tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-195837752024-03-13T22:47:27.707-05:00RuminationsContemplations :: Random Musings from a Ragamuffin :: Book ReviewsTom Spannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18344526010278963649noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19583775.post-6682096589177017102008-11-09T17:59:00.006-06:002009-05-03T21:49:05.043-05:00Most Recent Reads<div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/Sf5QapQnyQI/AAAAAAAAAUc/tges2G7aITg/s1600-h/cryptonomicon.jpg"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/Sf5QapQnyQI/AAAAAAAAAUc/tges2G7aITg/s200/cryptonomicon.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331787427535636738" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 70px; height: 100px; " /></a><b>Cryptonomicon</b> - Neal Stephenson<div><br /></div><div><i>With a sadonic wit and fine attention to detail, Stephenson weaves together the lives of three characters in a tale spanning three generations from WWII to modern day: Bobby Shaftoe--tough as nails WWII Marine; Laurence Waterhouse--brilliant codebreaker working for the Allies; Randy Waterhouse--computer programmer who finds himself caught up in a plan to establish a data haven (while hunting for Nazi/Japanese gold). The story is noticeably short on plot, however, and quite lengthy. </i>(Rating: B / B.L.: Adult)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 60px; height: 100px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/Sefq0To0QiI/AAAAAAAAAUU/JIDMwdAMqhs/s200/Dune.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325483268734468642" /></div><div><b>Dune</b> - Frank Herbert</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Tired of hearing "one of the best science fiction stories of all time" only to waste several days of your life? Sink your teeth into Dune and you'll agree that Herbert has created a masterfully realized world, the perfect stage for the coming of age of the protagonist, Paul. Desolate yet vital, the planet Arrakis shapes the future of the galaxy since it's the mysterious source of melange--an addictive, prophecy-inducing spice. After political intrigue lands Paul's family and friends on this inhospitable planet, Paul must confront the terrible destiny laid before him. </i>(Rating: A+ / B.L.: 6+)</div><div><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/SS4tZ4CsWmI/AAAAAAAAAUA/NNXz23yzH_A/s1600-h/stranger.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 58px; height: 91px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/SS4tZ4CsWmI/AAAAAAAAAUA/NNXz23yzH_A/s200/stranger.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273202136261089890" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Stranger in a Strange Land</span> - Robert Heinlein<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">A man raised by Martians returns to Earth and seeks to instruct humans in the path to true happiness: 1) throw away traditional morality, 2) explore physical and mental oneness through telepathy, 3) never forget "thou art god." Tastes a bit like Eastern mysticism. Not one of Heinlein's strongest, </span>Stranger<span style="font-style: italic;"> disappoints. </span>(Rating: C+ / B.L.: ADULT)<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/SSN04RnHzBI/AAAAAAAAAPU/BqllV3L3h7s/s1600-h/shadow+puppets.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 61px; height: 94px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/SSN04RnHzBI/AAAAAAAAAPU/BqllV3L3h7s/s200/shadow+puppets.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270184499102600210" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">S</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">h</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">adow Puppets</span> - Orson Scott Card<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">In a world torn by war, Bean and Petra seek to find meaning in life even as they work to defeat their ar</span><span style="font-style: italic;">chenemy Achilles. Not as strong as the previous books, </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">SP</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> feels a bit forced at times. The ending however will satisfy. </span>(Rating: A- /B.L.: 8+)<div><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/SRd2wDA_sqI/AAAAAAAAAPM/wjemiMuZxo4/s1600-h/hegemon.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 64px; height: 111px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/SRd2wDA_sqI/AAAAAAAAAPM/wjemiMuZxo4/s200/hegemon.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266808857048363682" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Shadow of the Hegemon</span> - Orson Scott Card<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The war against the Buggers has ended...Bean and the other Battle School grads now face a threat just as insidious--Achilles. Deftly weaving military strategy with themes of family, ambition, and belonging, Card reveals his skill in creating believable futures. </span>(Rating: A / B.L.: 8+)<div><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/SQ6OhajvfqI/AAAAAAAAAPE/ArHaauPVOxk/s1600-h/Ender%27s_shadow_cover.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 64px; height: 105px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/SQ6OhajvfqI/AAAAAAAAAPE/ArHaauPVOxk/s200/Ender%27s_shadow_cover.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264301719158750882" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ender's Shadow </span>- Orson Scott Card<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Possessed with a terrifyingly powerful intelligence, Bean comes alongside Ender as they give their innocence to protect the human race. </span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Told from Bean's perspective, this novel certainly does enrich the story found in </span></span>Ender's Game <span style="font-style: italic;">though some readers may chafe as Card rehashes events. </span><span>(Rating: A / B.L.: 8+)</span><div><span></span><br /><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/SP6dzwf2yUI/AAAAAAAAAOU/FaHXiTrkm1M/s1600-h/Once+an+arafat+man.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 63px; height: 94px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/SP6dzwf2yUI/AAAAAAAAAOU/FaHXiTrkm1M/s320/Once+an+arafat+man.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259814927332723010" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Once an Arafat Man </span>- Tass Saada<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">A former sniper for the Palestinian rebel group Fatah, Tass Saada now works to reconcile enemies in the Middle East who have fought for thousands of years. This powerful narrative of his conversion also helps the reader see Muslims and Arabs in a new light.</span> (Grade: A / B.L.: 9+)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/SPaG6ktxUzI/AAAAAAAAAOE/iohzLXfea-Q/s1600-h/brisingr_4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 64px; height: 98px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/SPaG6ktxUzI/AAAAAAAAAOE/iohzLXfea-Q/s200/brisingr_4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257537955847820082" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Brisingr </span>- Christopher Paolini<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Within Paolini's well-crafted fantasy world, Alagaesia, Eragon and Saphira strive to fulfill their promises to the various races united against evil King Galbatorix as his enemy's power begins to grow. Paolini's skill has improved: figurative language and descriptive passages are stronger, the prose is more gripping, and character development succeeds in drawing the reader into the lives of the characters. Story continues in book 4... </span>(Rating: A+ / B.L.: 6+)<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/SNj_t76SmRI/AAAAAAAAAN8/DA4Rf6WMrPg/s1600-h/theShackCover.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 67px; height: 111px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/SNj_t76SmRI/AAAAAAAAAN8/DA4Rf6WMrPg/s200/theShackCover.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249226530341689618" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Shack</span> - William Paul Young<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">After tragedy strikes his family, a grieving father has an encounter with the Heavenly Father, Son, and Holy Spirit that reshapes his views of life and the problem of pain. </span>The Shack<span style="font-style: italic;"> reads a bit more like a shallow theological discourse than a novel, and Young's characterization of the Father touches on the irreverent side. However, it gets the reader contemplating truths vital to a full life. </span>(Rating: B / G.L.: 6+)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/SNQ4LWcoS-I/AAAAAAAAANc/EO0IOkOQzdw/s1600-h/game+of+thrones.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 68px; height: 115px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/SNQ4LWcoS-I/AAAAAAAAANc/EO0IOkOQzdw/s200/game+of+thrones.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247881233448848354" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">A Game of Thrones </span>- George R. R. Martin<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">A tale of political intrigue, battles, and </span>becoming<span style="font-style: italic;">, </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">A Game of Thrones</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> is set in a fantasy world where the seasons can last a whole decade. Martin follows the lives of a multitude of characters as they each face the fallout of a fight for the throne of the Seven Kingdoms. A bit lengthy...climax could be stronger.</span> (Rating: B / B.L.: Adult)</div><div><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/SKhNGFCnOOI/AAAAAAAAAKg/t_3cE9sbjQo/s1600-h/The-Infinite-Day.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 73px; height: 112px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/SKhNGFCnOOI/AAAAAAAAAKg/t_3cE9sbjQo/s200/The-Infinite-Day.