Miscellanies # 3

My friend gave me this shirt a couple weeks ago. Is this not the greatest ever?

With all this drama in Libya, I'm seeing some posts on Facebook by people who are adamantly against America's getting involved, mentioning Bush's invasion of Iraq. It has me thinking. I'm not for our getting ourselves in the middle of every little skirmish that occurs around the world, but I definitely do not support Isolationism. I can't help but wonder whether WW2 would have ended differently - and many lives have been saved - if FDR hadn't waited so long to get involved.  Yeah, I'm not a fan of America meddling in everybody's business, but if we could prevent another Hitler or Stalin, might it worth it to get involved SOMETIMES?

It seems like all the Christian Blogosphere has been talking about in the past few weeks is Rob Bell's new book. I'm surprised that everybody's surprised. I mean, wouldn't you EXPECT a leader of the Emergent group to be a universalist? I'm just finding it to be incredibly underwhelming.

As Sense and Sensibility is my favorite book, I am so doing this.

I love this first question/answer of the Heidelberg Catechism:

Q. What is your only comfort in life and death?
A. That I am not my own,
but belong-
body and soul,
in life and in death,
to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ.

Odyssey - books 1 & 2

As I was about to open my edition and start reading Book 1, I wondered to myself whether it was because of a nerdy 7th grade whim that the Odyssey was on my list of favorite books. But as soon as I read the first line, AH, everything that I love about this book came back to me. How could I have been so faithless? ;-)

Not cool with idolatry, but I understand why people paint pictures like this. Homer, you are so brilliant.

So we all know the story. The Trojan War has ended, and all the surviving Greek warriors have made their way home, except one. Enter hero Odysseus. The Odyssey opens 9 years after the end of the war, with the king of Ithaca nowhere in sight. Instead, his palace is overrun with cocky suitors vying for his wife, Penelope. His son, Telemachus, has arrived at adulthood and is thoroughly fed up with the aforesaid leeches. Apparently it's taken 9 years to get the oh-so-dynamic set of Olympian gods to notice all that trouble going on in Odysseus's family. So Athena steps in and takes charge of the situation, appearing to Telemachus and persuading him to sail to a neighboring city to search for any news of his father.

One of the things I love about Homer's poetry is how each character is named. Probably for the sake of meter, Homer always attaches an adjective to the person he's writing about. So, for instance, instead of boring old prosaic "Odysseus," we have "resourceful Odysseus." Get what I mean?  It sort of gives the narrative parts a little pizazz. My personal favorite is "rosy-fingered Dawn." I don't know why I get so much of a kick out of this.

This time around, I've already found two "themes" in the Odyssey to think about.

1. Greek mythology v. the True God. Reading the first two books today, I was struck with just how futile the members of the former are. They're pretty much just immortal humans with superpowers. They spend their days doing nothing really productive, unless you call carousing or messing up mortals' lives for entertainment a good use of time. It makes me think of Elijah's taunt to the Baal worshipers in 1 Kings 18:

   "It came about at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, "Call out with a loud voice, for he is a god; either he is occupied or gone aside, or is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and needs to be awakened." So they cried with a loud voice and cut themselves according to their custom with swords and lances until the blood gushed out on them. When midday was past, they raved until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice; but there was no voice, no one answered, and no one paid attention."

   I am so glad our God is one who cares about his people.
   
2. The family of Agamemnon. Don't let that weird looking name scare you. He's Helen of Troy's brother-in-law. This was quite the dysfunctional family. While he was gone fighting at Troy, his wife, Clytemnestra took a lover and the illicit pair decided to kill Agamemnon upon his arrival home. It all ended with their son killing Clytemnestra to avenge his father's death.
   
   I believe Homer mentions this family so much in the Odyssey to provide a parallel to that of Odysseus. Both families have a father returning home after a long war; both have a wife tempted to commit adultery; both have a son loyal to his father. Perhaps Homer is trying to set up some tension in the story - we, the readers, will be wondering the whole time whether Odysseus's family will end up in the same boat as that of Agamemnon's.

So, can you tell that I love this story yet? Until next week....

Traveling

Tomorrow, my sister and I are flying down to Florida to visit my aunt for a week. Not quite sure about everything the itinerary holds in store, but I do know that keywords such as "beach," "pool," and "Disney World" are involved. 

Excepting the unease I'm choosing to ignore which goes along with the idea of sitting in a chair 6 miles up in the sky for 2.5 hours, I'm looking forward to the trip. It's going to be really weird to go from 30 degrees in the morning to 75 in the evening. Oh the wonders of modern transportation.

I really like this picture...not sure why.
And it in no way relates to this post.

So anyways, no posts till the 8th. But I've had some ideas of things to write about, so maybe they'll turn up here when I get back. You were warned.

Oh, and today, I rediscovered this quote I had come across, and I liked it so much, I had to post it here: "Knowledge is proud that he has learned so much; wisdom is humble that he knows no more." (William Cowper) Is that not awesome?

