Applied Technology

I took son to go see, "Sherlock Holmes", this afternoon.  Of course, I love Robert Downey Jr as an actor (needs help as a human!), I enjoy Jude Law (probably needs about as much help as RD!) and being a Sherlock Holmes fan - well what can I say?  The movie is a waste of time.  Two fine actors utterly wasted - as well as two hours.

But, the photography brought back some interesting memories and a theory.....

It was 1991 and I was working on the 777 project as the senior technology guy.  A group approached me and told me about an idea, which when it came to life brought a smile to my lips.  They figured out how to take two dimensional drawings, merge them into a three dimensional structure and then allow you to travel through the concatenated drawings.  It was stunning.  Eventually, FlyThru, became an application arena industry wide.

Back to now, and I sat watching Sherlock Holmes.  I will not profess to know how they did the photography, but for all practical purposes it appears they used FlyThru technology using old photographs and postcards to supply the images of old London.  Did they?  I have no idea.  But, it sure looks like it!

An use for a technology I never thought of back in 1991.  A use for today which allows the appearance of magic when combined with computer animation.

I may not appreciate the story line of Sherlock Holmes but the magic of the backgrounds alone might make this one a keeper.....  Knowing that Sherlock was a hashish user makes me unhappy due to his amount of smoking.  The average youth would not figure this out though.

I give it a PG-17 for occult and violence.

Hoppidy, Hop, Hop

Took the 24th off just to play.  Artist Girl whom has been in hiding in Arizona, is back from college and so I spent the day with her catching up with her life at college.  After lunch we then hit the area book stores.  Of course, stupid managed to drop a book on his foot and rebroke the little toe on my left foot in two places.  I can not even visit a bookstore without injury!  Phooey!

But, I did find a good book on mining in the western United States, two interesting cookbooks and a first edition Zane Gray.  So, some good reading since I am now going to be down for several weeks.

Time to break out the paints I geuss.....

Pharmaceuticals

In 2003 my blood pressure went out of control and nothing worked to stabilize it!  Yeah, not a lot of fun there!  Seems every med they tried on me had unanticipated problems.  I guess I am just one in a million.  You know, if one person in a million will break out in a tatoo on their right cheek of Marilyn Monroe from some drug - yup, that will me.

Finally, my doctor started to think in terms of allergic reactions.  Was there a drug which had an allergic affect on blood pressure?  Without killing me of course!  And there was one which would severely drop one person in million's adrenaline, which would in turn help to drop my blood pressure.   And the idea worked wonderfully.

The med also had some other effects, like calming me down a great deal.  Which was good.  Of course, with four teenagers, it took a lot but they could still get to me (long after others would have been arrested for mass murder).  So added benefit!

Years later I was to be whacked by a medication interaction problem, which meant I had to get off of that one drug.  And the mess made of my mind - well will take months to swim out of.

As my mind becomes more clear, I find that Kris has not been the Kris I have known.  Reading through my computer I found lots of things I have written - some down right good, other I have no clue where I was coming from.  Blogging accounts and passwords I have no memory of.  Nothing I can find that was wrong but worrisome that I have no memory of them.  And no memory of internet friends I had made.  And that is the most worrisome.

What has Kris been up to?  No idea and no way to actually find out either.  Seems someone really did not like my blogs had committed themselves to destroying them every-time they were found.  I wonder whom I royally cheesed off so much that they whacked my accounts at least eight times from what I can find?  Interestingly, only a site dedicated to my grandmother and my metal detecting site survived.  Very weird.

I am still months away from being myself again.  Even I recognize that my mind is still clouded.  But, then again, it is nice to see the old Kris make an appearance now and again.  So, bear with me as I struggle to get normal for Kris (not you!) and if anyone wants to see my tattoo........

The Introverted Narcissus

Last time I wrote on the problem in our culture of people whose whole attention is taken with the grooming of their bodies and not their minds.  In the end, this in itself will lead to tragedy.  If you give yourself no tools to use in your life, well, you will not have much to work with nor much of a life…..  Very simple cause-and-effect.

However, these groomers are not alone with this problem as there is another, often silent, form of this problem, which can also lead to tragedy of a different sort.

