People used to really confuse me when they would say heaven sounded boring, but I think I'm beginning to understand what they mean. When we look back at our lives, the things most worth doing are the things of tremendous difficulty. And we typically associate hardship with wrongdoing. As though only things that are unjust or wrong need to be overcome.
I don't think things are going to be easy in heaven, and I don't think we'll instantly know everything. We'll have a new perspective, but, I think we'll still learn in heaven, like Adam learned in the garden before he sinned. I think we'll have hard, satisfying work. No one wants a heaven that's just playing World 1-1 of Mario Bros. over and over again. It's fun, but not forever.
So I guess my new years resolution is to keep doing hard things (There's a book about that for young people, btdubs), cause it's the hard that makes it great. Here comes more seminary, starting ministry at my church, and of course, army stuff. That'll be the hardest, but that's good, right? It's time to overcome. So let's be great in 2010.
The worst movie I have ever seen is the movie Eragon. Not only is it pathetic in it's style, with amateur CG, little to no character development, and worse acting than cardboard (despite a killer ensemble including John Malkovich, Ndijiman Hansou, & Jeremy Irons, my guess is they had less than stellar direction, cause they all suck in this movie), but it is actually a complete rip off of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.
The opening scene features a princess that is in trouble, and sends a parting message for help before her capture. This message is found by a scrawny, whiney blonde-haired boy who lives in his uncles farm. Shortly there after the boy is befriended by an elderly british actor who reveals the hidden meaning of the message and helps the boy discover that he is different from others and has special powers, which he will learn to use as the movie goes on. He and the boy must flee from the henchman of the evil ruler who's powerful right hand enforcer inspires fear and also has special powers. In their flight they are aided by a mysterious character who's allegiance is questionable. Rather than fleeing the ruler, they make a direct insurrection on the rulers layer in order to free the princess, and then after doing so, they are united with the group of rebels who opposes the ruler. The final battle determines whether the rebellion will continue.
I didn't read the book, so I don't know if that teenager who wrote the Eragon trilogy basically stole every single idea (The idea of magic, and naming items is similarly unoriginal, appearing in the Earthsea series by Ersela Le Guin, and the concept of dragons and riders, and a bond between them is a special feature of the Pern series by Anne McCaffrey) or if there are some original thoughts that didn't get translated to film.
I've had this in my head since 2006 when it came out, but I finally wanted to write it out. A weird entry for Christmas Eve, but whatever.
Just read an interesting article and also saw several different tweets about happiness, so, in light of seeing and hearing tragedies all around me right now, I thought I'd blog a little about happiness. Because we all talk about happiness the way we talk about love. We want it, in every possible way, and only usually pair it with terms of softness. Some (like John Piper) would consider it the ultimate motivator. I think there is something to that, we as humans do primarily, if not only what we believe will bring us the most happiness. Sometimes we believe that happiness will result from a long term investment (This is a common approach to religion with a strong emphasis on the afterlife) and sometimes we believe that what we do right now should result in our happiness. Even infants decide which toy to play with by this simple formula.
I guess I would say that I believe we are not made to find happiness in ourselves. We're not meant to be the rockstars of life, and inevitably those who do live like rockstars (or literally are rockstars) find nothing at the end of the rainbow, and are left drained and lonely. Others find fulfillment because of one thing, and one thing alone: Connection. Whether it's in a marriage, a friend/community, a higher power, an identity within society, we all want connection. If you watch enough movies (and I really watch a lot of movies) you find that that is what drives almost every hero to the end of his story: his will to connect to something. And we all want to be the heroes of stories, don't we? (sidenote; read Don Miller's new book!)
So what are you doing? I inevitably get caught up in myself. I think that doing what I want to do will lead to my happiness, yet that is the precise inclination of human flesh that Jesus corrects. If you strive to save your life, you will lose everything. Only by seeking something greater than yourself, realizing the nature of reality around you and participating in the divine mission, can you truly find life, and live to the full.
