“Intelligent design, on the other hand, is committed to the following propositions:

ID1: Specified complexity and irreducible complexity are reliable indicators or hallmarks of design.
ID2: Biological systems exhibit specified complexity and employ irreducibly complex subsystems.
ID3: Naturalistic mechanisms or undirected causes do not suffice to explain the origin of specified complexity or irreducible complexity.
ID4: Therefore, intelligent design constitutes the best explanation for the origin of specified complexity and irreducible complexity in biological systems. “

Many of my thoughts on evolution and scientific creationism align with this theory. What I learned very early in my education was that the more I learned about things, the more I realized how much I didn't know. Each question I answered triggered five more questions I could not answer. I think Albert Einstein said it best,

My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind.

Albert Einstein (1879 – 1955)

My wife, my son, and I went to the Cincinnati Museuum last night to see their newest exhibit. I learned a lot about religious symbols, the history of Catholicism, and the construction of St. Peters church. For more info click on the logo below.

I watched Judas last night with my son. I heard somewhere that it had gotten “good” reviews. I could not help but notice:

1. Much of the movie was made up. I got curious and looked up Judas in the concordance to see how often his name was mentioned. His only part in the Gospels was in the betrayal of Jesus. There are very few documents from this time other than the Bible so I assume most of the movie was made up.
2. This movie is the politically correct movie that the Passion critics wanted. Caiphas is nicer, Pilate and his wife are meaner and more conniving, and the crucifixion is the result of Pilate's fear over a Jewish uprising during Passover. Having recently read the Ad Hoc Scholars Committee Report on The Passion, I couldn't help but notice that this movie follows all of their suggestions. It is a movie that liberal Catholics and Jews might like if it wasn't so darn boring. You would think Hollywood could dream up a better script and make the characters more interesting.
3. I couldn't help but notice how “buff” Jesus was during his crucifixion. In stark contrast to the Passion, this Jesus looks like he is ready to compete on the Bachelorette show. How is this crucifixion supposed to intimidate the rebellious Jews and the budding Jesus movement?
4. I don't mind that there isn't a message but I really think the movie and characters should have been more entertaining. I mean you are in the same time slot as Everwood.

The violence of redemption and the redemption of violence. The unifying themes of The Passion of the Christ, Saving Private Ryan and Schindler’s List More people in America are talking about Jesus Christ and what he did and what he means than at any time in American history. They don’t all agree on the answer [One Hand Clapping]

I have been trying to put together an email to my parents explaining why I feel the Passion of the Christ is one of the most powerful and spiritual movies of all time. They had written me an email saying they were not going to see the movie because it was too violent, their pastor said the movie did not tell the whole story and their opinions “were in a printout at the front door”, and the movie had bad reviews. Wow! That got me to dig really deep inside of me and to scour the Internet to figure out what does this all mean? Donald Sensing’s weblog, One Hand Clapping, has been wonderful resource for links and opinions. His discussion of the violence in the Passion was really superb and particulary helpful to me.

“Why Mel owes one to the Jews Jews are upset with the utter ineptness and ridiculousness of Jewish groups claiming to represent them. And Mel Gibson is the squabble's benefactor.“

This article on Jewsweek.com helps explain the interest in anti-semitism. I got to this site from a link at http://donaldsensing.com. I found the furror over the movie and anti-semitism to border on comical. When we were discussing the movie in a small group we may have spent one second on the anti-semitism claim before moving on to more serious and interesting discussions. I guess this has always been an internal jewish problem. I am worried that if they keep on talking about anti-semitism as if it is an issue, they will get their wish.

I saw the Passion tonight with a group of twelve people on Saturday night. After the movie Cathy asked the question, “Do you think the movie is an evangelistic movie?” Another version of this question is, “Do you think this will inspire people to be Christians?” or “Would you recommend this movie as a way for a newbie to start out in Christianity?” The consensus answer was, “No”.

It was a tough movie to watch. I didn't react the way I expected. It numbed me. I think it forces all Christians to seriously evaluate their lives. Are we worth it? Through our painful re-evaluation of ourselves we might be able to help those who wandered into the movie and are now powerfully moved. If this movie is to be evangelistic to many people it is because God has humbled us and used our weakness to help others.

I just don't think McLaughlin gets it. He seemed to be the most avid supporter of gay marriages in the group. His “righteous” support was almost comical. Is this a sweeps week? From what I have read and seen it appears that all sides seem willing to allow civil union laws work there way through the legislature. Yet this is not enough! Some people want inflame the issue. Civil unions can defuse the issue if a majority can agree. Separating marriage from its religious roots will cause backlash by people who would not normally care. I am sorry but I have been married for over twenty years so I have earned the right to take this personally. As much as the media wants me to believe in Rosie or Will and Grace as role models, it does not work for me. A homosexual relationship is abnormal. It always has been abnormal and the continuation of our species depends on it being abnormal. Maybe in a hundred years when we replace sex as the primary method of creating life and schools have replaced families can we rethink the marriage question. Until then I think we should stick to the truth. I do not respect your right for a homosexual marriage anymore than I respect your right to jump off a cliff and kill yourself. Some things are wrong.

A prominent Jewish leader complains that this movie portrays the Jews as “vengeful and bloodthirsty”. Well, unless we re-write history the Jews were vengeful and bloodthirsty. So were the Romans and everybody else. I have been reading the Old Testament recently and I am reminded how brutal and cruel life was for them and their enemies. The Jews did not take any prisoners when they moved into the “promised land”. They killed them all. Things do not change when we get to the time of Jesus. John the Baptist is beheaded because he offends the king's wife. Stephen is stoned to death for blasphemy. Many years later Pliny, a Roman govenor in Turkey, asks the Emperor Trajan for guidance with dealing with Christians. He has found that the Christians have committed no crime other than their refusal to worship the government approved Gods. He obviously has misgivings about whether execution is the appropiate punishment for this crime. He is advised to continue the executions but to not accept anonymous denunciations. It would take many years before the Romans would stop executing Christians for refusing to pray to Roman gods. It took many years for society to learn to frown upon our vengeful and bloodthirsty past.  I am probably just one generation removed from the time when public hangings were considered a just punishment. Even today we are confronted with vengeful and bloodthirsty genocides. I think its great that we have changed the better but we are far from done. Trying to change history will not help the growth and healing process.

Today my son was playing on his laptop on the way to church. Maybe it was because we were late he decided to go with us rather than the Jr. High celebration. The biggest surprise was he stayed awake during the message. The Vineyard is much more entertaining than when I was going to church in the 60's. Almost equally surprising was him reaching into his wallet and putting some of his money into the offering. I am not sure where he is spiritually but it is not dull.

I  was talking with Tricia last night about a book she was carrying. It was a Christian book that had been recommended to her by friend. She remarked that she does not watch much television anymore. Both of us have found that we read are reading more and watching television less. I think we are subconciously reacting to the choices television networks are making. The Janet Jackson fiasco is just another example of a bad choice by the networks. There is some artistic freedom we don't need to have shoved in our face in primetime television. I didn't see the halftime show but I still don't have any sympathy for the networks or Janet. For better or for worse, the televisions networks are the role models for most of the world. Tricia and I have decided that television networks are not our role models and we found that life is much richer away from the television set.