Ish site

The new ish site is now up and running!

If My Life Were A Soundtrack

Here is the cd I would make. In fact for the first five people, I will burn this disc for them, if they do the same for me.

The Way I Was Made-Griffin House
First Day Of My Life-Bright Eyes
The Great American Novel-Larry Norman
I'm Only Sleeping-Beatles
Trouble-Ray Lamantagne
Stupid Daniel-Billy Harvey
Wishful Thinking-Wilco
My Home Is The Sea-Matt Sweeney and Bonnie Prince Billy
Fresh Feeling-The Eels
Ohio-Over The Rhine
Say Yes! To Michigan!-Sufjan Stevens
The Lemon Of Pink Pt. 1-The Books
Do Lord-Johnny Cash
Gideon-My Morning Jacket
September-Ryan Adams
Til Kingdom Come-Coldplay
Sunken Treasure-Wilco
Philosopher's Stone-Van Morrison
The Man Comes Around-Johnny Cash

Pat Robertson, My Mom, A Christian Scientist and a Wiccan

So my mother and my brother are part of a homeschool group in her area that is very diverse and there is much discussion online with them about spiritual things. Here is a series of emails that I wanted to post for you because I'm really proud of the way my mom handled herself.
here's a key for you...
Linda=mom
Wendy=Christian Scientist
Bridget=Wiccan

--- In CLIMB_Outside@yahoogroups.com, "Bridget"

wrote: Some days it’s hard

. . . to rememeber that he doesn't represent ALL Christian.

Televangelist Warns of Evolution Doomsday
Reuters

Thursday 10 November 2005

Pat Robertson says a vote against intelligent design is a vote
against God. Washington - Conservative Christian televangelist Pat
Robertson
told citizens of a Pennsylvania town that they had rejected
God by voting their school board out of office for supporting "intelligent design" and warned them Thursday not to be surprised if
disaster struck.
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/111105O.shtml

He did run against Bush Sr in the primaries, but then swung his support
behind him in the general election.

Politicians do want to get votes, that's true. But I would think that
buddying up with Robertson would have the opposite effect, but it
doesn't seem to. I think many politicians are using Christianity, and
a few keys issues specifically, for political gains. Unfortunately,
they seem to not follow Christian principles once they are in office.

Bridget
--- In CLIMB_Outside@yahoogroups.com, "Wendy S" wrote:

Hum, I didn't know he was God or enabled by bible teachings to
make predictions or judgements. Him and the Salem witch hunters.

Wendy

--- In CLIMB_Outside@yahoogroups.com, "Bridget"
wrote:


Yep I know. But this is not the first time he has said something
like this (remember the assassination comment?), yet people are
still sending him money and other 'Christians' are still supporting
him. There is no huge outcry against him coming from other prominant
religious figures - at least nothing big enough that I've seen it
without searching it out. I should do that tomorrow, look to see
WHO is outspoken against him.

Bridget




--- In CLIMB_Outside@yahoogroups.com, "Linda" <...>
wrote:
As a Christ follower I apologize for what Pat Robertson said.

I know lots of pastors who denounce this type of comment...and lots
who would not. Christianity gets complicated at times with the way
people understand and live it out.


--- In CLIMB_Outside@yahoogroups.com, "Bridget"
wrote:

Thank you. It's not so much that I think you need to apologize
for him though. I just don't understand why so many other prominent
Christians aren't publicly denouncing him by now.

Bridget

--- In CLIMB_Outside@yahoogroups.com, "Linda" <...>
wrote:
Bridget---I don't have time to dig into this any further to find
direct quotes regarding the latest statements, but I know my own
pastor denounces statements like this, as do my son's pastors, and
just about every Christian I have talked to.

These quotes are not about Dover, PA, but about Robertson and
Chavez, but I think they give a feel for how some major evangelical
leaders view Robertson and his comments.

