Community Plunge...Into the Ground

Community is such a strong idea. It's a group that works and lives together to benefit each other, to hep each other, and to grow closer together. Communication is strong and relationships develop deeply. This is often our ideal setting. Many organizations and groups work hard to attain this idea. They set up events and situations that force people to work together and develop themselves. Colleges do this as well...or try to.

Taylor has failed at its "intentional community" goal.

This might isolate those of you readers who aren't Taylor students (which might be like 5 of you) but maybe you can take some of what I say to heart about your school. Taylor really emphasizes community. So much so that I pretty much consider the term "intentional community" a curse term. It's been drilled into my skull since the first day I stepped on campus. Taylor really wants to create in its students a unity and fellowship that should be unique to a Christian organization.

Here's the problem, they do very little to help with that community. Each dorm is really its own community, each major is sanctioned off, there are few chances to branch out and work in different areas of study. Despite their lofty claims, they do little to encourage it. Inter-mural sports are nothing special, dorm stereotypes persist despite all the talks and seminars they hold to get past them, and that individual sense continues.

Here's what it is, as mentioned above, Taylor does very little to facilitate a community. There are events, don't get me wrong. Silent Night and the Hollapalooza are both examples of Taylor events that draw crowds, but there's a problem. Despite the variety of people who arrived, individuals tend to stick with the friends they have from their dorm or from their major. The Professional Writers (at least some of them, myself not included) meet weekly for dinner. Sports players hang out together at practice and after. Groups and clubs keep to themselves. There is very little branching out among any groups.

The solution to this, at least on a small scale, is to make it easier to meet people of other majors. I am in PWR, and two classes I need to take are art classes, they are required by my major, yet I still have to ask for an override. It is so hard to get into different classes, classes that are nonessential and could be beneficial to other majors. Overrides are difficult to come by, and the circles we run in, at least academically are limited. One thing that administration could do is ease this process. Another thing would be more in need of volunteers, but could work. If there were more ways to set up small groups across dorms and majors, then in more personal settings, others could get to know each other. Heck, if we did more with open houses than just putting up signs saying we have a theme for this day, there might be more incentive to explore.

I don't know how to get around this. Essentially, you would be combating the clique mentality that we have all had for years. There is nothing wrong with this, but when you say your mission is to create a community, the administration needs to put work in. I wouldn't mind helping to create that community they want, where the entire campus is more than just superficial hellos when we see someone we might now from a class. That is what the administration is seeing incorrectly. Just because people say hello doesn't mean they are a community. They are polite, but maybe nothing more. Things can change, but they will take work from the top.

Admittedly, there are some weird people who I might not want to know too well.

Just something to chew on.

Our Kids Are Doomed

This is a warning to every one of you who are thinking about being parents. What I am going to discuss today is something you might not have noticed or are maybe even endorsing. You might not realize the dangers that is crouching at your door step, waiting for your children to fall victim to it. It is already lurking in countless homes here and around the world. Be warned, this may be shocking.

Cartoons today suck.

So maybe the hype was a bit much, but what I say is still true. If any of you have seen the recent programming on Cartoon Network, you can almost trace the line of decay that the shows have gone through. From when we were young to where we are now, cartoons have nosedived from the wit and humor of days gone to the drug induced, color vomiting, flashing distraction it is now.

Do you now what I found on Boomerang lately? Teen Titans. That's right, that five season action/comedy show that we watched when we were only a bit younger is on the retro station. I miss shows like that. Teen Titans was fun, it had engaging action, deep characters, thoughtful plot lines, as well as the fun wit, tantalizing art, and wacky style. It was surprisingly mature while keeping its silly side. Teen Titans offered little nuggets of truth to kids on topics like friendship, hard work, respect, and others. They weren't heavy handed about it, but it was there all the same. Looking back on it, I see these messages more clearly, and I appreciate them.

In contrast, we now have Adventure Time. If ever a show was made while under the influence of Acid, this is it. The sheer lunacy of this astounds me. There is nothing here but cliche dialogue, bright colors, and psychotically loony characters (not like Looney Tunes, that is awesome). There is no depth to the story or the characters, no merit in anything that it does. This type of show is nothing more than a mindless block of thirty minutes for parents to shove their kids in front of to get them out of the way.