The epitome of this problem is the emo subculture.  Emo’s are pretty easy to spot – they like to dress in black, dye their hair black, use black make-up, etc.  So, the external is easy to see.  Internally - violence, rage and darkness surrounds them.  Not so pretty.  Especially when you consider the high body mutilation and suicide rates amongst them!

But, those are just the highly visible ones.  I am more concerned over the invisible ones.  Maybe you or someone you know is a closet one.  The mind filled with regrets and accusations against themselves for transgressions both real and imagined.  Self accusations so numerous and so pervasive that again bodily mutilation and suicide is often the only escape they can understand.

To me, this is a form of mental illness.  When self criticism, leading to violence, then self destruction is the only answer – they really ought to be seeking help from their family, friends, pastors, and counselors.  However, often they cannot or will not.

Just like the groomers, so intent upon looking their best that no other priority exists, these self haters also win the Narcissus Award.  No, they are not looking in the mirror constantly to see their reflection – but they are doing so introspectively and for opposite reasons.  Not to love themselves more, but to hate themselves more.  To convince themselves that they have no right for good to happen to them, that they really deserve all of the evil which befalls them.

Like most problems, the longer a problem is prevalent, the longer it will take to get passed it.  And unlike so many I have read concerning the whole emo subculture, I am not willing to say, “Yes, you suck, now go away ….”  or similar.  Some are downright hostile towards these mislead people.  They do need to get past themselves though, hence why they are Narcissus.

And here is why I am concerned with our Narcissus Culture - if your testimony or lack of ministry is because you can not stop grooming or condemning yourself, you really need to get some help…..  Satan will use whatever tools he can to discredit you to yourself and to others.  The fewer opportunities you give him, the less effective he will be in neutralizing you.

Think you are not one of them?  Well, maybe not, but I see so many of them daily that you might want to rethink how much time you spend in front of the mirror, in exercising, and in all of the other activities in which you are pandering to yourself.  Sorry, that is not what God called you to.  Conversely, how have you created within yourself a creature no one wants to be around?  Yeah, God did not call you to that either.

Attention all Narcissus – get over yourself and get involved in life and what God has called you to!  Do not give Satan the victory through your lack of ministry!

Narcissus

It was twelfth grade and I needed just one more class. There were two openings – one in an art class run by a cubist Nazi whack-o, the other a class in Mythology. I wisely went for Mythology. It was interesting, as I learnt all about Norse and Greek mythology, something I knew nothing of. I particularly intreigued by the tale of Narcissus, a vain goddess whom turned into a flower, and a word I had never heard before. Therefore, the story stuck with me.

Years later, I was in a business conference down in Portland and there was a nice looking couple in the audience. They were young, in their late twenties, and very obviously together. As everyone went around the room introducing themselves, part of which involved stating your main goal in life, they told of how their goal was to be the best looking male and female in any situation! Yeah, sort of struck the group dumb – how much more shallow could you get?! Some people there actually had goals for their lives with more substance.

I have since continued to meet Narcissuses all of the time. Our culture abounds not only in vain young women but also young men whose total attention appears to be the tailoring of their bodies to some societal vain ideal. Don’t ask me, this one is not one of my problem areas!

But, this is a problem and a tremendous one – all of their attention is on their outside flesh and nothing for the mind. Don’t get me wrong, I think the desire to care for oneself is normal. I think the desire to look your best or what you are comfortable with is normal. But, I am dumbstruck when some open their mouths and you realize there is nothing between the ears!

As a society and culture, we are facing a high percentage of people whom have no mental ability to succeed. That is not an over generalization, it is a statistic even business is looking at very hard. How can a business succeed when its potential employees are only able to look their best and not actually think or perform a task requiring thought?

Ten years ago, I ran into the female half of that good looking couple. Like all of us, she had aged and I asked her how she and her husband were doing. It really bit at her to tell me her husband had left her for a younger woman. She had gotten crows feet at 31 and his love for her died. Of course, I asked her what she was doing. I was thinking botox, but she had learned her lesson, had gone to college and was now working on a master’s degree. Good for her!

