It's 8:20 western time, Oregon's polls have only been closed for 2o minutes. But according to many websites, Obama has basically won. I voted for Bob Barr, the Libertarian. I secretely cheered for McCain. I don't really agree with anything Obama stands for. But I truly think that in one way tonight, in one major way, America is victorious.
Tonight I was talking to my mom on the phone and I told her that I thought people liked Obama just because he was black. I also downplayed the fact that he would probably be the first black president. My mom, as she often has, humbled my ignorance. She explained to me how she grew up in the 60s as a teenager, and how she watched Martin Luther's speeches. She watched segregation end. She watched how many people were ignorant, horrible racists in that time. Then she said sonething along the lines of: "Andrew, I don't agree with anything Obama stands for either. But I am not going to lie, when he gives his victory speech tonight, it will be a tear-jerker for your father and I. I fought against racism back then, and I never imagined in my lifetime that this country would progress enough in that way to have a black president."
So tonight I give a congratulations to Obama, that he was courageous enough growing up to go against the grain for his race and head into politics. I praise America that we are (mostly) past the blind racist bigotry of yesterday. Today is not the day to complain about the bad I think Obama will bring. Today I am looking at the good. I saw Jesse Jackson crying on TV, as someone who has watched racism in the past and fought against it, and I say "Thank you God that blacks are no longer hated in America, may we progress in other ways too!"
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Ten bands to listen to if you think the Portland music scene is about Everclear and the Decemberists:
-Elliot Smith (indie/folk)
-From Ashes Rise (punk/hardcore)
-Tragedy (hardcore/crust)
-The Physical Challenge (currently called I Quit - hardcore)
-The Dead Unknown (metal/hardcore)
-It Prevails (hardcore/melodic metalcore)
-Inked in Blood (metalcore)
-His Name Shall Breathe (folk)
-Life and Limb (hardcore)
-Defiance (street punk)
Some other fun bands from Portland(ish): Unrestrained, Believing in June, Brutal Fight, Belmont Academy, Stick to Your Guns, Deal Victoria, Countdown to Life, Six Bullets, A Decade 'Til Dawn, American Me, A Hope For Home, Broadway Calls.
-From Ashes Rise (punk/hardcore)
-Tragedy (hardcore/crust)
-The Physical Challenge (currently called I Quit - hardcore)
-The Dead Unknown (metal/hardcore)
-It Prevails (hardcore/melodic metalcore)
-Inked in Blood (metalcore)
-His Name Shall Breathe (folk)
-Life and Limb (hardcore)
-Defiance (street punk)
Some other fun bands from Portland(ish): Unrestrained, Believing in June, Brutal Fight, Belmont Academy, Stick to Your Guns, Deal Victoria, Countdown to Life, Six Bullets, A Decade 'Til Dawn, American Me, A Hope For Home, Broadway Calls.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
life
sorry if my last post was extreme. I am not voting for Obama or McCain, I am done with politics or political discussions right now!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Is Barack Obama like Martin Luther King?
People are saying that Barack Hussein Obama is comparable to Martin Luther King. He is charismatic, he is black, he wants change, and he talks about God.
Anyone familiar with the passions and stances of King would understand that he would be disgusted with Obama's policies. King stood for true justice, love, and mercy. He believed that men and women should be judged not by their skin color but by the content of their character. He believed that the marginalization of members of society was evil. His love and justice was fueled by the glory of Jesus Christ. Read King's Letter from Birmingham Jail. He believed that justice was necessary was because it right. "The urgency of now."
I was listening to a speech of Obama's, and he stole the phrase the "urgency of now" from Dr. King, referring to the "change" that he wants. Obama may stand for some good changes in society. But underlying that is the fact that he is the most liberal politician on the issue of abortion to ever run for public office. He believes in infanticide:
http://www.dennyburk.com/?p=2359
Martin Luther King was assassinated in 1968, 5 years before Roe vs. Wade. King's love for people would not put up with Obama's disrespect for the most vulnerable and helpless members of society - unborn children and babies (yes BABIES, he believes in partial birth abortion and infanticide). So-called "choice" kills about 3700 babies every day in the United States of America. There have been 4,000 U.S. soldiers that have died in the Iraq war. The war is important, but if I may borrow a phrase from Dr. King, "the urgency of now" issue in this country is abortion. Now is the time to stand up against it and not vote for public leaders that believe in infanticide. Now is the time to change.
