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2009-12-31
IF THE WORLD WAS A VILLAGE OF 100 PEOPLE PART 3
I found these interesting posters on the website of Toby Ng Design. It graphically depicts global statistics on important issues of which Christians should take note. View the original web entry here.
IF THE WORLD WAS A VILLAGE OF 100 PEOPLE PART 2
I found these interesting posters on the website of Toby Ng Design. It graphically depicts global statistics on important issues of which Christians should take note. View the original web entry here.
LANGUAGE
ETHNICITY
NATIONALITY
RELIGION
IF THE WORLD WAS A VILLAGE OF 100 PEOPLE PART 1
I found these interesting posters on the website of Toby Ng Design. It graphically depicts global statistics on important issues of which Christians should take note. View the original web entry here.
GENDER
AGE
SEXUALITY
2009-12-30
Stephan Joubert's New Year's Resolutions - I Agree
Stephan Joubert posted some New Year's Resolutions with which I wholeheartedly agree. You can find the original post here.
Once again, it’s the time of new year’s resolutions being made everywhere. Can you believe it?! Well, I also have a couple of set resolutions for the 2010 that’s lying in wait just around the corner… like making more time for silence in my life. God doesn’t compete with all the noise in and around me. I realize that I have to hear Him on his terms, not mine, in the new year. That’s why I would love to be still and quiet more often in the new year, to get to know the Lord better.
New Year’s Resolutions
Once again, it’s the time of new year’s resolutions being made everywhere. Can you believe it?! Well, I also have a couple of set resolutions for the 2010 that’s lying in wait just around the corner… like making more time for silence in my life. God doesn’t compete with all the noise in and around me. I realize that I have to hear Him on his terms, not mine, in the new year. That’s why I would love to be still and quiet more often in the new year, to get to know the Lord better. Another resolution — I don’t want to send or answer any nasty emails or text messages during 2010. It’s an unnecessary waste of energy to try and argue with those who believe that they know better, or with those who are always the only correct ones. In the new year, I also don’t want to fret about some road users furiously chasing around just to win 2 minutes of saved time, and 2 hours of higher blood pressure as “reward”. Finally, I want to live all of 2010 at the ‘today-speed’ — one day at a time. I reckon that’s just about fast enough.
Ten 2009 Books on the New Testament You Should have Read
I have come to appreciate Ben Witherington's judgment on theological issues tremendously, as he is a thinking theologian without any hidden agendas or preconceived ideologies. He is straightforward about his position on the academic spectrum and when he says something, I tend to read carefully.
He just posted this review of the more important books in the area of Ne Testament scholarship over the past year. Two of the books is already in my library, so I feel quite good about knowing somebodey else also thought them to be significant reads!
The original entry can be read here.
Of the making of Biblical studies books there is no end, but not all books are created equal. One of the questions I often get is what were the best Biblical Studies books that came out this year which should be added to a library. So on my birthday and without trying to come up with any definitive or exhaustive list and without dealing with commentaries, here are ten books you need if you wish to be a serious student of the NT-- in no particular order:
1) N.T. Wright, Justification. Whether you love his work or loath it, Tom certainly articulates a particular, clear point of view, and this volume is unique in the Wright ouevre in being something of an apologia for his own views on justification which have been under attack.
2) BW3, The Indelible Image Vol. One. Setting aside both hubris and false humility, this is an important work, not least because of its comprehensive coverage of all the NT witnesses and Jesus, and because it deals with both theology and ethics. This work is incomplete without the second and final volume in this series which will appear in 2010.
3) J.D.G. Dunn, Christianity in the Making Vol. 2. Beginning from Christianity, Jimmy Dunn's work reflects a lifetime of vigorous thought, reading, dialogue, and interaction with a wide panoply of NT scholarship. Dunn is attempting to do for our generation what Cadbury, Lake, Foakes Jackson and others did in their Beginnings of Christianity series from over 50 years ago. Few scholars have the scope of knowledge to pull off something like this with success, but Dunn does.
4) Richard Bauckham, Jesus and the Eyewitnesses. Though this book did not come out in 2009, it has only just begun to have its full effect, and as Richard himself has said to me-- its probably his most important book. If you haven't read it yet, stop everything and do so. It puts the cat amongst the pigeons when it comes to a variety of issues including the nature of how Christians passed on the sayings of Jesus and the authorship of the Gospels.
5) John Meier, A Marginal Jew, Vol. Four. Though it appears that the apex of the third quest for the historical Jesus has come and gone, when the dust has settled this series of books on Jesus may well endure as the most important contributions to the discussion.
6) Philip Payne, Man and Woman. One in Christ, As the culture wars rage on in the conservative church about the role of women, a few scholars have spent most of their careers dealing with the detailed historical and exegetical and theological issues. Few have done a better job of dealing with these issues than my old classmate at GCTS, Phil Payne.
7) E.A. Judge, The First Christians in the Roman World, Finally the many many important essays of Edwin Judge on the social history of the NT period are being collected and put into print enmasse. This collection is voluminous, and it was presaged by my old teacher David Scholer's last labor of love editing a much smaller collection of Ed Judge's essays in Social Distinctives of the Christians in the First Century. Both of these volumes are invaluable.
8) Gary Burge et al. The New Testament in Antiquity, Though I have a few bones to pick with some of the judgments in this volume, it is still excellent, and an excellent place to start when trying to assess the NT in its various settings in the Jewish and Greco-Roman worlds. On top of this it has wonderful pictures and illustrations as well.
9) David deSilva-- Seeing Things John's Way. The Rhetoric of the Book of Revelation. This book is extremely rich and offers a rhetorically sensitive way of reading the Apocalypse. David writes well to boot, and so hopefully this will help us all get a better grasp of John's world view and persuasion.
10) Craig Keener, The Historical Jesus. If Meier's four volumes is too many big books on Jesus, here is just one giant book that does justice to the subject of what we can know and say about the most influential person of all time. Craig's work reflected detailed and at times exhaustive research on a subject and his coverage of important issues can't be beat.
He just posted this review of the more important books in the area of Ne Testament scholarship over the past year. Two of the books is already in my library, so I feel quite good about knowing somebodey else also thought them to be significant reads!
The original entry can be read here.
Ten 2009 Books on the New Testament You Should have Read
Of the making of Biblical studies books there is no end, but not all books are created equal. One of the questions I often get is what were the best Biblical Studies books that came out this year which should be added to a library. So on my birthday and without trying to come up with any definitive or exhaustive list and without dealing with commentaries, here are ten books you need if you wish to be a serious student of the NT-- in no particular order:
1) N.T. Wright, Justification. Whether you love his work or loath it, Tom certainly articulates a particular, clear point of view, and this volume is unique in the Wright ouevre in being something of an apologia for his own views on justification which have been under attack.
2) BW3, The Indelible Image Vol. One. Setting aside both hubris and false humility, this is an important work, not least because of its comprehensive coverage of all the NT witnesses and Jesus, and because it deals with both theology and ethics. This work is incomplete without the second and final volume in this series which will appear in 2010.
3) J.D.G. Dunn, Christianity in the Making Vol. 2. Beginning from Christianity, Jimmy Dunn's work reflects a lifetime of vigorous thought, reading, dialogue, and interaction with a wide panoply of NT scholarship. Dunn is attempting to do for our generation what Cadbury, Lake, Foakes Jackson and others did in their Beginnings of Christianity series from over 50 years ago. Few scholars have the scope of knowledge to pull off something like this with success, but Dunn does.
4) Richard Bauckham, Jesus and the Eyewitnesses. Though this book did not come out in 2009, it has only just begun to have its full effect, and as Richard himself has said to me-- its probably his most important book. If you haven't read it yet, stop everything and do so. It puts the cat amongst the pigeons when it comes to a variety of issues including the nature of how Christians passed on the sayings of Jesus and the authorship of the Gospels.
5) John Meier, A Marginal Jew, Vol. Four. Though it appears that the apex of the third quest for the historical Jesus has come and gone, when the dust has settled this series of books on Jesus may well endure as the most important contributions to the discussion.