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235519333645891810" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Infinite Day</span> - Chris Walley<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">In the satisfying conclusion to the </span>Lamb Among the Stars<span style="font-style: italic;"> trilogy, Merral and the Assembly face their greatest test yet as the Dominion sweeps across the Made Worlds toward Earth. A tale of sacrifice and faith, prayer and redemption, </span>The Infinite Day <span style="font-style: italic;">will be</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">well worth your time</span>. (Rating: A / G.L. 6+)</div><div><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/SCEp9ixMrcI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/fQ122MgxX8Q/s1600-h/dark+foundations.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 73px; height: 110px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/SCEp9ixMrcI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/fQ122MgxX8Q/s200/dark+foundations.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5197481582244179394" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Dark Foundations - </span>Chris Walley<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Merral and crew discover the truth behind the words, "a house divided against itself cannot stand" even as they wrestle with their own deceptive hearts. The action intensifies in this second of three books as Farholme is lashed by the storms of war. </span>(Rating: A+ / G.L.: 6+)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/SBqd_ixMrbI/AAAAAAAAAJw/BnczWSz47ME/s1600-h/book_bluelikejazz.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 75px; height: 112px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/SBqd_ixMrbI/AAAAAAAAAJw/BnczWSz47ME/s200/book_bluelikejazz.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195638835115765170" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Blue Like Jazz - </span>Donald Miller<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Gritty, No-holds barred non-fiction from Miller stands as the antithesis to modern Christianity and all its trappings. Read </span>Blue Like Jazz<span style="font-style: italic;"> for a challenge to return to the roots of faith, roots sunk deep into the real world</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">yet not tainted by its curse. </span>(Rating: A+ / B.L. 8+)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/R9H6Y0nHdOI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/BUBF4RrK9c8/s1600-h/Shadow+and+Night.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 72px; height: 108px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/R9H6Y0nHdOI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/BUBF4RrK9c8/s200/Shadow+and+Night.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5175192751171925218" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Shadow and Night </span>- Chris Walley<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Finally! Modern Christian science fiction that can truly claim to be descendant from C.S. Lewis and Tolkien. Set thousands of years in the future on a Made World on the edge of the settled universe, Shadow tells the story of a Eden-like world that once more must face the corrupting, insideous evil that spoiled our world so long ago. Hard to summarize...a must read. </span>(Rating: A+ / G.L. 6+)</div></div></div></div>Tom Spannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18344526010278963649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19583775.post-58767136047199822342008-10-22T18:12:00.003-05:002008-10-22T20:51:03.095-05:00Once an Arafat Man - Review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/SP-z5PAA09I/AAAAAAAAAOc/L_Ghdc6_IRA/s1600-h/Once+an+arafat+man.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 148px; height: 220px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/SP-z5PAA09I/AAAAAAAAAOc/L_Ghdc6_IRA/s320/Once+an+arafat+man.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260120685652530130" border="0" /></a>Rating: A<br />Book Level: 9+<br /><br />In any conflict, problems only escalate when both sides fail to understand the perspectives of the other. In his autobiography, Tass Saada gives readers a fuller picture of life in the Middle East, as well as hope for how peace may find a foothold in the war-torn region. <span style="font-style: italic;">Once an Arafat Man</span> also leads readers to a deeper appreciation for Arabs and Muslims and their place in God's world.<br /><br />Growing up as a Muslim in the Middle East, Tass Saada experienced the resentment and hatred that led him and his brethren to use violence to achieve their goals. As a young man, Tass was a trained sniper for Fatah, a Palestinian rebel group. Later moving to the U.S. and marrying an American, Tass found that without Jesus Christ, a person is empty no matter where he/she lives. The tale of his conversion is truly inspirational and will leave the reader in awe of the True God.<br /><br />After accepting Christ as his Savior, Tass followed the Lord with the same passion he followed Yasser Arafat as a youth. He started a non-profit organization called Hope for Ismael to help the people of Palestine, youth and adult alike, to find true peace and healing.<br /><br />Readers looking for a magic solution to the problems in the Middle East will be disappointed, but Tass certainly points the way to what <span style="font-style: italic;">should</span> be done to bring peace--individual people loving their neighbors through acts of love and service, sympathizing with the pain and hurt others face. This is a quick read and rarely bogs down in preachy language. Readers should come away with a fuller respect for those most Americans have considered "enemies" without truly knowing why.Tom Spannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18344526010278963649noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19583775.post-71051289889959654722008-10-15T19:32:00.003-05:002008-10-15T19:35:33.967-05:00Brisingr - Book Review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/SPaLyHp9lcI/AAAAAAAAAOM/weHwuhOvcuE/s1600-h/brisingr_4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 154px; height: 229px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/SPaLyHp9lcI/AAAAAAAAAOM/weHwuhOvcuE/s320/brisingr_4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257543308166403522" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Brisingr </span>- Christopher Paolini<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Within Paolini's well-crafted fantasy world, Alagaesia, Eragon and Saphira strive to fulfill their promises to the various races united against evil King Galbatorix as his enemy's power begins to grow. Paolini's skill has improved: figurative language and descriptive passages are stronger, the prose is more gripping, and character development succeeds in drawing the reader into the lives of the characters. Story continues in book 4... </span>(Rating: A+ / B.L.: 6+)Tom Spannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18344526010278963649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19583775.post-56916313328174046862008-07-11T18:22:00.003-05:002008-07-19T14:53:20.539-05:00Dave Wilbur's Quick Review of Desautels Case Tucson 2008<embed src="http://services.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f8/1119166969" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashvars="videoId=1662475042&playerId=1119166969&viewerSecureGatewayURL=https://console.brightcove.com/services/amfgateway&servicesURL=http://services.brightcove.com/services&cdnURL=http://admin.brightcove.com&domain=embed&autoStart=false&" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" swliveconnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash" height="412" width="486"></embed>I'm extremely proud of my parents for winning the Desautels Award at the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show after only 3 years of collecting. They have learned a phenomenal amount in such a short time and are quite an inspiration. Perhaps I'll extend this blog to include more of the natural beauty found deep within the earth...Tom Spannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18344526010278963649noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19583775.post-43240569065414983862008-04-06T19:46:00.011-05:002008-04-07T12:49:42.346-05:00Reflections from St. Ives (Spring 2000)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/R_pYcY7-8XI/AAAAAAAAAJY/DDjSDcNpVHs/s1600-h/St+Ives+Crashing+Waves1+edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 212px; height: 142px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/R_pYcY7-8XI/AAAAAAAAAJY/DDjSDcNpVHs/s320/St+Ives+Crashing+Waves1+edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186555165624168818" border="0" /></a>For the past hour, I have sat in the Yellow Canary with my hands wrapped around a steaming cup of tea or holding a fork to shovel in a Cornish English breakfast. It's drizzling in St. Ives--a steady, thorough-soaking kind of precipitation that does nothing but drench and frustrate. Still, I like this town. St. Ives, situated on the western-most coast of England, offers infamous views of the ocean. Artists and poets have flocked here in search of inspiration; many have found it. Rumor has it Virginia Woolf wrote <span style="font-style: italic;">To the Lighthouse</span> based on the tower-light on this very bay. The narrow streets and walkways, cottages and seafood restaurants, beaches, cliffs, and hills all have obvious appeal. If it does not cease precipitating, I'll be forced to return in warmer weather.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/R_pY9Y7-8YI/AAAAAAAAAJg/S6IXzwWdpJQ/s1600-h/St+Ives+View+Toward+Lighthouse+edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 216px; height: 147px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/R_pY9Y7-8YI/AAAAAAAAAJg/S6IXzwWdpJQ/s320/St+Ives+View+Toward+Lighthouse+edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186555732559851906" border="0" /></a>I think back to yesterday evening when the friendly taxi driver who brought me from the train to St. Ives pointed me in the direction of the coastal path and told me a little about the town. He said locals and visitors alike spend hours admiring the sea, which changes colors continuously throughout the day in a spectacular display.