Oh yeah, I was also to run into shallow Hal several months later. He had capped all of his teeth and gone bald….. Still as dumb as a stump.

Moral Relativism

Moral relativism is when morality is not defined by objective and/or universal truths, but instead make claims relative to social, cultural, historical or personal circumstances. Moral relativists hold that no universal standard exists by which to assess an ethical behavior; it is the opposite of moral absolutism. Moral relativists often see moral values as applicable only within certain cultural boundaries or in the context of individual preferences. An extreme relativist position might suggest that judging the moral or ethical judgments or acts of another person or group has no meaning.

Jean-Paul Sartre held that a personal and subjective moral core lies or ought to lie at the base of individuals' moral acts. In this view public morality reflects social convention, and only personal, subjective morality expresses true authenticity.

In popular culture people often describe themselves as morally relativists, meaning they are accepting of other people's values and agree that there is no one ‘right’ way of doing some things. However, this actually has little to do with the philosophical idea of relativism; relativism does not necessarily imply tolerance, just as moral objectivism does not imply intolerance.

*****

Oh where oh where can my baby be
The Lord took her away from me
She's gone to heaven so I got to be good
So I can see my baby when I leave this world

In the early sixties, a song came out by J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers, entitled, "The Last Kiss." The song is about a couple out on a date whom get into a auto accident. The girl dies in her boyfriend's arms. He mourns her death singing the above refrain.

This song sums up the attitude of a lot of people. They think they can live a good life, if the good works they do outweigh the bad, then they will have earned their way to heaven.

Unfortunately, the Bible does not allow anyone to earn their way to heaven. Numerous verses show us that good works have nothing to do with one entering heaven. It is only by God’s grace we are allowed into His presence, and then only after our relationship with Him has been covered by Jesus’ sacrifice. It is nothing we can earn, because God has done everything for us on a cross and through an empty tomb, two thousand years ago.

Titus 3:5 - Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us.

Ephesians 2:8 – 9 - For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Hebrews 11:6 - But without faith it is impossible to please him.

John 6:29 - This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

So, the moral relativist might argue there are no absolute rules for morality, but even they rely upon a set they wish not to acknowledge - bust out their car window, steal their stereo and suddenly their morality is based on the Ten Commandments – just so you never hold them to that standard!

After all, you are being judgmental then…

In Whose Image?

Baldur Von Schirach, was the Reich Youth Leader prior to World War II. A relative of Himmler, he was selected to organize this massive effort of indoctrinating German youth with the concept of the Reich and supremacy of the German State.

At the massive Nuremburg Rally he said:

“My Fuhrer,
My Comrades,
Again we experience the love that makes us proud and happy.
By your order, my Fuhrer, here stands a youth,
A youth that knows no class or caste distinctions.
The young generation of our nation is fashioned in your image.”

As you stare at the sea of youthful faces, think on what this man was saying. These 100,000+ children were raised to the ideals of Adolf Hitler. These children were to almost all be dead within eight years. These children had no idea they had no choice but to serve and die for the State - because this was what they had been Programmed for!

Being German, this may affect me more than it might affect you. These hundreds of thousands of young men – are all gone. As a German male in the 1950’s and 1960’s, you were spoiled rotten by everyone (except the police!) because we were the future of Germany! And the absence of youth, even adults between 20 and 50 was visibly apparent.

So I have been thinking on this, this past week…

Who would not want their children to know love? Children whom can treat ALL as equal, regardless of their own background or race or even creed? Children fashioned by the examples of our own spiritual heritage…

As a father of four, how have my children been programmed? I know I have struggled to point them in the right direction, but the world has a strong and more immediate draw. They have evidenced to my satisfaction they all want to be on the right path, but the ways of the world constantly are side tracking them.

At the face of it, our youth reflect all of our values, but often are like ping-pong balls – letting their lives go completely out of control, returning eventually to what they know is right, settling down, getting comfortable and then off on their next bounce!

What are we to do? Prayer, lots of prayer…

What Ever Happened To Heaven?