6) Philip Payne, Man and Woman. One in Christ, As the culture wars rage on in the conservative church about the role of women, a few scholars have spent most of their careers dealing with the detailed historical and exegetical and theological issues. Few have done a better job of dealing with these issues than my old classmate at GCTS, Phil Payne.
7) E.A. Judge, The First Christians in the Roman World, Finally the many many important essays of Edwin Judge on the social history of the NT period are being collected and put into print enmasse. This collection is voluminous, and it was presaged by my old teacher David Scholer's last labor of love editing a much smaller collection of Ed Judge's essays in Social Distinctives of the Christians in the First Century. Both of these volumes are invaluable.
8) Gary Burge et al. The New Testament in Antiquity, Though I have a few bones to pick with some of the judgments in this volume, it is still excellent, and an excellent place to start when trying to assess the NT in its various settings in the Jewish and Greco-Roman worlds. On top of this it has wonderful pictures and illustrations as well.
9) David deSilva-- Seeing Things John's Way. The Rhetoric of the Book of Revelation. This book is extremely rich and offers a rhetorically sensitive way of reading the Apocalypse. David writes well to boot, and so hopefully this will help us all get a better grasp of John's world view and persuasion.
10) Craig Keener, The Historical Jesus. If Meier's four volumes is too many big books on Jesus, here is just one giant book that does justice to the subject of what we can know and say about the most influential person of all time. Craig's work reflected detailed and at times exhaustive research on a subject and his coverage of important issues can't be beat.
2009-12-29
Found on the Internet: Emerging Church Movement (1989 - 2009)?
This insightful overview over the Emerging Church Movement is provided by Andrew Jones of Tall Skinny Kiwi and the original post can be read here.
2009 marks a turning point for the emerging church. Its difficult to make broad statements about a movement that hit each country at different times, in successive waves, and at different paces. But as someone who jumped into this funky controversial experimental movement in 1985 (if it could be called a movement back then) and has ridden the wave all the way through nearly 50 countries and many ups and downs, joys and sorrows, rewards and sacrifices, here is my take. For what its worth . .
Emerging Church Movement (1989 - 2009)?
2009 marks a turning point for the emerging church. Its difficult to make broad statements about a movement that hit each country at different times, in successive waves, and at different paces. But as someone who jumped into this funky controversial experimental movement in 1985 (if it could be called a movement back then) and has ridden the wave all the way through nearly 50 countries and many ups and downs, joys and sorrows, rewards and sacrifices, here is my take. For what its worth . .
In my opinion, 2009 marks the year when the emerging church suddenly and decisively ceased to be a radical and controversial movement in global Christianity. In many places around the world, the movement has already been either adopted, adapted, or made redundant through the traditional church catching up or duplicating EC efforts. In some countries there have been strategic partnerships during 2009 or a significant rethinking process that has led to a new level of maturity, a sense of completion, or an re-evaluation of original vision and current practises.
In 2009, the emerging church either grew up, stopped being offensive, switched gear from experimental to normal, became the new mainstream, or a bit of each.
During 2009, I can think of 5 or 6 countries where some of the top "emerging church" leaders have been brought on staff to more traditional churches or denominations or mission agencies where it is hoped they will bring new perspective to the traditional streams of Christianity. There are now Bible colleges that offer a degree in the emerging church. I know because I have taught classes at them.
History will most likely mark 2009 as the concluding year for the emerging church movement. However, various streams within the movement will continue on for many years to come. For example, the biggest global emerging church event on the calender for 2010 will take place in Brazil and be attended mostly by Latin Americans. I have been asked to speak there and if I do, I will not be telling them that their movement is over because it is far from it.
A harder question to ask, and it will be asked as church historians begin to write a decent history of this movement (which no one has yet managed to do), will be regarding the date it all started.
1994 has already been suggested as the start date for this movement. This seems to make sense to a lot of Americans but not other countries. Its true that the trickle became a stream around that time but there was a lot of action in the 80's that led directly to the movement. I go for an earlier date.
1989 is the biggest contender for this date of commencement. At the frustratingly fickle "emerging church" article on Wikipedia, which is currently going through an English mood swing, 1989 is the year of choice. And it is likely that 1989 will stick. In 1989, says Wikipedia, New Zealand baptist Mark Pierson started Parallel Universe with his mate Mike Riddel and the two of them inspired emerging church leaders and alt. worship gatherings around the world from that point on. Which actually is true and both Mike and Mark have been an inspiration to me also. But, as much as I would like a New Zealander to be the founder of the movement, and despite the roundness of the 20 year period from 1989, there are many who will argue for an earlier date.
The first mention of online community appears in 1985. John Wimber rocked the English in Sheffield in 1985 at an event which inspired the Nairn Street Community to start the Nine O'Clock Service some months later. In 1985, Sanctuary launched out as a movement for metalheads and punks. By 1986, the leaders of Matthews Party in California were being criticized for church in a pub and were told that "church should not be a party!" In 1986, a group gathered at Dieter and Val Zander's house that became New Song. In 1988, two guys at school with me (Mutlnomah) had already started a skate church in Portland Oregon. I had already started my first house church in 1985, at the obnoxious age of 21, and by 1989 had started a coffee-shop type church service. Also in 1989 I met up with Dave Andrews in Australia who, inspired by the Christian ashrams in India, already had a network of over 30 houses in a new kind of dispersed community in Brisbane called The Waiter's Union. And some will quickly add Late Late Service in Glasgow and we could go on and on with mid and late 80's emerging churches.
But every movement is preceded with experiments and early examples. And every movement has streams that continue unabated for years afterwards. Such it will be with the EC. But in the meantime, there is room for a lot more stories to fill the pages of the emerging church history if we are to decide on a date.
A quick story to gain some perspective. Sorry this post is going on so long.
Pastor Bob Beeman, who I spent a few days with this month, told me that 1985 was the year that Sanctuary took off. There were so many goths, metalheads, and punks coming to Jesus in Redondo Beach, California, that they decided to start their own discipleship ministry. Bob is working on a video that will be released in 2010 to celebrate 25 years of the movement. At their peak in the 1990's, Sanctuary had 36 parishs ("house churches" Pastor Bob called them) but there came a time when they decide to close them all down (except San Diego with Dave Hart) because the traditional churches were no longer rejecting metalheads and punks. God used the Sanctuary churches for a period of time in which they were needed to preserve wine in new wineskins, and God is using them powerfully today around the world in an advisory role. In many ways, I see the story of Sanctuary as a mirror image of the wider emerging church movement. And 2009 was the year when many emerging church steams realized they had to make that shift.
How about you? Can you add to my list of emerging church models in the 1980's? How would you date it?
What sounds better to you - Emerging Church 1989 to 1999? or Emerging Church 1985 - 2010?2009-12-28
This year's top not-mentioned movies
I want to nominate the following ten movies for some award, probably not in the categories of good scripting, acting or directing. Not even for their message. But since all other nominations tend to go way deep (read: all those foreign-language art movies), I thought it could be appropriate to put my tongue in my cheek and make a list of nice-to-watch, relaxing, pop-culture cinema fair. Oh, and the count-down is actually a count-up.
Not all of the movies are South African, since there weren't that many South African movies produced this year. What a shame.
1. Karate Kallie
An Afrikaans movie about a fat kid in a new school with a crush on the bully's sister. His brother teaches him karate from some terrible nineteen seventies Japanese flick and in the end Kallie sings in the talent competition with a voice like Pavarotti's. It's actually a terrible movie but, hey, it's Afrikaans after all. And I actually liked Kallie's innocence. But why must the school bully be so extremely gay? (Sorry, no insult intended, but watch the movie and you'll understand).
2. White Wedding
I didn't see the movie yet. It's a comedy about an African couple getting married in Soweto with lots of bling. As I understand it, it pokes fun at upper-middle class society from an African perspective. This is also a South African production. And a much better movie than Kallie, even if I hadn't seen it yet.