<br /><br />Walking down the early morning streets on my way to the Yellow Canary, I was greeted--actually <span style="font-style: italic;">greeted</span>--as I passed a fellow human. Civility at last! I'd dare say that St. Ives has more well-mannered citizens than all of London. Or if London has charm, she's forgotten to reveal it to her visitors. No, that's not fair. Londoners have learned to build mental walls and invisible space bubbles as a response to the incessant press of personalities all around. I see this as necessary. Out in the open spaces of the rest of England, such barriers fall away: it's no wonder I spend so much time outside of London.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/R_pbXI7-8ZI/AAAAAAAAAJo/d7JsH62mLuY/s1600-h/Surfer+St+Ives+edit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0px 0px 0pt; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 217px; height: 145px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/R_pbXI7-8ZI/AAAAAAAAAJo/d7JsH62mLuY/s320/Surfer+St+Ives+edit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186558373964738962" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Porthmeor</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br />Only the surfers--crazy for a wave to ride--<br />Are out in the cold, cold waters of the bay<br />They look like specks, black specks to me<br />But I know what they are:<br /><br />Their sandprint tracks like scritch-scratch<br />Are printed letters on a page,<br />Their frenzied dance a melody,<br />A prelude to the sea.<br /><br />And she, a song, an unrelenting rhythm<br />Has never ceased and never will<br />Long after all else is still, so still<br />In the frigid pale watches of the night.<br /><br />The sea today: froth-blue and white<br />And quite subdued in hue<br />Has requested to dance with the rain<br />And these surfers, they merrily remain.</span>Tom Spannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18344526010278963649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19583775.post-44074055625601786862008-03-28T15:32:00.005-05:002008-03-28T16:36:49.873-05:00Open HandsThere are few teachings of Christ more difficult to apply (and more commonly ignored) than Matthew 5:38-48. When given flesh and bones, this act of obedience has great potency to change lives steeped in sin and utterly stupify mockers of righteousness. Incidentally, this teaching may also be the best barometer of how entrenched materialism remains in the life of a believer. A follower of Christ cannot simultaneously love the soul of a lost one and hold his/her possessions in a tight fist.<br /><br />From the streets of New York comes this testimony of the power of kindness and a love freed from worldly trappings.<br /><blockquote style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/R-1WJI7-8FI/AAAAAAAAAGw/4KZYym8SMTI/s1600-h/diaz450.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 92px; height: 118px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/R-1WJI7-8FI/AAAAAAAAAGw/4KZYym8SMTI/s200/diaz450.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5182893461191192658" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />“If you're willing to risk your freedom for a few dollars, then I guess you must really need the money.”</span><br /><br />Julio Diaz, speaking with the teenager who robbed him. <span style="font-size:85%;">(Visit <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89164759">NPR</a> to hear audio version)</span></blockquote><span class="program"><br /></span><span class="date"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">March 28, 2008</span> -- </span> Julio Diaz has a daily routine. Every night, the 31-year-old social worker ends his hour-long subway commute to the Bronx one stop early, just so he can eat at his favorite diner.<p>But one night last month, as Diaz stepped off the No. 6 train and onto a nearly empty platform, his evening took an unexpected turn. </p><p>He was walking toward the stairs when a teenage boy approached and pulled out a knife. </p><p>"He wants my money, so I just gave him my wallet and told him, 'Here you go,'" Diaz says. </p><p>As the teen began to walk away, Diaz told him, "Hey, wait a minute. You forgot something. If you're going to be robbing people for the rest of the night, you might as well take my coat to keep you warm."</p><p>The would-be robber looked at his would-be victim, "like what's going on here?" Diaz says. "He asked me, 'Why are you doing this?'" </p><p>Diaz replied: "If you're willing to risk your freedom for a few dollars, then I guess you must really need the money. I mean, all I wanted to do was get dinner and if you really want to join me ... hey, you're more than welcome.</p><p>"You know, I just felt maybe he really needs help," Diaz says. </p><p>Diaz says he and the teen went into the diner and sat in a booth. </p><p>"The manager comes by, the dishwashers come by, the waiters come by to say hi," Diaz says. "The kid was like, 'You know everybody here. Do you own this place?'"</p><p>"No, I just eat here a lot," Diaz says he told the teen. "He says, 'But you're even nice to the dishwasher.'"</p><p>Diaz replied, "Well, haven't you been taught you should be nice to everybody?"</p><p>"Yea, but I didn't think people actually behaved that way," the teen said.</p><p>Diaz asked him what he wanted out of life. "He just had almost a sad face," Diaz says. </p><p>The teen couldn't answer Diaz — or he didn't want to. </p><p>When the bill arrived, Diaz told the teen, "Look, I guess you're going to have to pay for this bill 'cause you have my money and I can't pay for this. So if you give me my wallet back, I'll gladly treat you."</p><p>The teen "didn't even think about it" and returned the wallet, Diaz says. "I gave him $20 ... I figure maybe it'll help him. I don't know." </p><p>Diaz says he asked for something in return — the teen's knife — "and he gave it to me." </p><p>Afterward, when Diaz told his mother what happened, she said, "You're the type of kid that if someone asked you for the time, you gave them your watch."</p><p>"I figure, you know, if you treat people right, you can only hope that they treat you right. It's as simple as it gets in this complicated world."</p><p><em>Produced for</em> Morning Edition <em>by Michael Garofalo.</em></p>Tom Spannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18344526010278963649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19583775.post-3544549185944451172008-03-24T10:48:00.003-05:002008-03-24T12:12:06.848-05:00Pornography and the Golden Calf<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/R-fU347-8EI/AAAAAAAAAGo/VFYznNwHjRc/s1600-h/goldencalf2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 163px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/R-fU347-8EI/AAAAAAAAAGo/VFYznNwHjRc/s200/goldencalf2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181343952954912834" border="0" /></a>In his powerfully real book, <span style="font-style: italic;">Blue Like Jazz</span>, Donald Miller confesses that he desired false gods "because Jesus wouldn't jump through my hoops..." Instead, he sought after gods that would satisfy his desire for novelty and philosophical variety. He sees parallels in the way the people of Israel committed spiritual adultery as a means to control their situation and fulfill their legitimate longings. Wandering in the wilderness, following a mysterious, frightening God, they built an idol more familiar to them, an idol they could see and touch and that would condone any pleasures they so desired. In this, we see the catastrophe of the human condition, The Fall replayed in all its horrid detail. Men seeking to harness the universe and bend life to meet their own lusts bring destruction upon their heads.<br /><br />Several thousand years later, men use pornography as an idol to scratch their lustful itches. Unable to get their wives to jump through their hoops, many men have escaped to a twisted, on-demand form of sexuality they can control. Though this hateful idol is the very one worshiped by unbelievers and held up as a sign of human progress in upending "traditional" morality, Christian men return to its familiar comforts at the risk of bringing a plague upon their homes. That plague has devastated America as family upon family have blown apart in the forces of bitterness, distrust, and hurt. Oh that we could crush pornography into fine dust as Moses did to the golden cow!Tom Spannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18344526010278963649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19583775.post-81871288857282859512008-03-20T11:35:00.009-05:002008-04-08T18:58:54.333-05:00Review--The Shadow and Night<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/R-LMxI7-8DI/AAAAAAAAAGg/0J1knex4GEI/s1600-h/Shadow+and+Night.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/R-LMxI7-8DI/AAAAAAAAAGg/0J1knex4GEI/s200/Shadow+and+Night.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179927666014220338" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Shadow and Night </span>- Chris Walley - <span style="font-weight: bold;">A+</span><br /><br />Suppose modern Evangelicals have it wrong. Suppose that Christ's return isn't imminent and that He has no plans to rapture the Church. Suppose instead that the Lord ushers in a Golden Age in which the universe has been cleansed of Satanic influence and the corrosive effects of sin. Given thousands of years to build a harmonious society called The Assembly, mankind in Walley's speculative future has spread across the galaxy on hundreds of Made Worlds, planets made in Earth's image to host the thriving human race. On the edge of the Assembly lies Farholme, home to the protagonist Merral d'Avanos. After his teenage cousin witnesses a disturbing, unfathomable creature in the northern woods, events unfold that signal the end of an age of peace and stability. Evil has returned to the Assembly, beginning its destructive rampage on Farholme. As Merral and company confront the growing threat, they discover the problem reaches deeper than they'd like; sin has begun its dark march across their own hearts as well.