Religious hypocrisy

"There are bogus men of God just as there are bogus men of courage. And in the same way as we see that when their honor is put to the test the men of courage are not the ones who make the most noise, so the truly pious men of God, in whose footsteps we should follow, are not those who put on the biggest show."

"....just as I believe that if there are still heroes none should be more respected than those who sincerely believe in God, and that nothing on earth is finer or more noble than the sacred fervor of true faith, I also think that there is nothing more odious than a brazen show of spurious piety by shameless hypocrites and self-advertising Pharisees who strike sacrilegious, two-faced attitudes and unrestrainedly exploit and freely mock everything humankind holds most holy and most sacred; people who, putting their own interest first, turn faith into a profession and a commodity and set out to buy credit and public honors by rolling their hypocritical eyes and faking zeal. I mean the ones you see displaying spectacular fervor and turning the path to heavenly salvation into the road to earthly fortune." 

Moliere, Tartuffe

Miscellanies #2

Spring is coming.......

1. THE PACKERS WON THE SUPERBOWL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2. Maddie & I are going to be reading the Odyssey soon for the Junto. Get ready for half-mad ravings of admiration for it in the weeks to follow.

3. I got this book the other week at the library for $0.25. Epic win.

4. Today, I finished reading Dante's Purgatory. Not as good as Inferno, but it was interesting to read because I've never really given the place much attention (probably because I don't believe it exists...ha). As is pointed out in the notes of my book, there's no fire until the end, which is odd because I always thought the traditional Catholic view is that the place is a sort of furnace that burns away your remaining sin. Huh. Anyways, I really enjoy watching how Dante chose to arrange the respective "destinations" - examining his reasoning behind the books is really thought-provoking.
5. I hate the lame attempts at philosophy the makers of Dove chocolates put on their wrappers. Apparently, they've gotten desperate and have turned to asking others to contribute their  homemade profundities. So this is what I saw the other day:

"The heart is more deceitful than all else
And is desperately sick;
Who can understand it?"
Jeremiah 17:9

Blizzard

Cars are buried in snowdrifts, people are stranded in their houses, and friends in Texas are reporting sub-freezing temperatures. Yes, my dear readers, global warming is upon us.

After being summoned from my nice, WARM bed this morning, this is what greeted me when I looked out the kitchen window:

 

The awesome thing about this is that, when people heard there was a blizzard coming, they were like, "Cool. Hey, the Packers are going to the Superbowl." But if North Carolina was expecting 1 inch of snow, there'd be panic and all Walmarts would be raided for bread and milk. Hahaha.

Snow on the icicles

Blizzards are fun until you've been out shoveling in 20 degree weather with 20 mph. winds for an hour and a half. And that's after you've gotten 1/10 of your driveway done. Thank goodness for nice neighbors with snowblowers.

The patio table!

Last night, when we could hardly see out the window, we were pretty sure we saw a lightning flash. Is that possible in a blizzard? I will leave you with that profound thought. Stay warm!

Wives and Daughters - the rest of the book

So I finally decided to write another Junto post. I do cruel things to myself, like attempting to read 15 books at once (do not try this at home), convinced the earth cannot revolve another day if I don't finish each one by the end of the month. Fine literature such as Wives and Daughters often gets put on the back burner in the inevitable book-reading crises that occur when the 28th or 29th rolls around. So that, my dear readers, is my meager apology for forgetting to write another Junto post.

I suppose I ought to summarize what happened in the book.......but 500 pages worth of plot is not going to fit neatly into 2 or 3 little paragraphs. I'll give you the ADHD version here, and if you think I left too much out, go read Wikipedia:

• Mr Gibson gets married and his new wife is....ANNOYING. Molly and her new step-sister, Cynthia, become best friends. Cynthia is one of those memorable characters - charming but odd, worldly but impetuous, superficial but mysterious.
• Molly & Osborne and Roger become virtual brothers and sister. Osborne disappoints his family by neglecting his studies and going into debt. Mrs. Hamley becomes very sick and eventually dies.
• Roger becomes smitten with Cynthia and they get engaged. Roger travels to Africa for 2 years to do research and collect specimens. Molly finds out Osborne has secretly married a young Catholic Frenchwoman, who has just had a baby.
• Cynthia tells Molly that she's been engaged to another man, and creates a scandal in town when she breaks it off. She feels guilty about the whole thing, and breaks off her engagement to Roger too.
• Osborne dies suddenly from a heart problem, and his widow shows up at Hamley Hall. Mr. Hamley, despite his hatred of French and Catholics, accepts his daughter-in-law and grandson.
• Roger comes back, and Cynthia marries somebody she met in London. Roger falls in love with Molly.

Molly, Roger, and Mr. Hamley

 Here follow some random observations on the book.

Wives and Daughters really reminded me of Mansfield Park. They both have a good-natured, naive heroine who likes a nice-guy hero who is too stupid to realize it because he likes a less than upright woman. The aforesaid heroine spends most of the book pining for the hero, lamenting the unworthiness of her rival, until finally, in the second or third-to-last chapter, the hero awakens to the wonderful-ness of the heroine. Maybe some people like this kind of story, but I find it frustrating and dull. The whole time, I just want to shake the guy and make him see how much of an idiot he is. Wives and Daughters isn't as bad as Mansfield Park, however, so I was able to get over it most of the time.