I remember Saturday mornings. I'd wake up early, get a bowl of cereal and use the piano bench as my table. I'd sit on the couch and watch hours of cartoons. I knew the theme songs, I loved the characters, and the shows helped build my imagination. This isn't just nostalgia that I'm running off of. I like to buy the old shows I loved and watch the DVDs. Even now, when I'm twenty years old, the shows are still good. They have the same charm and wit that I appreciated, even more now that I understand them better. There was an art to cartoons back then. Now, it seems like it is all a quick cash in. Corporations turn out shiny, mindless, and shallow programs that are made to waste kids time and earn them ratings. This industry is in need of an overhaul. We need those out there who are willing to invest time and passion into their product and create something meaningful as well as enjoyable. We can do it, our generation of artists, writers, directors, and producers can save our future children from the slime that is called kids programming now.

Seriously, some of these shows now could only have been produced in a drugged up state.

Just something to chew on.

Christmas...That's It.

Twas the really early morning before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, but my brother, myself, and the episode of Psych. Last minute present wrapping continues since we had put it off, and Kyle's indie music meshed with the witty TV banter. I at my computer and Kyle at his was trying to figure out what topic to spit out this week.

Then I figured there was only one choice. I'd write the truth of Christmas.

If you'll forgive the absolutely terrible rendition of "A Night Before Christmas," this is my Christmas entry into the sea of similar posts. I don't think that anything else fits for me to write about this time except for the reason we even care about this season. If it wasn't for Jesus's birth, this would be nothing but the end of finals, and the wintry season where we goof off for a month (or take a January course). Instead, we have a holiday season that could arguably be called the happiest time of the year (on a whole anyway). And there's a reason for that.

This isn't a surprise, people suck. We all sin, and there's nothing we could do about that. In the old Israel nation they had sacrifices and long ceremonies to get back in good standings with God. Not the easiest thing in the world. Life was hard, sin was easy, and humanity was not in a good way. God decided to change that. He knew that a perfect sacrifice would be needed. And there was only one person that would fit: His Son.

But how would this man come into the world? He could come down in a blaze of glory and splendor, flanked by legions of angels with a heavenly choir singing his praises. But we'd be missing a crucial part in the person of Jesus, his human nature. In that, He had to come to earth as a man, but first a baby. Jesus needed to come into this world through a woman. and that woman was Mary.

Mary was a kid really, maybe only sixteen. Still young, but promised to be married to the man Joseph. The only thing she might be thinking of was rearing normal children and living a simple life. Then, God chose her to have the greatest responsibility of anyone on earth. An angel came down to speak with her and deliver God's message: she would bear the Son of God. We don't know what could be going through her mind, the fear and the stress, but in it all, she believed the angel when he said she was blessed and that God was with her.

That's one side, but there was another half, Joseph. Joseph found out about the child, but not his identity. He knew this could be trouble. Being honorable, he thought about silently disowning Mary and not humiliating her. Of course, God had to step in. He spoke to Joseph in a dream and told him about the child. He brought Joseph to His side and Joseph took Mary as his wife.

Then, as what was probably a move rooted in greed, Caesar Augustus decided to take a census of his kingdom. His rules were that every man had to return to his home town to register. This decree would send Joseph, and now his wife Mary, from Nazareth to Bethlehem. The two traveled to the famed Town of David since Joseph was part of the family line of King David.

While in town, they could not find any place to stay. Every inn was full. This would have been less of a problem if Mary wasn't so closed to giving birth. She was close and needed some place to be sheltered and give birth. In their desperate search, one kind innkeeper offered them shelter in the stables. That night, Mary and Joseph bedded down in the hay with sheep and horses, waiting to bring their son into the world.

That night, Jesus came into the world. Under the light of a shining star, the little boy that embodied all God's glory was born in a little town, behind a little inn, in a little stable, and placed in a little manger. And to a group of shepherds nearby, angels heralded the coming of this King. To the lowliest of society, the greatest news was given. These shepherds ran to Bethlehem and saw the baby King and worshiped Him there.

