DISQUS

Odd, fascinating, could be funny if I let it be, hard to know. Without knowing his parents and the church atmosphere, it's hard to know what to think! It could be that he's just impersonating his dad, who could be the preacher at the church. When he really gets going, he's just repeating the same sounds over and over.

Man, I don't know! I'm really hesitant to pass any negative judgment because it's certainly not causing any harm! It's not like he can preach heresy or anything. I guess if people are being blessed by God, we need to be careful that we don't speak against it.

Maybe I'm missing something?

I love this guy. It's like Commander Data from Star Trek learned to play guitar and sing, but then there's these moments where James Hetfield from Metallica makes an appearance, as Commander Data growls out a word, bends his knees and does a up-strum.

Something about Uncle Jesse makes me think he's some creepy James Bond villain in disguise. Like, just after the clip ends he glares at the camera and says, "I don't expect your applause, Mr. Bond; I expect you to DIE! HAHAHAHAHA!"

Thanks for all the compliments, guys. I worked long and hard on that guitar solo. Isn't that a groovy effect? We really rocked that mounty groove.

So would that mean that if I have a fear of failure, I'm actually afraid of the consequences of failing? So if my actions are motivated by a fear of failure, I am actually "worshiping" the positive consequences of succeeding. Or if I'm depressed because my life is terrible, I'm actually "worshiping" the idea of getting everything I want in life. Or if I have a domineering or controlling personality, maybe I'm actually just worshiping the feeling I get when things are done perfectly. Wow.

Great post, Ben.

A sad day indeed. I can't imagine a world without Delirious.

Wow, I love this guy! Awesome beats and improvisation, and I totally was NOT expecting the southern accent!

You can laugh at Tron, but it's becoming a chief source of inspiration for the graphic design of the coming decade. Those oddly glowing lights on a dark backdrop are gonna be everywhere. However, if it spawns more Tron Guy costumes, Jesus may have to come back sooner than planned to save us all.

Word. Good stuff, Ben! Here's a few more, but remember everybody that these are outside links, and you can see some rather "odd" artistic creations when you go to designers' sites!

http://blog.signalnoise.com/
http://abduzeedo.com/inspiration-evoke
http://abduzeedo.com/theyhatemydesign-quick-int...
http://www.designspongeonline.com/

Awesome insight, Heather. It reminds me of when the apostle Paul spoke of the Mosaic law being our tutor before we accept Christ. It's like all through history from when the 10 commandments and Mosaic law were given until Jesus' resurrection, that code of conduct was teaching humanity about God's nature, our sin, and our inability to meet God's standard. Then Jesus comes and changes everything. So, maybe what your kids have been going through is that tutoring process of binding themselves to a law of conduct, but then eventually seeing that they really need Jesus. Who knows, maybe what you see as a failing will be part of what God uses in their lives to grow them in Him!

Well, I think I clogged the conversation on this one Ben. I'm kind of like a mass of hair and soap scum in a bathtub drain.

Wow. The Evil Empire does it again. Nice article link, Ben. Although, the writer missed quite a bit of Apple's point for iTunes. The iTunes store was never meant to turn a profit, and was not meant to be a standalone service. It was begun purely as a built-in perk for iPod owners. The only way originally to get access to the iTunes store was to buy an iPod. The store became oddly successful, so Apple's since been renegotiating it's deals with the record companies, which is why the entire iTunes store is on it's way to being free of all Digital Rights Management (DRM). What this means for Microsoft is that it's not Bill's fault that the DRM is in place on their songs either. The problem is how Bill's response to all of this is so bad, whereas Steve and Apple's response has been to push the record companies into removing the DRM from iTunes' songs.

Wow, I'm such a geek.

We don't satisfy the parameters of holiness. The best offering of worship by any human but Jesus can never satisfy the parameters of holiness. That's what's so great about the Good News! We don't have to! We are free to enjoy the non-holy things of this life..."All things are permissable for me, but not all things are profitable to me." All things are permissable, so there's no condemnation to come from God or man to us for living in our culture.

Wine in moderation is good for the heart and stomach; in excess it leads to debauchery. Television in moderation is an example of God's common grace exercising itself through technology; in excess it is a soul-poluting idolatry.

I agree. It's pretty ridiculous that Miley and all the people around her could somehow be innocently unaware of what was happening. Vanity Fair certainly did an aweful thing here, but what kind of weird atmosphere must that have been on the set? With all of those otherwise "reasonable" adults standing around, what kind of worldview must they all be operating in to not say anything? All it would have taken is one person saying, "Uh, isn't she 15?" I figure, if Miley Cyrus is surrounded by people who would encourage this, who knows what other, even more devious influences are being exerted upon her?

This has quickly become possibly my favorite web site ever. It's so hard to step back from your own quirks and see the silliness of the mundane things you do! The site has actually helped me just a little bit to not take things too seriously.

There's nothing like laughing out loud at yourself!

Okay, from the linked "fascinating related article", check out this quote:

"The same clinical picture always emerges. It begins with general anxiety and nervousness, and then the tourist feels an imperative need to visit the holy places. First, he undertakes a series of purification rituals, like shaving all his body hair, cutting his nails and washing himself over and over before he dons white clothes. Most often, he lifts the white sheets from his hotel room. Then he begins to cry or to sing Biblical or religious songs in a very loud voice. The next step is an actual visit to the holy places, most often from the life of Jesus. The afflicted tourist begins to deliver a sermon, demanding that humanity become calmer, purer, and less materialistic.

Dr. Bar-El, says that besides their bizarre behavior, everything else about the tourists in normal"


Yeah, that's gotta be a demon. Ha! The Holy Land Demon!

It is pretty funny how the packing and unpacking of cardboard boxes so often correlates to the "unpacking" of our own soul's boxes.

It's nice to have some more Cottens in the triad!

Tell Mom I said "word".

I think it's harder to glorify God when things are going great than it is to glorify Him when things are hard. When you're poor, your need is in your face all the time. When life is good, I would ALMOST venture to say that it requires a greater step of faith to honor God in and with your wealth. Poverty is no blessing.

Ah, the incomparable genius that is Weird Al. I think "White & Nerdy" is my new favorite Weird Al song and video. Probably because I can identify with it so much.

Wow, Heather. You're so right about pride. Sometimes it seems like everything I do is tainted by it. Sometimes pride keeps me from both giving and receiving correction, so it seems that the biggest hinderance to Community is pride itself! Wouldn't it be awesome if we were all humble enough to have our pride exposed and dealt with? Ha! What a paradox!

You know, this goes all the way back to Abram/Abraham. God said that He would bless Abraham so that all the nations of the earth would be blessed through Abraham. We've been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ so that the world, through us may be blessed with Christ's blessings!

Congratumalations!! Wow, there sure is a lot going on in February of 2008.

HA! It's great how he works in the "I've canceled that in my area" line!