Photographic evidence is considered one of the most valid forms of evidence. It has fueled civil rights, and it has helped people see the atrocities of the Holocaust and of different wars. Here is a picture of a murdered ("aborted") baby at 22 weeks (around 5 1/2 months).
http://abort73.com/HTML/I-A-4-photos22.html
Anyone familiar with the passions and stances of King would understand that he would be disgusted with Obama's policies. King stood for true justice, love, and mercy. He believed that men and women should be judged not by their skin color but by the content of their character. He believed that the marginalization of members of society was evil. His love and justice was fueled by the glory of Jesus Christ. Read King's Letter from Birmingham Jail. He believed that justice was necessary was because it right. "The urgency of now."
I was listening to a speech of Obama's, and he stole the phrase the "urgency of now" from Dr. King, referring to the "change" that he wants. Obama may stand for some good changes in society. But underlying that is the fact that he is the most liberal politician on the issue of abortion to ever run for public office. He believes in infanticide:
http://www.dennyburk.com/?
Martin Luther King was assassinated in 1968, 5 years before Roe vs. Wade. King's love for people would not put up with Obama's disrespect for the most vulnerable and helpless members of society - unborn children and babies (yes BABIES, he believes in partial birth abortion and infanticide). So-called "choice" kills about 3700 babies every day in the United States of America. There have been 4,000 U.S. soldiers that have died in the Iraq war. The war is important, but if I may borrow a phrase from Dr. King, "the urgency of now" issue in this country is abortion. Now is the time to stand up against it and not vote for public leaders that believe in infanticide. Now is the time to change.
Photographic evidence is considered one of the most valid forms of evidence. It has fueled civil rights, and it has helped people see the atrocities of the Holocaust and of different wars. Here is a picture of a murdered ("aborted") baby at 22 weeks (around 5 1/2 months).
http://abort73.com/HTML/I-A-4-photos22.html
Monday, August 4, 2008
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Summer School
I'm in my second class of summer school right now. We just finished a test and I'm on break. Yay!
I haven't written in my blog forever. I kind of want to start one or two new blogs, one focusing on theology and the other on music and music reviews. I want both to be there for discussion and sharing of opinions. The music one would focus on punk, hardcore, metalcore, emo, indie, folk, alt-country and rap. I'm thinking about just writing reviews on albums I like or dislike and getting people's opinions and suggestions for new music. The theology one would be more of a forum of discussion among people I know.
Let me know what ya'll think?
I haven't written in my blog forever. I kind of want to start one or two new blogs, one focusing on theology and the other on music and music reviews. I want both to be there for discussion and sharing of opinions. The music one would focus on punk, hardcore, metalcore, emo, indie, folk, alt-country and rap. I'm thinking about just writing reviews on albums I like or dislike and getting people's opinions and suggestions for new music. The theology one would be more of a forum of discussion among people I know.
Let me know what ya'll think?
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
God
Yesterday and today I read my Bible a lot. I'm not saying that to sound like a good-old Christian boy, I am just saying that God led me to reading it a lot.
I think often times we truly, truly underestimate the power and truth contained in the Bible. It truly is God's Word. It guides, strengthens, empowers, and grows. It shows us how we need to change. It contains the mystery of the gospel of God and the greatest secret in the world. As Paul says in Ephesians and Colossians, the gospel was a mystery that was hidden for ages but then revealed to them, and it continues to be revealed to all mankind always, even us in 2008.
I love that most of the Bible God shows himself to us through narrative.
The Bible is also so powerful in it's description of love. Paul writes in Ephesians:
"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved."
Everything that God does flows from his love. I John states that GOD IS LOVE. He is the definition of true love. God is not love in the sense that we can define what love is and then push that on God, he is love in the sense that his nature encompasses all that is truly love and by that , by experiencing him through people and his Word and by his change in our lives, we know true love. We know love by experiencing true sacrifice, by seeing what Jesus did and why he did it. We know love by observing the Trinity interact in John. We know love by reading the pages in the Bible. We know love by seeing people love others. We know love by seeing anything good in this world. We know love by knowing God, we know God by truly receiving his loving transforming mercy and grace.
This isn't supposed to be preachy. It's what I've been thinking and experiencing. God is good. Run to his Word and be changed by it, and then help change other people's lives.
Andrew
I think often times we truly, truly underestimate the power and truth contained in the Bible. It truly is God's Word. It guides, strengthens, empowers, and grows. It shows us how we need to change. It contains the mystery of the gospel of God and the greatest secret in the world. As Paul says in Ephesians and Colossians, the gospel was a mystery that was hidden for ages but then revealed to them, and it continues to be revealed to all mankind always, even us in 2008.
I love that most of the Bible God shows himself to us through narrative.
The Bible is also so powerful in it's description of love. Paul writes in Ephesians:
"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved."
