tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30142449613436387402023-11-15T08:56:52.021-08:00A Marginal DudeBricolage of theology, textual studies, history, music, and personal experience. Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15876144973930832984noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014244961343638740.post-64494464863602006352022-08-10T21:10:00.004-07:002022-08-10T21:10:50.456-07:00TMNT S04E33 rips its plot from Nightmares (1983): The Bishop of Battle.<p> Leonardo gets addicted to an arcade game called "Tempestra," and breaks into the arcade at night, just as Emilio Estevez does in "The Bishop of Battle" in 1983's anthology Nightmares. Both game's antagonists, Tempestra and the Bishop, share visual and vocal similarities. In both shows, the protagonist reaches the final level, and the game character comes to life, chasing him around the arcade, and chaos ensues. </p><p>It's a bit surprising that no one has noticed this before. Writers for the Ninja Turtles must have been fans of cheesy 80's horror anthologies. </p>Martin Arnohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13221075813295371181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014244961343638740.post-91119457801380680612021-05-02T11:02:00.000-07:002021-05-02T11:02:01.512-07:00Parallelomania and Schizophrenic thinking<p>Does our academic discipline drive us to see patterns that aren't really there?</p>Martin Arnohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13221075813295371181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014244961343638740.post-72716033112354069622021-04-18T18:24:00.001-07:002021-04-18T18:25:34.090-07:00Does anybody really believe any of this?<p> We're just making stuff up as we go along, right, just to keep the sluggish academy to pretend to get fit for the cameras like Bill Clinton jogging into McDonald's for a BigMac. </p><p>Isn't this "institutional wink" stuff really petty?<br />Maybe we are trying to make ourselves feel better about ourselves because we know that we don't have anything important to offer to society that the most insurmountable obstacles we face are in in fact in our heads. </p><p><br /></p>Martin Arnohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13221075813295371181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014244961343638740.post-713738073762476872020-07-04T20:19:00.001-07:002020-07-04T20:19:49.933-07:00Booger, Booger, and FartybuttInsurance!Martin Arnohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13221075813295371181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014244961343638740.post-45623013767194420962019-09-04T18:33:00.003-07:002021-08-11T16:48:35.402-07:00El means Power. In the apocryphal Gospel of Peter, Jesus's words from the cross are strangely, "my power, my power, why have you abandoned me?" This phrasing, instead of "my God, my God," has puzzled commentators and lead some to speculate on the mystic or Gnostic nature of the exclamation.<br />
Justin Martyr refers to El meaning Power.<br />
Epiphanius accepts that El means "power" in discussing a heretical Judaic sect called the Ossaeans (Panarion 2.19.2.1)<br />
The Ossaeans also had a doctrine of Christ as a giant (Panarion 2.19.4.1).<br />
<br />
Also the Gospel of Peter presents the crucified Jesus as feeling no pain, which led it to be condemned. The Odes of Solomon also attest to a tradition that Jesus felt no pain on the cross. They also attest to the tradition that Mary felt no pain in labor. Epiphanius also agrees with this in responding to the Ebionite sect that considered Jesus a mere man (Panarion 2.30.19.4).<div><br /></div><div>August 11 2021: Note in Acts, Simon Magus is hailed as "the great power of God," or perhaps, "the Great Power, being God." Possibly "the Great Power" here was the word El--perhaps reflecting colloquial usage? I really don't know. Justin Martyr came from Samaria. Maybe that connection means something; maybe it means nothing. </div>Martin Arnohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13221075813295371181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014244961343638740.post-59326127997158266662019-09-04T18:33:00.002-07:002021-08-11T16:44:18.012-07:00Early Influence of Acts on Heretical Baptism Narrative?<div class="p1">
But the beginning of their Gospel is, “It came to pass in the days</div>
<div class="p1">
of Herod, king of Judaea, < in the high-priesthood of Caiaphas >, that</div>
<div class="p1">
< a certain > man, John < by name >, came baptizing with the baptism</div>
<div class="p1">
of repentance in the river Jordan, and he was said to be of the lineage of</div>
<div class="p1">
Aaron the priest, the son of Zacharias and Elizabeth, and all went out unto</div>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Times}
span.s1 {font: 6.5px Times}
</style>
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Times}
span.s1 {font: 6.5px Times}
</style>
<br />
<div class="p1">
him.”<span class="s1">26</span>And after saying a good deal it adds, “When the people had</div>
<div class="p1">
been baptized Jesus came also and was baptized of John. And as he came</div>
<div class="p1">
up out of the water the heavens were opened, and he saw the Holy Spirit</div>
<div class="p1">
in the form of a dove which descended and entered into him. And (there</div>
<div class="p1">
came) a voice from heaven saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am</div>
<div class="p1">
well pleased,<span class="s1">27 </span>and again, This day have I begotten thee.<span class="s1">28 </span>And straightway</div>
<div class="p1">
a great light shone round about the place.<span class="s1">29 </span>Seeing this,” it says, “John said</div>
<div class="p1">
unto him, Who art thou, Lord?<span class="s1">30 </span>And again (there came) a voice to him</div>
<div class="p1">
from heaven, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.<span class="s1">31 </span>(8)</div>
<div class="p1">
And then,” it says, “John fell down before him and said, I pray thee, Lord,</div>
<div class="p1">
do thou baptize me. But he forbade him saying, Let it alone, for thus it is</div>
<div class="p1">
meet that all be fulfi lled.”<span class="s1">32</span></div>
<br />
<br />
Epiphanius, Panarion 19.13.6-7, Frank Williams 142.<br />
<br />
<style type="text/css">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Helvetica; color: #000000}
</style>
<br />
<div class="p1">
depending on when this was written, it could be early attestation for Acts!</div>
<div class="p1">
Also, why is John experiencing what Paul does in Acts? Is John a good guy or a bad guy?<br /><br />New thought, Aug. 11th 2021: The Clementine Homilies, in a few sections, portray Paul negatively through the guise of Simon Magus. The Homilies also claims that Simon was originally a student of John the Baptist, albeit a hubristic student. If both this heterodox gospel and these sections of the Clementine Homilies originally came from an Ebionite source, then it could help explain this strange insertion of words from Acts 9 into Christ's baptism narrative. Perhaps John the Baptist is also a negative cipher for Paul? Or perhaps this source wants to connect John, Paul, and Simon as anti-Christ figures? </div><div class="p1"><br /></div><div class="p1">Perhaps this baptism narrative is a "put-down" of John? Perhaps it reflects the Homilies' syzygus theory where error precedes truth--here John would represent error and Christ truth, of course. </div><div class="p1">If there is a connection between the Gospel of the Hebrews and the Clementine Homilies, then we have here a bit of reconstruction of the historical thinking of a particular lost Christian community.</div>
<br />Martin Arnohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13221075813295371181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014244961343638740.post-22237248048231478802018-06-06T16:52:00.000-07:002018-06-06T16:52:13.958-07:00Goodbye to Booze.Goodbye booze!<br />
You ruined my life by making me fat, slow, and stupid.<br />
Except you're not you; you're me. You're the shadow on the wall when the moon shines through the window in the witching hour saying I'm not allowed to dream without you. You took two years from me and destroyed relationships and hopes. Then you had me all alone. Well today I worked and saw new friends and now I have band practice. You might be fate, but I don't believe in fate. Chocolate milk is better.Martin Arnohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13221075813295371181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014244961343638740.post-35265763253324094202017-08-03T22:30:00.000-07:002017-08-03T22:50:29.124-07:00Well, Protestant Apologists can't take outside criticism; they immediately use cheesy latin-sounding attacks. <div class="gE iv gt" style="cursor: pointer; font-size: 12.8px; padding: 12px 0px 3px;">
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />
<table cellpadding="0" class="cf gJ" style="border-collapse: collapse; margin-top: 0px; width: auto;"><tbody>
<tr class="acZ" style="height: 16px;"><td class="gF gK" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap; width: 667px;"><table cellpadding="0" class="cf ix" style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; width: 667px;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="margin: 0px;"><h3 class="iw" style="display: inline-block; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: inherit; max-width: 92%; overflow: hidden; white-space: nowrap;">
<span class="gD" email="peoples.glenn@gmail.com" name="Glenn" style="color: #222222; display: inline; font-size: 12.8px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">Glenn</span> <span class="go" style="color: #555555; vertical-align: top;"><span aria-hidden="true"><</span>peoples.glenn@gmail.com<span aria-hidden="true">></span></span></h3>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td><td class="gH" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap;"><div class="gK" style="padding-right: 2px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span alt="Fri, Aug 4, 2017 at 12:19 AM" class="g3" id=":q7" style="margin-right: 3px; vertical-align: top;" title="Fri, Aug 4, 2017 at 12:19 AM">12:19 AM (1 hour ago)</span><br />
<div aria-checked="false" aria-label="Starred" class="zd bi4" role="checkbox" style="cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; height: 20px; outline: 0px; user-select: none;" tabindex="0">
<span class="T-KT" style="display: inline-block; height: 19px; margin: -4px 0px; padding: 2px; text-align: center; width: 19px;"><img alt="" class="f T-KT-JX" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" style="margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" /></span></div>
</div>