<br /><br />The novel's portrayal of a world free from the corruptive influence of sin strikes a chord deep within. The reader instinctively recognizes the "correctness" of Merral's world before the invasion, that is, life as it was meant to be. Men and women enjoy their work, receive rich pleasure from creativity and craft as they mimic their Creator, and thrive in relationships untainted by battles of the ego. This setting creates within the reader a sense of longing for such a world, and drives one to recognize what he/she has given up in order to enjoy the bitterness of sin. A true sense of loss is conveyed as evil corrupts Merral's world.<br /><br />In contrast to many Christian protagonists, Merral has a genuine heart complete with all its resident contradictions. Facing evil for the first time, he quickly learns the "heart is deceitful above all things." Merral confronts his own culpability in the vilification of Farholme as he faces his own moral failures and weaknesses. His confusion about the changed spiritual landscape adds to a sense of reality as, for example, Merral ponders an apparent silence from heaven after he prays.<br /><br />While some may complain, the book's length is sufficient to portray a culture characterized by innocence and ego-free human activity. A full and proper description combined with the reader's longing for such a state causes the reader to hurt and mourn with Merral as his world begins to unravel. Additionally, a well-crafted exposition serves to heighten the suspense and sense of horror about the invaders since the reader must wait helplessly as events unfold.<br /><br />To fully appreciate this book, Christian readers must lay down their presuppositions regarding end-time events and be willing to entertain a post-millenialist view. Mature individuals should be able to hold several views simultaneously for any issue with substantial uncertainty and disagreement such as this one. An overly-dogmatic perspective sucks much joy out of the exploration of our universe.<br /><br />Finally, the book's incorporation of science-minded individuals was quite refreshing. Similar treatment by other respected authors can go a long way in removing perceptions that Christians are ignorant of the workings of the natural world. Unexamined beliefs regarding Genesis have pushed Christians away from using science as a tool for proper exploration and stewardship of our world.Tom Spannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18344526010278963649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19583775.post-84592721046142720192008-03-19T09:45:00.005-05:002008-03-20T11:47:42.493-05:00Heavenly Counterpoint<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/R-KVGI7-8CI/AAAAAAAAAGY/yNWnAR8N3Gk/s1600-h/Welsh_Lamb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/R-KVGI7-8CI/AAAAAAAAAGY/yNWnAR8N3Gk/s200/Welsh_Lamb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179866454140317730" border="0" /></a>In addressing the problem of evil in the world and its train of attendants--sorrow, pain, sickness, death, despair--many observers have recognized the hand of redemption at work. God, in His infinite wisdom allowed The Fall and its consequences as a means of heavenly counterpoint. In other words, to fully appreciate joy in this life, one must understand sorrow; to enjoy health, sickness must be a shadow in the past, and so on.<br /><br />I've often wondered what infinite joy would do to a human being...how will we handle or rather withstand perpetual joy in the Heavenly Jerusalem without emotional meltdown? With this present age behind us serving as a contrast, eternal life in God's presence can be fully enjoyed for what it is. But, will this effect lose its power as our memories of our earthly sojourn stretch thin into eternity?<br /><br />In thinking of Heaven and infinite bliss, I've always considered the obliteration of the terrible opposites as God makes all things new. In their place I've projected pure blessed experience. However, it occured to me that perhaps instead of the sorrow-joy antithesis, in eternity we will experience times of joy juxtaposed with times without joy. Now, non-joy does not mean sorrow, and as such it could serve as the needed reference point to richen the experience. This is a novel thought for me since I've never expected that our experiences in Heaven may include moments of...what...stasis? I don't recall Scripture indicating this won't be the case, only that there will be no more sorrow, crying, or pain.<br /><br />On the other hand, we too will be made new. Perhaps our capacity to handle complete, infinite joy will also stretch to infinite. Or, will the experience of Heaven differ so completely from this present age as to defy projection utterly? We shall see...Tom Spannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18344526010278963649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19583775.post-86268154125029071802008-03-07T20:39:00.001-06:002008-03-07T20:39:47.178-06:00The Shadow and Night -- A+<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/R9H6Y0nHdOI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/BUBF4RrK9c8/s1600-h/Shadow+and+Night.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 108px; height: 162px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/R9H6Y0nHdOI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/BUBF4RrK9c8/s200/Shadow+and+Night.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5175192751171925218" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Shadow and Night </span>- Chris Walley<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Finally! Modern Christian science fiction that can truly claim to be descendant from C.S. Lewis and Tolkien. Set thousands of years in the future on a Made World on the edge of the settled universe, Shadow tells the story of a Eden-like world that once more must face the corrupting, insideous evil that spoiled our world so long ago. Hard to summarize...a must read. </span>(Rating: A+ / G.L. 6+)<br /><br />Review forthcoming....Tom Spannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18344526010278963649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19583775.post-65132302212682347402007-08-02T14:12:00.001-05:002007-08-11T18:52:22.004-05:00Perelandra Builds Character<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/Rr5Lmt0ogwI/AAAAAAAAAEw/JrznYhUA4Rs/s1600-h/perelandra.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5097594956737446658" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/Rr5Lmt0ogwI/AAAAAAAAAEw/JrznYhUA4Rs/s200/perelandra.jpg" border="0" /></a><strong>Perelandra - </strong>C. S. Lewis, <strong>A-</strong><br /><br /><div><p>George MacDonald's influence clearly emerges in this second book of the Space Trilogy, and with that influence comes a flaw inherent in books like <i>Lilith</i> and <i>Perelandra</i>. Philosophical elements take precedence over plot, and as such, the story inevitably bogs down, requiring the reader to exercise mental fortitude and perseverance to keep from giving up the whole experience.<br /><br />For those who survive the journey, Lewis's philosophical explorations of temptation, sovereignty/free will, and the Divine Plan make for a worthwhile read. Two observations stand out relating to the theme of temptation. First, the book reminds one of the character of our Enemy. Few overlook his desire to destroy as much as possible since he knows the battle is already lost, but his apparent pettyness...his concern for small details does not get discussed often. Just as the demon seeks to force Ransom to buckle by interminably repeating his name, Satan works by chipping away at our souls through small details: little lies, little vices, "mini sins," if you will. If he can't destroy a man in one fell swoop, he'll drive him over the edge one small inch at a time. Second, while our struggle against sin doesn't even approach the epic, we like Tinidril need other Christian's to fight for us...we too reach a point where our souls cry "This can't go on!" and we fall upon the prayers of a loving brother. Remember, reader, that "The sword of the Spirit...the Word of God" and prayer remain our offensive weapons against the enemy of our souls. Be glad we don't have to drink Ransom's cup!</p><br /><p>I feel in no way adequate to address the theme of God's sovereignty and our will. Though my views on this matter remain clear, my intellect and my language fails to truly express them. Let me instead fall upon the story and let it speak for me and see where that leads. As Ransom faces an inevitable choice regarding how to save Tinidril, his thoughts trace a path my own thoughts have travelled. He says,<br /><blockquote>"...the power of choice had been simply set aside and an inflexible destiny substituted for it. On the other hand, you might say that he had been delivered from the rhetoric of his passions and had emerged into unassailable freedom. Ransom could not...see any difference between these two statements. <bold>Predestination and freedom were apparently identical.</bold> He could no longer see any meaning in the many arguments he had heard on this subject."</blockquote>In my struggles with this issue, I too have set aside the distinction between predestination and individual choice, recognizing that they exist on different planes of reality. The former, outside of time, overlays the other, bound by time. Our every action, known before by God, fits into the cosmic "Great Dance." If the Lord allows, I would like few things more than to satisfactorily refute and dismiss current conceptions of "free will" that predominate in Christian circles. Perhaps I'll just recommend this book...