Everything that God does flows from his love. I John states that GOD IS LOVE. He is the definition of true love. God is not love in the sense that we can define what love is and then push that on God, he is love in the sense that his nature encompasses all that is truly love and by that , by experiencing him through people and his Word and by his change in our lives, we know true love. We know love by experiencing true sacrifice, by seeing what Jesus did and why he did it. We know love by observing the Trinity interact in John. We know love by reading the pages in the Bible. We know love by seeing people love others. We know love by seeing anything good in this world. We know love by knowing God, we know God by truly receiving his loving transforming mercy and grace.
This isn't supposed to be preachy. It's what I've been thinking and experiencing. God is good. Run to his Word and be changed by it, and then help change other people's lives.
Andrew
Monday, March 3, 2008
taking back sunday
taking back sunday's first album is always catchy, always. and it always makes me nostalgic. I really like John Nolan's voice. Does anyone listen to Straylight Run? Listen to the songs Hand in the Sky (Big Shot), Later that Year, and A Slow Descent. Pretty good.
Hilarious:
Daniel Plainview: Drainage! Drainage, Eli, you boy. Drained dry. I'm so sorry. Here, if you have a milkshake, and I have a milkshake, and I have a straw. There it is, that's a straw, you see? You watching?. And my straw reaches acroooooooss the room, and starts to drink your milkshake... I... drink... your... milkshake! I drink it up!
Eli Sunday: Don't bully me, Daniel!
Daniel Plainview:Did you think your song and dance and your superstition would help you, Eli? I am the Third Revelation! I am who the Lord has chosen!
If you have actually seen There Will Be Blood, watch this short spoof it's hilarious. If not, the 51 seconds contains like three spoilers so don't watch it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDVzmbtVZ6s
peace
Hilarious:
Daniel Plainview: Drainage! Drainage, Eli, you boy. Drained dry. I'm so sorry. Here, if you have a milkshake, and I have a milkshake, and I have a straw. There it is, that's a straw, you see? You watching?. And my straw reaches acroooooooss the room, and starts to drink your milkshake... I... drink... your... milkshake! I drink it up!
Eli Sunday: Don't bully me, Daniel!
Daniel Plainview:Did you think your song and dance and your superstition would help you, Eli? I am the Third Revelation! I am who the Lord has chosen!
If you have actually seen There Will Be Blood, watch this short spoof it's hilarious. If not, the 51 seconds contains like three spoilers so don't watch it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDVzmbtVZ6s
peace
Sunday, February 24, 2008
well it is Oscars night, and can't you already tell I like making lists?
I saw probably 20 or 25 movies that were released in 2007, here are the my top 10. Check out the lists of great directors that made all these movies...
1 and 2 (tie) - There Will Be Blood (Paul Thomas Anderson) & No Country For Old Men (the Coen Brothers).
3. Hot Fuzz (Edgar Wright)
4. Zodiac (David Fincher)
5. Grindhouse (Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino)
6. Diary of the Dead (George A. Romero)
7. Juno (Jason Reitman)
8. Darjeeling Limited (Wes Anderson)
9. 3:10 to Yuma (James Mangold)
10. The Mist (Frank Darabont)
Movies from '07 I want to see: Atonement, Michael Clayton, Once, Sweeney Todd, the Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, I'm Not There, Once, Away From Her, Across the Universe
1 and 2 (tie) - There Will Be Blood (Paul Thomas Anderson) & No Country For Old Men (the Coen Brothers).
3. Hot Fuzz (Edgar Wright)
4. Zodiac (David Fincher)
5. Grindhouse (Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino)
6. Diary of the Dead (George A. Romero)
7. Juno (Jason Reitman)
8. Darjeeling Limited (Wes Anderson)
9. 3:10 to Yuma (James Mangold)
10. The Mist (Frank Darabont)
Movies from '07 I want to see: Atonement, Michael Clayton, Once, Sweeney Todd, the Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, I'm Not There, Once, Away From Her, Across the Universe
Monday, February 18, 2008
"My eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord..."
Those were the last public words that Martin Luther King Jr. said, the day before he was assassinated.
I just listened to his "I have a dream" speech and his last speech. Listen to both of them here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_j4h3gGYZSk
The last speech he gives almost has an awareness in it that he is going to die soon, and he does not care. He just wanted to do the Lord's will he said. Listen to these speeches, and wake up to the injustice that goes on all around the world and in our country. Racism, rape, abortion, to name a few. Wake up.
I just listened to his "I have a dream" speech and his last speech. Listen to both of them here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_j4h3gGYZSk
The last speech he gives almost has an awareness in it that he is going to die soon, and he does not care. He just wanted to do the Lord's will he said. Listen to these speeches, and wake up to the injustice that goes on all around the world and in our country. Racism, rape, abortion, to name a few. Wake up.
just a thought
Promoting animals rights and promoting pro-choice is valuing animals over humans. If you disagree, I would love to hear your argument.