</td><td class="gH" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap;"></td><td class="gH acX" rowspan="2" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap;"><div aria-label="Reply" class="T-I J-J5-Ji T-I-Js-IF aaq T-I-ax7 L3" data-tooltip="Reply" role="button" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, rgb(245, 245, 245), rgb(241, 241, 241)); border-radius: 2px 0px 0px 2px; border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); box-shadow: none; color: #444444; cursor: default; display: inline-block; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; height: 27px; line-height: 27px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -8px; min-width: 32px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 8px; position: relative; text-align: center; user-select: none; z-index: 1;" tabindex="0">
<img alt="" class="hB T-I-J3" role="button" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" style="background: url("https://ssl.gstatic.com/mail/sprites/general-76906fbc82f79822625038e272fa3893.png") 0px -438px no-repeat; height: 21px; margin-top: -3px; opacity: 0.55; vertical-align: middle; width: 21px;" /></div>
<div aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true" aria-label="More" class="T-I J-J5-Ji T-I-Js-Gs aap T-I-awG T-I-ax7 L3" data-tooltip="More" id=":pz" role="button" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, rgb(245, 245, 245), rgb(241, 241, 241)); border-radius: 0px 2px 2px 0px; border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); box-shadow: none; color: #444444; cursor: default; display: inline-block; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; height: 27px; line-height: 27px; margin-left: -1px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -8px; min-width: 21px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; user-select: none; z-index: 1;" tabindex="0">
<img alt="" class="hA T-I-J3" role="menu" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" style="background: url("https://ssl.gstatic.com/mail/sprites/general-76906fbc82f79822625038e272fa3893.png") 0px -564px no-repeat; height: 21px; margin-top: -3px; opacity: 0.55; vertical-align: middle; width: 21px;" /></div>
</td></tr>
<tr class="acZ xD" style="height: 16px;"><td colspan="3" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin: 0px;"><table cellpadding="0" class="cf adz" style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; white-space: nowrap; width: 832px;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="ady" style="margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;"><div class="iw ajw" style="display: inline-block; max-width: 92%; overflow: hidden;">
<span class="hb" style="color: #777777; vertical-align: top;">to <span class="g2" dir="ltr" email="m.arno@mail.utoronto.ca" name="martin">martin</span></span></div>
<div aria-haspopup="true" class="ajy" role="menuitem" style="display: inline-block; margin-left: 5px; vertical-align: top;" tabindex="0">
<img alt="" aria-label="Show details" class="ajz" data-tooltip="Show details" id=":mz" role="button" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: url("//ssl.gstatic.com/ui/v1/icons/mail/skinnable/skinnable_ltr_light_1x.png"); background-origin: initial; background-position: -60px -100px; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: initial; cursor: pointer; height: 12px !important; padding: 0px 0px 1px; vertical-align: bottom; width: 12px !important;" /></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="qQVYZb">
</div>
<div class="utdU2e">
</div>
<div class="tx78Ic">
</div>
<div class="aHl" style="margin-left: -38px;">
</div>
<div id=":ne" tabindex="-1">
</div>
<div class="ii gt adP adO" id=":q9" style="direction: ltr; margin: 5px 15px 0px 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; position: relative;">
<div class="a3s aXjCH m15dab77f9f4295c8" id=":qa" style="overflow: hidden;">
<div dir="ltr" style="font-size: 12.8px;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">It's pretentious to make this anything about Gospel bridge building. What made you think your vague, unhelpful, basically content-free and completely public scolding would be well-received or that you and I have a relationship where it was appropriate? Don't imagine that you have any sort of high ground.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">
<div class="h7 " role="listitem" style="clear: both; color: #222222; font-size: medium; max-width: 100000px; outline: none; padding-bottom: 0px;" tabindex="-1">
<div class="Bk" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-radius: 0px; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(239, 239, 239); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 0px; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; position: relative; width: 957px;">
<div class="G3 G2 afm" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(216, 216, 216); border-bottom-style: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-radius: 0px; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(216, 216, 216); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div id=":mb">
<div class="adn ads" style="border-left: 1px solid transparent; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 8px;">
<div class="aju" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; padding: 12px 12px 0px 0px;">
<div class="aCi" style="position: relative;">
<img aria-hidden="true" class="ajn" data-name="martin arno" id=":0_25-e" jid="mchrisarno@gmail.com" name=":0" src="https://plus.google.com/u/0/_/focus/photos/public/AIbEiAIAAABECIiSyve0gLeQyAEiC3ZjYXJkX3Bob3RvKig4MWMyMzRmYWRhMjM1MjZjNDMxM2M4MmZhN2ZmNGQ0MjNkYzQxNDk5MAFMO8myscK47wYVTQn8f2bBOhQaww?sz=32" style="display: block; height: 32px; width: 32px;" /></div>
</div>
<div class="gs" style="margin-left: 44px;">
<div class="gE iv gt" style="cursor: pointer; font-size: 12.8px; padding: 12px 0px 3px;">
<table cellpadding="0" class="cf gJ" style="border-collapse: collapse; margin-top: 0px; width: auto;"><tbody>
<tr class="acZ" style="height: 16px;"><td class="gF gK" style="margin: 0px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap; width: 641px;"><table cellpadding="0" class="cf ix" style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; width: 641px;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="margin: 0px;"><h3 class="iw" style="display: inline-block; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: inherit; max-width: 92%; overflow: hidden; white-space: nowrap;">
<span class="gD" email="mchrisarno@gmail.com" name="martin arno" style="color: #222222; display: inline; font-size: 12.8px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">martin arno</span> <span class="go" style="color: #555555; vertical-align: top;"><span aria-hidden="true"><</span>mchrisarno@gmail.com<span aria-hidden="true">></span></span></h3>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td><td class="gH" style="color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap;"><div class="gK" style="padding-right: 2px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span alt="Fri, Aug 4, 2017 at 12:53 AM" class="g3" id=":p6" style="margin-right: 3px; vertical-align: top;" title="Fri, Aug 4, 2017 at 12:53 AM">12:53 AM (25 minutes ago)</span><br />
<div aria-checked="false" aria-label="Starred" class="zd bi4" role="checkbox" style="cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; height: 20px; outline: 0px; user-select: none;" tabindex="0">
<span class="T-KT" style="display: inline-block; height: 19px; margin: -4px 0px; padding: 2px; text-align: center; width: 19px;"><img alt="" class="f T-KT-JX" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" style="margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" /></span></div>
</div>
</td><td class="gH" style="color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap;"></td><td class="gH acX" rowspan="2" style="color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap;"><div aria-label="Reply" class="T-I J-J5-Ji T-I-Js-IF aaq T-I-ax7 L3" data-tooltip="Reply" role="button" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, rgb(245, 245, 245), rgb(241, 241, 241)); border-radius: 2px 0px 0px 2px; border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); box-shadow: none; color: #444444; cursor: default; display: inline-block; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; height: 27px; line-height: 27px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -8px; min-width: 32px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 8px; position: relative; text-align: center; user-select: none; z-index: 1;" tabindex="0">
<img alt="" class="hB T-I-J3" role="button" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" style="background: url("https://ssl.gstatic.com/mail/sprites/general-76906fbc82f79822625038e272fa3893.png") 0px -438px no-repeat; height: 21px; margin-top: -3px; opacity: 0.55; vertical-align: middle; width: 21px;" /></div>
<div aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true" aria-label="More" class="T-I J-J5-Ji T-I-Js-Gs aap T-I-awG T-I-ax7 L3" data-tooltip="More" id=":oy" role="button" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, rgb(245, 245, 245), rgb(241, 241, 241)); border-radius: 0px 2px 2px 0px; border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); box-shadow: none; color: #444444; cursor: default; display: inline-block; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; height: 27px; line-height: 27px; margin-left: -1px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -8px; min-width: 21px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; user-select: none; z-index: 1;" tabindex="0">
<img alt="" class="hA T-I-J3" role="menu" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" style="background: url("https://ssl.gstatic.com/mail/sprites/general-76906fbc82f79822625038e272fa3893.png") 0px -564px no-repeat; height: 21px; margin-top: -3px; opacity: 0.55; vertical-align: middle; width: 21px;" /></div>
</td></tr>
<tr class="acZ xD" style="height: 16px;"><td colspan="3" style="margin: 0px;"><table cellpadding="0" class="cf adz" style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; white-space: nowrap; width: 832px;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="ady" style="margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;"><div class="iw ajw" style="display: inline-block; max-width: 92%; overflow: hidden;">
<span class="hb" style="color: #777777; vertical-align: top;">to <span class="g2" dir="ltr" email="peoples.glenn@gmail.com" name="Glenn">Glenn</span></span></div>
<div aria-haspopup="true" class="ajy" role="menuitem" style="display: inline-block; margin-left: 5px; vertical-align: top;" tabindex="0">
<img alt="" aria-label="Show details" class="ajz" data-tooltip="Show details" id=":pd" role="button" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" style="background: url("//ssl.gstatic.com/ui/v1/icons/mail/skinnable/skinnable_ltr_light_1x.png") -60px -100px no-repeat; cursor: pointer; height: 12px !important; padding: 0px 0px 1px; vertical-align: bottom; width: 12px !important;" /></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="qQVYZb">
</div>
<div class="utdU2e">
</div>
<div class="tx78Ic">
</div>