3. District 9
One of the better South African movies to make it to the big screen. It's about a bunch of alien squatters living in Johannesburg. They get relocated because everybody is prejudiced and afraid they'll eat their kids or something of the sort. People tend to philosopize about the deeper meaning of this movie. I think the deeper meaning is actually all about movies that create monsters that resemble that musical guy with the very weird hair-do from Pirates of the Caribbean who smacked his vowels at the end of all his sentences.
4. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The next installment in this extremely lucrative franchise. I must admit, with this one the devil really is on the loose. Think about it: All the demonic influences in the scenes depicting the Dark Lord. The bad-to-worse development of the protagonist, Draco Malfoy. And prof Snape becoming the uber-villain! We should warn all proper fundamentalists about this movie. Soon all their children could be sporting wands and casting death spells.
5. The Hangover
This movie was so disgusting it was actually funny. Going to Vegas for a bachelor's weekend? It can only happen in America. The twist in the plot - the Roofie - provides for funny moments. But the guy who is sex-obsessed and gets a kick from projecting it on the baby? I'll never allow him near any of my teenage boys, ever. He'll subvert them into something extremely lustful. Or disgusting with loads of self-inflicting pain involved. Stay away!
6. Ice Age 3
Sid the Sloth is my all-time hero. So is the Momma Dinosaur. IA3 is the best of the three IA flicks. I almost died laughing at the helium scene. I almost died laughing at the squirrel-in-the-house scene. I almost died laughing, period. The quirks in the dialogue were way over my sons' comprehension levels, but we all decided that IA3 is the best animated movie EVER.
7. The Proposal
Of all romantic comedies, this one is probably the more realistic offering. Bossy girl, submissive guy who actually comes out very strong in the end. Homely parents in small-town America. A plot that elevates sincerity and honesty. At least they didn't get married before they fell in love. And Betty White is such a good actress.
8. New Moon
I never thought it was possible to create a love triangle between a girl, a vampire and a werewolf. And the girl fell for the pale skinny one! All the women in the audience gasped when Tyler Lautner entered the movie without his shirt. The boy is only 16, give him a break! Ah, but I forgot: this is another one of those covertly subversive movies where the demons can get a hold of your soul. Always remember that vampires and werewolves are supposed to be demonic, even if they are depicted as the good guys. Somewhere our society forgot to see fantasy for what it is ...
9. Fast and Furious (# ?)
An action-packed adventure with muscle tigers, sexy girls and fast cars. It's supposed to be a cult favourite and anything with Vin Diesel and Paul Walker in gets attention from drooling girls and fight-loving guys. I tagged along since Cindy wanted to watch mr Diesel doing his thing in some zooped-up car. The tunnel chase was awesome. My conclusion? I'm not a cars-type-of-movie kind-of-guy. But, what the heck, anything for Cindy!
10. Pitooey. I didn't go to the movies that much this year ... I guess my list must therefore end with only nine movies.
Not all of the movies are South African, since there weren't that many South African movies produced this year. What a shame.
1. Karate Kallie
An Afrikaans movie about a fat kid in a new school with a crush on the bully's sister. His brother teaches him karate from some terrible nineteen seventies Japanese flick and in the end Kallie sings in the talent competition with a voice like Pavarotti's. It's actually a terrible movie but, hey, it's Afrikaans after all. And I actually liked Kallie's innocence. But why must the school bully be so extremely gay? (Sorry, no insult intended, but watch the movie and you'll understand).
2. White Wedding
I didn't see the movie yet. It's a comedy about an African couple getting married in Soweto with lots of bling. As I understand it, it pokes fun at upper-middle class society from an African perspective. This is also a South African production. And a much better movie than Kallie, even if I hadn't seen it yet.
3. District 9
One of the better South African movies to make it to the big screen. It's about a bunch of alien squatters living in Johannesburg. They get relocated because everybody is prejudiced and afraid they'll eat their kids or something of the sort. People tend to philosopize about the deeper meaning of this movie. I think the deeper meaning is actually all about movies that create monsters that resemble that musical guy with the very weird hair-do from Pirates of the Caribbean who smacked his vowels at the end of all his sentences.
4. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The next installment in this extremely lucrative franchise. I must admit, with this one the devil really is on the loose. Think about it: All the demonic influences in the scenes depicting the Dark Lord. The bad-to-worse development of the protagonist, Draco Malfoy. And prof Snape becoming the uber-villain! We should warn all proper fundamentalists about this movie. Soon all their children could be sporting wands and casting death spells.
5. The Hangover
This movie was so disgusting it was actually funny. Going to Vegas for a bachelor's weekend? It can only happen in America. The twist in the plot - the Roofie - provides for funny moments. But the guy who is sex-obsessed and gets a kick from projecting it on the baby? I'll never allow him near any of my teenage boys, ever. He'll subvert them into something extremely lustful. Or disgusting with loads of self-inflicting pain involved. Stay away!
6. Ice Age 3
Sid the Sloth is my all-time hero. So is the Momma Dinosaur. IA3 is the best of the three IA flicks. I almost died laughing at the helium scene. I almost died laughing at the squirrel-in-the-house scene. I almost died laughing, period. The quirks in the dialogue were way over my sons' comprehension levels, but we all decided that IA3 is the best animated movie EVER.
7. The Proposal
Of all romantic comedies, this one is probably the more realistic offering. Bossy girl, submissive guy who actually comes out very strong in the end. Homely parents in small-town America. A plot that elevates sincerity and honesty. At least they didn't get married before they fell in love. And Betty White is such a good actress.
8. New Moon
I never thought it was possible to create a love triangle between a girl, a vampire and a werewolf. And the girl fell for the pale skinny one! All the women in the audience gasped when Tyler Lautner entered the movie without his shirt. The boy is only 16, give him a break! Ah, but I forgot: this is another one of those covertly subversive movies where the demons can get a hold of your soul. Always remember that vampires and werewolves are supposed to be demonic, even if they are depicted as the good guys. Somewhere our society forgot to see fantasy for what it is ...
9. Fast and Furious (# ?)
An action-packed adventure with muscle tigers, sexy girls and fast cars. It's supposed to be a cult favourite and anything with Vin Diesel and Paul Walker in gets attention from drooling girls and fight-loving guys. I tagged along since Cindy wanted to watch mr Diesel doing his thing in some zooped-up car. The tunnel chase was awesome. My conclusion? I'm not a cars-type-of-movie kind-of-guy. But, what the heck, anything for Cindy!
10. Pitooey. I didn't go to the movies that much this year ... I guess my list must therefore end with only nine movies.
FOUND ON THE INTERNET: Twitter as a leadership tool
I found this interesting conversation on Michael Hyatt's website. You can read the original here.
Twitter as a Leadership Tool
I was talking to a good friend the other day about Twitter. He knows that I believe it is important. Really important. Some of his clients are also beginning to ask questions about it. But he just didn’t get it.
He finally blurted out, “It just seems like a huge waste of time. I don’t need one more inbox to check. I can barely keep up with what I have now.”I said, “Buddy, you’re completely missing it.”
“Missing what?” he said, defensively.
“The potential.”
“What potential?” he asked emphatically.
“It’s not about what you get out of it,” I said. “It’s about the opportunity it affords you to give to others and make an impact.”
“Excuse me,” he muttered.
“Twitter is an opportunity for you to lead in a way that was not possible until now.” I explained.
“As you and I both teach, when you boil it down, leadership is influence. Agreed?”
“Agreed,” he acknowledged.
“Leadership is not about position, a title, or status. It is about influence. Plain and simple. I know you believe that, too, right?”
“Right.”
I continued, “If that’s true, then Twitter provides an unprecedented opportunity for people like us to extend and amplify our influence. You don’t have to buy time on television or radio. You don’t have to write a book or magazine column. You don’t even have to blog,” I went on.
“All you have to do is write short 140 character micro-posts about what you are doing or—more importantly—what has your attention right now.”