(extreme) Animal Rights says: animals should not be killed for food, they have rights and should not be murdered. Farm owners should not have the right to choose to kill their animals for food, the animals have a right to life.
Pro-choice says: Unborn babies do not have a right to life. Mothers have a right to let a doctor murder their baby if they choose. Human rights start when a baby is out of a mother.
Let me know what you think.
(extreme) Animal Rights says: animals should not be killed for food, they have rights and should not be murdered. Farm owners should not have the right to choose to kill their animals for food, the animals have a right to life.
Pro-choice says: Unborn babies do not have a right to life. Mothers have a right to let a doctor murder their baby if they choose. Human rights start when a baby is out of a mother.
Let me know what you think.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
I can't get over this
http://youtube.com/watch?v=iUidvWingPg
it's the same thing over and over for a minute with hilarious music, but seriously how did that happen? I know all you sports fans have already seen this...
would have been a lot better if it happened during the NBA season, but it's legit anyway
it's the same thing over and over for a minute with hilarious music, but seriously how did that happen? I know all you sports fans have already seen this...
would have been a lot better if it happened during the NBA season, but it's legit anyway
random thought
Shame on anyone who is voting for Hillary mainly because she is a woman, or Obama mainly because he is black. People should be judged upon the grounds of their character and beliefs, not on the color of the skin or their gender. I believe just like hating someone on the grounds of race or gender is wrong, esteeming someone strictly one the grounds of race or gender is wrong. A black man with the same character as a white man is no better. A woman with the same character as man, regardless of race, is no better. In deciding who to vote for, how to treat people, and how to look at people, esteem and honor all races the same. Look at people as they are in this present situation.
That said, please Obama, beat Hillary.
Andrew
That said, please Obama, beat Hillary.
Andrew
Monday, February 4, 2008
the radicalness of the gospel
Well, here we go. I am actually going to write a blog that is not about music or about nothing. I just listened to Mark Driscoll's sermon from yesterday about sexual sin. It was really good. He basically boils sexual sin down to the un-worship of Jesus Christ. He says that sexual sin is the worship of created things instead of the worship of the creator (Romans 1). He says that sexual sin is idolatry, and that many people live their whole lives with the religion of "sex." They spend money on it, make plans around it, worship it, think about it, make sacrifices for it, and go to hell because they decided to worship it instead of Jesus.
This sermon got me to thinking about how radical the gospel is. The good news of Jesus, that transforms people's lives, is very counter-cultural. The truth and meaning of life as conveyed by Jesus and Scripture is so opposite of the lies our culture tells us about reality. Every day, in so many ways often undetected, our culture is speaking to us. And it's not always telling us something directly. Images, internet, commercials, the radio, and TV all are telling us things as often as we indulge in them. And I fear that too much as Christians we don't realize that a world view and message is being communicated through the culture into our heads, affecting the things we value and ultimately affecting the things we worship.
That's enough for now, just some of my thoughts.
This sermon got me to thinking about how radical the gospel is. The good news of Jesus, that transforms people's lives, is very counter-cultural. The truth and meaning of life as conveyed by Jesus and Scripture is so opposite of the lies our culture tells us about reality. Every day, in so many ways often undetected, our culture is speaking to us. And it's not always telling us something directly. Images, internet, commercials, the radio, and TV all are telling us things as often as we indulge in them. And I fear that too much as Christians we don't realize that a world view and message is being communicated through the culture into our heads, affecting the things we value and ultimately affecting the things we worship.
That's enough for now, just some of my thoughts.
Friday, January 18, 2008
I'm back!
I am going to start writing on my blog again!
I have 7 classes, 17 credits this semester. SO MUCH TO DO! So I have an 8 o'clock class tomorrow so I better go to bed, goodnight!
Start reading this again!
Quote of the night:
Butch: You okay?
Marsellus: Naw man. I'm pretty fuckin' far from okay.
Butch:What now?
Marsellus: What now? Let me tell you what now. I'ma call a coupla hard, pipe-hittin' n*ggers, who'll go to work on the homes here with a pair of pliers and a blow torch. You hear me talkin', hillbilly boy? I ain't through with you by a damn sight. I'ma get medieval on your ass.
I have 7 classes, 17 credits this semester. SO MUCH TO DO! So I have an 8 o'clock class tomorrow so I better go to bed, goodnight!
Start reading this again!
Quote of the night:
Butch: You okay?
Marsellus: Naw man. I'm pretty fuckin' far from okay.
Butch:What now?
Marsellus: What now? Let me tell you what now. I'ma call a coupla hard, pipe-hittin' n*ggers, who'll go to work on the homes here with a pair of pliers and a blow torch. You hear me talkin', hillbilly boy? I ain't through with you by a damn sight. I'ma get medieval on your ass.
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