When was the last time you and your friends sat around and just discussed Heaven and what it must be like?  When was the last time you heard a sermon about that city of our future?  When was the last time you entered in a book store and instead of a hundred books trying to out guess as to whom the Anti-Christ is, there was just one book (hopefully well thought out!) about Heaven?

Indeed, what ever did happen to Heaven?  I enjoy reading historical documents, old diaries and testimonies; heaven used to be a place people thought and talked about – with anticipation!  This would be normal everyday people, people you would probably encounter daily and/or hang around with.  In the taverns and bars, in the gold fields, at night exhausted from the plowing or harvesting and perhaps more so for those associated with seafaring – heaven was a popular discussion item.  Real people understood the concept of Heaven and looked forward to it.  Of course, people used to talk to each other once upon a time and most everyone kept a diary.

Imagine a culture in which the longing of Christians was for their eternal home – not to build ‘christian’ empires on Earth.  Yet, this is exactly what seems to be the effort of many I encounter in Christendom these days….  Why would that be?  What is so appealing about Earth that the joys of the union with our Savior pale by comparison?  Rather obliviously, as Christians, we have lost our focus that Heaven is our home.

One old timer I had this discussion with felt that World War I, ‘The Great War’, was the reason.  He felt many, like him, had become so horrified by what they had endured for so many years – Heaven could not be real, and hence, God probably was not real either!  And, from many whom I have known to have survived World War II, the same story:  Man is corrupt, his intentions only evil towards his fellow man – culture and man must change in order for man to have any chance for survival in a future ‘civilized’ world. 

Interestingly, the Nazi ideal expressed only slightly differently….. 

These embittered survivors are completely correct!  Man is corrupt and when left to himself can conjure up unimaginable evil.  Far more than you have ever read in any book – because it would be politically incorrect to believe evil of those whom our economies are based upon.  Honestly, some of these stories haunt me, especially from the Dutch survivors trapped in Sumatra during the war.

They are also completely correct that man must change.  But, it is not corporate man whom must change, it is individual man whom must do so, before there can ever be any change to culture!  Without God, there is little hope for man overcoming his nature.  

In Jesus’ day, the Roman world was not that much different than today’s world.  Oh, maybe they did not have Starbucks or McDonalds, but they had their comparable features to everything we have today – unless it was of no use to them.  About two-thirds of the world was in slavery to Rome, if you had a problem with this, you would most likely die.  It could be brutal and savage, if you were on the wrong side of what Rome wanted. Yet, the freeman, as much as the slave, longed for the place called Heaven. 

I think it is normal for man to strive to make his world better.  I want my children to have the freedom to succeed.  I want them to be able to make choices which will make them better adults and Christians.  I want them to be able to serve God openly.  But, this desire of mine is for them to live in the world that exists today – not grasping at what might be.

Yet, well meaning Christians are trying to create Heaven on Earth.  Their attempts are to accomplish this through regulation – often applied with a heavy governmental hand.  However, this is not the first time attempts have been made to create Christendom through legislation.  Unfortunately, these great efforts end up the same: a police state or civil war, or both.  But no matter the outcome or the good intentions – Christ’s witness is always diminished in the eyes of the world.

Apostate

The patient was bloated.  It was amazing he could even move his legs, they were so large.  He struggled to breathe.  It was obvious he wanted to move, to go somewhere, but once in the chair – he was no longer able to do so.

I am not the kind of person to say something like, “Don’t you think you would be in better shape if you lost a little of that?”  No, he was looking right at me, challenging me to say anything at all.  I am not likely to, heck I could use losing a few pounds myself.  But, it was obvious he was in pain, he knew he was in pain, he knew why he was in pain, he even knew what it was he should be doing to eliminate the pain – but he was not able to.  I am not really sure he wanted to change.

Is it will power, laziness or a desire to maintain the status quo?  I do not have the answer to his problem but I do know how he got there and where he will be if he does not change.

This is how I am suddenly seeing the Church.  Your church, my church, every church I have visited in the past several years.  It is how I am seeing Christians corporately.  Oh,  individually there are many fine churches to be found, but grouped together – it is as though their brains are consumed with the political correctness of this apostate age.