I could almost hear his brain shift into a different gear. “You and I both know that people today crave leadership. They are dying for role models. They want to see what good leadership looks like—as it is lived out in the challenges of everyday life.”
I continued, “If you are living your life on-purpose, like I know you are, then by Twittering, you are modeling something worth emulating. This is unquestionably the most powerful way to lead.”
“Hmm.” I could hear the flicker of possibility in his voice. I knew this was resonating with him. But then he countered, “But you just can’t lead by Twittering.”
“I agree. I am not suggesting that you can. It is simply one tool in your leadership toolbox—but a very powerful one. Twitter is like an influence amplifier. It enables you to extend your influence in ways never before possible.”
We continued to chat about this for several more minutes. He finally said, “Wow! Maybe there’s more to Twitter than I thought. How do I get started.”
TOP TEN ENVIRONMENTAL MOMENTS OF THE LAST DECADE
CNN compiled a list of the ten most noteworthy environmental moments of the decade. The page is quite interactive, so I thought I'd rather link you directly to it in stead of copying it on the blog. Go check:
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/TECH/science/12/17/environmental.decade.top.ten/index.html
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/TECH/science/12/17/environmental.decade.top.ten/index.html
2009-12-26
Syncretism on the rise among Americans - a Pew Forum Analysis
The Pew Forum in the USA recently released the results of a study showing how Americans tend to "mix their religions." The original post can be found here.
Many Americans Mix Multiple Faiths
Eastern, New Age Beliefs Widespread
In this report:
- Attendance at Multiple Types of Religious Services
- Worship Venues
- Eastern or New Age Beliefs, "Evil Eye"
- Ghosts, Fortunetellers, and Communicating With the Dead
- Diverse Supernatural Beliefs and Experiences
- Religious and Mystical Experiences
- About the Survey
- Full report PDF (22 pages)
- Topline questionnaire (6 pages)
The religious beliefs and practices of Americans do not fit neatly into conventional categories. A new poll by the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life finds that large numbers of Americans engage in multiple religious practices, mixing elements of diverse traditions. Many say they attend worship services of more than one faith or denomination -- even when they are not traveling or going to special events like weddings and funerals. Many also blend Christianity with Eastern or New Age beliefs such as reincarnation, astrology and the presence of spiritual energy in physical objects. And sizeable minorities of all major U.S. religious groups say they have experienced supernatural phenomena, such as being in touch with the dead or with ghosts.
One-third of Americans (35%) say they regularly (9%) or occasionally (26%) attend religious services at more than one place, and most of these (24% of the public overall) indicate that they sometimes attend religious services of a faith different from their own. Aside from when they are traveling and special events like weddings and funerals, three-in-ten Protestants attend services outside their own denomination, and one-fifth of Catholics say they sometimes attend non-Catholic services.
Among those who attend religious services at least once a week, nearly four-in-ten (39%) say they attend at multiple places and nearly three-in-ten (28%) go to services outside their own faith, according to the Pew Forum survey, which was conducted Aug. 11-27 among 4,013 adults reached on both landlines and cell phones. Attending services at more than one place and across multiple religious traditions is even more common among those who go to religious services on a monthly or yearly basis, with nearly six-in-ten (59%) saying they attend at multiple places and four-in-ten attending services from outside their own faith at least sometimes.
Religiously mixed marriages are common in the United States, and the survey finds that the link between being in a religiously mixed union and attendance at multiple types of services is a complex one. Overall, people in religiously mixed marriages attend worship services less often than people married to someone of the same faith. But among those who attend religious services at least yearly, those in religiously mixed marriages attend multiple types of services at a higher rate than people married to someone of the same religion.
Though the U.S. is an overwhelmingly Christian country, significant minorities profess belief in a variety of Eastern or New Age beliefs. For instance, 24% of the public overall and 22% of Christians say they believe in reincarnation -- that people will be reborn in this world again and again. And similar numbers (25% of the public overall, 23% of Christians) believe in astrology. Nearly three-in-ten Americans say they have felt in touch with someone who has already died, almost one-in-five say they have seen or been in the presence of ghosts, and 15% have consulted a fortuneteller or a psychic.
Nearly half of the public (49%) says they have had a religious or mystical experience, defined as a "moment of sudden religious insight or awakening." This is similar to a survey conducted in 2006 but much higher than in surveys conducted in 1976 and 1994 and more than twice as high as a 1962 Gallup survey (22%). In fact, this year's survey finds that religious and mystical experiences are more common today among those who are unaffiliated with any particular religion (30%) than they were in the 1960s among the public as whole (22%).
Attendance at Multiple Types of Religious Services
Nearly three-quarters of Americans (72%) say they attend religious services at least a few times a year, including 38% who say they attend at least once a week and 34% who attend once or twice a month or a few times a year. Roughly one-quarter says they seldom or never attend religious services (27%). These figures are roughly consistent with findings from recent years.
Of those who attend at least yearly, roughly half (37% of the public overall) say they always attend services at the same place, while nearly as many (35%) say they regularly or occasionally attend religious services at different places, aside from when they are traveling and going to special events such as weddings and funerals. To estimate the number of Americans who attend multiple types of religious services, the survey followed up by asking people who attend religious services at different places about the types of services (e.g., Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, etc.) they attend. Overall, about one-in-four adults (24%) indicate that they attend services of at least one faith other than their own, and roughly one-in-ten (12%) say they participate in the services of two or more faiths in addition to their own.
Three-in-ten Protestants say they attend multiple types of religious services, including those who attend services at Protestant denominations different than their own; 18% of Protestants indicate that they attend non-Protestant services.
More than four-in-ten black Protestants (42%) and roughly one-quarter of white evangelical and mainline Protestants (28% and 24%, respectively) regularly or occasionally attend services at a faith other than their own. Among all three groups of Protestants, the most commonly cited type of services attended (other than services of one's own faith) are those of other Protestant denominations (40% among black Protestants, 24% among white evangelicals and 22% among white mainline Protestants). However, significant numbers within all three Protestant traditions report sometimes attending Catholic Mass; this includes nearly one-in-five black Protestants (19%), 13% of white evangelicals and 14% of mainline Protestants. Fewer say they attend Jewish synagogues or Muslim mosques.
Roughly one-in-five Catholics say they attend services of at least one faith other than Catholicism, with most of these (18% of Catholics overall and 16% of white Catholics) saying they attend Protestant services. About one-in-twenty Catholics report attending services at Jewish synagogues (5%) and 1% say they attend Muslim mosques.
Attending religious services at more than one place is most common among those who attend services only occasionally. Among those who attend services once or twice a month or a few times a year, fully six-in-ten (59%) attend services at more than one place, including four-in-ten who attend religious services of faiths other than their own. Among those who say they attend services on a weekly basis, fewer say they attend at more than one place (39%); still, more than a quarter of Americans who are regular, weekly attenders at religious services (28%) say they also attend services outside their own faith, not counting when they are traveling or special occasions like weddings and funerals. (Respondents who seldom or never attend religious services were not asked about where they attend.)
The survey finds a complex link between attending multiple types of religious services and being in religiously mixed marriages. The key distinction between those in religiously mixed versus religiously matched marriages is in the overall level of religious commitment, with those in religiously mixed marriages exhibiting lower levels of religious commitment, as measured by frequency of attendance at worship services. Among those in religiously mixed marriages, fully four-in-ten (43%) say they seldom or never attend religious services, twice as high as seen among those married to someone of the same faith (21%).
On the surface, people who are married to a spouse from a faith different than their own are neither more nor less likely than married people overall to attend multiple types of religious services (25% among all of those in religiously mixed relationships, 24% among those in religiously matched marriages). However, among those who attend religious services at least yearly, more than four-in-ten in mixed marriages attend services of faiths different than their own, compared with roughly three-in-ten of those married to someone of the same faith.