I think that is something that strikes me most about my friend Justin who recently passed away. I shared some of the biggest triumphs and joys with him, and I also endured some uncomfortable silences and heated words that only pass between old friends, and some things drew us closer together as friends, and some things we agreed to disagree. But I would bet the farm that Justin was happy. Because Justin knew the one true God, and knew that he couldn't do anything apart from that connection sustaining him, and giving him life. Over the 14 years that I knew Justin, that is something I saw happen to him. Being friends with someone who truly knows Jesus is amazing, because you can actually watch them become more humble as they grow in grace. To paraphrase Justin, grace happens when we realize we won't ever be happy if we keep trying to win the game by ourselves, even if God himself is on the sideline cheering us on. Happiness is when we bench our own desires to cheer on God, and our participation in the kingdom is a further means of grace. To glorify God by enjoying Him, forever.
"Happy is a yuppy word; I am blessed." - Johnny Cash
When I shall die, I think there are many common practices which i wish that were not to be observed.
First and foremost of these is a lack of burial. I shall be cremated and scattered, and no memorial or place holder shall be retained. Neither a grave nor a plaque nor any mark or notation shall commemorate my earthly residence. If any event is held in my remembrance, it will be a wake where people will drink, tell stories and laugh. The people will refrain from romanticizing or grandizing or idealizing my accomplishments on earth. If we were not on good terms, they are not to act as though we were. The only professional oration, or particular remarks made by a member of the clergy will chiefly concern my incredible frailty as a human being and my absolute and enduring need and utter dependence on God. I would not like to be remembered for things which were not true when I was alive. I simply want people to know that I am a failure, but Jesus changed my life and made me worthwhile. His sacrifice alone is the crowning glory of my life. Any who experienced me as good merely saw a shade of Jesus, and anyone who saw me at my worst knew the real me. I am not good, great, wonderful, thoughtful, considerate, or any other word that you may try to use to describe and flatter the memory of me in my fortunate absence. I am poor, weak, selfish, disgusting. I did not live up to my potential. I am a failure. The success of my life, the victory of my life, the thing which all the living can celebrate when I am gone is Jesus. Jesus won me on the Cross, and called me to follow him in his ressurection. I responded, however inadequately. I NEEDED Jesus. I felt this acutely every morning. That is something you can remember me for. That is all. I spent as much time as anyone wishing for things that never came true. I was not a very good friend. I experienced the joy of the LORD, and that is what gave my life purpose and meaning. Nothing of myself ever profited me, or anybody, it was God alone acting through me that may have benefited any person.
I recently finished a 2-month exploration of digital communities, and did some research and made a video. I'm not going to post it to youtube, cause it's using some copyrighted stuff, but it's not 4 profit, so, meh. I'm uploading it to vimeo as I type this.
The main thing that I came away with is something I learned learned from a Frontline Special about kids that grow up with the internet. For me, The INternet came out when I was in 7th grade. It was a brand new thing, a new tool. And many people my age and older view it this way, but what I experienced in the last 2 months is that there is definitely more to the internet than a utility. When I presented this to a group of people, one person got really heated, because he felt that the nature of anonymity on the web makes the whole thing contrived. It's a performance, a mere use of a utility, not a place of true personal extension and expression. This is actually hinted at in the matrix where the digital self is a projection of the way the user sees themself, rather than as they are.
The question however is where is the truth and where is the act? many people express themselves in ways they never would in real life, and experience deep connections through online communities, and one of the highest personal values in an online community such as YouTube is authenticity.
This transition in thinking makes the internet not a utility, but a community, where the media facilitate human connections. This changes users into inhabitants. While this sounds bizarre, take the example of another common utility in most cities, the public bus.
Many people use the bus everday, generally for less than 2 hours, and consider a means to an end, it is a transportation utility. There are bus users and bus operators, as well as a host of things which the user never sees that keeps the busses running including mechanics, administrators and city officials.
But look at what happens over time. People who ride the same route begin to recognize one another, begin to know one another, as well as the operators that drive those routes. You might even be a first time bus user but be able to enter this environment and strike up a comversation with someone. The bus, which is a utility, features a small, temporary gathering of people. The bus is not simply full of users, it's become a community over time, full of inhabitants, however transient.
This is the shift in thinking with the internet, like many other tools and utilities, it has taken on a sense of habitation, and gives rise to a diverse set of tribes and sub-cultures.