"This kind of statement, by this well known American Christian
leader, is in complete contradiction to the teachings of Jesus
Christ who evangelical Christians believe and seek to demonstrate,"
Geoff Tunnicliffe, International Director of the World Evangelical
Alliance, said in a press release. "Robertson does not speak for
evangelical Christians. We believe in justice and the protection of
human rights of all people, including the life of President Chavez."

"Jesus called for nothing like this, and Pat Robertson sounded more
like one of the radical imams," Os Guinness, a Senior Fellow at the
McLean, VA-based Trinity Forum, "seminar-style forum for senior
executives and political leaders that engages the leading ideas of
our day in the context of faith" said on ABC's World News Tonight.

"The Southern Baptist Convention does not support or endorse public
statements concerning assassinations of persons, even if they are
despicable despots of foreign countries, and neither do I," Southern
Baptist Convention president Bobby Welch said in a Baptist Press
story.

"He has brought embarrassment upon us all," Al Mohler, dean of
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, said on his blog, "With so
much at stake, Pat Robertson bears responsibility to retract,
rethink, repent, and restate his position on this issue. Otherwise,
what could have been a temporary lapse of judgment can become an
enduring obstacle to the Gospel."

World magazine senior editor Marvin Olasky, who is often credited
with coining the phrase, "compassionate conservatism," told MSNBC:

"Well Pat's 75, he's had a live television show for decades, and
sometimes he blurts things out. He doesn't represent evangelicals,
and I hope that people in Venezuela don't think that he represents
the United States...

"Biblically, assassination may be used in times of war, last time I
looked we were not at war with Venezuela. We're supposed to pray for
those in government and those around the world in positions of
leadership, not assassinate them. So he doesn't represent a
Christian view as far as his interpretation of Scripture, and I'm
not sure he represents how many people he represents in the
evangelical community. He ran for President 17 years ago, and at the
peak of his popularity he didn't get a whole lot of votes, so I'm
not sure what clout he really these days either...

"Oh sure there's concern about Chavez, from everything I've read,
he's a dictator, he probably rigged the last election, and so should
really not be in office. But that still doesn't give you a rationale
for going and assassinating him...There are particular ways to act,
pray for those in that situation, hope God will change that
situation, but not take the law into our own hands in a vigilante
style like that. Or, asking our government to do things when we're
not at war with a country.

On CNN, Ted Haggard, president of the National Association of
Evangelicals, criticized the remarks, but said the criticism was
overblown:

"I think you have to understand the context of it. You know his
program has one section of it that's a Christian exhortation, and
then another section where he's a political pundit. And I think what
he was saying was, we have a looming problem down south, and there
are several bad options there. And he's saying maybe the least of
the bad options is to do something about the dictator...

"The First Amendment is wonderful. People have free speech
privileges. He wasn't writing a memo to the White House recommending
a public policy decision. He was not recommending something to the
State Department. He was not exposing himself sexually on the
platform the way Janet Jackson did. Instead, he was having a
political discussion, where they were randomly working with some
ideas. For Jesse Jackson [who called for the FCC to investigate the
remarks] to exaggerate it this way is just as appalling as what Pat
Robertson said, I think. ... We're addressing it, we're not taking
it lightly. Nobody is taking it seriously as a policy issue. So the
system is working. Everything is fine. Nobody's going to assassinate
this man. But we do realize he is a major problem. ... Pat Robertson
was wrong in recommending this. He was wrong in saying it. But he
was not wrong in being able to just openly discuss it the way
political pundits do all the time. Now, if you take his words as
from a religious Christian leader, as a recommendation, then we have
a problem. But I don't think that's what he did.

"And so you have to sort through that just a little bit, but I think
what he was saying was, if our choice is a major war or the some way
to deal with this military dictator, then we need to deal with the
military dictator rather than have another Islam on our hands...What
[Robertson] said was not illegal. What he recommended was illegal."

The Heritage Foundation's Joe Loconte thinks Robertson's critics
have not gone far enough; in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Loconte
suggested that "evangelical leaders would be wise to marginalize
Robertson and his media empire -- publicly and decisively. They
should editorialize against his excesses, refuse to appear on his
television program and deny him advertising space in their
magazines. Board members should threaten to resign unless he steps
down from his public platform."