Worship Venues
In addition to asking about the types of religious services that people attend, the survey also asked about the locations or venues in which these services are held. Most people who attend services at least yearly do so at a church or other house of worship. But a significant minority of Americans (11%) say they go to services at other locations, either instead of (3%) or in addition to (8%) services in a regular house of worship.
Roughly one-in-six white evangelicals attend religious services in a place other than a church or house of worship (16%), as do 13% of black Protestants. Nearly one-in-ten white mainline Protestants say the same (9%), while the comparable figures among Catholics and the unaffiliated are 5% and 6%, respectively.
Homes are the most popular alternative venue to churches and other houses of worship. About 7% of Americans say they attend religious services in someone's home. Attending services in homes is somewhat more common among Protestants (9%) than among Catholics (4%).
Eastern or New Age Beliefs, "Evil Eye"
Roughly one-quarter of adults express belief in tenets of certain Eastern religions; 24% say they believe in reincarnation (that people will be reborn in this world again and again), and a similar number (23%) believe in yoga not just as exercise but as a spiritual practice. Similar numbers profess belief in elements of New Age spirituality, with 26% saying they believe in spiritual energy located in physical things such as mountains, trees or crystals, and 25% professing belief in astrology (that the position of the stars and planets can affect people's lives). Fewer people (16%) believe in the "evil eye" or that certain people can cast curses or spells that cause bad things to happen to someone.
Compared with other religious traditions, white evangelical Protestants consistently express lower levels of acceptance of both Eastern beliefs (reincarnation, yoga) and New Age beliefs (spiritual energy in physical things and astrology). For example, roughly one-in-ten white evangelicals believes in reincarnation, compared with 24% among mainline Protestants, 25% among both white Catholics and those unaffiliated with any religion, and 29% among black Protestants. Similarly, 13% of white evangelicals believe in astrology, compared with roughly one-quarter or more among other religious traditions. There are few differences among religious traditions in belief in the "evil eye," though black Protestants stand out for high levels of belief on this question (32%).
Among Protestants, high levels of religious commitment are associated with lower levels of acceptance of Eastern or New Age beliefs. Among both evangelical and mainline Protestants, those who attend church weekly express much lower levels of belief in reincarnation, yoga, the existence of spiritual energy in physical things and astrology compared with those who attend religious services less often. Among Catholics, by contrast, frequency of church attendance is linked much less closely with these kinds of beliefs, although those who attend less often do express higher levels of belief in astrology compared with weekly attenders.
Hispanics are more likely than whites to believe in yoga, spiritual energy in physical objects, astrology and the evil eye, and blacks are more likely than whites to believe in reincarnation and the evil eye. Older people (those over age 65) consistently express lower levels of acceptance of these kinds of beliefs compared with younger people. These beliefs are more common among Democrats and independents than Republicans and are more widely held by liberals and moderates than conservatives. The difference between liberals and conservatives is especially pronounced on the question of belief in yoga as a spiritual practice; nearly four-in-ten liberals express this belief (39%), compared with 15% of conservatives.
Ghosts, Fortunetellers, and Communicating With the Dead
Roughly three-in-ten Americans (29%) say they have felt in touch with someone who has died. Nearly one-in-five say they have been in the presence of a ghost (18%), while 15% say they have consulted a fortuneteller or a psychic.
The proportion of Americans who say they have interacted with a ghost has doubled over the past 13 years (9% in 1996 compared with 18% today). The number saying they have felt in touch with someone who has died has also grown considerably, from 18% in 1996 to 29% today. There has been no change, however, over the past 20 years in the proportion of Americans who have consulted a fortuneteller or psychic, with a steady minority of roughly one-in-seven continuing to say they have done so.
Evangelical Protestants are the group least likely to say they have felt in touch with a dead person (20%). Members of other religious traditions are much more familiar with this type of phenomenon, with 37% of black Protestants, 35% of white Catholics, 31% of the unaffiliated and 29% of white mainline Protestants saying they have felt in touch with someone who has died. Differences between evangelicals and other religious traditions are smaller on the questions of ghostly experiences and consultations with fortunetellers.
Having been in touch with a dead person is more common among women than men (33% vs. 26%). Women are also twice as likely to have consulted a fortuneteller or psychic (20% vs. 10%). Blacks report more experience feeling in touch with the dead than whites or Hispanics (41%, 29% and 30%, respectively). But they resemble whites and Hispanics on other items, such as encounters with a ghost or consulting a fortuneteller.
Compared with those with a college degree, more Americans with a high school education or less report having felt in touch with a dead person (32% vs. 24%) and having seen a ghost (21% vs. 13%). However, Americans with less education are no more inclined to have consulted a fortuneteller than are Americans with a college education (13% vs. 17%). Conservatives and Republicans report fewer experiences than liberals or Democrats communicating with the dead, seeing ghosts and consulting fortunetellers or psychics.
Diverse Supernatural Beliefs and Experiences
In total, upwards of six-in-ten adults (65%) express belief in or report having experience with at least one of these diverse supernatural phenomena (belief in reincarnation, belief in spiritual energy located in physical things, belief in yoga as spiritual practice, belief in the "evil eye," belief in astrology, having been in touch with the dead, consulting a psychic, or experiencing a ghostly encounter). This includes roughly one-quarter of the population (23%) who report having only one of these beliefs or experiences. More than four-in-ten people (43%) answer two or more of these items affirmatively, including 25% who answer two or three of these items affirmatively and nearly one-in-five (18%) who answer yes to four or more. Roughly one-third of the public (35%) answers no to all eight items.
With the exception of white evangelicals, majorities of all major religious traditions report holding at least one of these beliefs or having experienced one of these phenomena. In fact, roughly half of black Protestants (50%), the religiously unaffiliated (48%) and Catholics (47%) answer yes to two or more of these items, as do 43% of white mainline Protestants. A slim majority of white evangelicals (53%) answer no to all eight questions, while 47% indicate belief or familiarity with at least one of these items. Among white evangelicals and white mainline Protestants, higher levels of religious commitment (as measured by frequency of church attendance) are associated with lower levels of belief in these phenomena and familiarity with these experiences.
Religious and Mystical Experiences
In response to a separate question, half of Americans (49%) say they have had "a religious or mystical experience - that is, a moment of religious or spiritual awakening." This is roughly the same as the number that said this in 2006 (47%), but it represents a sharp increase over the past four decades. In 1962, only 22% of Americans reported having had such an experience, which grew to about a third in 1976 (31%) and 1994 (33%). Since then, the number has continued to increase to roughly half of the public in this decade.
Differences among Protestants are striking. Strong majorities of white evangelicals (70%) and black Protestants (71%) say they have had religious or mystical experiences, compared with four-in-ten mainline Protestants (40%). Catholics resemble mainline Protestants, with 37% having had a religious or mystical experience.
Among the unaffiliated, three-in-ten have had a religious or mystical experience. This is lower than nearly any other religious segment of the population but is still a higher proportion than among the general public in 1962 (22%). These kinds of experiences are particularly common among the "religious unaffiliated" (i.e., those who describe their religion as "nothing in particular" and say that religion is at least somewhat important in their lives), among whom 51% have had a religious or mystical experience. Among self-described atheists, agnostics and the "secular unaffiliated" (i.e., those who describe their religion as "nothing in particular" and say that religion is not important in their lives), roughly one-in-five (18%) say they have had this kind of experience.
Mystical or religious experiences are most common among people who regularly attend religious services. More than six-in-ten of those who attend weekly say they have had this kind of experience (61%), compared with half of those who attend monthly or yearly (48%) and just one-third of those who seldom or never attend religious services (33%).
Blacks are much more likely than whites or Hispanics (69%, 47% and 44%, respectively) to report religious or mystical experiences. More than half (55%) of baby boomers (age 50-64) identify with such experiences, compared with fewer young adults and seniors (43% each).
There is little difference along party lines on this question. Roughly half of Republicans, Democrats and independents say they have had a religious or mystical experience. More than half of conservatives (55%) claim to have had such experiences, similar to the number of liberals who have had these kinds of experiences (50%) and much higher than among moderates (43%).