I am extremely concerned when I see deception being used in the pulpit to further the goals of the church.  I am concerned when the eldership can not discern the similarity between deception and lying.  (Hint: they are the SAME!)  Especially when it is their own goals which are being supported!  I am concerned when there is no attempt to validate that elder candidates meet any of the qualifications as are found in Timothy and Peter.  I am concerned when a church will have elders whom are KNOWN to be living in sin (and not privately either!).  I am concerned at a church which will not take a stand on Christian values because it might “drive the lost away”.

They no longer represent God; they are apostate.  Think about this!

The Roman Empire was far more immoral than this Western Culture has ever dreamt of being - yet.  Heavens, when was the last time you heard of the President’s wife going down to the Naval yards and seeing how many men she could “do” in a single day?  On a bet even!  This rather well documented act was not even the lowest debasement of the Roman culture!  And in the midst of unbelievable sin, the first century Church responded by demonstrating their love for one another and the world. 

They offered a lifestyle completely alien to the culture they were surrounded by.  Christian women no longer stood naked on the street corners during Lupricus - desiring to be whipped with the sacred dog skin whip, by the naked men of their village (and following frivolity).  Women no longer offered themselves on the altars of the temple as a form of worship to their god – and the men did not go to church any longer for sex.  Daughters “first night” was no longer sold as a lottery item, by the father or the church, to the men of the village.  Fathers no longer took the option of denying their fatherhood.  Women suddenly found equality never offered before.  Slaves were now equal with their masters.  You no longer sought your own good; you looked out for your brothers and sisters in the faith.

And the Roman observer was stunned.  All of this, was unheard of. 

Today, the church does not even understand the impact of what a rigid stand for Christ can have.  When we get rigid it is for the wrong reasons; it is to show our own stupidity.  Telling people they are going to Hell for anything other than their refusal to accept Christ’s payment – is to lie to them and ourselves.  Pure and simple.  And if you have accepted that payment, then Christ can and will change your life so that the sin of the world is no longer your driving force.

I am bothered by a church which is willing to condemn “assisted” suicide or abortion – and not willing to offer alternatives to those seeking it.  Christian rest homes, care facilities, birthing centers and/or adoption agencies – would negate these discussions in the world.  Other than to say, “Come to us…”

I am bothered when the church takes black eyes for standing against homosexual marriages.  The church should not even be involved in the world’s understanding of what a marriage is.  You want a worldly union – go see the judge or clerk.  You want to have a marriage, the concept that God came up with, come see the church.

I am really bothered when I see a pastor stop in a sermon and say, “Oh, I have to change that thought, I can not discuss politics from the pulpit!”  That is only true if you want to maintain a tax free status.  So dump your tax free status and start preaching for God and not man!  God ordained the church – not the government!  And then turn on those politicians whom will not set this right!

Companies tell you that you can not have your religion and work there too or what you have to accept as normal!  Well guess whom you and yours should be boycotting and praying for!  This stupidity of thinking you can dance with the world and still serve God has never been true and will never work.  Sorry, history does not support you if you want to think that way!  Imagine if someone might think you a fanatic for actually taking a stand against sin – by offering to help those trapped in its grip, rather than condemn!

Yeah, guess I am the apostate now for even thinking this way….

Veneration of Nicholasolas

December 6^th is the traditional Day of St. Nicholas.  You know, where you leave your shoes out and in the morning your sister’s is full of chocolate and you have a nice collection of sticks and coal.  Err, just hypothetical of course.

Saint Nicholas was Bishop of the Greek town of Myra, in Anatolia, Asia Minor, in what is now Turkey.  He was reputed to have great holiness, and his Episcopal See was said to be the only diocese which was not tainted by the heresy of Arianism.

Nicholas inherited wealth from his family, and was known for his charity.  The most famous legend has the Saint saving three dowry-less girls from lives of prostitution by furtively throwing sacks of gold into their house.  One version of the story has Nicholas throwing a bag of gold down the chimney, where it fell into one of the girl's stockings, drying over the embers.  This is not only the origin of the Christmas custom, but these three bags of gold inspired the pawnbroker's symbol.