<div class="aHl" style="margin-left: -38px;">
</div>
<div id=":pe" tabindex="-1">
</div>
<div class="ii gt adP adO" id=":p8" style="direction: ltr; font-size: 12.8px; margin: 5px 15px 0px 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; position: relative;">
<div class="a3s aXjCH m15dab97cf494fb0b" id=":p9" style="overflow: hidden;">
<div dir="ltr">
Dear Glenn,<br />
<div>
<br />
<div>
As we say in California: you need to take a chill-pill. </div>
<div>
You post great stuff, and then sometimes you post corny stuff, which deserves to be criticized. There's no need for you to go on the attack; I understand how rhetoric works so don't bother accusing me of trying to take the high-ground. This isn't about either of us; this isn't personal at all; it's (at least meant to be) constructive.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The criticism was public because you're a public figure and should expect public criticism. But your response was overly hostile, lacking in a genuine attempt to understand why someone might find some of your posts questionable.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
As to your question about our personal relationship: you and I don't have a personal relationship (why should we?), save when you asked for facebook friends a number of years ago. I followed you because I thought you were smart; but now your persona gives off the impression that you're not intellectually prepared to deal with followers who have any criticisms of the way you've phrased certain internet-comments. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In terms of your fun question on why Martin has the right to question Glenn's intellect: your attack on my motives conflates persons and ideas. You know better than that. Furthermore, why are you so concerned with your relationship with me? You know that both of us nothing and the Gospel is everything. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
As to your ultimate question about my motives: neither of us has a "high-ground." (I'm not even looking for a high-ground; I don't care. The point was to return your confusing statement with an equally confusing reply.) There's no high-ground. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In sum: I like what most of what you have to say and I don't like it when you post pointless non-Christian posts. So cut it out. You're better than that. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Love, </div>
<div class="yj6qo ajU" style="cursor: pointer; margin: 2px 0px 0px; outline: none; padding: 10px 0px; width: 22px;">
<div aria-label="Show trimmed content" class="ajR" data-tooltip="Show trimmed content" id=":ow" role="button" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); clear: both; line-height: 6px; outline: none; position: relative; width: 20px;" tabindex="0">
<img class="ajT" src="https://ssl.gstatic.com/ui/v1/icons/mail/images/cleardot.gif" style="background: url("//ssl.gstatic.com/ui/v1/icons/mail/ellipsis.png") no-repeat; height: 8px; opacity: 0.3; width: 20px;" /></div>
<div class="gE iv gt" style="cursor: pointer; font-size: 12.8px; padding: 12px 0px 3px;">
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />
<table cellpadding="0" class="cf gJ" style="border-collapse: collapse; margin-top: 0px; width: auto;"><tbody>
<tr class="acZ" style="height: 16px;"><td class="gF gK" style="margin: 0px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap; width: 648px;"><table cellpadding="0" class="cf ix" style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; width: 648px;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="margin: 0px;"><h3 class="iw" style="display: inline-block; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: inherit; max-width: 92%; overflow: hidden; white-space: nowrap;">
<span class="gD" email="peoples.glenn@gmail.com" name="Glenn" style="color: #222222; display: inline; font-size: 12.8px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">Glenn</span></h3>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td><td class="gH" style="color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap;"><div class="gK" style="padding-right: 2px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span alt="Fri, Aug 4, 2017 at 1:00 AM" class="g3" id=":oq" style="margin-right: 3px; vertical-align: top;" title="Fri, Aug 4, 2017 at 1:00 AM">1:00 AM (23 minutes ago)</span><br />
<div aria-checked="false" aria-label="Starred" class="zd bi4" role="checkbox" style="cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; height: 20px; outline: 0px; user-select: none;" tabindex="0">
<span class="T-KT" style="display: inline-block; height: 19px; margin: -4px 0px; padding: 2px; text-align: center; width: 19px;"><img alt="" class="f T-KT-JX" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" style="margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" /></span></div>
</div>
</td><td class="gH" style="color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap;"></td><td class="gH acX" rowspan="2" style="color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap;"><div aria-label="Reply" class="T-I J-J5-Ji T-I-Js-IF aaq T-I-ax7 L3" data-tooltip="Reply" role="button" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, rgb(245, 245, 245), rgb(241, 241, 241)); border-radius: 2px 0px 0px 2px; border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); box-shadow: none; color: #444444; cursor: default; display: inline-block; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; height: 27px; line-height: 27px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -8px; min-width: 32px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 8px; position: relative; text-align: center; user-select: none; z-index: 1;" tabindex="0">
<img alt="" class="hB T-I-J3" role="button" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" style="background: url("https://ssl.gstatic.com/mail/sprites/general-76906fbc82f79822625038e272fa3893.png") 0px -438px no-repeat; height: 21px; margin-top: -3px; opacity: 0.55; vertical-align: middle; width: 21px;" /></div>
<div aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true" aria-label="More" class="T-I J-J5-Ji T-I-Js-Gs aap T-I-awG T-I-ax7 L3" data-tooltip="More" id=":oi" role="button" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, rgb(245, 245, 245), rgb(241, 241, 241)); border-radius: 0px 2px 2px 0px; border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); box-shadow: none; color: #444444; cursor: default; display: inline-block; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; height: 27px; line-height: 27px; margin-left: -1px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -8px; min-width: 21px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; user-select: none; z-index: 1;" tabindex="0">
<img alt="" class="hA T-I-J3" role="menu" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" style="background: url("https://ssl.gstatic.com/mail/sprites/general-76906fbc82f79822625038e272fa3893.png") 0px -564px no-repeat; height: 21px; margin-top: -3px; opacity: 0.55; vertical-align: middle; width: 21px;" /></div>
</td></tr>
<tr class="acZ xD" style="height: 16px;"><td colspan="3" style="margin: 0px;"><table cellpadding="0" class="cf adz" style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; white-space: nowrap; width: 832px;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="ady" style="margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;"><div class="iw ajw" style="display: inline-block; max-width: 92%; overflow: hidden;">
<span class="hb" style="color: #777777; vertical-align: top;">to <span class="g2" dir="ltr" email="mchrisarno@gmail.com" name="me">me</span></span></div>
<div aria-haspopup="true" class="ajy" role="menuitem" style="display: inline-block; margin-left: 5px; vertical-align: top;" tabindex="0">
<img alt="" aria-label="Show details" class="ajz" data-tooltip="Show details" id=":pa" role="button" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" style="background: url("//ssl.gstatic.com/ui/v1/icons/mail/skinnable/skinnable_ltr_light_1x.png") -60px -100px no-repeat; cursor: pointer; height: 12px !important; padding: 0px 0px 1px; vertical-align: bottom; width: 12px !important;" /><br />
<div class="gE iv gt" style="color: #222222; cursor: pointer; font-size: 12.8px; padding: 12px 0px 3px; white-space: normal;">
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />
<table cellpadding="0" class="cf gJ" style="border-collapse: collapse; margin-top: 0px; width: auto;"><tbody>
<tr class="acZ" style="height: 16px;"><td class="gF gK" style="margin: 0px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap; width: 648px;"><table cellpadding="0" class="cf ix" style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; width: 648px;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="margin: 0px;"><h3 class="iw" style="display: inline-block; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: inherit; max-width: 92%; overflow: hidden; white-space: nowrap;">
<span class="gD" email="peoples.glenn@gmail.com" name="Glenn" style="color: #222222; display: inline; font-size: 12.8px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">Glenn</span></h3>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td><td class="gH" style="color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap;"><div class="gK" style="padding-right: 2px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span alt="Fri, Aug 4, 2017 at 1:00 AM" class="g3" id=":oq" style="margin-right: 3px; vertical-align: top;" title="Fri, Aug 4, 2017 at 1:00 AM">1:00 AM (23 minutes ago)</span><br />
<div aria-checked="false" aria-label="Starred" class="zd bi4" role="checkbox" style="cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; height: 20px; outline: 0px; user-select: none;" tabindex="0">
<span class="T-KT" style="display: inline-block; height: 19px; margin: -4px 0px; padding: 2px; text-align: center; width: 19px;"><img alt="" class="f T-KT-JX" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" style="margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" /></span></div>
</div>
</td><td class="gH" style="color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap;"></td><td class="gH acX" rowspan="2" style="color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap;"><div aria-label="Reply" class="T-I J-J5-Ji T-I-Js-IF aaq T-I-ax7 L3" data-tooltip="Reply" role="button" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, rgb(245, 245, 245), rgb(241, 241, 241)); border-radius: 2px 0px 0px 2px; border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); box-shadow: none; color: #444444; cursor: default; display: inline-block; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; height: 27px; line-height: 27px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -8px; min-width: 32px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 8px; position: relative; text-align: center; user-select: none; z-index: 1;" tabindex="0">