About the Survey
Results for this survey are based on telephone interviews conducted under the direction of Princeton Survey Research Associates International among a nationwide sample of 4,013 adults, 18 years of age or older. Interviews were conducted in two waves, the first from August 11-17, 2009 (Survey A) and the second from August 20-27, 2009 (Survey B). In total, 3,012 respondents were interviewed on a landline telephone, and 1,001 were interviewed on a cell phone, including 347 who had no landline telephone. Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish. Both the landline and cell phone samples were provided by Survey Sampling International. For detailed information about our survey methodology, see http://people-press.org/methodology/.
The combined landline and cell phone sample is weighted using an iterative technique that matches gender, age, education, race/ethnicity, region, and population density to parameters from the March 2008 Census Bureau's Current Population Survey. The sample is also weighted to match current patterns of telephone status and relative usage of landline and cell phones (for those with both), based on extrapolations from the 2008 National Health Interview Survey. The weighting procedure also accounts for the fact that respondents with both landline and cell phones have a greater probability of being included in the sample.
The following table shows the error attributable to sampling that would be expected at the 95% level of confidence for different groups in the survey. The topline survey results included at the end of this report clearly indicate whether each question in the survey was asked of the full sample, Survey A only or Survey B only. Most of the results analyzed in this report were asked in Survey B only.
In addition to sampling error, one should bear in mind that question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of opinion polls.
About the Projects
This survey is a joint effort of the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press and the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. Both organizations are sponsored by the Pew Charitable Trusts and are projects of the Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan "fact tank" that provides information on the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world.
The Pew Research Center for the People & the Press is an independent opinion research group that studies attitudes toward the press, politics and public policy issues. The Center's purpose is to serve as a forum for ideas on the media and public policy through public opinion research. In this role it serves as an important information resource for political leaders, journalists, scholars, and public interest organizations. All of the Center's current survey results are made available free of charge.
The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life seeks to promote a deeper understanding of issues at the intersection of religion and public affairs. It studies public opinion, demographics and other important aspects of religion and public life in the U.S. and around the world. It also provides a neutral venue for discussions of timely issues through roundtables and briefings.
This report is a collaborative product based on the input and analysis of the following individuals:
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life
Luis Lugo, Director
Alan Cooperman and Sandra Stencel, Associate Directors
Gregory Smith, Senior Researcher
Allison Pond and Neha Sahgal, Research Associates
Scott Clement, Research Analyst
Michelle Ralston, Research Assistant
Diana Yoo, Graphic Designer and Assistant Web Editor
Tracy Miller and Hilary Ramp, Editors
John C. Green, Senior Research Advisor
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press
Andrew Kohut, Director
Scott Keeter, Director of Survey Research
Carroll Doherty and Michael Dimock, Associate Directors
Michael Remez, Senior Writer
Robert Suls, Shawn Neidorf, Leah Melani Christian, Jocelyn Kiley and Alec Tyson, Research Associates
Jacob Poushter, Research Analyst
FOUND ON THE INTERNET: CNN's 10 tech fails of 2009
CNN wrote an interesting article, albeit from an American perspective, on the past year's technological disasters. The original article can be read here.
#%*@#! The top 10 tech 'fails' of 2009
Gmail outages in 2009 showed how many people and businesses depend on Google's free e-mail service.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- CNN talks to tech-savvy folks to list our Top 10 tech "fails" of 2009
- Facebook flap over new terms of service led to a rare backtrack by the site
- Conficker, thankfully, was never the April Fool's disaster that was predicted
- Google Wave, still in its early stages, so far just has people confused
RELATED TOPICS
(CNN) -- It was a big year for technology: Twitter and Facebook's popularity exploded, while new smartphones, e-readers and a host of other gadgets cropped up to compete for our plugged-in affection.
But into each electronic life a little digital rain must fall.
We polled a handful of the most tech-savvy folks we know for their thoughts on the worst moments in technology from 2009 -- the most epic "fails" of the year.
Your mileage may vary. If you think something doesn't deserve to be here, or think we missed a noteworthy clunker, let us know in the comments section. And now, in no particular order, our 2009 Tech Fails ...
Y2-what? Zune gets off to a bad start
Technically it was a New Year's Eve surprise. But many owners of Microsoft's Zune media player started 2009 with little more than a paperweight with LED lights.
At midnight on December 31, all Zune's 30-GB MP3 players froze up. Microsoft explained the problem as a problem with the way the device's internal clock recognized (or didn't recognize) leap years.
The glitch only lasted a day, but didn't help a device that was already failing to gain ground on Apple's iPod.
TwitterPeek fails to pique interest
The reaction of many in the tech community to the release of the TwitterPeek device was a collective, "Huh?"
Sure, there are some people who don't have smartphones and don't want to pay for expensive mobile plans. But is there really a market for a $199 device that does nothing but let you manage yourTwitter feed?
"I already have a $200 device to update Twitter," said one techie we spoke to. "It's called my iPhone."
The folks at Peek, makers of TwitterPeek, had already made the Pronto -- a device that handled only texts and e-mails. Maybe a combination of the two gadgets is in the works. But even then, would enough people be interested? Probably not.
Facebook backtracks on owning your stuff
OK ... so every time Facebook makes even the most minute changes, it sparks an outcry among its 350 million members, not to mention (irony alert) dozens of new Facebook groups geared at making the site change back.
But a terms-of-service change in February went further, implying that Facebook owned the rights to anything users uploaded to the site. Another change suggested that Facebook held those rights forever, even if people quit the site or took the material down.
Facebook responded that it simply needed those rights to be able to post information to other users. But when the backlash continued, the site eventually switched the terms back to their former wording.
Sidekick punts user info
In what one observer called "an almost incomprehensible data disaster," T-Mobile told users in October that a server error at a Microsoft subsidiary had lost users' personal data it had stored for the devices.
All of it.
Phone numbers, contact lists, calendars and other information was gone -- and even new data would disappear if users turned off or recharged the phone.
Users were offered free service and rebates in the wake of the mess, as T-Mobile scrambled to recover what little of the data it could. But that didn't stop the lawsuits, Internet griping and ill will generated by the snafu.
Hacking Twitter
It started as a story about someone hacking the accounts of several Twitter employees. Then, after Twitter said the attack was limited to personal information, not sensitive, company-related stuff, the hacker behind the attack struck again -- in a different way.
He sent 310 documents to leading technology blog TechCrunch. The blog published a small portion of them and sent the documents to Twitter, which is when the company learned that they included financial projections and notes from high-level executive meetings.
Twitter responded by reportedly closing the security holes that allowed the attack.
Enough with the updates, already!
This was the year that online social media exploded. That's good news for the future of Facebook, Twitter and the like.
But sometimes it just got to be a bit too much.
Members of Congress abandoned any pretense of paying attention to President Obama's State of the Union speech by updating their Twitter feeds as he was speaking.
There was the groom who updated his Facebook relationship status at the altar. And the women who tweeted during childbirth. [In fairness, the most high-profile tweeting new mom was Sara Williams, wife of Twitter CEO Evan Williams].
And that's not even mentioning all those friend requests you got from your grade-school teachers and members of your mom's knitting circle.
Hyped-up Conficker fails
This is a failure we're glad to report.
The Conficker worm was, by all accounts, a serious bit of malware that infected as many as 10 million computers worldwide. Instead of attacking those computers, it was designed to control them, paving the way for later attacks.
When researchers spotted the date April 1 in the worm's coding, speculation began mounting that a major April Fools' Day attack was on its way. Instead, it was mostly quiet -- a false alarm of Y2K proportions.
"I think the joke's on us a little bit, which you would have expected, having an April 1 date," Holly Stewart, threat response manager for IBM's X-Force, a computer security service, said at the time.
Attacks cripple Twitter, Facebook
On August 6, the concept of computer addiction didn't seem so silly.