Nicholas was one of the earliest Saints who was not a martyr, and his veneration quickly spread to all parts of Christendom. Some claim that artistic depictions of this Saint are second only to the Virgin Mary, and that at least 2000 churches were built in his honor in Mediaeval France and Germany, and 400 more in England.

After the Seljuk invasion of Myra, Nicholas' relics were taken to Bari, Italy, where they remain. The Saint's crypt is in a basilica under the protection of the Dominican Order; and an Orthodox chapel is built on one side of the crypt.  The “Manna of Saint Nicholas” is a liquid that oozes from the relics; roughly 50 milliliters of this liquid is collected annually, where it is diluted and distributed worldwide, where it is used as an ointment and for the blessing of ships and the seas. (TMI!)

Of course, in my village, Nicholas had a much more malevolent presence.

The terrorism began towards dusk.  The ringing of bells told the tale of the invasion about to begin; the Bishop was in town and he brought his Krampus with him!

Yes, “jolly” old Saint Nick was going door to door throughout the village.  He carried a large book filled with the delightful things all sisters had done throughout the year and of course, the transgressions of the boys.  To the girls, he gave candy.  To the boys, well, he turned us over to the Krampus for a swift and sure beating.

Yeah, aren’t European customs fun?

Thoughts On The Nativity

Have you ever really given much thought to the Nativity?  I am not sure I have.  Sitting in the cold one year watching our church’s living nativity started me thinking…..

How come Miriam, Jesus’ mother’s real name in Aramaic, was changed to Mary?  Miriam is certainly an ancient and oft times used name and there are plenty of them in the New Testament – since Mary did not exist as a name.  And yet this Miriam’s name was changed to Mary – perhaps to set her apart from the rest of the Miriam’s?  Is not this sort of saying Queen Elizabeth’s name is really Bob, because we do not want to confuse her with Elizabeth the First or because we want a name to use for her that is more recognizable?  “Uh, say, Queen Bob, did Charles really hire…..?”  Yah, you get the point – and do not even start me on the Greek change with yielded the name of ‘Jesus’.  Of course, many argue that the New Testament was all in Greek so Jesus would be correct, while his Hebrew name would not. 

How much could Miriam have weighed?  As I sat there watching this very pregnant young mother with the donkey, I found myself thinking.  If a donkey could carry 100 pounds and the average woman gains maybe 30 pounds in pregnancy (or more!), then Mary would have to have weighed about 70 pounds before pregnancy.  Mighty tiny even for Nicole Richie.  Even my smallest daughter at 15 weighed in at 115!  Could a donkey have carried 145 pounds from Nazareth to Bethlehem?  They are not that large of an animal, not like a horse or even a mule.  (If you know the answer, I would love to solve this one!)  I would guess the donkey I was watching had about 160 pounds to carry the short distance through the church parking lot and did not appear uncomfortable.  Might be a bit different across several miles and several days…..

In spite of all of our depictions of a stable being a timber roofed structure, was it?  As best I have been able to research, it may have been a cave – but the local caves are mighty small if you are planning on housing anything inside of them.  There are the remains of several rock holding pens in the area from unknown ancient times.  It is interesting to think that Miriam could have been forced to give birth under the stars, amongst a bunch of animals.  Not exactly sanitary and probably not exactly easy on a teenage girl having her first child.  I wonder if there was even a midwife available.  No matter how it worked out – poor Joseph!

Where was Satan while all of this was going on 2010+ years ago?  He (it) had dedicated much effort to destroying mankind through the years and yet is conspicuously absent from the most important birth on Earth!  Could it be that the multitudes in heaven the shepherds saw were actually there to protect the birth, baby and mother from Satan and/or his evil allies?

Of course no one knows anything about the wise men.  There could have been twenty of them!  But, the Roman Catholics decided on three and even gave them names.  But, they did bring three gifts.  They could have come from Persia or even further to the east or as near as Qumran, a hop skip and a jump across the Judean Mountains.  It would be almost with a snide sort of justice if it were from Qumran – the community of religiously exiled Jews of that day.  And, God does have a sense of humor.

Just some things that popped into my mind as I sat there and thought how wonderful it was for this youth group to provide such a witness to the community.