simple comedy

Take a break and enjoy my sense of humor. No insights or wisdom gleamed, simply comics that I found humorous. Have a nice day!

How can user end devices and networking change the world?

How can we use computers as a catalyst for positive social and political change? How can we use computers to help us address the marginalization and silencing of individuals because of race, age, gender, handicap? How can we use computers to promote increasingly egalitarian exchanges among groups of people who have different levels of privilege and power? How can we use computers to promote both collaborative activities and to support dissent in its most productive forms? Hard questions derived from research on a seemingly unrelated topic, computer assisted writing)

The Theological Disconnect

We have more access to information today then ever before, and yet individuals in the protestant church are more ignorant about theology than ever. Due to the heresy that existed in the church, the council of trent met and formed the Nicean creed. This became an instrumental part of the church, as it was a clear indication of what Christians believed. A similar creed who's name lends to the story that it was jointly created by the Apostles under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, with each of the twelve contributing one of the articles. It is also helpful in indicating may of the staples of the Christian faith. However, it still does not address some Christological issues defined in the later Nicene Creeds. for instances, the divinity of Jesus or of the Holy Spirit.

1. I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
2. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
3. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
4. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
5. He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again.
6. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
7. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
8. I believe in the Holy Spirit,
9. the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints,
10. the forgiveness of sins,
11. the resurrection of the body,
12. and life everlasting.
Amen.

I believe in....

We have more access to information today then ever before, and yet individuals in the protestant church are more ignorant about theology than ever. Due to the heresy that existed in the church, the council of Trent met and formed the Nicene creed. This became an instrumental part of the church, as it was a clear indication of what Christians believed. A similar creed who's name lends to the story that it was jointly created by the Apostles under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, with each of the twelve contributing one of the articles. It is also helpful in indicating may of the staples of the Christian faith. However, it still does not address some Christological issues defined in the later Nicene Creeds. for instances, the divinity of Jesus or of the Holy Spirit.

1. I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
2. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
3. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
4. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
5. He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again.
6. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
7. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
8. I believe in the Holy Spirit,
9. the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints,
10. the forgiveness of sins,
11. the resurrection of the body,
12. and life everlasting.
Amen.

Peepoo

Sometimes hearing the cries of the people require your mentality to get out of the way. Anders Wilhelmson knows this all too well. An architect who did not intend to go to the slums of Kibera to solve the problem of sanitation. Due to the lack of a solid waste management system, people relieve themselves in plastic bags and then throw them outside. This is especially a hazard during the rainy season, as water sources get contaminated. The aid agency Amref says incidents of cholera, typhoid and other waterborne diseases are rampant. It's estimated there is an average of one toilet for more than 2,000 people. Anders saw the need and wanted to make a difference. He created the Peepoo, a chemically treated bag that not only neutralizes waste, but makes it able to be used as fertilizer. Check out the article here.

The Disconnect

As I look upon Las Vegas Boulevard, the flashing lights compete for my gaze. I scan the magnificent Casinos, built to awe their audience. From my hotel window I catch the fountains in front of the Bellagio, and the infamous Caesars palace. It is difficult to connect these images with other memories I have. Memories of children grasping for the food and water I have. The food warrants a break from their life lived in the landfills of Tegucigalpa. Here they live, sleep, eat, and do what they must to survive. I'm struck at the disconnect of such wealth all around me now, and yet having walked amongst such poverty. It is not that I live in the realization of these worlds. Often I am simply in the moment, oblivious to past experiences. Yesterday I spent some time amongst the miracle mile shops and casino. I lost thirty dollars in twenty minutes to the slots, enough for a child in Honduras to eat for a month. Why did I not remember these children then?

This brings me to another realization, I am not alone. It would seem that human nature is view our decisions based on our context. Perhaps the best way to reach out for aid is not to show a video of starving children and tell a sad story. That may reach a few empathetic souls, but it probably wont connect to most of us rich Americans. Perhaps companies like Toms Shoes or Kiva provide a better approach. Were may not be able to change human desire to focus on our self. However, if we provide a service that benefits ourselves and others, perhaps then we can bridge the disconnect that exists between those who have, and those who have not.

Ideology, Philosophy , Complementarianism, Chauvinism, Christian Egalitarianism...?

Democrat or Republican? Progressive or Conservative? Radical or Moderate?

I always grew up hearing the term Conservative Christian, yet was unsure of the terms meaning. Conservatism is the belief that traditional institutions work best and that society should avoid radical change. The root word is Latin and means, “to preserve”.
A religious conservative seeks to apply the teachings of particular ideologies to politics. Ideally for the Conservative Christian, this would be the ideology of Jesus Christ. It’s important to note there exists a distinction between religious conservatism and its more radical extension. Radical religious conservatism generally sees the status quo as corrupted by abuses, corruption, or heresy. Similar phenomena have arisen in a large percentage of the world's religions today. The modern Western society that has inadvertadly pushed it’s value system has triggered many violent cultural collisions with traditional societies in question for the past 500 years.

Sometimes religious conservatism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservatism#Religious_conservatism) may find itself at odds with today’s culture. This is often a good thing. However, not all firmly held beliefs should be maintained. For instance, some would have been called conservative Christians were against the freedom of slaves. For such people this was a Progressive act. Progressivism is often viewed in opposition to conservative. Progressivism is a political attitude favoring or advocating changes or reform. The Progressive movement began in cities with settlement workers and reformers who were interested in helping those facing harsh conditions at home and at work. The reformers spoke out about the need for laws regulating tenement housing and child labor. They also called for better working condition for women. Typically today the term is associated with left wing politics. “In the late 19th century into the 20th century in reference to a more general response to the vast changes brought by industrialization: an alternative to both the traditional conservative response to social and economic issues and to the various more radical streams of socialism and anarchism which opposed them.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressivism)

I have hence learned that I too am a Conservative Christian in the sense that I seek a partial return to the way things were in the Body of Christ. In part, because I wish we had the social message and radical ideology, the unwavering faith and call to the broken that existed in the Way (early Christian Sect, not to be confused with current organization). I seek the action and reaction, the vibrancy and activity that existed in the early church. However, I don’t wish a return to the difficulties of roman persecution and lack of religious freedom, nor do I wish to reencounter the rampant heresy that existed.