<br /><p></p><br /><p>At a later date, I'll attempt a more thorough discussion of how Lewis developed his view of God's divine plan for the universe. Since my head almost exploded while reading the last few pages of the book, I'll probably need to re-read it before I make any such attempt.</p><br /><p>In parting, don't get the impression that this book is all talk and no action. Ransom's fight with the demon-possessed Weston will give shivers and end in exultation. Simply voyaging across the surface of Venus with Ransom pleasantly stretches your imagination and provides fodder for contemplation. True, the "Great Dance" narrative will give you a headache, but it does reveal an awe-inspiring glimpse of God's sovereign plan for the universe. So, hang in there and be prepared to think hard. You too will likely wish to re-read this book to try to understand the deeper issues.</p></div>Tom Spannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18344526010278963649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19583775.post-50235014196811225372007-07-22T16:54:00.000-05:002007-08-11T18:54:22.133-05:00Reflections on Lewis's Out of the Silent Planet<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/Rr5L-90ogxI/AAAAAAAAAE4/ocAucywsb4I/s1600-h/OSP_cover.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5097595373349274386" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 118px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 177px" height="163" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/Rr5L-90ogxI/AAAAAAAAAE4/ocAucywsb4I/s200/OSP_cover.jpg" width="106" border="0" /></a><strong>Out of the Silent Planet - </strong>C.S. Lewis, <strong>A </strong><br /><br />In the first book of Lewis's Space Trilogy, Dr. Ransom encounters intelligent life on Malacandra (Mars) and gains a deeper understanding of mankind's condition.<br /><br />Before reading this trilogy, know that Lewis attempts to address religious and philosophical issues rather than focusing on plot. Why use science fiction to accomplish this goal? By stepping out of our reality, where we live as if with blinders on, we can see ourselves more objectively. Seen from afar, the follies of men resolve into a clear image: we have been willfully deceived. Science has taught us to idolize Life while at the same time dehumanizing the human species. It is our minds and spirits, the eternal things, that make every human valuable and worth saving. Just as in <i>The Screwtape Letters</i>, Lewis reminds us that the unseen things in our universe should not be overlooked.<br /><br />Moments of intense imaginative beauty have been interspersed with philosophical dialogue, but still many readers may find this book more challenging than expected. Expect to be amazed, though, with Lewis's ability to instill child-like wonder even in us too-somber adults.Tom Spannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18344526010278963649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19583775.post-64356141070464043832007-07-19T16:49:00.000-05:002007-07-19T16:49:46.572-05:00So Close Yet So Far<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/Rp_ceOG4gKI/AAAAAAAAABg/w0itufY9y9I/s1600-h/Drunk_in_SanJose.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_" style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/Rp_ceOG4gKI/AAAAAAAAABg/w0itufY9y9I/s400/Drunk_in_SanJose.jpg" border="0" /></a><div style='clear:both; text-align:LEFT'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Tom Spannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18344526010278963649noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19583775.post-8069236799261592742007-02-24T11:28:00.000-06:002007-02-24T15:13:09.761-06:00Wanderlust<p align="left"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/ReB2Z8y4GVI/AAAAAAAAAAw/5i-VOtH-o08/s1600-h/Glenridding_Town_View.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5035154571588540754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/ReB2Z8y4GVI/AAAAAAAAAAw/5i-VOtH-o08/s400/Glenridding_Town_View.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;">Wanderlust takes hold</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;">My feet rebel</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;">If only</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;">I could keep my mind </span></em></div><div align="center"><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;">In one place</span></em></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><em><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:Georgia;">Content</span><br /></span></em></span></div></div>Tom Spannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18344526010278963649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19583775.post-8169291518718421032007-02-17T14:12:00.000-06:002007-02-18T20:42:49.383-06:00Review: The Prophet of Yonwood Looks Bleak<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/Rdd3Fsy4GUI/AAAAAAAAAAk/GrM029tVCMs/s1600-h/yonwood.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5032622048417421634" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/Rdd3Fsy4GUI/AAAAAAAAAAk/GrM029tVCMs/s200/yonwood.jpg" border="0" /></a> <strong>The Prophet of Yonwood - </strong>Jeanne DuPrau, B-<br /><br />Readers who enjoyed the first two books in the <em>City of Ember</em> series will likely be disappointed by <em>Yonwood. </em>While DuPrau again develops the main character with considerable skill, the story moves much too slowly and never reaches its expected destination. Most readers hoped this book would elaborate on the events leading up to the Disaster and the rush to preserve mankind underground in <em>Ember</em>. DuPrau doesn't truly address these topics until the afterword, and when she does, the information is so sparse and condensed that the reader is left frustrated and underwhelmed.<br /><br />Instead of describing the building of Ember and its settlement as expected, DuPrau explores the themes of misguided religious devotion, intolerance, and authoritarianism. Perhaps this was an attempt to explain the cause of the Disaster (a theme already explored in <em>Sparks</em>), but her tactic failed. Her moral perspective is confusing at best and dangerous for young teens.<br /><br />The story takes place in Yonwood<em>,</em> where a woman has had a vision of the world utterly destroyed by nuclear war. The townspeople hail her a prophet of God. 11-year-old Nickie, armed with big plans and an even larger curiousity, travels to Yonwood with her aunt to fix up an old home. There she meets Mrs. Beeson, who claims to be able to interpret the prophet's messages, supposing them to be instructions from God on how to protect her town from nuclear disaster. Ambitious Nickie becomes ensnared in her misguided witch-hunt for all "sinners."<br /><br />DuPrau's use of Beeson to illustrate the folly of misguided, fanatical religious devotion could have been very successful had she used another character as her antithesis, someone who could demonstrate authentic faith. As a result of this omission, the reader does not have any idea of what true religious devotion looks like, or even if there is such a thing.<br /><br />While the theme of intolerance appears throughout the book when Beeson and Nickie ostracize people who "feel wrong," it is also this theme that DuPrau uses as the eventual cause of the Disaster. Nickie struggles several times to understand tough religious issues involving God's will and the fate of nations. She wonders, if two warring parties both pray to God to help them win a war, how does God answer? Whose side is He on? Disturbingly, she never finds answers to these questions. In the afterword, the narrator divulges that the Disaster eventually ravaged the earth after two powerful groups, both insisting they had the truth and God on their side, refused to back down. The implication is that no one can know for sure what truth is. Truth isn't absolute. And those who insist on being right, who follow their faith at all costs, are the true enemies of the world.<br /><br />Ironically, it is this philosophy, that there is no absolute truth and that those who claim to know the only truth are intolerant, that is the greatest enemy to the true peace of mankind. If a person believes this, they will never find the source of Life, Peace, and Hope. Only in placing faith in One Way, one man Jesus Christ, who is the "way, the truth, and the life," can we find the salvation of our souls, peace with God, and the hope of a secure eternal home.<br /><br />DuPrau addresses the theme of authoritarianism as Mrs. Beeson and her followers try to build a "shield of goodness" around Yonwood, which would somehow cause God to spare them from the impending disaster. Since Mrs. Beeson belongs to the inner circle of people with access to the prophet, she uses her newfound power to make life miserable for people she dislikes, those who are unusual, and those who won't fall in line and do exactly what she says. Beeson punishes those who disobey her by shackling them with an unbreakable bracelet that emits a piercing humming sound. "Undesirables" either leave town or comply. Of the three major themes, DuPrau handles this one appropriately, showing readers the dangers of blindly following a leader who has no accountability and whose moral compass doesn't point north but instead wavers like a drunken man. Again, though, DuPrau does not reveal how readers can find the true source of truth, the Word of God confirmed by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.<br /><br />Readers will be underwhelmed by this book and left confused as to what truly is the source of truth and righteousness. Use this book as a springboard for discussion about truth claims and religious devotion.Tom Spannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18344526010278963649noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19583775.post-1162691299335465912006-11-04T19:10:00.000-06:002007-02-17T21:07:04.941-06:00The City of Ember--Overview and Review<a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/covers_450/9780375822742.