Black Ops disturbing commercial

This is a seriously disturbing commercial for the new Call of Duty: Black Ops video game, featuring live-action people with weapons shooting and destroying stuff. Not only are they live-action, instead of video images, but they are dressed in ordinary street clothes. Disturbingly reminiscent of Columbine. Also, there is a young girl, who looks just on the verge of 18, in the mix, as well as Kolbe Bryant. The idea of the commercial is that 'there is a warrior in all of us' but the effect is that we are all participating in something barbaric and dehumanizing when we play these games. We lose our true humanity in their violence. True escapism and nihilism all rolled into one 30 second piece of capitalist propoganda.


Black Ops commercial

John and Kathy Show

Just finished the John and Kathy Show out of Pittsburgh. Great hosts, wanted to talk about my debate with Christopher Hitchens, felt like I was on for all of five seconds. That is to say, the time flew by on air, but I appreciate them having me.

Radio spots

Two radio interviews about Theology Remixed coming up today and tomorrow. One out of Pittsburgh and the other out of Detroit. The word is definitely getting out now!

Wednesday, Nov 10, 4:40, “The John and Kathy Show on WORD-FM”.  The corporate site is: http://www.wordfm.com/ . They can also be found on Facebook.

Thursday, Nov 11, 2:35

WMUZ FM, “Bob Dutko Show”                                       

COVERAGE: Detroit                                

WEBSITE: wmuz.com                             

HOST: Bob Dutko                                  

Free Book Giveaway

If you are in the Lillington area this Sunday afternoon, boy, do we have an event for you!
Nov 7, 4:00-5:00, Lillington Baptist Church, 210 W. Lofton St.
5 FREE copies to be given away!
Reception to follow!
The main ideas of the book will be presented and discussed. Should be a great event.

Interview with Paul Edwards

http://www.faithtalk1500.com/podcasts/podcasting_localhost.aspx?localhost=9

Yesterday I was interviewed by Paul Edwards, on the Paul Edwards Show out of Detroit. You can listen to the podcast of it here. Just click on the Oct 25 podcast. You will find my segment about 25 minutes into the program. Paul did a great job of interviewing, keeping the conversation rolling and asking some great questions. Thanks Paul!
At one point he asked if we need to do away with the 11:00 AM traditional Sunday church service all-together. I answered No, as long as we celebrate the resurrection of the Lord, then there will be cause to gather together on Sunday morning. But it's still a good question. We should always have a reason for doing what we do. When we can no longer articulate a reason for going through the motions of church, for going to church on Sunday, then we know that our tradition has become a hollow shell.

Nov 7th event

Sunday, November 7, 4:00-5:00, at Lillington Baptist Church, 210 W. Lofton St. in Lillington I will introduce THEOLOGY REMIXED: CHRISTIANITY AS STORY, GAME, LANGUAGE, CULTURE, I will talk about the book and be available for book-signing. Reception and refreshments to follow.

PreOrder

Breaking News in the world of theology!
40% discount on pre-orders of THEOLOGY REMIXED from InterVarsity Press. Offer expires Oct 30th.
Call 1-800-843-9487 or go to ivpress.com and use the following source code: 506-279

Only $12.00!

THEOLOGY REMIXED will be released in November. Exciting!

I'm not sure this advertisement counts as a legitimate entry in a theology blog site, but oh well...

Here is the latest blurb on the book by Campbell University: http://www.campbell.edu/news/item/campbell-professor-shakes-up-theology-in-new-book

Earbuds and blogsites

Starting, just yesterday, my first blogsite, I have already begun to think about the effects on theology if it is done on the platform of a blog. How does technology help and hinder the work of theology? 

There can be no hard and fast rules. Consider the iPod, “the most familiar, and certainly the most desirable, new object of the twenty-first century.”[1] Apple’s personal music gizmo, was announced in October of 2001, just one month after the September 11 attacks that brought down the World Trade Center and damaged the Pentagon. Since then, the pocket-sized MP3 player has become a trendy success, both economically and technologically. Surely the introduction and proliferation of the iPod must register some effect on society, but what? Is it the popularization of musical eclecticism, the privatization of musical experience, or the deterioration of opportunities for interpersonal exchange (if everyone in public is preoccupied with the sounds coming through their earbuds, who will be available to entertain conversation)? Or is this just a new-fangled gadget, with no real import for anything beyond itself?

The example of the iPod goes to show the difficulty of measuring the effects of something new (in this case, technology) on a society. As Christian disciples and communities strive to stay faithful to the Bible and to the true worship of God, we will have to interact with, use, and sometimes distance ourselves from different facets of our culture. Christians of ages past had to negotiate the movie theater, alcohol, playing cards, and the like. In our generation, the iPod and Facebook present their own unique challenges.

The real question has nothing to do with restoring some lost utopia or sealing Christians off from the world in a “Christian culture” bubble. The real question is: how should those who claim Christian identity participate in every sphere of life? We all have multiple allegiances, multiple affiliations – social, familial, political, national, economic, and so on. How should we deal, as Christians, with competing allegiances and cultures? These are real questions. …

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[1] Alan Jacobs, “Present at the Creation: Review of The Perfect Thing: How the iPod Shuffles Commerce, Culture, and Coolness, by Steven Levy,” Christianity Today.com (October 24, 2006), www.christianitytoday.com/books/features/bookwk/061023.html.

First post

This is my first post on my first ever blog site. The name of my blog page comes from Nicholas Lash, one of my all-time favorite theologians. He published a book in 1986 called 'Theology on the Way to Emmaus.' As he says, 'The story of the disciples on the way to Emmaus can serve as a parable for the task of Christian interpretation' and I might add, for the task of Christian theology in general. Theology is always 'on the way,' never finished, and never at rest. We are pilgrims on the way to Zion, hopefully nearing the heart of God.