<img alt="" class="hB T-I-J3" role="button" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" style="background: url("https://ssl.gstatic.com/mail/sprites/general-76906fbc82f79822625038e272fa3893.png") 0px -438px no-repeat; height: 21px; margin-top: -3px; opacity: 0.55; vertical-align: middle; width: 21px;" /></div>
<div aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true" aria-label="More" class="T-I J-J5-Ji T-I-Js-Gs aap T-I-awG T-I-ax7 L3" data-tooltip="More" id=":oi" role="button" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, rgb(245, 245, 245), rgb(241, 241, 241)); border-radius: 0px 2px 2px 0px; border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); box-shadow: none; color: #444444; cursor: default; display: inline-block; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; height: 27px; line-height: 27px; margin-left: -1px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -8px; min-width: 21px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; user-select: none; z-index: 1;" tabindex="0">
<img alt="" class="hA T-I-J3" role="menu" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" style="background: url("https://ssl.gstatic.com/mail/sprites/general-76906fbc82f79822625038e272fa3893.png") 0px -564px no-repeat; height: 21px; margin-top: -3px; opacity: 0.55; vertical-align: middle; width: 21px;" /></div>
</td></tr>
<tr class="acZ xD" style="height: 16px;"><td colspan="3" style="margin: 0px;"><table cellpadding="0" class="cf adz" style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; white-space: nowrap; width: 832px;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="ady" style="margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;"><div class="iw ajw" style="display: inline-block; max-width: 92%; overflow: hidden;">
<span class="hb" style="color: #777777; vertical-align: top;">to <span class="g2" dir="ltr" email="mchrisarno@gmail.com" name="me">me</span></span></div>
<div aria-haspopup="true" class="ajy" role="menuitem" style="display: inline-block; margin-left: 5px; vertical-align: top;" tabindex="0">
<img alt="" aria-label="Show details" class="ajz" data-tooltip="Show details" id=":pa" role="button" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" style="background: url("//ssl.gstatic.com/ui/v1/icons/mail/skinnable/skinnable_ltr_light_1x.png") -60px -100px no-repeat; cursor: pointer; height: 12px !important; padding: 0px 0px 1px; vertical-align: bottom; width: 12px !important;" /></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="qQVYZb" style="color: #222222; white-space: normal;">
</div>
<div class="utdU2e" style="color: #222222; white-space: normal;">
</div>
<div class="tx78Ic" style="color: #222222; white-space: normal;">
</div>
<div class="aHl" style="color: #222222; margin-left: -38px; white-space: normal;">
</div>
<div id=":pb" style="color: #222222; white-space: normal;" tabindex="-1">
</div>
<div class="ii gt adP adO" id=":os" style="color: #222222; direction: ltr; font-size: 12.8px; margin: 5px 15px 0px 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; position: relative; white-space: normal;">
<div class="a3s aXjCH m15dab9e1a4dce155" id=":ot" style="overflow: hidden;">
<div dir="ltr">
None of this seems to apply. I never said I never accept criticism. I think your comment (it really wasn't any kind of sensible criticism, but I didn't even see the need to delve into it because of your terseness and rudeness, I think) was arrogant and pretty vacuous. I also didn't say anything about you questioning my intellect. Is that what you were doing? I said nothing about your motives, and your continued condescension with "you know better than that" for something I didn't do typifies the spirit to which I responded at Facebook. Making that kind of remark while saying that you don't think you have a high ground must surely grate, even as you type the words.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We do not know each other. Hear this: You seriously lack social skills if you thought your comment at FB or your attempts to privately advise me are a good idea. I don't think you have an appropriate perspective on what you did. I don't really wish to have a protracted conversation about this, Martin.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
All the best.</div>
</div>
<div class="yj6qo ajU" style="cursor: pointer; margin: 2px 0px 0px; outline: none; padding: 10px 0px; width: 22px;">
<div aria-label="Show trimmed content" class="ajR" data-tooltip="Show trimmed content" id=":og" role="button" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); clear: both; line-height: 6px; outline: none; position: relative; width: 20px;" tabindex="0">
<img class="ajT" src="https://ssl.gstatic.com/ui/v1/icons/mail/images/cleardot.gif" style="background: url("//ssl.gstatic.com/ui/v1/icons/mail/ellipsis.png") no-repeat; height: 8px; opacity: 0.3; width: 20px;" /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;">l</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="h7 hn " role="listitem" style="clear: both; max-width: 100000px; outline: none; padding-bottom: 0px;" tabindex="-1">
<div class="Bk" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-radius: 0px; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(239, 239, 239); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 0px; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; position: relative; width: 957px;">
<div class="G3 G2 afm" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(216, 216, 216); border-bottom-style: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-radius: 0px; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(216, 216, 216); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div id=":rc">
<div class="adn ads" style="border-left: 1px solid transparent; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 8px;">
<div class="gs" style="margin-left: 44px;">
<div class="ii gt adP adO" id=":pu" style="direction: ltr; margin: 5px 15px 0px 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; position: relative;">
<div class="a3s aXjCH m15dabab47172c462" id=":pv" style="overflow: hidden;">
<div dir="ltr">
<div style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;">
There's no need to invoke non-sequiturs. I'm not trying to argue with you. The original post was about the way you present your ideas to non-Christians.</div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;">
Again, this isn't about us. God doesn't care about us; there's a million of us. You know this isn't about us, so there's no need to get personal. </div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;">
If you want me to attack your criticism of my criticism of you: you're using a obfuscation-technique to dismiss my criticism by calling it unintelligible so that You don't need to get so nasty against me. I'm not an enemy, and I genuinely care about the way you present your ideas.</div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;">
Your criticism against my criticism missed the point of my criticism. My criticism's point what that your post was totally unrelated to Christian evangelism and swayed into Trumpogetics. It's politically polarizing. So stick to what you do best.</div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;">
Glenn Posts "DIdn't read; will delete."<br />
<br />
<br />
Ok so the copy and paste thing is messed up.<br />
<br />
My point is that i've dealt with folks before who claimed to speak for God and then couldn't. Here's another Protestant example. When faced with criticism, he goes balistic and says you're incoherent and violent.<br />
There is is everybody.<br />
<br />
<br />
There's an issue with the formatting here. Basic point: Protestant can't stand up to most mild criticms; Protestant accuses you of being evil; Protestant bans you from protestant land; protestants burn in hell.</div>
<div class="yj6qo ajU" style="cursor: pointer; margin: 2px 0px 0px; outline: none; padding: 10px 0px; width: 22px;">
<div class="gs" style="margin-left: 44px;">
<div class="ii gt adP adO" id=":m1" style="color: #222222; direction: ltr; font-size: 12.8px; margin: 5px 15px 0px 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; position: relative;">
<div class="a3s aXjCH m15dababdcd8270f7" id=":m0" style="overflow: hidden;">
<div class="gE iv gt" style="cursor: auto; font-size: 12.8px; padding: 12px 0px 3px;">
<br />
<br />
Ther<br />
<table cellpadding="0" class="cf gJ" style="border-collapse: collapse; margin-top: 0px; width: auto;"><tbody>
<tr class="acZ" style="height: 16px;"><td class="gF gK" style="margin: 0px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap; width: 655px;"><br />
<br />
<br /></td><td class="gH" style="color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap;"><div class="gK" style="padding-right: 2px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span alt="Fri, Aug 4, 2017 at 1:15 AM" class="g3" id=":m3" style="margin-right: 3px; vertical-align: top;" title="Fri, Aug 4, 2017 at 1:15 AM">1:15 AM (3 minutes ago)</span><br />
<div aria-checked="false" aria-label="Starred" class="zd bi4" role="checkbox" style="cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; height: 20px; outline: 0px; user-select: none;" tabindex="0">
<span class="T-KT" style="display: inline-block; height: 19px; margin: -4px 0px; padding: 2px; text-align: center; width: 19px;"><img alt="" class="f T-KT-JX" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" style="margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" /></span></div>
</div>
</td><td class="gH" style="color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap;"></td><td class="gH acX" rowspan="2" style="color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap;"><div aria-label="Reply" class="T-I J-J5-Ji T-I-Js-IF aaq T-I-ax7 L3" data-tooltip="Reply" role="button" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, rgb(245, 245, 245), rgb(241, 241, 241)); border-radius: 2px 0px 0px 2px; border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); box-shadow: none; color: #444444; cursor: default; display: inline-block; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; height: 27px; line-height: 27px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -8px; min-width: 32px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 8px; position: relative; text-align: center; user-select: none; z-index: 1;" tabindex="0">
<img alt="" class="hB T-I-J3" role="button" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" style="background: url("https://ssl.gstatic.com/mail/sprites/general-76906fbc82f79822625038e272fa3893.png") 0px -438px no-repeat; height: 21px; margin-top: -3px; opacity: 0.55; vertical-align: middle; width: 21px;" /></div>