The rest we'll get to another time (probably Easter) but right now, we have this story, the reason for Christmas. There is so much in this story, more meaning than I could ever hope to uncover, and more truth about God than I could ever expect to be able to show. All I could think of tonight was to share the story of Christmas. Sure it has my flair to it, but the truth is there. If you want the real thing, go to Luke 2. The bible has told it better than I ever could. I've done my part to share and for this week, that's all I have.

Merry Christmas, see you all next week.

Just something to chew on.

Christmas and Cash

Most who know me know this: I freaking love Christmas. I love the cold, the snow, the lights, the tree, the Christmas music played over and over, the crappy Hallmark movies with plots so cliche that I could give you a whole synopsis five minutes in. I love the family's open house, the Christmas cooking, Christmas presents with the Millers, Christmas Eve services, and the fact that this is when we celebrate the coming of Jesus. Christmas is my season; it's one of the times that I get excited. And it ticks me off when people try to rain on this holiday.

The idea that Christmas is just a commercialized holiday ticks me off.

I realize where this idea comes from, don't get me wrong. Hallmark makes a killing on Christmas cards, the stores are filled with loud angry people who waited until the last minute to buy Christmas presents, Santa in the mall is one of the biggest attractions for little kids, and often it feels like the reality of Christmas, the coming of Jesus, is lost.Amid the scuffle of shopping and decorating, the idea that people forget what Christmas means is a logical one. Yet often people are only looking at these actions and judging them, not looking at the depth it reaches.

When you see those people trying hard to find the right gifts and often being very rude in their dealings, there is more to them than just pushy materialism. They aren't just caught up in what they are buy, but I would say more who they are buying it for. They want to get the right gift so they can make someone else happy. It might be a parent trying to get a toy for their child, a boyfriend looking for the right jewelry for the girl he cares for, or some concerned grandchildren trying to find a gift for the grandfather that might not be with them next year. The spirit of giving is alive and well in this season, despite peoples apparent rushing. They might not be so concerned with the random people they meet in the store, but there is a desire to give good gifts to those they love.

This is also the time when many people are more expose to the message of the season. There are those that only go to church on Christmas and Easter, and this is the time when pastors have a chance to reach out to them. It might just be tradition that they show up to church, but as long as they are there, you have a chance to reach out to them. It does no one any good to sit in your weekly pew and judge those that only came for this service. You should reach out to them and try to bring them back. Show them that there is more to church than just Christmas. They might be ignoring the real meaning behind Christmas, but when they show up regardless, it is your chance to bring them into a deeper relationship with the season and the man behind it.

Christmas isn't just about the money and the presents. It isn't about capitalism and wealth, having and not having, giving and getting. We all should realize that Christmas is about Jesus and his birth. But that doesn't mean we should look at the lights and Santa impersonators with disdain or judgement. This season is also about kindness to others, respect, and the love for family. You don't know those others that you see in the store, but you can understand that in their hearts they have a desire to show love to someone. Jesus will always need to be at the center of our celebration, but don't look down on the fun traditions others hold along with that.

I know, it has to be a surprise to see me encouraging tolerance. Consider it a Christmas miracle.

Just something to chew on.

I'll Open Your Mind

This idea has been simmering since probably my sophomore economics class in high school when I was being vehemently argued with regarding some of the ideas I held in regards to policy and politics and the like. See, I could be called a conservative, meaning I have some kind of moral compass and I don't think everyone can live however they want. This kind of mentality doesn't fly well in a public high school where everyone is all about tolerance and stomping on religion. A lot of my fellow students did not appreciate my ideas. With all their negativity, I've come to a conclusion.

I hate open-mindedness.

I can just hear all the "culturally aware" and "socially sensitive" people just flying off the handle right now. How dare he say such a thing! Being open-minded should be the corner stone of our society! It helps us understand others better and keep us from being bigots! Whatever mantra of social justice you want to tack onto it, it all boils down to the same thing: we should accept all ideas, no matter what.

Maybe I'm just argumentative (and I am), but I refuse to accept this idea. There is truth, truth that will always be true no matter what anyone says. Despite all the post-modern junk out there, there is absolute truth (which I'll get into another time). Now, like I've made clear, this idea hasn't won me a lot of supports in school. Countless times I've been told that I have to be more open-minded to the ways the world "really" works. (Side note, I loved hearing from other high schoolers how the world works when none of them had ever done anything else but mooch of their parents for most everything.)