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 208px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 292px" height="465" alt="" src="http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/covers_450/9780375822742.jpg" border="0" /></a><strong>The City of Ember</strong> - Jeanne DuPrau, A+<br /><br />A masterful work of science fiction, <em>The City of Ember</em> launches DuPrau's promising career. The story brims with strong images and extended metaphors, undergirded with a lucid style that is easy to read. At its heart, <em>Ember</em> is a salvation story with many clear parallels to Plato's <em>Allegory of the Cave</em>.<br /><br />The main characters, Lina and Doon, grow up in a city where darkness reigns except for the ever-present streetlights and lights inside houses. Darkness, too, creates a seemingly impenetrable barrier around their known world, so that schoolchildren are taught that Ember is the only city that is and nothing else exists beyond the Unknown Regions.<br /><br />At twelve years of age, Lina, Doon, and her classmates randomly select their occupation. Each is assured that their job is a small but vital part in ensuring that the social machinery of Ember keeps working. "Ember will prosper if all citizens will do their best," says the mayor. Yet, Doon along with a growing number of disgruntled denizens are aware that the city faces dreadful, insurmountable problems. Food shortages. Blackouts. Some (mostly) new supplies and equipment can be found, but only at great price. Pleased at having received her favorite job, Lina is baffled by her former friend's pesimism, that is, until the electricity blackouts begin occuring more frequently and the rumors of major supply shortages prove to be too true to ignore.<br /><br />It seems that the mysterious Builders of Ember, who stocked the city full of food and supplies in the first place, either miscalculated or something has gone horribly wrong. When the Builders created the city, they expected that people would live there for only 200 years. After the alotted time, a box containing instructions was to open, informing the mayor of the next steps to take. Tragically, this message was lost. Now, in the year 251, the hydro-electric generator seems poised to fail, undoubtedly plunging Ember into utter blackness.<br /><br />At this moment of fear and insecurity, Doon and Lina enter the workforce. Doon longs to make a mark on his world, perhaps even being the one to save the city. Just when he discovers the situation is near hopeless, his friendship with Lina is rekindled. Along with her unquenchable curiousity, she brings to the partnership a vision of a city of light that she feels in her heart is out there somewhere. As the situation becomes precarious, Lina's senile grandmother (kin to the major who lost the message) unwitttingly discovers the box with the Builder's instructions. Lina finds the message but not until after her one-year-old sister had had her chance to "inspect" it with her teeth and toddler hands.<br /><br />Together, the duo work to unscramble the instructions. Just as they discover the pathway out of Ember to freedom, they also uncover the mayor's criminal plot to embezzle food and supplies. Foolishly, they inform the mayor's guards and end up as fugitives, unable to make their life-saving announcement to the public. On the run, Lina, her sister, and Doon take the only "door" out of Ember: the river the flows under the city. Stunned, the three emerge into the outside world, realizing that Ember is underground. They see for the first time moon, stars, grass, trees...sun, birds, animals. Compared with the world they had known, this new "world" is seemingly boundless. A discarded journal that they find reveals that inhabitants of Earth's cities founded Ember as a safety precaution in case of a massive disaster on the surface.<br /><br />Equipped with the truth regarding the genesis of their city and the only route to salvation, they long to get the message to the others. Finally, they find another path that leads underground to a clifftop overlooking the massive cavern housing Ember and all its inhabitants. Unable to climb back down, they hurl a note to the people below, hoping someone will believe them and the town will make an exodus to safety.<br /><br />Several allusions, extended metaphors, and themes make this story more intriguing than just another sci-fi childrens' story. It is Plato's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegory_of_the_Cave"><em>Allegory of the Cave</em></a> retold. Just like the discovery that Plato's enlightened man makes, the main characters find that their world was just a shadow of the near limitless world above the surface of the earth. They too face opposition by men and women who refuse to believe in the truth when they seek desperately to save their city from impending darkness. I won't elaborate much on the clear relationship between darkness and ignorance, light and truth since it is so well elucidated elsewhere.<br /><br />DuPrau also uses two extended metaphors which, while common, find new life in her story: the seed and the caterpillar. When hope seems lost, Lina's mentor gives her a seed, reminding her that though it looks dead, life will emerge from beneath the soil. Across the city, Doon witnesses a caterpillar metamorphosize into a moth, giving him encouragement that an exit to freedom is imminent.<br /><br />Desire is a theme that runs throughout the story. Positive desires propel both Doon and Lina to greatness. Doon longs more than anything to save his city, hoping to make his father proud. Driven by dreams of a city of light, Lina holds onto hope that there is something more to her world than what she sees. On the other hand, Lina experiences the force of lust. In the words of her mentor,<br /><blockquote>"There is so much darkness in Ember, Lina. It's not just outside, it's inside us too. Everyone has some darkness inside. It's like a hungry creature. It wants and wants and <em>wants</em> with a terrible power. And the more you give it, the bigger and hungrier it gets."</blockquote>These words remind her of the hunger she had felt for a set of colored pencils, a hunger that had caused her to neglect watching her sister, who almost became lost. This same hunger led the mayor to embezzle food and supplies for himself. Doon, too, was not exempt, letting longing find expression in anger several times in the book.<br /><br />In conclusion<em>, Ember </em>has depths to explore below the surface that make this a fascinating beginning to DuPrau's career in science fiction.Tom Spannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18344526010278963649noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19583775.post-1162685925580202142006-11-04T18:09:00.000-06:002007-09-08T01:09:05.234-05:00Youth Book ListAs an educator, I review quite a few books every year, looking for teaching material, recommendations, and discussion starters. Having begun a <a href="http://ruminatives.blogspot.com/2006/08/master-book-list-my-recent-reads.html">master book list</a> covering the books that I am reading for personal pleasure, it makes sense to keep a list of the books reviewed while wearing my teacher shoes. Undoubtedly, I'll overlook several books that I read more than a year ago, but I'll try to include all the books I've reviewed since beginning my job as a sixth grade English teacher.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/RsukJgpHJaI/AAAAAAAAAFA/ZGX-gTIG20o/s1600-h/GC_audiocover.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5101351486215366050" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 97px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 87px" height="93" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/RsukJgpHJaI/AAAAAAAAAFA/ZGX-gTIG20o/s400/GC_audiocover.bmp" width="96" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>The Golden Compass - </strong>Philip Pullman<br /><br /><em>A young girl travels to the far north to rescue her friend while seeking to unravel the mystery of Dust and its dangerous role in her fantastic world. Pullman successfully weaves adventure, fantasy, and a bit of imaginative physics together in the first book of the trilogy </em>His Dark Materials. (Rating: A / G.L. 6+)<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/Rq0EFt0ogmI/AAAAAAAAADg/FCH80Xsgp60/s1600-h/HPDH_cover.jpg"></a><strong><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/Rq0mR90ogqI/AAAAAAAAAEA/wQ9bGjpP4vw/s1600-h/HPDH_cover.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5092768843720852130" style="WIDTH: 61px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 89px" height="84" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/Rq0mR90ogqI/AAAAAAAAAEA/wQ9bGjpP4vw/s200/HPDH_cover.jpg" width="69" border="0" /></a> Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -</strong> J. K. Rowling<br /><br /><em>Harry Potter demonstrates to the wizarding world the power of sacrifice, loyalty, and love as he battles Voldemort in Rowling's last HP book...an outstanding finale. Parents, screen the book for your children due to some strong language use and shocking imagery.</em> (Rating: A / G.L. 7+)<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/ReTvATVR8UI/AAAAAAAAABE/y3gp2Ivxy48/s1600-h/HalfBloodPrince.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5036413071775625538" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 65px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 93px" height="104" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/ReTvATVR8UI/AAAAAAAAABE/y3gp2Ivxy48/s320/HalfBloodPrince.jpg" width="70" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince -</strong> J.K. Rowling<br /><br /><em>The stakes are high during year six at Hogwarts. Harry suspects Malfoy of carrying out a deadly plan for Voldemort, Snape seems to confirm Harry's long suspicions, and Dumbledore enlists Harry's help in unraveling the mystery of Voldemort and his rise to power. Year six also finds Harry and friends struggling with an equally daunting task: trying to figure out the opposite sex and the rules of love. </em>(Rating: A / G.L.: 7+)<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/RdddFMy4GSI/AAAAAAAAAAM/CcNn9TsMdTc/s1600-h/yonwood.