<div aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true" aria-label="More" class="T-I J-J5-Ji T-I-Js-Gs aap T-I-awG T-I-ax7 L3" data-tooltip="More" id=":r1" role="button" style="background-color: whitesmoke; background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, rgb(245, 245, 245), rgb(241, 241, 241)); border-radius: 0px 2px 2px 0px; border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); box-shadow: none; color: #444444; cursor: default; display: inline-block; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; height: 27px; line-height: 27px; margin-left: -1px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -8px; min-width: 21px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; user-select: none; z-index: 1;" tabindex="0">
<img alt="" class="hA T-I-J3" role="menu" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" style="background: url("https://ssl.gstatic.com/mail/sprites/general-76906fbc82f79822625038e272fa3893.png") 0px -564px no-repeat; height: 21px; margin-top: -3px; opacity: 0.55; vertical-align: middle; width: 21px;" /></div>
</td></tr>
<tr class="acZ xD" style="height: 16px;"><td colspan="3" style="margin: 0px;"><table cellpadding="0" class="cf adz" style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; white-space: nowrap; width: 832px;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="ady" style="margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis;"><div class="iw ajw" style="display: inline-block; max-width: 92%; overflow: hidden;">
<span class="hb" style="color: #777777; vertical-align: top;">to <span class="g2" dir="ltr" email="mchrisarno@gmail.com" name="me">me</span></span></div>
<div aria-haspopup="true" class="ajy" role="menuitem" style="display: inline-block; margin-left: 5px; vertical-align: top;" tabindex="0">
<img alt="" aria-label="Show details" class="ajz" data-tooltip="Show details" id=":r2" role="button" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" style="background: url("//ssl.gstatic.com/ui/v1/icons/mail/skinnable/skinnable_ltr_light_1x.png") -60px -100px no-repeat; cursor: pointer; height: 12px !important; padding: 0px 0px 1px; vertical-align: bottom; width: 12px !important;" /></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="qQVYZb" style="font-size: medium;">
</div>
<div class="utdU2e" style="font-size: medium;">
</div>
<div class="tx78Ic" style="font-size: medium;">
</div>
<div class="aHl" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: -38px;">
</div>
<div id=":r3" style="font-size: medium;" tabindex="-1">
</div>
<div dir="auto">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12.8px;">Didn't read, will delete. </span><img class="ajT" src="https://ssl.gstatic.com/ui/v1/icons/mail/images/cleardot.gif" style="background: url("//ssl.gstatic.com/ui/v1/icons/mail/ellipsis.png") no-repeat; font-size: 12.8px; height: 8px; opacity: 0.3; width: 20px;" /><img class="ajT" src="https://ssl.gstatic.com/ui/v1/icons/mail/images/cleardot.gif" style="background: url("//ssl.gstatic.com/ui/v1/icons/mail/ellipsis.png") no-repeat; font-size: 12.8px; height: 8px; opacity: 0.3; width: 20px;" /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Martin Arnohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13221075813295371181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014244961343638740.post-67765846751948988842015-02-11T15:23:00.006-08:002015-02-11T15:23:59.573-08:00Some Kind of Blood: Gladiators and Martyrs in Popular Christian Imagination<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Edward Gibbon had depicted the early Christians as zealous anti-intellectuals, draining the</div>
<div class="p1">
empire of all its science and art in favor of simple reliance on faith (15.187). In “The Anti-Christ,”</div>
<div class="p1">
Nietzsche portrayed Christianity as a vampire sucking the blood from the Roman Empire (168).</div>
<div class="p1">
Though this portrayal is meant to denigrate the Jesus movement, in a certain light it has its truth, since Christians were obligated not to participate in the imperial sacrifices or the gladiatorial games.</div>
<div class="p1">
Earlier, Gibbon had characterized the Christians in this pacifistic fashion: “nor could their humane ignorance be convinced that it was lawful on any occasion to shed the blood of our fellow creatures,</div>
<div class="p1">
either by the sword of justice or by that of war” (Decline 15.99). Nevertheless, Christians invested in a different sort of blood: the blood of the martyrs. But where this blood-love lies on the</div>
<div class="p1">
social-psychological level was and is a matter of debate. Most recently Rodney Stark has sought to</div>
<div class="p1">
understand Christian martyrdom in congruence with rational-choice theory. With the former authors</div>
<div class="p1">
and the latter one lies a battle between two narratives: one of the decay of Hellenism, and one of the</div>
<div class="p1">
triumph of Christianity.</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Stark derides previous psychoanalysts who believed early Christians to be irrational, though he</div>
<div class="p1">
does not provide many sources (Rise 166). He also complains that social scientists have an anti-religious agenda (167). In some ways this is true, since many social scientists look for socio-economic conditions underlying religious movements, without regard for the power (primacy?) of belief in motivating such movements.</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Yet Stark does seek an economic model to understand martyrdom: that of cost-benefit analyses.</div>
<div class="p1">
Though Stark admits that private faith cannot be quantified (172), he still places benefits like 'rewards</div>
<div class="p1">
in the afterlife' as prime motivators for martyrdom (168), as well as benefits like honor and fame on</div>
<div class="p1">
earth (181). For lack of a better model, it seems like for a select group of people, Stark's assertion is</div>
<div class="p1">
probably right: zeal for death can be seen in modern cult movements; yet Christianity provided space</div>
<div class="p1">
for fanatics and low-investment believers. One obvious objection to Stark's theory is that the vast</div>
<div class="p1">
majority of Christians facing martyrdom wussed-out rather than faced death with a smile, indicating</div>
<div class="p1">
both that many Christians preferred a normal Roman life rather than a glorious death, and that Stark's</div>
<div class="p1">
model of cost-benefit analysis is so individuated that it is almost unfalsifiable, since the model can</div>
<div class="p1">
always be supported by ad hoc rationalizations.</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Stark next depicts the rising Christian movement as a simplified response to the flooded</div>
<div class="p1">
religious market of late antiquity. There were simply too many gods (197), which was somehow related to human depravity (200). He even suggests that Paganism needed the imperial government to function, which is blatantly incorrect, since many traditional Hellenists continued to practice their ancestral religions far into the 8<span class="s1">th </span>century. His argument that a state religion needs state support has some merit, but it goes against the plain fact of religious pluralism in Roman society (194).</div>
<div class="p1">
Ultimately, Stark contends that doctrine has the central victorious element in Christianity's</div>
<div class="p1">
arsenal (211). While it is true that Hellenism did not have doctrine per se, or even a consistent approach to ethics, neither did most Christians put doctrine or ethics first. Certainly social-acceptability led to more and more people joining the Christian movement, since many people who were baptized continued to live out their traditional lifestyles.</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Certainly doctrines like mercy and universal humanity mattered to high-level theologians and</div>
<div class="p1">
Bishops—indeed the Emperor Julian called for greater humanism in reviving Hellenism—it probably</div>
<div class="p1">
did not concern most average Christians (212). Whereas Stark depicts traditional Romans as sadistic,</div>
<div class="p1">
delighting in seeing people torn to shreds (214), he writes that Christianity succeed because “what [it]</div>
<div class="p1">
gave to its converts was nothing less than humanity” (215). When juxtaposing Gibbon and Nietzsche</div>
<div class="p1">
with Stark, it begs the question: who is the real vampire?</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
The answer to such a loaded question is complicated. Suffice it to say that by Stark's final</div>
<div class="p1">
chapter, he abandons any devotion to social science and delves naively into secular theology. On his</div>
<div class="p1">
final page, Stark draws from Tertullian's De Spectaculis, arguing that “Christians condemned both the</div>
<div class="p1">
cruelties and the spectators” of the gladiatorial games (215). While this statement certainly holds true</div>
<div class="p1">
for Tertullian and his fellow Church authorities, it misses the fact that Tertullian is writing to other</div>
<div class="p1">
Christians who in fact are attending the games! The work is meant to persuade these Christians not to</div>
<div class="p1">
live in the same manner as the pagans, indicating that a sizable chunk of the Christian population</div>
<div class="p1">
behaved in the same manner as anyone else in the empire. Perhaps then, under the leadership of</div>
<div class="p1">
Bishops, the grandeur of Rome gradually faded, but for the majority of everyday Christians, they were still as pagan as could be.</div>
<br />
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
Martin Arnohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13221075813295371181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014244961343638740.post-84330882729793181342014-11-30T12:37:00.002-08:002014-11-30T12:37:40.606-08:00Opting out of the Roman Ritual Economy<div align="RIGHT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="RIGHT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: GentiumAlt;"><span style="font-size: medium;">OPTING
OUT OF THE ROMAN RITUAL ECONOMY</span></span><span style="font-family: GentiumAlt;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: GentiumAlt;"><span style="font-size: small;"> The
famous Pliny/Trajan correspondence from c. 111 CE serves an important
historical role as a source on early Christianity. Less studied is
the economic stratum that runs beneath the correspondence. Writing
about civil unrest he mediated in Bithynia-Pontus, Pliny details how
local townspeople had composed a anonymous blacklist of suspected
Christians. While Pliny does not approve of such mob action, he takes
the complaints of the locals seriously, and interrogates suspected
Christians, eventually leading some off to execution or further
trials in Rome. The problem for Pliny was not Christianity </span></span><span style="font-family: GentiumAlt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>per
se</i></span></span><span style="font-family: GentiumAlt;"><span style="font-size: small;"> (he
considered it a 'degenerate sort of superstition'), but loyalty to
