David Westerfield

The Shack – A Review

On June 19, 2009

In Christian Culture, Culture, Reviews, Theology

There are so many reviews that have done a fine job of explaining the pros and cons of this book that I don’t feel I need to go into this for very long.

First, I’ll just say that after reading it, the picture of God’s sovereignty and reasons for ordaining that suffering be are attractive, though in my view, insufficient (see the book of Job or Romans 8 or John Piper for a better explanation). Also, the concept that God the Trinity is eternally happy in Himself (see Jonathan Edwards’ works) is refreshing. The emotional tug of the book (which made me cry at points, it really is a heart breaking story) gives great weight to its attractiveness in a culture absorbed in emotional appeal and presuppositions. Those emotional aspect of the book really caught my attention and I thought Young did a good job of making Mack’s situation enrapturing. I was really able to put myself in his shoes. And it is overwhelming considering the weight of that pain.

Couldn’t Have Said it Better Myself – Paglia on Obama

By David Westerfield

On June 10, 2009

In Culture, Politics

(Original Article): Obama’s hit — and big miss – Camille Paglia
(Archived Article): Obama’s hit — and big miss – Camille Paglia

It seems the “glory” and mystique of President Obama is all quickly fading. Not for all, but certainly for many. Those intellectual elites who voted for him are finally beginning to have gotten over the great historical and emotional nature of such an amazing election win. Now to the issues. Liberal commentators, even those at Salon.com and (oddly enough) MSNBC (at least in this one video), are beginning to actually start looking at issues through an intellectual grid instead of blinding emotional infatuation. Of course, with the exception of the Brian Williams of the countryside.

Camille Paglia has written a piece on Salon.com that makes some great points concerning Barack Obama’s speech in Cairo last week. She goes after several other points as well. But what really caught my attention was that her analysis of his assumptions of the three major religions (Christianity, Judaism and Islam) couldn’t have been better stated by many conservatives. She has a way with words. I want to quote the best parts and let you read the rest. Great article.

Mike Wallace Interviews Aldous Huxley

By David Westerfield

On June 9, 2009

In Culture, History, Video

USSA Big Brother Economic News

By David Westerfield

On June 8, 2009

In Business, Economics, Links

Big government spending programs are turning out to have the opposite effect – AP – What a shocker!
Ford to Face Tougher Rivals Following U.S. Rescue – WSJ – Example of government intervention stifling competition which leads to less incentive to buy, sell and invest and leads to less wealth creation overall.
US Unemployment Rate Gallops Ahead of Expectations – voanews.com – All that money, gone, and nothing to show for it.
US to Propose Wider Oversight of Compensation – NYTimes.com – When companies take from the government, even a little, they are wholly dictated to about how to run operations.
Kennedy’s Healthcare Bill Will Increase Expenses, Decrease Employment and Encourage Outsourcing – Mish’s Global Economic Trend Analysis – The title says it all.

What is Sin?

By David Westerfield

On June 7, 2009

In Theology

For most people, when the word sin is spoken, it is used either in a metaphorical sense or applied to people like Bernie Madoff, Hitler or Stalin, or used for exaggeration purposes, depending on the situation. When we consider our bad behavior or even the intentional harm we’ve caused others, we think of these things mainly in terms of mistakes, accidents or wrongs toward other people in particular … but sin? No, we’re not that bad! (Being facetious of course).

In our time, when we apply the word sin to ourselves in a serious manner, you will sometimes get a funny look. For instance, tell the average person you’re a sinner and it’s probable they will start wondering what major wrong you committed, or in other situations they will just say, “Oh, we’ve all made mistakes,” which is to say, it’s okay to sweep it under the rug, what’s past is past, no need to rehash something that can be left dead. Just move on!

All of the aforementioned situations presume a specific relationship in which the “mistake” plays out: between other people. But the question we must ask that is of the utmost importance is, what is sin as God defines it in His Word? Man has a definition of sin many times, and particularly in our society it is just a mistake or accident or it is very grave, depending on how you use it. But is man’s definition of sin Biblical? Is the relationship of offenses simply limited to other people? Paul lays out clearly what sin is in the book of Romans. Of course sins are committed against other people. But is that where it stops and is that the heart of what sin really is?