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5032593452525164834" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 65px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 96px" height="104" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/RdddFMy4GSI/AAAAAAAAAAM/CcNn9TsMdTc/s200/yonwood.jpg" width="76" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>The Prophet of Yonwood - </strong>Jeanne DuPrau<br /><br /><em>In this prequel to The City of Ember, 11-year-old Nickie travels with her aunt to fix up an old home, armed with big plans and an even larger curiousity. She meets a Mrs. Beeson, whose ambitions to protect her town from nuclear disaster ensnare Nickie in a misguided witch-hunt for all "sinners." Readers will be underwhelmed by this book and left confused as to what truly is the source of truth and righteousness. </em>(Rating: B- / G.L.: 6+)<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/4022/1239/1600/253352/finalstorm.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 63px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 93px" height="86" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/4022/1239/320/974777/finalstorm.jpg" width="59" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>The Final Storm - </strong>Wayne Thomas Batson<br /><br /><em>The conclusion of the Door Within trilogy hums with intense battle sequences, life and death struggles, wrestling for the souls of men, all the things that made the first two books enjoyable (but on a larger scale). Readers will revel and rejoice in the last few pages of the book as they imagine for themselves that final battle and the manifestation of a new Kingdom that will never end. </em>(Rating: A+ / G.L. 5+)<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/4022/1239/1600/462869/wyrm_lord.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 63px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 95px" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/4022/1239/200/254587/wyrm_lord.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>The Rise of the Wyrm Lord </strong>- Wayne Thomas Batson<br /><br /><em>Readers of the first book in The Door Within trilogy may be surprised that Aiden has a minor role in this second installment, but they will surely enjoy meeting Antoinette--brave, stubborn, faithful,...hair dyed red. The action intensifies as Paragor unleases an ancient menace and the battle for men's souls wages ever more fiercely. You'll want to pick up the third book as quickly as you can.</em> (Rating: A / Grade Level: 5+)<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4022/1239/1600/people%20of%20sparks.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 63px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 95px" height="296" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4022/1239/200/people%20of%20sparks.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>The People of Sparks </strong>- <em>Jeanne DuPrau</em><br /><br /><em>After escaping the dying city of Ember, Lina and Doon lead their people above ground into a strange, new, marvelous, and deadly world. The Emberites find help and shelter from the people of Sparks, but as tensions mount, Lina and Doon hope to avoid the same mistakes their ancestors made which led to the great Disaster. </em>(Rating: A- / Grade Level: 4+)<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/covers_450/9780375822742.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 63px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 95px" height="296" alt="" src="http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/covers_450/9780375822742.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>The City of Ember</strong> - <em>Jeanne DuPrau</em><br /><br /><em>A masterful work of science fiction, The City of Ember launches DuPrau's promising career as a novelist. In a city where no one has the answers to food and supply shortages, where darkness reigns but for the ever-present amber streetlights, where even the Builders could not have foreseen the imminent disasters, two young heroes seek for answers. Salvation must be found!</em> <em>(</em>Rating: A+ /Grade Level: 4+)<br /><br /><img style="WIDTH: 59px; HEIGHT: 93px" height="113" src="http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:3_l47hZgRhn0bM:peacecorpsonline.org/messages/jpeg/rollofthunder.jpg" width="73" /> <strong>Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry</strong> - Mildred D. Taylor<br /><br /><em>Cassie's family fights to hold onto their land and livelihood in the segregated South while Cassie learns to face life with her chin up --</em> (A- / 6+)<br /><br /><br /><img height="95" src="http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:RUx7yJnivLAY1M:http://eduscapes.com/newbery/71d.gif" width="63" /> <strong>Sing Down the Moon</strong> - Scott O'Dell<br /><br /><em>The Navajo branch of the Trail of Tears is illuminated from a young woman's perspective in this haunting and beautiful historical work --</em> (B+ / 6+)<br /><br /><br /><img height="95" src="http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:4B8Nn71cvt_tAM:http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/kids/dolls/images/sterling-cover.jpg" width="63" /> <strong>Rascal</strong> - Sterling North<br /><br /><em>Sterling North reco</em><em>unts his explorations of the Wisconsin countryside with his racoon, Rascal--a true portrait of a naturalist </em>-- (B / 5+)<br /><br /><br /><img style="WIDTH: 64px; HEIGHT: 93px" height="100" src="http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:cZioHfT2timYWM:http://library.thinkquest.org/J0110375/salemwitchtrials/pictures/Johnny%2520Tremain%2520cover" width="69" /> <strong>Johnny Tremain</strong> - Esther Forbes<br /><br /><em>Rub shoulders with John Adams, Paul Revere, and others as you travel with Johnny through Boston on the brink of war --</em> (A / 6+)<br /><br /><img style="WIDTH: 59px; HEIGHT: 91px" height="94" src="http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:c_Ot1_4_ibCqqM:www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/assets/product/0395137195.gif" width="59" /> <strong>The Bronze Bow</strong> - Elizabeth George Speare<br /><br /><em>Roman occupiers. Jewish zealots fomenting rebellion. A boy bent on revenging his father's death. Jesus Christ. One powerful story -- (A / 6+)</em><br /><br /><br /><img style="WIDTH: 63px; HEIGHT: 95px" height="98" src="http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:RwmRjVCkA0OGYM:http://www.baptiststandard.com/postnuke/pics/6_14/shadowmancer.jpg" width="63" /> <strong>Shadowmancer</strong> - G.P. Taylor<br /><br /><em>Taylor shows his familiarity with the northeast English landscape and English myths in this ambitious attempt at Christian fantasy -- (B / 6+)</em><br /><br /><br /><img style="WIDTH: 63px; HEIGHT: 95px" height="117" src="http://www.veritaserum.com/books/book5/covertn.jpg" width="82" /> <strong>Harry Potter (#1-5)</strong> - J.K. Rowling<br /><br /><em>Controversy surrounds this hugely popular fantasy series, but few deny Rowling possesses a wide imagination and keen sense of humor </em>(B+ / 7+)<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/4022/1239/1600/380756/door_within.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 63px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 95px" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/4022/1239/200/689342/door_within.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>The Door Within </strong>- Wayne Thomas Batson<br /><br /><em>In the tradition of C.S. Lewis, Batson has written a rather solid Christian fantasy book which combines adventure and faith without coming across as being preachy. Aidan, the main character, enters the kingdom of Alleble through the "door within" and discovers what a Mighty King can do with a little pawn. </em>(Rating: A- / Grade Level: 5+)<br /><br /><br /><img height="95" src="http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:qWwLW1TNcceEPM:www.fwomp.com/images/rev-eragon.jpg" width="73" /> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/ReTxjDVR8VI/AAAAAAAAABM/g2t-kmypW7E/s1600-h/eldest.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5036415867799335250" style="WIDTH: 65px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 94px" height="102" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpgOzbbioKE/ReTxjDVR8VI/AAAAAAAAABM/g2t-kmypW7E/s200/eldest.jpg" width="69" border="0" /></a><strong>Eragon; Eldest</strong> - Christopher Paolini<br /><br /><em>Young fantasy writer Paolini shows great promise, cranking out the first two installments of what will likely be a solid trilogy. Young Eragon must strengthen his skills and his resolve if he ever hopes to challenge the evil Galbatorix. Tolkien, Lucas, and LeGuin are clear influences</em> -- (A- / 7+)<br /><br /><br /><img style="WIDTH: 63px; HEIGHT: 95px" height="95" src="http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:i7_eHID6IA72VM:www.geocities.com/kawebb99/votdt.gif" width="72" /> <strong>The Voyage of the Dawn Treader</strong> - C.S. Lewis<br /><br /><em>Certainly one of the finest of the Chronicles of Narnia, Dawn Treader is an exploration of tempation and the faithful Christian walk, resplendent with Lewis's imaginative power --</em> (A+ / 4+)Tom Spannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18344526010278963649noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19583775.post-1162426821567622372006-11-01T18:06:00.000-06:002006-11-01T22:10:43.783-06:00Atheists Worship Three Gods<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4022/1239/1600/nautilus.2.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4022/1239/200/nautilus.2.jpg" border="0" /></a>As I see it, atheists worship three gods: Nature, Coincidence, and Time. Let me explain.