All this build up come to this. Anyone who accuses someone of being closed-minded is just as closed-minded as the one they're ridiculing. The thing about making any kind of judgement call is that when you compartmentalize someone as unwilling to see your side, your not realizing that you refuse to see their side as well. If you won't entertain the idea that they could be right as well, then you have closed your mind off in the exact opposite manner. You are just as closed-minded as them.

I love how being closed-minded is the go to remark when someone refuses to listen to an idea they don't agree with. It is a defense against having to listen to the opinions of anyone else. When you peg someone as close-minded, they don't have any way to argue. To you, they are ignorant and bigoted, unable to see the "enlightened" mentality that is supposedly arising in out culture. It is then easy to disregard what they are saying. After all, since they're close-minded, there is no intelligence in their argument.

It may be too much to ask for a universal respect. Honestly, we have a selfish world and anyone who doesn't want to hear something doesn't have to. But when this same idea starts to infiltrate into everyday thought, that if you don't agree you can just disregard, that is when we have some problems. Sharing ideas, even ones we don't like, is how we get a better perspective on our world. A variety of thoughts helps create a solution that we can all accept.

Anyone who feeds me that close-minded garbage again is getting an open mind courtesy of a pick ax...nah I'm kidding.

Just something to chew on.

Petition for the Men

As I promised, this week we're talking to the guys. This will probably end up pretty short, partly because it is an easy set of ideas, and partly because I'm deathly sick. So with that, we're just going to jump right in.

Guys, be deserving of your lady friends counsel.

Here's what I mean. If the women you know are willing to talk with you, to help you work through problems you are having, whether with friends, work, or relationships with other women, you need to respect their input. Don't be the kind of guy who always runs to a friend, expecting them to take on all your problems, then ignore their advice. What that shows is that you don't care what they are telling you, you only want them to pay attention to you, give you sympathy.

Does this mean you always need to follow the advice you are given. There are times when you won't be given a viable plan. Your own judgement is just as important as the advice you are given. What you do need to do, however, is not take advantage you your friends willingness to help you.

One more thing. Guys, let's be honest. It is pretty easy to misconstrue a friends advice as a subtle sign they are interested in you. It's not your fault, discussions like that can be deep and intimate. That doesn't mean you should take it as a sign. It is possible to have profound discussions with women without a romantic interest. Don't let that idea get in the way of your friendship.

Also, learn when to keep your mouth shut, trust me.

Just something to chew on.

Petition for the Women

My role as a book reviewer means I get a hold of some titles that I wouldn't normally read. This latest batch has me reading a book on teen dating and sex. Not a topic I have a lot of experience with, nor do I intend to, but whatever, it's been interesting. In it was a point, however, that I think needs to be addressed and endorsed. It is an idea that I have seen in action a few times, typically being a part of it, but its range seems limited now. I hope that changes.

Girls, give your counsel to your guy friends.

Guys and girls think differently, this is a shock to no one. Of course, this revelation is made even more obvious through our interactions, we'll call them "conversations" if just to satisfy my current sardonic mood. Anyhow, we have different thought processes, different ways of dealing with situations, and varying methods of interpretation. What does this mean? It's hard to communicate and know what they other is saying. Hiring a translator won't work, mostly because I don't think either side has deciphered the other's language.

What I have seen, however, is how much we help each other. I know that I have talked with my female friends in the past and learned new perspectives, as well as interpretations that I hadn't thought of before. On the other side, I have played confidant for numerous people, listening and advising when I could. There is a benefit to having someone you can confide in who doesn't share your mindset.

Here's what we need, I believe. Girls, guys are pretty thick sometimes. Again, this is not the reveal of the millenia, but I need to cover that to move on. We benefit from your counsel. Yet it seems like it is hard to come by. It's like there is this unspoken taboo that says we aren't allowed to advise on other aspects of life. Conversations scrape away at whatever is shallowest and try to subsist on that. I mentioned before that I wish we could have deeper conversations, ask tough questions and get real answers. My request is that you girls out there who are our friends would be open to help. You have guys that trust you and respect your opinions, let them in on what you think. Let us learn from your mindsets. The value in these ideas are unparalleled.

Guys, I'm getting to you next week, just you wait.

Just something to chew on.