by rehydrating themselves during the game. They could have played the game without rehydrating liquids such as Gatorade but felt that that would be dangerous for their student's health. Good for them on several levels.

1. They put their student's health above winning a game.
2. They didn't ask for special treatment by insisting that the date of the game be changed to fit their agenda.
3. They showed their students, and those at the other schools, that principle overrules personal wishes.
4. They were faithful to their religious beliefs.

It is easy to compromise one's beliefs and principles "just this one time." One time can become many. People of faith should remain faithful to their beliefs. If you are a Roman Catholic, be the best Roman Catholic you can be. If you are a Baptist, be the best Baptist you can be. If you are a Jew, be the best Jew you can be. If you are a Bahai, be the best Bahai you can be. Otherwise, don't waste your time pretending.