Philip Seymour Hoffman on Art

I watched Philip Seymour Hoffman last night on Tavis Smiley. Here’s one nugget:

“Good art deals with the micro to explain the macro. The more revelatory the small things, the more we understand the big things.”

Jump to PBS to view the 23 minute interview.

Tags: art, culture

The Power of Physical Beauty

Last night at The Center for Faith and Culture I taught about the power of physical beauty – here’s the synopsis:

We know we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but we do.
We know we shouldn’t beat ourselves up over what we look like, but we do.
We know we shouldn’t get our worth based on the looks of the significant other we’re able to get, but we do.

There’s nothing wrong with physical beauty, nothing wrong with trying to look good, but there’s something severly unhealthy about obsessing over it and needing it for self worth. Where does this tendency, and the power that drives us in regards to physical beauty, come from?

The answer lies in the first story, Adam and Eve, the rebellion of man from good and God. Knowledge of good and evil entered Adam and Eve – shame entered them. They covered with fig leaves. We’ve been covering ever since. Whether we believe in God or sin or not we know the feeling of inadequancy within our hearts – You aren’t enough.

Our obsession with physical beauty comes from our shame and inadequacy. It’s a fig leaf. A covering.

Trying harder not to judge yourself or others based on looks probably won’t work. We have to replace this unhealthy power at work in us with a greater power. A power that stems from a love that is given to us before we roll out of bed and put make-up on. A power given to us before we have a significant other or fit into paritcular clothes. The unconditional love given to us through Jesus can transform our hearts, give us the validation we seek, and teach us to live graciously towards others.

Jump to my teaching on The god of Physical Beauty (if the audio isn’t posted yet, it will be soon), or even better listen to Tim Keller’s lecture on it.

Blackberry Burden

I don’t like my Blackberry. It bothers me. It busies my heart and distracts me from the people I’m with. It’s like a sharp knife – it has some cool purposes – but I don’t want to carry it around in my pocket.

Hippy Love, Freedom, and Blessed Contentment

[Extended Entry]

Two days ago I found out how much money my friend makes. It was a staggering number, some three times my salary. You’d think my faith would be more resistant to such worldly things, but immediately I slide into envy and jealousy. My focus shifted from the blessings and provision I do have to stuff I can’t afford. I thought about the safer, nicer neighborhood I’d move my family into and the school I’d be able to send my little girl to attend. That night I went to sleep with discontentment eating at my heart and mind. In the morning it was still there, so I went for my morning jog reciting truths to myself: worldly things will pass away, life is about more than stuff, stuff corrodes, man can’t be about God and money, money can’t bring contentment.

I thought about the Apostle Paul’s revolutionary words, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want” (Philippians 4:12). He knew a secret people are trying to buy. Verse thirteen is clear that the secret is Jesus. Paul had tapped into a life that wasn’t controlled by the flow of money and things. He had ultimate freedom, contentment in all circumstances.
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Tags: faith, God's sufficiency

St. Augustine on the Gospels

“If you believe what you like about the gospels, and reject what you don’t like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.” (St. Augustine)

Is the Bible Crazy-Talk?

[Extended Entry]

In Exodus God gave detailed descriptions about a tent he wanted the Israelites to build so he could meet with them regularly. He gave precise instructions on what to build, and one of these items was the Ark of the Covenant. The ark was a chest covered in gold with rings at the bottom and two angels on top. This chest was the place of the manifestation of the glory of God. After the ark was captured by the Philistines it reaped havoc in every city they placed it. Finally the Philistines put it on a cart, aimed the oxen towards Israel, and let them go. For years the ark sat in a guy’s house just south of Jerusalem, unappreciated by God’s people. In 2 Samuel, King David and his men went to transport it back to Jerusalem. They placed the ark on a cart and began a celebration parade back to the city. It was a party in the street. Then the oxen stumbled, and a man reached out his hand to steady the ark. When he touched the ark he died.

Maybe you’ve been around church world so long you don’t find that weird. God in a chest! Touching it kills you! This seems like crazy talk. This should be on Lost. But think about the predicament of God – how does a being of unending wisdom and glory communicate to limited doubt ridden people? No matter what he does it will seem crazy, whether he speaks through with a thundering voice, through written text, or through a fire. When the creator decides to enter the creation a window is opened. The lock is unlatched and the panes are pulled upward. People can stand at the edge of the natural world and see there is more.
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Insight from TV – Love

I was watching TV last night, the lady on the show said:

Love is the final word.

Who knew, insightful television.

Is God Brutal?

[Extended Entry]

Families were killed. Women. Children. Everyone was dead. It doesn’t take much reading in the Old Testament to run across the violence caused by God. We see God picking sides and the detrimental repercussions of being the opposition.

God gave Joshua the plan to conquer Jericho. The walls fell, and “they devoted the city to the LORD and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it – men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys” (Joshua 6:21). Soon after God led Joshua and his army to defeat Ai, “For Joshua did not draw back the hand that held out his javelin until he had destroyed all who lived in Ai. But Israel did carry off for themselves the livestock and plunder of this city, as the LORD had instructed Joshua” (Joshua 8:26-27). We see more of this in the book of Joshua, and even more in the life of David. In 1 and 2 Samuel we see the Lord giving David devastating victories over the Amalekites and the Philistines.

The question has to come, to any thinking Christian, is God brutal?
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Tags: faith