the empire and the gods; so his method of interrogation involved
compelling the suspects to sacrifice and venerate images of Trajan
and the gods, and to curse Christ. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: GentiumAlt;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Noting
that members of every class and social group belongs to this new
superstition, Pliny assures Trajan that he is actively fixing the
problem by pointing to the rebound of the local economy: “certainly
enough, it happens that the temples, which are now nearly empty, have
begun to be frequented; and the sacred rites, which have not been
performed for a long time, are again being undertaken; and the
sacrificial meat is on sale, a buyer of which until this point was
most hard to find.” Pliny likely received this positive news from
the local magnates and meat mongers. Huge amounts of money went to
the temples from local people: paganism was not just a top-down
apparatus as Stark suggests (Rise 208). It appears that the major
concern of the townspeople was that the Christians had opted out of
the local ritual economy, encouraging people not to visit or donate
to the temples, nor to buy goods for ritual purposes. This refusal to
participate in the ritual economy presented an immediate danger to
the well-being of the town. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: GentiumAlt;"><span style="font-size: small;"> A
similar situation is dramatized in the Acts of the Apostles 19:23-41,
where a silversmith, who produces “shrines of Artemis” persuades
his fellow craftsmen to stir up a mob against Paul and company:
“...this Paul has persuaded and won over a sizable crowd, saying
that there are no gods which are made by hands. And not only is there
there danger that this business of ours may come be to exposed, but
also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be reckoned for
nothing, and she may be destined to be deposed from her majesty”
(19:26b-27b). Luke depicts the ritual business in Ephesus to as a
profitable industry (9:24), which has fallen under threat from the
Christian movement that (at this time) has no religious buildings or
salable ritual goods, save perhaps loaves of bread and wine. The
situation Luke constructs is unlikely to have occurred during Paul's
own lifetime, but probably reflects a later period like that found in
the Pliny/Trajan correspondence, where Christian presence in towns
was large enough to undermine the market economy. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: GentiumAlt;"><span style="font-size: medium;">ANALYSIS</span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: GentiumAlt;"><span style="font-size: small;"> These
writings represent Christianity as a threat to industry, and
ultimately to the livelihood of the workers and the welfare of the
city. The Roman Empire was a collectivist society of limited goods
where production and sale of goods was vital for most people to live
above subsistence level. In this case, the craftsmen keep producing,
but their products become obsolete, or at least no longer in demand.
We lack archaeological evidence before the year 180, since Christians
lacked distinct art and buildings (Stark 8). Instead, Christians
simply opted out of traditional ritual practices and sought cheaper
ways of worship, I.E. in houses with bread and wine. The Christian
movement </span></span><span style="font-family: GentiumAlt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>interiorized</i></span></span><span style="font-family: GentiumAlt;"><span style="font-size: small;">
material ritual activity, thereby threatening the wealth of
industrial workers, and in turn threatening a large sector of the
local economy. Here, as in the Pliny/Trajan correspondence, the
production of goods is inextricably bound up placation of the gods.
The ritual economy was one essential factor of the overall economy of
the empire. In a theological system of reciprocal circulation,
transactions with the gods mattered. So there was a religious element
to it; not just money, but the two were tied together. Roman religion
was based on a reciprocal relationship between the gods and the
citizens. Yet in order to maintain that relationship, a great deal of
human production was needed; then the gods would ensure the health of
the empire. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: GentiumAlt;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: GentiumAlt;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
time frame in the Pliny/Trajan correspondence fits neatly with
Friesen's suggestion that the Roman economy peaked in the mid second
century (Economy 62). </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: GentiumAlt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">There
was a middle-class, but the greater majority was close to subsistence
level (Economy 63). Friesen states that “</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: GentiumAlt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">actual
mean non-élite income was between one-fifth and one-half higher than
basic subsistence” (Economy 82). This cuts against Kautsky's
blanket statement that </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: GentiumAlt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">“The
craftsmen in the ancient world, and particularly so in the Roman
world, remained poor devils” (Book II. 10).</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: GentiumAlt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
By contrast, </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: GentiumAlt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Stark
depicts many early Christians as coming from privileged groups who
were open to joining novel cults (Rise 39). This image runs counter
to Pliny's description of Christians coming from </span></span><span style="font-family: GentiumAlt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>all</i></span></span><span style="font-family: GentiumAlt;"><span style="font-size: small;">
classes, which seems of special interest to him. People did not have
comparable levels of education to the modern west, and the middle
class was small, so there are really only a few similarities that
Stark can draw upon. Stark puts people into distinct groups because
he needs to for his demographics. Stark's theory of history is that
it is repeatable and predictable, and that religion spreads through
social networks. These principles are good for asking questions, but
they amount to bad historiography, leaving his analyses more
explanatory than predictive. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: GentiumAlt;"><span style="font-size: medium;">QUESTIONS
FOR REFLECTION</span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: GentiumAlt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Why
does Pliny initially frame the issue from a religio-political rather
than monetary angle when traditionally, the Roman government had an
interventionist approach to economics? </span></span>
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: GentiumAlt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Stark
suggests that converts do not respond as quickly to doctrine as they
do to praxis (Rise 15), making a further link between class and
praxis, but not belief (Rise 35). Since abstention from “idol meat”
is actually an absence of praxis, does that complicate Stark's
theory?</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black;"> </span>
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: GentiumAlt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Historical
precedence for the situation in Bithynia is found in both 1 Cor.
8:1-13 and Rev. 2:18-29, which proffer opposing views on eating “idol
meat.” Though it is difficult to ascertain how these texts guided
the Christians of Bithynia, if at all, it seems that the Johannine
hardline view won out over the Pauline compromise view. Why might the
extreme impetus succeed in this case?</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: GentiumAlt;"><span style="font-size: small;">In
light of Stark's analysis of the role of social networks in the rise
of religious movements, to what degree can we say religion is
voluntary? </span></span>
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
Martin Arnohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13221075813295371181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014244961343638740.post-22924681535799535732014-03-28T07:36:00.000-07:002014-03-28T07:36:51.060-07:00Comparing the farewell addresses in Acts and the Clementine Homilies<div class="p1">
I wrote this a long time ago. It's a section on an article about the reception of the canonical Acts of the Apostles within the Pseudo-Clementine Homilies. This section focuses on a comparison in the Farewell Address narratives. </div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Though it has long been suggested that the Homilies’ vision of the Gospel is essentially anti-Pauline, what invites commentary is the strong anti-Paulinism in Peter’s farewell speech to the church in Tripolis in Hom.11, which consequently contains several allusions and challenges to Paul’s farewell address to Ephesian presbyters in Acts 20. Let us now brusquely summarize the narrative in Acts 20. Paul extols the Ephesian presbyters to walk by the Gospel he has proclaimed. He recounts his own experience with the church as proof of his divine mission (20:18-27). In Acts 20:29, Paul warns his disciples to be on guard for false apostles: ἐγὼ οἶδα ὅτι εἰσελεύσονται μετὰ τὴν ἄφιξίν μου λύκοι βαρεῖς εἰς ὑμᾶς μὴ φειδόμενοι τοῦ ποιμνίου. “I myself know that after my departure, savage wolves will enter among you, not sparing the flock.” Finally, after Paul exhorts the presbyters to follow his example of self-denying toil, he recalls a saying of Jesus: Μακάριόν ἐστιν μᾶλλον διδόναι ἢ λαμβάνειν. “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (20:35). Luke uses this narrative to explain the apostolic origin and situation of the Ephesian church in his own day, as well as to magnify Paul’s character. </div>
<br />
<div class="p1">
In the Homilies, Peter gives his own farewell address, albeit much briefer than Paul’s in Acts. The first parallel with Acts is obvious: a farewell address by an apostle to the church. Admittedly farewell addresses are not uncommon in ancient narratives, so the Homilies’ address in itself would not suggest a literary dependence on Acts. However, the specific contents of Peter’s farewell address show unmistakable allusions to the Acts account. </div>
<div class="p1">
