Cultural Crossover – Christian Samurai?
By The Apostle | August 23, 2007
Heard news of a cultural/spiritual/philosophical crossover today in the form of a book entitled “The Way of The Christian Samurai: Reflections for Servant-Warriors of Christ” Stuck with me as I’ve been on a bit of a “samurai” bent lately, and have been itching to re-watch Seven Samurai.
The gist of the book seems to be the identifying of the modern Christian with the samurai of Japan; both are, in the ideal, wholly and fully devoted to their masters, willing even to give their life for the one they serve.
Of course, some samurai were stuck-up, judgmental snobs, and the same can be said for an all-too many modern Christians as well.
(Side note: yes, I have had a lot of Christian themed info lately. A little factoid – that is my personal background so I’m more versed in it than other world religions.)
Tags: spiritual, Christian Samurai, Seven Samurai, Christian, samurai, Japan
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Switchfoot – Now Independent Musicians
By The Apostle | August 23, 2007
A few of the quotes on rotation under our banner, as well as some things you will find in-post on the Church of Man, come from Switchfoot’s lead singer/songwriter Jon Foreman. I got an email today from Jon that they are now independent, having severed ties with Columbia.
I’ve been following Switchfoot since I played their first album, “Legend of Chin” to death on cassette in a couple of weeks. (Yes folks, that was quite a while before they did about half the soundtrack for “A Walk to Remember“) They’re the only band that I’ve purchased every single album on or about release day.
For me, it’s the lyrics that make Switchfoot worth coming back too time and again.
A choice few words from their latest album, “Oh Gravity!”
So a spark ignites
In time and space
To make it through this human race
You fight and crawl your way back home
But you’re running the wrong way
The future is a question mark
With kerosene electric sparks
There’s still fire in you yet
Yeah there’s still fire in you
If we only got one try
If we’ve only got one life
If time was never on our side
Before I die I want to burn out bright
-Burn Out Bright
Congrats to Jon and the band.
Tags: Jon Foreman, independent, Switchfoot, human race
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Church of Man Condemned
By The Apostle | August 22, 2007
From a site that keeps record of an alleged aparition of Mary, the mother of Jesus, comes two whole pages condemning the “Church of Man” – 30 years ago.
Interesting.
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Scientists Expect to Duplicate “Creation,” Then Let “Evolution” take over – in 3-5 years with Artificial Life.
By The Apostle | August 21, 2007
According to Discovery Channel’s website (and the Associated Press), scientists are optimistically expecting that they can create artificial life in the next 3-5 years.
Of course, they have some “minor” issues to contend with, such as membranes, nucleotides, and genetic information – in short, once they figure out how to get the cells to have a container, nervous system, ability to metabolize (eat), and reproduce, they will have become like god. Personally, I’m a bit bewildered by what they HAVE achieved in order to be so optimistic.
Sure, Dr. Frankenstein is well on the way of animating the inanimate – he only need to figure out the nervous, digestive, and reproductive systems – oh, and skin too. But he’s almost done!
I’m sure Creationists and Intelligent Design evangelists will love the idea of top researchers spending years to create artificial life to try to prove that all life was just an “accident” and that the idea of Intelligent Design is a ridiculous fairy tale. The only way such mockery would hold water is if the scientists laboring on this project accept the fact that they are not intelligent…
At the same time, reading this article does raise rather pertinent questions. (After all, the origin, being a non-repeatable, un-observed event means there is little we can do to examine it scientifically, and it is therefore of little importance or use to the Church of Man.)
What is the definition of life, and can it really be “artificial?” Even these “synthetic” organisms that will be called artificial draw heavily from existing genetic codes and DNA. When Luther Burbank crossed a potato and a tomato he engineered a “synthetic” sort of genetically-altered food (now known as the Beefsteak Tomato), but that is still considered a “natural” food.
Rather, is life something that we cannot instill, create, or control any more than Dr. Frankenstein? Is it really possible that we, whether products of evolution or creation, can in turn truly re-create the processes that brought us into being?
Tags: scientists, artificial life, Frankenstein, Intelligent Design, life, evolution
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