DISQUS

Congratulations! I look forward to reading it! Let me know when it's available for order!

Are all postmodern Christians required to have U2 on their iPods?

Your comment about a "thought expert" is funny, but sadly that's how Rush Limbaugh bills himself, as one who can tell the masses what to think.

On a recent episode of "Tim Gunn's Guide to Style" (hey, I'm gay, so I'm required to watch Bravo TV) they had a "lifestyle coach" helping a client come to terms with the fact that she has a large scar on her leg. He basically did a very shallow version of "pop psychology" using basketball hoops. I'm not making this up...

Sorry to hear about your illness. I will keep you in my prayers this weekend.

Thank you for your very thoughtful comments at my Blog of the Grateful Bear. I've added your blog to my blogroll, and I look forward to following your blogposts.

blessings ~
Grateful Bear

There's also a screenwriter named John Carney.

I wonder if Pat Robertson plans to "rescue" ORU the way Jerry Falwell "rescued" The PTL Club...

How very sad, for all concerned. My prayers are with the Roberts family and with all the ORU students.

Laurie, I don't think you were harsh at all. Comparing a theological viewpoint - ANY theological viewpoint - to child molestation is ridiculous. (As a counselor who sometimes works with child molesters who are court-ordered into counseling, I know what I'm talking about.)

I've been fascinated by the Carlton Pearson story, and the vehemence of many reactions against him, because I too started out at ORU and ended up a universalist. I deeply appreciate the honesty and openmindedness of your entry here, John, and how you can see the good in people with whom you disagree. I admire how you can stand firm in your convictions and be open-hearted at the same time.

For what it's worth, John, I used that exact same line from SNL just a few days ago and got the same blank stare in response. Sigh...

Wow, that groovy shirt you're wearing made me flash back to our carefree hippie days at ORU. I remember I played your Creedence Clearwater Revival album so much you finally hid it from me. Those were the days.

Wonderful article, John.

Unless you're interested in what one particular group of Gnostics (called Sethians) believed in the 2nd century, there's not much reason to read The Gospel of Judas. As a theology geek, I find it fascinating. As a Christian, I find it un-edifying and even offensive: the Sethians had a very dualistic view of spirit as good and matter, including the physical body, as evil. In fact, that’s why Judas is seen as good – Jesus tells him “you will sacrifice the man that clothes me,” i.e., his physical body (manuscript page 56).

Those of us who believe in the Christian view of the incarnation do not view Jesus’ body as evil, nor do we view our own bodies as evil. Our bodies are the temple of God, not the prison of the soul as the Sethian Gnostics believed.

The Gospel of Judas is also elitist (only a few have the divine light within them – the rest of us simply cease to exist when we die) and homophobic (as I point out in my blog entry dated April 7th). It details a cosmology (portraying the God who created the world as evil) that is not remotely Christian.

If you missed "The Book of Daniel," you really didn't miss very much. It was a soap opera with way too many dysfunctions and unbelievable catastrophies crammed into each episode. It wasn't worth getting upset about pro or con.

My heart sank the other day when I saw an ad for a Narnia Happy Meal at McDonald's.

Concerning Sheilaism: I guess my own belief system could be called Darrellism. If I had followers, would they be Darrellicts? :)

I'm looking forward to the conversation here, John. I'm a universalist, but not a Unitarian Universalist since I believe in the Trinity. I guess the closest thing to a Trinitarian Universalist church would be a liberal Episcopal church like the one I belong to.

As a former ORU student, I would be fascinated to know what you think of Carlton Pearson's "Gospel of Inclusion" -- a Pentecostal form of universalism that got him kicked off the Board of Directors at ORU.

I love old Fred Astaire movies, too. If it's any consolation, that one performance in Swing Time is the only time he did blackface, and he did it as a tribute to Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. Back then (1936) it was received as a genuine tribute to a black performer, although today we can clearly see the racism in it.

John, I'm a universalist, so I don't agree with everything you've said here. I agree with much of it, though, and I appreciate the thoughtfulness and honesty you put into explaining your beliefs. I would definitely be a regular reader of your new blog, if you decide to start a new one. Or you could just incorporate these themes into Lake Neuron, as you've done with this entry.

I agree, John! I used to love AMC, before they redefined "American Movie Classics" to include Smokey and the Bandit 1, 2, and 3.

I can see why Colbert's question would not be offensive but Letterman's statement would. Colbert's question is a funny joke in itself; the way it's worded, it could be taken as a satire not on Tim Robbins but on people who assume liberals hate America. Letterman's statement, though, is more than a little passive-aggressive, not to mention crude.

I feel guilty too sometimes about my lack of knowledge concerning cars. But I don't think God, who has given us so much, wants us to denigrate ourselves and continue to feel bad. Each time I have an experience like the one you've described here, I learn a little bit more about cars, and I'm grateful for the lesson. God gives each of us different talents and interests: the guys who know everything about cars can't write a series of deeply moving articles about Kenya or a hilarious satire for The Door. I bet they don't feel guilty about that. Envious, maybe, but not guilty.

One alternative, which is currently out of vogue, is the Vatican II approach to world religions, which affirms the universality of God's love (and the truth to be found in other religions) and also affirms the particularity of Christian faith (the redemptive work of Jesus Christ). I see that view, which I happen to subscribe to, as less "namby-pamby" than an unquestioning, "feel good" universalism.

I'm not sure if "99% of this world is made up of total morons," but whatever their percentage might be, they are louder than the rest of us!

I've run into Alton Brown several times at Harry's Farmers Market (which is run by Whole Foods Market) near my home in Marietta, GA. Each time he was filming a segment for his show, and each time he was incredibly friendly to the fans who wanted to talk to him between takes.

I think if I were famous I'd have a web-based email address for the fans and a "real" email address for close friends. I'd pay a secretary to wade through and delete all the “vulgar, nasty, frightening messages and images.”