A massive denial-of-service attack hit Twitter, Facebook and the LiveJournal blogging site. Twitter was by far the hardest hit, completely blacking out for several hours.
The attacks were believed to have targeted a blogger in the country of Georgia who had been critical of Russia. The attacks, the blogger said, coincided with the one-year anniversary of renewed violence between the two countries.
What was telling was how freaked out people became. Users described feeling naked, jittery and upset without the ability to post on Twitter. When the site came back up, the top topic of conversation was the hashtag for "When Twitter Was Down."
Gmail crashes
We heard some different views on this year's string of outages or slowdowns of Google's popular e-mail system.
Some thought coverage was overblown.
But as more computing power moves "into the cloud," people and businesses are relying on programs like Gmail not just for e-mails, but to archive documents, chat with friends or co-workers and store contact information.
Gmail went through several high-profile crashes in 2009, including one in February and two in September. While e-mail crashes are nothing new to any provider, 2009's were the first since Google begain offering offline support.
Response to the crashes simultaneously showed how many people depend on Gmail and how easy it is to make fun of those people. Social-networking blog Mashable responded with a list of five things to do while Gmail is down (No. 1: "Immediately flood Twitter with tweets alternately proclaiming, 'Gmail is down!' and inquiring, 'Is Gmail down?' ")
I got Google Wave -- now what?
OK, so it's a little early in the game to call this one a total fail. But after the breathless anticipation that greeted Google Wave and the hot rush to get an invitation for its beta testing, lots of users found themselves asking, "OK ... now what?"
Google, for its part, released an 80-minute tutorial video -- leading some observers to argue that if you need an hour and 20 minutes to explain what your product does, you might be in trouble.
It's designed as a platform to allow users to communicate and collaborate in real time -- a tool some predict will be used effectively by developers in the future.
But for now, it's inspired the creation of a Web site -- Easier to Understand Than Wave -- on which users compare the online tool to other sometimes obtuse subjects (Both Ozzy Osbourne and the geopolitical climate of Southeast Asia are easier to understand than Wave, users voted, while Sarah Palin and Scientology are both more difficult).
2009-12-24
AFRIKAANS: GRIEKWA BLESSING FOR CHRISTMAS (translation provided)
Mag die Jirre jouse binneste roer
en mag suffel goedgeit jou slat
lat jy eintlik loep en skaam kry oor allie genade!
en mag suffel goedgeit jou slat
lat jy eintlik loep en skaam kry oor allie genade!
TRANSLATED:
May the Lord move your intestines
and slap you with so much goodness
that you turn red with shame over all the grace!
and slap you with so much goodness
that you turn red with shame over all the grace!
MOVIE REVIEW: Avatar (by Ben Witherington III)
New Testament Scholar, Ben Witherington III, went to watch the movie Avatar. His impressions are reposted below, but can also be read on his blog here.
You know the story of Pandora's box. By now the phrase 'opening Pandora's box' has become a cliche as well. But since the movie Avatar is set on a planet called Pandora, and since this movie opens up all kinds of new vistas for film-making, the cliche is unavoidable in this case.
Ann and I were in Wellington NZ when they were finishing up some of the CG work on this film at Peter Jackson's Weta Workshop. They certainly do amazing work. The danger of course with celestial technology and film is that the visuals overwhelm the story, the characters, the acting, the music, and basically everything else. With this film however the visuals are so remarkable, and at times awe-inspiring, that such complaints become carping to some degree. When this movie is nominated for Best Oscar for Cinematography next year, no other films need apply. This one can't be topped for a while, perhaps not for several years until the sequel comes out. This is one of those rare films which is worth repeated viewings (in 3 D) just for the visuals. The combination of live action, motion capture, and CG is amazingly believable, seamlessly blending together. But all is far from perfect in this film, once we get past the amazing visuals.
James Cameron of course has a track record of putting together films that grab you visually and viscerally and you hang on for dear life until the end (e.g. Alien, Titantic). This film is like that, except that it is far too long. You don't mind the length because the visuals are so engrossing, but in terms of plot and narrative arc this film needs some serious editing. It would still be as visually stunning with about 20 less minutes of fighting etc.
Neither the dialogue nor the plot are memorable. Indeed, they are all too familiar--- earthlings, having trashed their own planet, now turn to another to strip mine for resources to keep human life as we know it going. The year is 2154, not that long from now actually. And so we have the usual switch that the aliens, even though they are rather like ancient American Indians in their state of technology, are more human than the humans, and they are generally more likable as well.
And then there is the Avatar concept itself--- the mind and spirit of a human being inhabits a surrogate body, in this case of the alien, and so is able to be part of alien life, in disguise. The premise is the Avatar is a sort of undercover spy sent on the mission to try and get the Navee to move so the mining company can get all those precious minerals without sending in their mercenaries to do them bodily harm. The problem is that Jake, the main man Avatar, becomes quite partial to the Navee, even falls in love with one long tall blue lady, and so we have romance, exploitation, animal rights, primitive religion, ecology, and a host of other themes all rolled into one. It's a bit of a mishmash, but hey--- there goes another amazing visual to distract you from realizing the problems with this film.
Of the stars in the film the only one immediately recognizable to a wide audience is Sigourney Weaver... also the star of Cameron's first big blockbuster--- Alien. You may recognize one refugee from Lost as well. But basically this is a cast of extras, not stars, but then again the acting is not all that crucial--- this is an action flick with some romance thrown in for good measure. It is one part Nat Geo special, one part Star Wars sci fi flick, one part Lion King sound track. And I would say some of the images are too vivid and too violent for younger kids, which is a shame since the world Pandora is one beautiful place.
James Cameron clearly is a gifted film maker with a good visual imagination, but he needs some help with plot, narrative, characterization, dialogue and some editing. In some ways this film is like Peter Jackson's King Kong--- visually amazing but too long, and too many action sequences with lulls in between. The problem with a visually amazing film is that it is hard to cut any of it-- especially the more vivid and beautiful parts. But going forward James Cameron plans to make more Avatar films. I hope he is listening-- box office success does not equal evidence that you have made an excellent film. Entertaining is one thing, excellence is another, and it takes more than excellent visuals to make a really good film.
And one more thing---- the animistic and pantheistic religion of the film (we are all one with nature, and mother earth is just sharing her life and energy with us) will be off-putting to some, especially those who are not tree-huggers. He might want to focus on other aspects of the Navee next time around. If you want to see a better sci-fi with romance movie that deals with ecological themes and the notions of exploitation, watch Wall-E again. The problem with opening Pandora's Box, is that to some degree you can't control what comes out--- and for sure, you can't get it all back in the box. Weta Workshop certainly did their job well in this film. Somebody needs to step up with a script and dialogue and memorable acting for the next one.
Avatar-- Opening Pandora's Box
You know the story of Pandora's box. By now the phrase 'opening Pandora's box' has become a cliche as well. But since the movie Avatar is set on a planet called Pandora, and since this movie opens up all kinds of new vistas for film-making, the cliche is unavoidable in this case.
Ann and I were in Wellington NZ when they were finishing up some of the CG work on this film at Peter Jackson's Weta Workshop. They certainly do amazing work. The danger of course with celestial technology and film is that the visuals overwhelm the story, the characters, the acting, the music, and basically everything else. With this film however the visuals are so remarkable, and at times awe-inspiring, that such complaints become carping to some degree. When this movie is nominated for Best Oscar for Cinematography next year, no other films need apply. This one can't be topped for a while, perhaps not for several years until the sequel comes out. This is one of those rare films which is worth repeated viewings (in 3 D) just for the visuals. The combination of live action, motion capture, and CG is amazingly believable, seamlessly blending together. But all is far from perfect in this film, once we get past the amazing visuals.
James Cameron of course has a track record of putting together films that grab you visually and viscerally and you hang on for dear life until the end (e.g. Alien, Titantic). This film is like that, except that it is far too long. You don't mind the length because the visuals are so engrossing, but in terms of plot and narrative arc this film needs some serious editing. It would still be as visually stunning with about 20 less minutes of fighting etc.