--- In CLIMB_Outside@yahoogroups.com, "Bridget"
wrote:

Wow, thank you! It would have taken me days to track those down.
It's good to hear that they are denouncing him. I guess the media
just needs to make that clearer.

Bridget

We are back

So, we are back from Akron, where we spent a wonderful Christmas with our family. I already miss them. We played games, ate, laughed, slept, watched movies together, played some poker and so on. We were missing Dad for sure but, considering, it was still an ok Christmas because our family was together.

We always drive back from Akron on 23 north past Ann Arbor and every time, I get the urge to just keep driving. Not to stay away from Lansing or to shirk responsibility, but just to see some trees. We'd drive up north and find some cottage to rent for a couple days where there's no internet or cell phone service. We'd talk walks in the pine woods and show Jaden what we know of various animal droppings etc... We'd take our time on the way back, skip the main roads and look at houses that we could never afford. Houses with little ravines, and creeks and of course trees surrounding it. Smoke coming out of the chimneys. It would be nice. But, we are called to be in the world were we are at right now, which is just fine with us. It was good to see Melissa and talk to JR and Tricia and joke with Phil and talk music with Joel today. We are back.

Daily Jeezit

You should be listening to Noel's podcast, becuase it's really good. He also interviewed me today, so you can click on the image to get there.

Ish

The new "ish" cd will be here today sometime! I checked the tracking and it's "out for delivery" in Lansing. Sweet. Remember to check out the audio samples online at www.eriv.net.

Also, if you are going to be in town tomorrow night you should come to one of the Christmas Eve services. Kite has a video, Steve has a message and we are playing folky-mandolinish Christmas stuff too.

Y

Ok, so it's time to start getting in shape. Metabolism isn't really doing the same job that it used to when I was 18. So we just joined the YMCA on Saturday. Since then I've worked out four times. All cardio and basketball (which I also count as cardio). So if anyone has a Y membership and want's to play some Raquetball let me know.

live show

If you're sick of hearing about Wilco from me and would just like to hear what they sound like go here. It's a good recording of a live show.

Yes, it had to be done

Thanks to Dan Hanna for this.

Just So You Know...

There's no war on Christmas. I really think this stuff is out of control. Calm down Christians. Relax. Have Faith. Worry about yourself. Leave other people alone. If you read the blogs about this stuff it's just crazy.

ish online

You can now listen to samples of Ish and pre-order the new cd online here. Let me know what you think. For those of you at the Christmas Eve service at Riverview, we will have copies there. I hope you enjoy!

Detroit, Lift Up Your Weary Head!

After being in Detroit last week for the day, I realized again how it's such a sad, dying city. So many buildings abandoned. Anyway, this is a Sufjan song to encourage you Detroit!

Detroit, Lift Up Your Weary Head!
(Restore, Rebuild, Reconsider)
Once a great place,
Now a prison.
All I can say,
All I can do.
People Mover: Bad decision.
From suburban,
Now a prison.
All I can say,
All I can do.

From the trembling walls, it's a great idea.
Everything you want,it's a great idea.
It's a great idea, it's a great idea.

Once a great place,
Now a prison,
All I can say,
All I can do.

Henry Ford, Henry Ford.
Public trans, public trans.
Pontiac, Pontiac.
Feed the poor, feed the poor.
City hall, city hall.
Windsor Park, Windsor Park.
Saginaw, Saginaw.
After dark, after dark.
Tigers game, Tigers game.
'84, '84.
Industry, industry.
Unemployed, unemployed.
Gun control, gun control.
Wolverine, wolverine.
Iroquois, Iroquois.
Industry, industry.
Public trans, public trans.
Auto cars, auto cars.
Jefferson, Jefferson.
Michigan, Michigan.

From the trembling walls, it's a great idea.
Everything you want, its'a great idea.
("Hesitate to burn the buildings" repeated in background)
From the Renaissance, it's a great idea.
Everything you want, it's a great idea.
Throw them all away, it's a great idea.
From the Renaissance, it's a great idea.
Everything you want.

itunes

Here are the first 20 songs that came up on my itunes today 'cause I haven't done this in a while.