Mish’s Global Economic Analysis – Nerdy, But Insightful

By David Westerfield

On June 4, 2009

In Business, Economics, Video

Faith and Hope, an Inseparable Pairing – John Calvin

By David Westerfield

On June 3, 2009

In Theology

Wherever this living faith exists, it must have the hope of eternal life as its inseparable companion, or rather must of itself beget and manifest it; where it is wanting, however clearly and elegantly we may discourse of faith, it is certain we have it not. For if faith is (as has been said) a firm persuasion of the truth of God – a persuasion that it can never be false, never deceive, never be in vain, those who have received this assurance must at the same time expect that God will perform his promises, which in their conviction are absolutely true; so that in one word hope is nothing more than the expectation of those things which faith previously believes to have been truly promised by God.

Thus, faith believes that God is true; hope expects that in due season he will manifest his truth. Faith believes that he is our Father; hope expects that he will always act the part of a Father towards us. Faith believes that eternal life has been given to us; hope expects that it will one day be revealed. Faith is the foundation on which hope rests; hope nourishes and sustains faith. For as no man can expect any thing from God without previously believing his promises, so, on the other hand, the weakness of our faith, which might grow weary and fall away, must be supported and cherished by patient hope and expectation.

Jon and Kate Plus 8 and Evangelical Culpability

By David Westerfield

On June 2, 2009

In Christian Culture, Culture, Entertainment, Theology

(Original): The Gospel and the Gosselins

(Archived): The Gospel and the Gosselins

Reality shows honestly make me ill, kind of like Jerry Springer shows in the middle of the day when you are sick and nothing else is on so you just wind up turning the thing off. The concept is worn out, over-used, uncreative, trivial, trite, shallow, and mind-numbingly boring. I can’t think of anything else I’d rather not watch on television than reality shows, because they are anything but what they claim to be and cheapen the very concept of … well, reality. TV becoming “reality”? I don’t get it and fail to understand how an entire culture is okay with this stuff.

Huxley’s vision of the future, portrayed in Brave New World, is coming to pass and we’re okay with the mundane, the brainless, coming to love our servitude to nonsense and emotionalism. Instead of having an outside oppressor like a totalitarian regime control us by brute force, as portrayed by George Orwell in 1984, instead what we love is killing us and holding us captive (Amusing Ourselves to Death … read it, everyone). Coincidentally, that is exactly what sin does. I honestly believe these shows are all loosely scripted to give the portrayal of “reality” and lack any level of depth that would give them some form of lasting cultural value (you know, like a Shakespeare work or Homer’s Iliad). They are trivial and a giant waste of time to be involved in.

But that’s all just an opinion. On the basis of someone else’s taste preferences, the same could probably also be said of shows that I like such as 24, The Office and FoxNews. My taste preferences are not the same as others. TV in itself is a waste of time (in general) … and I honestly like some of it. Guilty as charged.

Regardless of what I think concerning reality shows, many people like them, and can’t wait for the next episode to come around. Okay, fine and good, I don’t take issue with that. However, the “reality” show Jon and Kate Plus 8 on TLC has brought to light something evangelicals really don’t want to talk about (which the fact we don’t want to talk about it is a whole other issue in itself): our acceptance and absorption of the cultures’ worldly, materialistic, narcissistic, self-absorbed values; the slow (or fast, depending on the timeline we’re talking about) slide toward the secularization of the evangelical church in America.

Tiller Murder To Set Back Abortion Debate, Promote Fairness Doctrine Acceptance

By David Westerfield

On June 1, 2009

In Culture, Politics

It is one thing to loudly proclaim the utter grotesqueness and obvious immorality of a practice that has been accepted by law in this country and then call for its reversal; it is quite another to murder those supporters or doctors of such practices and defies the very nature of the life movement at its foundation. We should never execute judgment or vengeance on those with whom we are in disagreement, even in the face of gross, rampant immorality.

It is also one thing to be in strong disagreement with those of us in the life movement; it is quite another to say that our ‘rhetoric’ or ‘opinions’ are what brought about this murder and then call for the silencing of conservative free speech via the Fairness Doctrine. Just wait, it’s coming.

The Tiller murder has now set a terrible precedent for the abortion debate, amongst other issues. This has not advanced the life movement, but has instead set it back. Killing one doctor does not take care of the root of the problem in the abortion debate, but instead exacerbates the level of outrage against pro-lifers that many on the far-left already hold to.