Neither the dialogue nor the plot are memorable. Indeed, they are all too familiar--- earthlings, having trashed their own planet, now turn to another to strip mine for resources to keep human life as we know it going. The year is 2154, not that long from now actually. And so we have the usual switch that the aliens, even though they are rather like ancient American Indians in their state of technology, are more human than the humans, and they are generally more likable as well.
And then there is the Avatar concept itself--- the mind and spirit of a human being inhabits a surrogate body, in this case of the alien, and so is able to be part of alien life, in disguise. The premise is the Avatar is a sort of undercover spy sent on the mission to try and get the Navee to move so the mining company can get all those precious minerals without sending in their mercenaries to do them bodily harm. The problem is that Jake, the main man Avatar, becomes quite partial to the Navee, even falls in love with one long tall blue lady, and so we have romance, exploitation, animal rights, primitive religion, ecology, and a host of other themes all rolled into one. It's a bit of a mishmash, but hey--- there goes another amazing visual to distract you from realizing the problems with this film.
Of the stars in the film the only one immediately recognizable to a wide audience is Sigourney Weaver... also the star of Cameron's first big blockbuster--- Alien. You may recognize one refugee from Lost as well. But basically this is a cast of extras, not stars, but then again the acting is not all that crucial--- this is an action flick with some romance thrown in for good measure. It is one part Nat Geo special, one part Star Wars sci fi flick, one part Lion King sound track. And I would say some of the images are too vivid and too violent for younger kids, which is a shame since the world Pandora is one beautiful place.
James Cameron clearly is a gifted film maker with a good visual imagination, but he needs some help with plot, narrative, characterization, dialogue and some editing. In some ways this film is like Peter Jackson's King Kong--- visually amazing but too long, and too many action sequences with lulls in between. The problem with a visually amazing film is that it is hard to cut any of it-- especially the more vivid and beautiful parts. But going forward James Cameron plans to make more Avatar films. I hope he is listening-- box office success does not equal evidence that you have made an excellent film. Entertaining is one thing, excellence is another, and it takes more than excellent visuals to make a really good film.
And one more thing---- the animistic and pantheistic religion of the film (we are all one with nature, and mother earth is just sharing her life and energy with us) will be off-putting to some, especially those who are not tree-huggers. He might want to focus on other aspects of the Navee next time around. If you want to see a better sci-fi with romance movie that deals with ecological themes and the notions of exploitation, watch Wall-E again. The problem with opening Pandora's Box, is that to some degree you can't control what comes out--- and for sure, you can't get it all back in the box. Weta Workshop certainly did their job well in this film. Somebody needs to step up with a script and dialogue and memorable acting for the next one.
2009-12-22
CROSSING RELIGIOUS BOUNDARIES: Celebrating Hanukkah
These two articles tell about the Jewish religious holiday, Hanukkah, that co-insides with Christmas. It can originally be found here and here.
Chanukah in a Nutshell
Chanukah -- the eight-day festival of light that begins on the eve of Kislev 25 -- celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, of purity over adulteration, of spirituality over materiality. More than twenty-one centuries ago, the Holy Land was ruled by the Seleucids (Syrian-Greeks), who sought to forcefully Hellenize the people of Israel. Against all odds, a small band of faithful Jews defeated one of the mightiest armies on earth, drove the Greeks from the land, reclaimed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and rededicated it to the service of G-d. When they sought to light the Temple's menorah, they found only a single cruse of olive oil that had escaped contamination by the Greeks; miraculously, the one-day supply burned for eight days, until new oil could be prepared under conditions of ritual purity. To commemorate and publicize these miracles, the sages instituted the festival of Chanukah. At the heart of the festival is the nightly menorah lighting: a single flame on the first night, two on the second evening, and so on till the eighth night of Chanukah, when all eight lights are kindled. On Chanukah we also recite Hallel and the Al HaNissim prayer to offer praise and thanksgiving to G-d for "delivering the strong into the hands of the weak, the many into the hands of the few... the wicked into the hands of the righteous." Chanukah customs include eating foods fried in oil -- latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiot (doughnuts); playing with the dreidel (a spinning top on which are inscribed the Hebrew letters nun, gimmel, hei and shin, an acronym for Nes Gadol Hayah Sham, "a great miracle happened there"); and the giving of Chanukah gelt, gifts of money, to children.
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FOUND ON THE INTERNET: Jesus-era house found in Nazareth for first time
This article was first published on the website of Reuters and can be read here.
NAZARETH, Israel (Reuters) - Remains of a house from the time of Jesus have been found in Nazareth -- the first discovery of its kind in the place where he grew up, Israel's Antiquities Authority said on Monday.
Archaeologists did not draw any direct link between the Nazareth dwelling and Jesus. His mother Mary's childhood home, many Christian faithful believe, was a cave over which Nazareth's imposing Church of the Annunciation now stands.
Yardenna Alexandre, who directed a dig near the church, said it exposed the walls of a first-century house that consisted of two rooms and a courtyard.
"The discovery is of the utmost importance since it reveals for the very first time a house from the Jewish village of Nazareth," Alexandre said in a statement issued by the Antiquities Authority.
"The building that we found is small and modest and it is most likely typical of the dwellings in Nazareth in that period," she said.
"Until now, a number of tombs from the time of Jesus were found in Nazareth, however no settlement remains had been discovered that were attributed to this period."
Alexandre described Nazareth, now Israel's largest Arab city with a population of some 65,000, as a "small hamlet" during Jesus's time.
(Writing by Jeffrey Heller; editing by Robin Pomeroy)
2009-12-20
FOUND ON THE INTERNET: Teacher suspended in prayer row
This article was originally posted on the website of BBC News and can be read here.
 Mrs Jones says she was told her actions could be deemed to be bullying |
A Christian supply teacher has been suspended from her job teaching ill children at home after offering to pray for a sick pupil.
Olive Jones, 54, from Weston-super-Mare, said the girl had been too poorly for a lesson. The teacher then decided to speak about her belief in miracles.
But the girl's mother said they were not believers and made a complaint.
Mrs Jones, who did not have a formal contract, was told by Oak Hill Short Stay School she would be suspended.
Mrs Jones, who is originally from Llanteg in Pembrokeshire, visited the child at her home on 25 November and said she was told of the decision just hours after the incident.
The part-time maths teacher had worked for the Oak Hill Short Stay School and Tuition Service North in Nailsea, near Bristol, for almost five years.
 |  I am amazed that a country with such a strong Christian tradition has become a country where it is hard to speak about your faith  Olive Jones |
She said: "If I had done something criminal, I believe the reaction would have been the same.
"It is like a black mark against my name and character when it comes to getting a reference for another job, just because I shared my testimony, as if I committed a criminal act.
"I simply wanted to encourage them to be open to prayer but if they did not want to then I would never force it down their throat."
She said she had been called to her manager's office and told that sharing her faith with a child could be deemed to be bullying.
Mrs Jones added: "I was in complete shock, I was trembling.
"I am amazed that a country with such a strong Christian tradition has become a country where it is hard to speak about your faith."
'Their loss'
Nick Yates, of North Somerset Council, said: "Olive Jones has worked as a supply teacher, working with the North Somerset Tuition Service.
"A complaint has been made by a parent regarding Olive. This complaint is being investigated.
"To complete the investigation we need to speak to Olive and we have offered her a number of dates so this can happen.
"At the moment we are waiting for her to let us know which date is convenient for her."
In February a community nurse, Caroline Petrie, also from Weston-super-Mare and a friend of Olive Jones, was suspended from her job for offering to pray for a patient.
She was later reinstated by the health trust.
Speaking about her friend's case, Mrs Petrie said: "All Olive wants to do is help, she sometimes cries over those children and calls me to pray with her over the phone for them.
"This is a total shock, she is an amazing maths teacher so it really is their loss."
Mrs Jones, who has been a teacher for more than 20 years, trained at Aberystwyth University in Wales.
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