Archive for the ‘image’ Category

I have read a number of articles about using a reader in order to keep up with blog content when wanting to read numerous blogs. Tyler Braun wrote about using Google Reader. I think if I were to use a reader it would be one from Google since they, in conjunction with Apple, do in fact run the universe (by which I mean, if Google and Apple didn’t exist there would be a cosmic implosion causing all things to move to a higher state of order which is simply unacceptable and perfectly acceptable in the postmodern era).^ I have elected, however, to avoid using a reader. Part of the blogging and blog reading experience extends well beyond the content hammered out on a keyboard. A reader delivers the content of individual posts but does not capture the fullness of a blog. Many bloggers spend hours designing layouts, color schemes, and headers (or is that just me) in order to 1) provide the reader with a pleasant and artistically engaged online experience; and 2) offer content and links that enhance the message of the written material. Unless Google’s Reader has a content feature that I have yet to explore I would suggest that one simply use the bookmarking and RSS features found in internet browsers in order to directly visit the sites about which you care. Appreciate the art. Appreciate the feel. Don’t just read it. Experience it.

^ For those needing explanation due to the sarcastic language concerning existentialism, postmodernism, and theology(ism), I may write another post with a more modernly-toned explanation.

What do you think of the new logo and the subtitle for subversiveREFORMATION.com? What do you think the image means? What are your thoughts on the phrase? Please comment.

One of my more recent posts entitled, "Teaching Little Kyla… Languages (and about Tattoos) " received over 150 hits in the first hour of its publication. 25 comments have been posted in addition to a barrage of comments in response to my posted Facebook link. Adam Walker-Cleaveland published a similar post on pomomusings.com (a blog worth a daily read).

Are tattoos really that big of a deal? Maybe I’m just surrounded by enough people who don’t think its an issue for discussion or who maintain a place of conforming with society and recognizing trends as legitimizing for any behavior. Maybe the historical and religious context of the levitical writing needs studied and taught.

Are people (including myself) so self-absorbed that we prefer to talk about inking ourselves rather than loving our enemies, living missionally, ministering with the marginalized, practicing discipline, and thwarting our individualism for the sake of community and friendship loyalty? Why is there so little interest in the violence of apathy and the elusiveness of sabbath? Why are we not as concerned with the movement of the Church? Are we distracted? Are we addicted consumers of brain-dead "conversation?" Why is a tattoo so much more of a fascinating topic?

Brian McLaren said, "I’m deep into revisions for A New Kind of Christianity , due out next March, and I’m feeling ‘in the zone.’ The first draft is done, but I revise first drafts like Chuck Norris unleashes roundhouse kicks, so the really intense work is underway."

Brian , you are my hero (one of them). You are a man of humility (unlike some other unnamed authors and speakers I’ve met) and a man who can write a first draft. I am so retentive, perfectionistic, and obsessive that I cannot get through a rough, first draft. I get stuck editing as I go and thereby get nowhere in my writings. I need to follow the advice spoken by Sean Connery’s character, William Forrester, in the film Finding Forrester , "Write! Bang the keys!" (or something like that).

A recent chapel service at MVNU was constructed by the Art Department. There was a very loud banging typewriter during the entire service. I heard a lot of negative feedback from some students but I’ve always appreciated the Art Department chapel and the unique forms of creating thoughtful reflection. MVNU students, here is your chance to unleash your thoughts: What is your reaction and reflection concerning the incessant banging of keys during a chapel gathering?

Many MVNU students have been attending the Sunday morning gathering of Christians who call themselves "Journey Church." Here is the fifth (5th) of six (6) reasons why MVN(azarene)U students have been so highly attracted to the non-Nazarene gathering place that is Journey.

From post #4 of 6…
[There is also…]

5. The idea that everyone is doing it.

I’m not precisely sure what defines a trend except the idea that "everyone is doing it." After a discussion with my friends Nate Okuley and Lee Yowell in Nate’s car on the way to Hunan Garden for some dialogue and General Tso’s Chicken (insert another prepositional phrase here), I am offering a list of cultural and branding trends that exist within MVNU:

North Face : These branded jackets may be seen on many students walking around campus. I do wonder if North Face jackets worn in warmer spring and summer weather are symbols of one’s need for identity to be justified by a trend/brand.

Chipotle : I had never tried the oversized burrito from the McDonald’s Corporatio n owned mexican grill until I worked at MVNU. I will admit, I likes me some Chipotle even though I loathe McDonald’s and even have a hard time saying the last name of a certain clown named Ronald without having moderate to severe reflux in my esophageal tr act. Flour tortilla, rice, cilantro, chicken, onions, peppers, black beans, corn salsa, fresh tomato salsa, and cheese. Trendy and tasty for a mere 950 calories, 28.5 grams of fat, and 43% of my daily intake of iron. I heart you Chipotle (but I hate your mother).

Mac : The musical group/band/singer Feist would be relatively unknown if Mac had not used the now popu lar "1, 2, 3, 4" on a quite catchy advertisement for the th en new ipod nano (Am I supposed to capitalize the word "nano" or the "p" in "ipod?" What is the trend?). I confess that I do own a very nice, new generation, large capacity ipod Classic which I enjoy very much ("Classic" is capitalized just in case I got it wrong the first time. I want to be justified by my trendiness.). I also have MacBook envy. I have battled lust for the new aluminum cased media and online connectivity machine largely do to the slow proc essing and occasional random shut down of my now archaic HP Pavilion. I am also wanting to use iLife 09 for video and picture editing of my daughter, Kyla. I simply can’t quite justify spending $1299+ on a laptop when we’re trying to save and raise money to adopt internationally . It’s not easy fleeing green. "Tell me that you love me more. Buy me, Mac."