Peter turns to the presbyters of his own church and reminds them of the tenets of keeping the true Gospel. Peter makes explicit reference to the deceptive work of Simon, who arguably represents Paul in this speech, who pretends to work in Jesus’ name, but who truly works in the service of Satan: “…νῦν ἡμῖν τὸν Σίμωνα ὑπέβαλεν προφάσει ἀληθείας ἐπ’ ὀνόματι τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν κηρύσσοντα, πλάνην δὲ ἐνσπείροντα. “…now he (Satan) has thrust Simon upon us, by a façade of truth preaching by the name of our Lord, sowing deceit” (Hom.11.35).<span class="s1">22 </span>This warning alludes to Paul’s own address to the presbyters in Acts, as well as to a doctrinal struggle of the apostolic church; for Peter next details to the presbyters how to distinguish a true apostle from a false one. He explains that one must judge self-proclaimed teachers by how closely their teaching coheres with the teaching of James the Brother of Jesus, who holds preeminence in the universal Church because of his fraternity with Jesus, his role as Bishop of Jerusalem, and of course, the truth of his doctrines: </div>
<div class="p2">
διὸ πρὸ πάντων μέμνησθε μηδένα δέχεσθαι ἀπόστολον ἢ διδάσκαλον ἢ προφήτην μὴ πρότερον ἀντιβαλόντα αὐτοῦ τὸ κήρυγμα Ἰακώβῳ τῷ λεχθέντι ἀδελφῷ τοῦ κυρίου μου καὶ πεπιστευμένῳ ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ τὴν Ἑβραίων διέπειν ἐκκλησίαν. </div>
<div class="p1">
</div>
<div class="p2">
(“On this account, above all remember to accept no apostle or teacher or prophet who has not beforehand exchanged his kerygma with James, the one called the brother of my Lord, and who has been entrusted to manage the church of the Hebrews in Jerusalem” (Hom.11.35).<span class="s1">23 </span></div>
<div class="p1">
This saying essentially draws upon Paul’s self-promotion to the Ephesian Church based on his righteous conduct, but it says that works can be decieving; what matters is apostolic approval, which the Homilist denies Paul possesses. Instead of Paul, the Homilist contends that he has received the more orthodox teaching through Peter, James, and ultimately, Jesus himself. However historical this contention may be is a matter for separate discussion. </div>
<div class="p1">
Next follows the clearest allusion to Paul’s address to the Ephesian presbyters. In addition to the apostolic criterion of discernment, Peter reminds his presbyters of Jesus’ own prophetic words concerning false teachers: </div>
<div class="p1">
οὗ χάριν ὁ ἀποστείλας ἡμᾶς ἔφη· «Πολλοὶ ἐλεύσονται πρός με ἐν ἐνδύματι προβάτων, ἔσωθεν δέ εἰσι λύκοι ἅρπαγες· ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν αὐτῶν ἐπιγνώσεσθε αὐτούς.» </div>
<div class="p1">
(“For the sake of which, he who has sent us (Jesus) said: ‘Many will come to me in sheeps clothing, but inside are ravenous wolves. From their fruits you will know them’” (Hom.11.35).<span class="s1">24 </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">
</span></div>
<div class="p1">
The prophecy of the “wolves” is found in both apostles’ farewell addresses. The Petrine address in the Homilies seems directly opposed to its Pauline predecessor in Acts, which it in effect turns upside down. It is now Paul, along with the story and theological message of Acts, who typifies the wolf. It is a bold expression of superiority by a competing orthodoxy in the early Christian world. After this warning, Peter departs to Syrian Antioch. The Homilist sums up Peter’s activities: he cured diseases, exorcised demons, preached the Gospel, appointed a bishop and twelve presbyters, and bid he adieu (Hom.11.36). To sum up the case for the Homilies’ use of Acts in this section, we have parallels of a farewell address, injunctions to the presbyters, warnings about wolves coming in among the congregation, coupled with a saying of Jesus. In essence, these clear allusions to Acts represent the Homilies’ rejection of the popular narrative of Christian origins in favor of what the Homilist argues is more apostolic and genuine. </div>
Martin Arnohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13221075813295371181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014244961343638740.post-10943314198528113352014-03-25T18:13:00.002-07:002014-03-25T18:13:27.291-07:00Weirdsdom of the ages..."All good men are gods."--Apollonius of TyanaMartin Arnohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13221075813295371181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014244961343638740.post-78304914021862182192012-04-12T08:56:00.003-07:002012-04-12T09:13:37.497-07:00On Academic FailureAcademia is a cut-throat world. It demands the academic not only to dream up new insights in fields picked over by scholars much more intelligent and experienced, but also to keep on top of the insights of others on a daily basis. It demands that the academic practice foreign and ancient languages, not as part of course work, but simply as preparation for coursework. And it demands that the academic had already prepared his/her language and critical thinking skills from very early on in his/her academic endeavor. It's a life-long process best begun in youth. Not everyone has ample time, privilege, or energy to develop these skills, and that fact can ultimately lead to academic failure, even and especially after a long road of academic success. Some academics succeed through college and MA programs, only to hit a brick wall with PhD applications. I had hoped and prayed that I would not fall into that category, but I did, two years in a row. It hurts to devote one's life to an academic subject only to be rejected by that subject. And now, it appears as if I must 'reevaluate my life goals,' a consequence much more frightening than the rejection itself. I don't know what to do, and I don't want to do anything else. I love the academic world, even though it's stressful, even though it's uncertain, even though it doesn't yield much financial prospect. It's a world of constant learning, of the exchange of grand ideas both ancient and new, a guild of experts who live off education. I want desperately to be part of that world. I once was, and I miss it.<br />Since June 2011, I've been out of school. I've stayed close to the University of Chicago, residing in Hyde Park, participating in classes, that is, until recently. I've finally landed a day job after half a year of unemployment. I pour coffee. I never thought that I'd be working in service again. It's ok. I've met great friends at work, the coffee is top-notch, and I now have a steady paycheck, but I miss academia so much. I'm still reading when I can, both for leisure and to keep up on Greek and German. But at this point, I'm worried that I'll never get back into the field. It's very disheartening. There's no advice that anyone can give that isn't hard to accept. What do I do? I'll try again next year perhaps. Until then, there's job prospects. I'm done talking.Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15876144973930832984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014244961343638740.post-8675204324628907942012-02-24T17:09:00.002-08:002012-02-24T17:35:26.071-08:00Dostoevsky's words to live by..."And with love one live even without happiness. Life is good even in sorrow, it's good to live in the world, no matter how." As a jaded son of a bitch, these words speak even to me. I want to believe them, and I think I do, especially the next part: "And what is there here except...stench. Phew!" So many times, everyday when I'm not so busied, do I ask myself if it's all worth it, and what does it mean for it to be worth it, or not worth it. Would it have been better for me to never be at all? I don't know. Magic 8-ball says signs point to yes. But inside me there's always been .099th% of doubt--doubt about everything, about my existence, about God, about everything--this time a healthy, life-saving doubt, the doubt that keeps one going, the doubt that says "you're wrong in the most wonderful way. You're wrong about the stench. You're wrong about it all being shit." Well, it is shit, but there's a gem of joy underneath all the shit. I don't know where it is. I don't know for sure that it's there. That's another doubt. But I can't be sure that it's all for nothing and that the nothing is not worth fighting for. Maybe, somehow, it really is better to live in the world. I don't know how. I don't know it's not. Maybe the not knowing is the is.Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15876144973930832984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014244961343638740.post-24560419731166956372011-11-24T10:13:00.000-08:002011-11-24T11:00:24.286-08:00This is an exercise in writing and social analysis. It's not good.<br />So I walked into the living room and on was an episode of 'the big bang theory.' The show depicted four mid-twenties male buddies in an apartment playing video games, and very much into it. In the midst of their adrenal euphoria, the front door opens to introduce a gaggle of four conventionally hot bombshells. The boys, concentrating solely on the galactic struggle at hand, fail to even notice the sudden change of scenery. A fifth woman, clearly a friend of the buds, exclaims that she's brought these women for the sexual delight of the buds. But the boys remain utterly oblivious to the beautiful women. So the beautiful women give each other a shrug of "iiuuoo", and turn away, shutting the door behind them, thus shutting close the boys' chance at some serious sex. Hearing the door close, one boy stops the game and says "I thought I heard something," but then figures it must have been nothing, and they continue on their merry gaming. The laugh track plays, and the credits roll. What a hilarious closing. These socially awkward boys were so caught up in their childish game that they missed their opportunity to have sex with beautiful women. They should have dropped their little game, high five each other, and promptly gone for the sex. This scene sends the message that the highest achievement a dude can make, or at least the highest level of pleasure that also awards serious social brownie points, is sex with a beautiful woman, often a stranger. So not only were boys behaving in a childish way, they were in effect stupid, missing the obviously most important thing they could do with themselves. The pursuit of sex is somehow now an intellectual pursuit: why wouldn't you want the highest good--sex--over anything else? While I think video games stifle creativity and talent, what these friends were doing was not simply playing videos games: they were being friends, working together as a team to achieve a goal, albeit a cheap and trivial goal. But the message was clear: men want/need sex, women have sex; if you pass up sex, there's something hilariously stupidly risible about you. In spit of this, there could be a positive message if viewed from an angle that the producers did not intend, that is, that people should not yield to societal expectations about what they should want and how they should act in the world, but should focus on the things that they connect with and develop themselves as persons.<br />Ok, this has been a very disorganized post, and I'm not sure I even agree with myself or know what I'm talking about. But I'm trying to work on my organization and writing skills, which somehow never improve. Critical thinking and writing are arts that should go together. Sometimes a person has one without the other, some people have neither.Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15876144973930832984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014244961343638740.post-33872143843617185592010-10-22T18:24:00.000-07:002010-10-22T18:36:02.791-07:00Gospel of Thomas knows St.PaulI think that the Gospel of Thomas shows awareness of Pauline themes, and perhaps even Paul's letters.<br />
