What is the Bible All About?

Posted on by metroupe

I just came across this great book, which was previously a series of lectures by DA Carson called “The God Who is There.” I am not sure if this is a title connection between Francis Schaeffer’s famous book. Anyway, the idea is to take a jet tour of the big story of the Bible in 14 lectures. Carson is a very learned, clear, and informed communicator and these talks are good! I have been challenged and refreshed. Best of all the talks are intended to be accessible to people who do not have a lot of previous bible knowledge.

Here is the first talk:

The God Who Is There – Part 1. The God Who Made Everything from The Gospel Coalition on Vimeo.

How does divorce affect children?

Posted on by metroupe

In doing some research to preach on marriage and divorce recently I have been simply overwhelmed by the mountain of evidence that shows that divorce is one of the worst things that can happen to a child. In many ways we are destroying our own future through the selfishness of divorce.

Fresno Poverty Compared to Appalachia

Posted on by metroupe

This is an older article, but reinforces the fact that Fresno ranks high on poverty compared to other places in the US. When I read articles like this I am forced to question myself: Sometimes it doesn’t seem that bad to me, is it because I am hiding away from it? What am I doing, as a resident of one of the poorest cities in America to help the poor? What are my feelings toward the poor? Do I see myself in them, or simply look down on them as suffering for their own bad decisions?

The Financial Collapse and Porn

Posted on by metroupe

The article linked below provides a slightly different piece of the puzzle as we unravel what brought us to our current financial crisis. It seems that while crooks on Wallstreet were lying and stealing, all of the folks who were supposed to be enforcing the laws we already had were looking the other way. And they were looking the other way a whole lot….

Why we think we can’t sing

Posted on by metroupe

Here is an interesting article on singing. If our insecurities are fed by a society inundated with artificial images of “perfection,” is it possible that the average person also feels inadequate when it comes to singing for similar reasons? God wants us to sing well, but deeper than that he wants our hearts.

Freso has the worst pollution

Posted on by metroupe

Fresno has been said to the be “the first of the worst” in many things. I don’t believe all of the claims, but the bad press seems to come in droves for us. Lots of health problems, and this is probably one of the reasons why healthcare is so expensive here too.

For anyone who thinks Rape is a Crime simply of lust….

Posted on by metroupe

N.C. Man Allegedly Rapes Woman and Carves “Mine” into her Stomach

What is involved with rape? is it simply a matter of sexual lust? or is there more. This disturbing story is an example of the deep darkness of sexual sin.

Why So Tired?

Posted on by metroupe

Interesting to see how tired we are in America. We have more time saving devices and prosperity than ever, and we still can’t sleep. What is perhaps most interesting are the causes of this problem, and its effects. It is not good for your marriage either. Too tired for sex? That is really tired.

Do animals have rights or do we confer them?

Posted on by metroupe

The Swiss have decided not to give animals lawyers. This raises an interesting question. All moral questions are either raised by humans or about humans. This is profound, especially in light of the fact that the natural world is rather brutal, and that is the way of things. The weak are eaten by the strong. One organism survives at the expense of another. That is true of all organisms to some degree. Yet we all make exceptions for people. Why? I believe it is part of the inescapable reality of the image of God. The difference between people and animals is more profound that our location on the food chain. Humans have distinct value because they are like God.

Liberals, Atheists Are More Highly Evolved?

Posted on by metroupe

Liberals, Atheists Are More Highly Evolved?

Here is an interesting article from Nat Geo. It points to some research that is obviously questionable in its approach. But it builds on the idea that our behaviors are all genetically determined. Here is a thought. We have been told that gays are that way because of genetics and that they cannot therefore be wrong or changed. If we grant that line of reason, I wonder which behaviors are really genetically determined? What if being a part of the religious right is also determined. Then of course, we have to conclude that it is neither wrong, and should not be changed. The problem with concluding that behavior is chemically or genetically determined is that it falls into the “Is-Ought” fallacy. We cannot conclude that because something is a certain way (for whatever reasons) that it should be that way. The issue of “oughtness” is a question of ethics, and cannot be determined by science alone. We must bring our philosophical and religious convictions to arrive at the conclusion that anything that “is” shouldn’t be that way.