1. Friend of The Devil-Counting Crows
2. For The Windows of Paradise-Damian Jurado
3. My God is Real-Johhny Cash
4. We Looked Like Giants-Death Cab for Cutie
5. Never Going Back Again-Fleetwood Mac
6. (B quiet interlude)-David Crowder
7. I want To Be A Clone-Steve Taylor
8. The Man Comes Around-Johnny Cash
9. Across The Universe-Rufus Wainwright
10. Hasidic Go-Go-Matisyahu
11. Velvet Underground-Venus in Furs
12. Father And Son-Cat Stevens
13. California Stars-Me
14. Post War Love Song-CSAV Squad
15. Greensleeves-Over The Rhine
16. Redbird-Cracklin Moth
17. I can see clearly now-Jimmy Cliff
18. Hometown Boy-Over The Rhine
19. Kingpin-Wilco
20. All Mixed Up-311

Motives

So I've recently had some good discussions on motives with different people. It seems that some of these people have great hopes of encouraging younger people in their lives to live their faith out passionately but are concerned that encouraging them to serve is also an opportunity for pride. This is a real concern because many people do serve for the wrong reasons.

Paul the apostle went through some of this when he was imprisoned and writing to the church in Phillipi. People in the church were concerned about those who "are preaching Christ even from envy and strife" but Paul pretty much told them, not to worry about it, because the gospel was being preached.

Caveat-----> These people must have been preaching truth at this time because Paul was pretty hard on those
who distorted the gospel. He didn't let those people get away. Just like we are supposed to judge those inside the church who do not represent what Jesus was about, people who spread hate, Christian politicians who lie, those who are greedy, those who show favoritism etc...

1 Corinthians 4:5 says "Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts; and then each man's praise will come to him from God."

If you read that scripture in context it really brings this out. Paul says that he himself isn't even examining his own motives, that's God's job. The funny thing is that the reason he gives for people to lay off of their judgment is so that they don't become arrogant. Which would be impure motives. =)... Maybe his point is that concerning yourself too much about motives is more dangerous to your altruism than just living life and possibly having some selfish motives involved. I think basically Paul is saying that God is going to sort things out in the end.

Dreams again?

So a friend of mine just posted about recurring dreams they've had. I had two dreams like this when I was a kid. They are both weird.

1. I dreamt that I was looking in the fireplace and in the bottomless pit of the fire were faces looking at me, and teeth chattering.

2. I dreamt that when I was over at my Grandma's house she was cooking sausage for me and off the range came a huge sausage monster. Scary.

More Music

Another old family friend of mine, John Morgan, is a guitar virtuoso. Really. He has a cd coming out on December 19th. Check out his video. Oh, and his guitar work on his Christmas album is really cool too. Guys, you can put this album on, make some hot cider with cinnamon sticks, warm up the fire (or space heater?), call up your lady and she will love you.

Old Friend

An old friend of mine, John Lile, just passed away this week. He was my sunday school teacher growing up, then he and my dad started a church together. He owned a candy fundrasing company and hired me to work when I had extra time during college. He was pretty young and has three kids, the two older, I was good friends with in High School. Crazy.

Now, everyone together!

Thanks to Jeff for the link to I love my Mac, the song

Farther Pre-Order

We should be getting the cd's in barely in time for Christmas. I'll have them by the winter solstice, December 21st. If you would like to pre-order them, I can get them to you if you are local that day. If you are out of town and want one right away I can overnight it to wherever you are if you pay the shipping. So if you want to pre-order through paypal, my account is groovingdan@yahoo.com. The amount is $10 for 57 minutes of music. Thanks!

Trev Diesel

Ok, so go listen to my friend Trever's music It's samples from his new album. Very cool stuff. You'll like it if you like Jack Johnson, Ben Harper, Dave Mathews, Phish etc... Really good stuff.