Journey Church : "If everyone’s going there and says it’s sweet then I’m going to go check it out." Is this a good enough reason? No previous connection with the gathered community? No theological research?

This of course leads me to the number one (#1) reason why MVNU students go to Journey…

TO BE CONTINUED.

^ This post is dedicated to Lee Yowell.

I updated my previous installation of WordPress 2.5 to 2.7 using Fantastico within my AN Hosting account. Due to heavy reading expectations in my M.A.R. Missional Leadership program, I have had a difficult time keeping my blog posts recent and current. Hopefully, the new look and feel of my upgraded dashboard will encourage me to continue posting regularly. I really am enjoying the flow and usability along with the fresh and appearance.

I also hope to continue to refine the look of subversiveREFORMATION.com as I continue to learn CSS and HTML along with web hosting and image creating/editing. I don’t find the process of blogging and learning web-languages an irresponsible use of time. Our culture is one that has become dependent upon  or at least adjusted to online forms of connectivity and communication with images, video, and instant response systems at the core of interaction.

An interesting question arises with web-language and communication technologies: What is the appropriate Christian response to decreasing human-to-human interactions ?

Has anyone attempted to buy a "box" television from a store recently? I hope not. If you have you would have found yourself to be greatly disappointed in the selection of these now archaic entertainment devices. Where have all the televisions gone? They have disappeared – stricken from the market unless one is buying a used product through ebay or craigslist or at a local garage/yard sale.

This holiday season the plasma/LCD flat screen television appears to be one of the most highly marketed products targeted toward the average consumer. And why shouldn’t it be? Americans are wasting hours and hours of their lives everyday consuming images and propaganda without much consideration of the quality of information consumed and the quantity of time spent disassociating from human to human interaction. So if such behavior is going to be the culturally and sociologically imposed norm then why not do it in high style? Shouldn’t we all use our hard earned money to get the highest 1080p clarity on a 3.5" deep 52" HDTV with 3 HDMI inputs, 2 component video inputs, 3 composite inputs, 10,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, and a partridge in a pear tree? Afterall, it’s not as if there are people in our world who could benefit from our research, technology, and resources in order to provide food, basic medical care, and clean water. Plus, it’s much more comfortable to zone out in front of a screen rather than enter into a meaningful and self-disclosing conversation with another human being. And who wants to spend time interacting with their family anyway?

Where have all the televisions gone? No where. The old, heavy box version has simply been replaced with a cleaner, brighter, sleeker version, increasing and enabling addictions to biased and unintelligent "news" sources, the distorted, sexualized lives of "celebrities," life-destroying gaming systems, and individualization.

Tis the the season.

.

…Travis.

That is what you can call me.

I was talking with some friends and family this week about the coming academic year and future doctoral plans. If I do proceed with a doctoral education I am currently most interested in post-reformation European history and pre-colonial, western church history. I have also considered work in psychology, sociology, and higher education. This year I will be finishing my graduate courses at NNU and also teaching an introductory course for freshmen students at MVNU.  A few comments were tossed up by some friends calling me "doctor" and "professor." It was all in good humor. They knew it would get under my skin 1) because I am neither a doctor nor a professor and 2) because if I were I would rather just be called Travis. That is who I am. I do not quite understand all the elitist titles that are meant to distinguish one person from another. While I have witnessed some Ph.D.s handle their achievements with humility I have seen others affected quite negatively by the possession of a "title."

Why do we classify people?

Can letters behind one’s name be used for good?

Do titles produce arrogance or humility?

Is it beneficial for a community to have a classification system?

All of my currently uploaded photos are available on Flickr accessible by the link to the left. Here is a small sampling:

I am somewhat frequently interviewed by students here at MVNU for Research Writing projects, Public Speaking presentations, or Christian Life and Ministry papers. Tonight I was interviewed by Daniel Coutz. It was one of the more thoughtful interviews that I have experienced and I appreciated the approach. The conversation went something like this:

Daniel: “Respond to this statement: The United States is a Christian Nation.”

Travis: “No earthly empire is distinctively in keeping with the way of Jesus. Those who claim the United States to be a Christian nation need to enroll in a post-reformation church history course that discusses the period of American colonization. Also helpful would be a study in theology and philosophy to explore the definitions of theism, deism, and idolatry.

Daniel: “Do you feel the American flag should be displayed in churches? Why or why not?”

Travis: “No. The church is laced with a history of symbol and icon for visual engagement in worship and when one considers what the American flag represents I would have to question what one is worshiping. I would have no problem with displaying a flag in a church if it was displayed beside every other flag of every other nation so long as the symbol is understood to represent equality and unity.

Daniel: “Respond to this statement: The loyalty of a person belongs first to his country.”

Travis: “Why would one view an earthly empire as something to which giving loyalty is necessary or a priority? My suggestion is that most would give said loyalty due to an enculturation that promotes a sense of loyalty as nessecary. I would also suggest it has something to do with the supposed ‘safety’ provided by the military branch of a certain country’s government. Fear would be that which fuels loyalty to an earthly empire.”

Daniel: “Respond to this statement. Christians living in the United States should be patriotic about the United States.”

Travis: “One’s definition of patriotism would be primary. I find it problematic for a follower of Jesus to pledge his allegiance to an earthly nation. So in the sense that the recitation of the ‘Pledge of Allegiance’ is patriotic, then patriotism may be considered contrary to ‘worshipping no other gods.’”