I basically tried to stay ICoC free (except for going to church) for an entire week. I’m glad that I did. It’s been a good week.
I did manage to write one post on Sycarion, but that was more of a really big “more later”.
So, after a week off, what now? Glad that you asked. There’s a few things.
ILC – It’s been two weeks and no official reports. The cynic in me says that true to previous pattern, there are thousands of emails and phone calls to ‘manage’ the official report. LA posted a few messages, but since Doug Arthur’s remark and Sam Laing’s response has appeared on various websites, DA’s will likely be the last one published, if it is published at all.
DToday – Doug has been talking about this more lately. Pressure is mounting to make it a free site. Some question the proposed DToday subsidy. Considering that Mission Memo continually has better information, the Co-operation folks have their own website, and the emergence of ICoC Hot News, I wonder if it will continue.
UPC – At least under the old plan, the same people would eventually rotate out of the highest levels of leadership. Now that the Gang of Nine is no more, ten shiny new commitees function in their place. These ten committees are lead by, surprise, the same people that would have been rotated out in two years. New people aren’t getting into these high level meetings. As such, new ideas don’t show up. You wonder why nothing really changes? It’s the same people that lead us when the whole mess started. (and I don’t mean HKL, I mean the 80s.)
But that’s the ICoC stuff. I can only shrug so many time before my shoulders start screaming to change the subject.
Creeds – Bobber has mentioned to good that creeds accomplish a few times. I hope to write more about this later. I understand the distinction between an established creed like, the Westminster Confession as opposed to the UPC. The UPC is being used in ways that the Westminster is not be used today.
I do think a church should have a Statement of Beliefs. Saying, “It’s the Bible” is a cop out and a thought-stopper. Now using Latinate words to talk about various areas of belief isn’t required. Like George Orwell, I think that a lot of Latin-based words should just be avoided. Still, there is a way to say that you believe in certain things like immersion for salvation without hiding behind intellectual jargon. I hope to write more about that later.
Love Your Enemy – What do you do when you have the opportunity to help hundreds of people, but you have to become working partners with someone that you do not trust or even like?
You Ready for Some Football – So what if Charlotte had a team join the USFL in 1990? What if the Jacksonville Jaguars came into the NFL sharing a stadium? What it two professional leagues couldn’t keep a team in LA? The answer to these questions and more are coming in early November.
Speaking of – Local college team lost again. Friends and acquaintances are in mourning. My only cheer comes from knowing that my alma mater is ranked almost 30 places higher in total defense. (alma mater ranked 76th, local team, 105th). Even Duke is seven spaces higher. For the sake of curiosity, here are the teams below 105th.
106. Toledo
107. Washington
108. Marshall
109. Syracuse
110. San Diego St.
111. UAB
112. Tulsa
113. Southern Methodist
114. UTEP
115. La.-Lafayette
116. Central Mich.
117. North Texas
118. Rice
119. Minnesota
Dumbledore Is Gay – A few years ago, Rowling says no character was gay, now one of the main characters is. No big deal to me, but friends are reacting in all kinds of ways. Most regrettable to me are the so-called Christian friends that respond, “See, I told you there was nothing good in those books.” Ouch! My favorite reaction so far has been the one word, “so?”.
That’s about it from here. As always, more later…