Let's begin with Logion<br />
Now some may sneer, saying that this quotation is simply the same quote from Isiaha, which Paul utilizes. Some may also say that it reflects a common tradition between Thomas and Paul, while others may suggest that it is a genuine quote from Jesus which Paul reminds his audience of, and Thomas retains. Two the latter suggestions, I need only reply that an extant written source is generally preferred to a hypothetical written/oral source, so it is the safest to say that it is directly Pauline.<br />
Now to the former objection, it is unlikely that Thomas would quote from the Scriptures, because he holds some distate for Judaism and LXX Christians. Let us look at Logion 52:<br />
His disciples said to him, "Twenty-four prophets have spoken in Israel, and they all spoke of you." He said to them, "You have disregarded the living one who is in your presence, and have spoken of the dead."<br />
In keeping with the grouping of sayings in Thomas, this Logion is followed by another anti-Judaic saying:<br />
53. His disciples said to him, "Is circumcision useful or not?" He said to them, "If it were useful, their father would produce children already circumcised from their mother. Rather, the true circumcision in spirit has become profitable in every respect."<br />
Now here Jesus seems to reflect a paulinist tradition about the 'true circumcision of the heart.' Although this Logion exchanges spirit for heart, the pauline tradition is apparent. <br />
Back to Logion 52--the dead--we can postulate that other references to 'the dead' may have the Old Testament in mind. Earlier on in Logion 11 then: Jesus said, "This heaven will pass away, and the one above it will pass away. The dead are not alive, and the living will not die. During the days when you ate what is dead, you made it come alive. When you are in the light, what will you do? On the day when you were one, you became two. But when you become two, what will you do?" <br />
As a final note, in no other case does Thomas quote from the LXX.<br />
Another possible allusion to Paul would be Thomas' use of Adam as a prototypical character. Adam is central in Paul's explanation of his soteriology in Romans. For instances, in Logion 85, Jesus states:<br />
"Adam came from great power and great wealth, but he was not worthy of you. For had he been worthy, he would not have died." We certainly have the idea that Adam was a failure before God. <br />
Perhaps we have some recourse to Adam in the Book of Jubilees, but it is difficult to tell how popular this book actually was. In any case, I need to develop this better. These are just some ideas.<br />
But it seems here that Thomas knows at least 1st Corinthians and possibly Romans, or even Galatians. Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15876144973930832984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014244961343638740.post-91877016210702955682010-03-09T14:58:00.000-08:002010-03-09T15:01:09.979-08:00Our Lady of perpetual hemorrhoidsArgh,<br /><br />Why is it than whenever I want to study I get too hungry and need to eat food. I've spend too much money. I'm not going to buy anything. I'm going home and making something delightful, then I'm coming back to the library.<br />Also, why is it that I want to stay up and read and think and study, but then I gotta go to bed? And then I sleep like feces cuz I gotta get up early! They should have class at 11 at night.<br />Man.........funk dat!Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15876144973930832984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014244961343638740.post-71303120055287235692010-03-03T20:54:00.000-08:002010-03-03T21:12:44.464-08:00the tale of the night mongerI couldn't remember the last time I stayed up so late. When I was younger I lived by night. What now is just an hour stretching farther and farther til dawn, greeted only with a groan--morning has come and you gotta get up, no matter how you slept, no matter if you slept, you gotta get up--was the hour that shot by like some twinkle in the sky, like a dream. I could sleep during the morning; what was there to do in the morning anyway? I lived on a different plane while the rest of the world slept.<br />What's what I wanted to believe anyway. But it's true, now my night is just something to get through peacefully, something to preserve because it's the time set aside to recuperate for the next day. I always liked the morning, but I was never a morning person. I liked the bright golden morning and I liked the cool breezey mid-day and I liked the warm afternoon and I liked the sun setting in the evening and I liked late night, but I loved the dead night hours. There was no life then, but I was active. I've spent so long waiting for life to happen til I realized that life is happening but I'm not happening with it. Where have I been? I'm under there somewhere. Now that life is happening how do I happen with it?Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15876144973930832984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014244961343638740.post-22466931100859672772009-12-23T15:58:00.000-08:002009-12-23T16:17:58.989-08:00breaktimeWell my first quarter at grad school has been the most stressful and depressing time of my life; way worse than highschool. But I'm trekking forth, because I'd rather fail than give up.<br />For my break I'm back home at my folks' in the great city of Modesto, CA. All I do is sit around, tryin to organize myself.<br />I've been writing this paper for the last month and a half, had to take an extension, and I just can't get it organized or concise, which is my general problem. It's actual the fatal problem, if you want to write, or do anything successfully, which I do. That and I need to think of 'big questions.' In graduate school, the main thing you do is 'come up with questions.' "What is the big question you are trying to ask?" is a common phrase I hear a great deal of here. Maybe if I were brighter I could think of something.<br />I never considered myself particularly intelligent or good at anything; just a dumb kid from a shithole who tried with all his might to get where he is in life, which is not anywhere particularly great, but he's still trying. He doesn't know how much harder he can try, but he'll try to try harder. Try to try.<br />I understand the fear of failure, though: it hurts a million times worse knowing that your best isn't good enough than it does cop-out and never face the cold reality. And it really is cold. You feel a cold shiver up and down your back, up your neck like a mullet, and around your head like a crown of shame.<br />I know that the typical psychiatric response is to say something like "you should love yourself anyway," or "your success in life doesn't reflect your worth as a human being," or even "you just haven't found out what you're good at." Well, I'm not particularly good at anything (plenty of career tests have told me that), I don't know if anything reflects a person's value, and I guess I'll try to love myself, but I don't really see why, especially if I'm a complete ass-hat.<br />Nevertheless, there's something to be said. Just because you don't feel valuable does not mean that you aren't. Your very existence has some immeasurable value to it. This is the religious response to the sorts of personal distress noted above. I simply haven't found a secular response that isn't utilitarian or mechanical in some way. There may be. My philosophy, anthropology, and theology have always been quite negative; I think the key is to accept the limitations of your own mind and abilities and let them be. I may not be good at doing the things I enjoy, like painting, cooking, math, philsophy, basketball, writing scholarly articles, or thinking deeply, but we're all just going to die anyways. Whatever important thing you do in life doesn't really matter. God be praised.Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15876144973930832984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014244961343638740.post-59784969609992448502009-11-26T08:32:00.000-08:002009-11-26T08:36:27.107-08:00SBL N'worlinsWell it's Thursday, thanksgivin'. I am thankful for the many friends that I've made here at Chicago.<br />Over the weekend I had traveled to New Orleans to attend the annual Society of Biblical Literature meeting. I recall that last year I had attended many meetings, but this time I only went to about four because I wanted to see the city.<br />Mr. Howell and I ate gator, we went to a couple jazz and ragtyme shows, I went to cemetaries, voodoo places, and katrina towns. It was moving.<br />So I got back on tuesday and have been hanging out by my lonesome, except Irene finally showed up last night.<br />Not a very exciting blog, eh?Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15876144973930832984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014244961343638740.post-45490320578763042402009-11-09T16:27:00.000-08:002009-11-09T16:28:43.048-08:00forgeting oneselfIt's sad when one must log on to his facebook profile to remember what his interests are. I haven't updated that thing in years.Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15876144973930832984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3014244961343638740.post-91233828346022770802009-11-09T07:57:00.000-08:002009-11-09T08:06:48.010-08:00Nobody loves you.So welcome to the most badical blog in the world.<br />We live in a universe of information in which no one with computer access has any excuse to be bored. In fact, my 7th grade science teacher once said that "boredom is borne out of ignorance," and that more than my protestant upbringing reinforced my hatred of boredom: because while boredom is suffering, it's also your own fault, unless someone kidnaps you and drops you off in the desert.<br />So I'm too busy for boredom, for you see, I am enjoying my first quarter as a graduate student at the University of Chicago. The university is a loving mother who provides her children with an immeasurable wealth of knowledge; actually she's an evil step mother who slaps you until you cry, then slaps you and slaps you until you stop crying.<br />Anyways, blogs are for one's own enjoyment, unless there are strange folks out there who actually care what I have to say, which is not a hill of beans.<br />So I must venture to my greek class. It is delightful to have you as my guest.Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15876144973930832984noreply@blogger.com2