Although some aren't excessively fond of Osborne,  I couldn't help being sympathetic towards him. Yeah, most of his problems are his own fault, but if his father hadn't been so narrow-minded, many of them could have been resolved. But still, he ought to have been brave and face his father. Doing the right thing is always worth the pain that it may cause.

I also found it ironic yet realistic how Osborne, who had been the "genius" of the family, ended up being overshadowed by the younger and slightly under appreciated Roger. How often are we so focused on what we perceive to be the greatness of one thing/person, while completely ignoring the equal worth of another?

All in all, Wives and Daughters wasn't a brilliantly thought-provoking book, but it was fun to read. I saw the movie a few years back, (which, alas, spoiled the plot for me) so I want to see it again and decide whether it was faithful to the book. I'll let you know what I find out.

I love the Canterbury Tales

There was a student out of Oxford town,
Indentured long to logic and the gown.
Lean as a rake the horse on which he sat,
And he himself was anything but fat,
But rather wore a hollow look and sad.
Threadbare the little outer-coat he had,
For he was still to get a benefice
And thoughts of worldly office were not his.
For he would rather have beside his bed
Twenty books arrayed in black or red
Of Aristotle and his philosophy
Than robes or fiddle or jocund psaltery.
Yet though he was philosopher, his coffer
Indeed but scanty store of gold could offer,
And any he could borrow from a friend
On books and learning straightway would he spend,
And make with prayer a constant offering
For those that helped him with his studying.
He gave to study all his care and heed,
Nor ever spoke a word beyond his need,
And that was said in form, respectfully,
And brief and quick and charged with meaning high.
Harmonious with virtue was his speech,
And gladly would he learn and gladly teach.

(General Prologue)

On Bunyan

I've been reading John Bunyan's autobiography. It's mostly from a spiritual standpoint, and one thing I found surprising was how long God worked on his heart before he was truly converted - something like 5 years! During that time, he sincerely wanted to understand how to be saved, but was constantly being assaulted by temptations and doubts. It made me think of Christian at the beginning of Pilgrim's Progress; undoubtedly Bunyan was drawing on his own experience while writing the book. I found myself readily sympathizing with him, because I remember (albeit after I was converted) a few years when I had my own painful struggles with assurance. I suppose all Christians can relate. We all have to walk through the Valley of Humiliation.

Another thing this made me think about was how Christians today unrealistically expect conversion to be this sudden, dramatic light-bulb experience. I know I used to think that way, which probably explains my astonishment at the length of time of Bunyan's conversion. I think of all the  over-zealous street preachers and conference speakers who pressure their listeners into saying "the prayer," regarding it as a magical incantation that guarantees one's way into heaven. From my reading and talking to people I know, I'm persuaded that God more often than not works out our salvation over a long period of time while we scarcely realize what's happening.

My favorite part of Pilgrims' Progress is when Christian stays at the Palace Beautiful. In the allegory, it's a picture of the weekly meeting of the church. The peaceful rest from his journey and the fellowship Christian enjoys with the inhabitants of the palace are a lovely portrayal of what the church visible is intended to be.

Christian arriving at the Palace Beautiful

"If I could possess the tinker's abilities to grip men's hearts, I would gladly give in exchange all my learning." - John Owen

"Prick him anywhere; and you will find that his blood is Bibline, the very essence of the Bible flows from him. He cannot speak with out quoting a text, for his soul is full of the Word of God." - Charles Spurgeon

Happy New Year

Christian in Palace Beautiful

If I were reading this, my mind would go on auto-pilot because of the title. A bunch of the blogs I read (and it's always the most interesting ones) have been half-forgotten by their owners, but upon the arrival of 2011, at least half have been updated with a Happy-New-Year!-Sorry-for-being-a-bad-blogger-It-won't-happen-ever-ever-again post. And then there isn't another post until February. C'est la vie.

I will join the band of absent-minded bloggers in saying that there are some things I want to change though. Here follows my Blogging New Years Resolutions:

1. More book reviews. (Or at least to talk about what I'm reading) What's the point of reading if you can't share what you learn? Last year I made a goal to read 5 books a month, and am continuing it this year. And there's got to be SOMETHING interesting to write about in there.
2. A revamping of the Junto. Let's all say it together: The Junto fails. Maddie and I have been talking a lot about it, and have decided to try a new approach. Instead of randomly choosing books that look entertaining, we have decided to follow a list. Actually a book - Invitation to the Classics. I'm really excited about it!
3. Following through with what I plan to do here. Otherwise, I just look like an idiot......

I've pretty much given up on personal New Years resolutions. But I'll make an exception for this one of Jonathan Edwards: "Resolved, to strive to my utmost every week to be brought higher in religion, and to a higher exercise of grace, than I was the week before."

I hope your 2011 is a year grace-filled and God-centered.