<br /><br />When confronted with the astounding variety of life on Earth with all its manifested beauty, an atheist marvels at Nature's handiwork. When exploring the workings of the spinning tail of a bacteria, the atheist exclaims, "Look how resourceful Nature is, even producing sophisticated machines by modifying old genes for new uses." When peering into the intricate coding of DNA with its massive information content, Mr. Atheist expresses praise to clever Nature and her awe-inspiring ability to create something out of nothing. Need more evidence that this view is pervasive among atheists? Read the <a href="http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0611/feature4/">article</a> titled "A Fin Is a Limb Is a Wing: How Evolution Fashioned Its Masterworks" in the Nov. '06 issue of <em>National Geographic.</em><br /><br />Close kin to the goddess Nature is the patient, persistent god called Time. Occasionally, an atheist may come face to face with a biological system that defies evolutionary explanation...one that's far removed from the next less complex system. Probability dictates that there is very little chance that random mutations generated the system with all its interdependent parts and functions. In a moment of great panic and need, Mr. Atheist calls upon Time; he seldom fails. After all, given enough time, Nature and Time can work together to perform the miraculous by gradually taking just the right concerted steps in just the right concerted sequence over, say, several hundred million years. Plus, Time has the ability to confound our finite minds, and so it is easy to persuade his followers that given enough eons, anything is possible.<br /><br />If you ever have the pleasure, I mean opportunity, to present a truly unexplainable phenomenon to an atheist, he will appeal to another favorite god: Coincidence. He is a crafty deity, able to explain away any difficulty with surpassing ease. For example, suppose you send up a very specific prayer (be sure to write it down) to the Lord of the Universe which gets answered in a mighty way. When you discuss this great work of God with an atheist friend, he will wave his hand nonchalantly and attribute this convergence of events as the work of Coincidence. He then need not trouble himself about it anymore. Coincidence, indeed, seems a very powerful god to our unbelieving friends.Tom Spannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18344526010278963649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19583775.post-1162270989929010482006-10-30T22:31:00.000-06:002007-02-17T21:07:38.148-06:00Ivanhoe, Conquered<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4022/1239/1600/Ivanhoe-L.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 271px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 185px" height="186" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4022/1239/320/Ivanhoe-L.jpg" width="282" border="0" /></a> <em>Ivanhoe</em> - Sir Walter Scott, B+<br /><br />After a long pull, I've made it through this classic historical novel. I can't say that I loved the experience, though neither did I dislike it. <blockquote>"...imagine what a Snickers tastes like after having eaten a delicious mango or luscious nectarine."</blockquote><em>Ivanhoe</em> portrays 12th century England with a Romantic flair. As expected, the reader finds glaring hypocricies interposed with moments of chivalry; blind prejudices contrasted with holy sacrifices. One respects its hero, cherishes its heroine Rebecca, and laughs appropriately at the pomp and masquerading of "holy" men and royal officials. Scott has woven his tapestry using threads of legend, strands of history (though at times very inaccurately), and golden ribbons of romance to create a narrative that moves along at a moderate pace. Though I am susceptible to distraction, I was able to finish the book, which says something.<br /><br />Overall, my response can best be described by imagining what a Snickers tastes like after having eaten a delicious mango or luscious nectarine. You enjoy the pastry, but not in the same way. Ivanhoe does not compare to works by C.S. Lewis or Homer, but certainly it far outpaces most modern fiction. It is a book that one reads because it seems everyone has read it; and it <em>must</em> be good if everyone has read it. While the book is worthy of no small praise, I would not recommend it to the casual reader, the reader looking for deep truths, or those with little time for frivolities.Tom Spannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18344526010278963649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19583775.post-1162084657350702662006-10-28T20:09:00.000-05:002006-10-28T20:25:30.706-05:00Aquanaut<span style="color:#330099;">Aquanaut (Abstract No. 2)</span><br /><br /><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4022/1239/400/IMG_1124Csmall.0.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br />I just returned from a men's conference and will post a few of my reflections by the end of the weekend. Blessings!Tom Spannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18344526010278963649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19583775.post-1161741122388303732006-10-24T20:32:00.000-05:002006-10-24T20:52:02.410-05:00The Writer, The Voyeur<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4022/1239/1600/31128.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4022/1239/320/31128.jpg" border="0" /></a> During my first visit to John's site, <a href="http://blogmeridian.blogspot.com/2006/10/stretch-of-river-xxiii-curious-things.html">Blog Meridian</a>, his recent post struck a chord with me. He explores the random evidences that lives are being lived all around him, lives with which he has no contact but through glimpses into the public-private narratives being spun day by day.<br /><br />Ever since I was a kid delivering newspapers, I've had a fascination with the narratives undergirding other people's lives. At times, you can almost see how close the web of their lives and social connections/interactions comes to your own. Truly, I don't think I've ever escaped this fascination.<br /><br />Perhaps the great writers of the world have all been "voyeurs" in some sense. It is those who are truly awake to their surroundings and the wonders of the human space who are able to capture characters realistically, to encapsulate our struggles in a simple narrative, to distill all life into an extended metaphor that just rings with truth. Whimsical musings about the events that transpired to leave, say, a wine glass on a bridge rail (as in John's example) can be excellent practice for a budding author. Sometimes, even, such simple images can inspire entire novels.<br /><br />For a writer to stop observing is to die.Tom Spannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18344526010278963649noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19583775.post-1161737211007644982006-10-24T19:40:00.000-05:002006-10-24T19:49:59.123-05:00The Limits of the Human Brain<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4022/1239/1600/300px-999_Perspective.png"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 224px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 47px" height="47" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4022/1239/320/300px-999_Perspective.png" width="270" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-size:180%;">1 = 0.999...</span><br />(1 equals .9 repeating)<br /><br />I just read several of the really simple <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/0.999...">mathematical proofs</a> of the above equation, and while my brain agrees with the proofs, another part of my brain seems like it is trying to disagree. It's a really <em>weird </em>feeling! Truly, our human brains have limits. I can't wait to visit with the Creator and share a good laugh about all the incredible mathematical puzzles He gave us to occupy our time and show us our shortcomings.Tom Spannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18344526010278963649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19583775.post-1161655447809982262006-10-23T20:44:00.000-05:002006-10-23T21:04:07.840-05:00The Forgotten Statue<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4022/1239/1600/206426_woman_at_the_well.0.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4022/1239/400/206426_woman_at_the_well.0.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Frozen in a moment of time<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4022/1239/1600/206426_woman_at_the_well.jpg"></a><br />Yes, frozen, as most statues are<br />And marble too: mostly cold and<br />Still, in a forgotten place without<br />Anyone to wonder who she was<br />Or how she came to be memorialized<br />In stone. So cold and alone<br />She sits by a well in eternal service,<br />Forever offering water to passers-by<br />Who never come or come unthirsty<br />Like Christ, who understands<br />What it means to be forgotten by most<br />As He waits, and offers, and is thought<br />Cold and stone like most statues are.Tom Spannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18344526010278963649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19583775.post-1161552976404529152006-10-22T16:32:00.000-05:002006-10-22T16:36:16.416-05:00God as Romantic, Pt. 2God does have a relationship with us that mirrors the relationship between husband and wife. That being said, think back to when romantic gifts and gestures were the most frequent: courtship. These things may serve to woe a mate, but they are not the foundation of a solid marriage.<br /><br />As a marriage matures (past the honeymoon), romantic gifts are infrequent, and therefore are a poor barometer for how a mate feels about his/her spouse. Self-sacrifice, service, and affirmation are the tools of a dedicated spouse to communicate true love to his/her significant other.<br /><br />In addition, not all signs have a special meaning. It is all too easy to see a heart-shaped rock, assume God is smiling at me, and continue with my life--even if I have major sins in my life. I imagine that Satan could have a field-day with sign-dropping in order to mislead fallen Christians (or unbelievers!) into thinking that all is well with their souls.<br /><br />Thank you, <a href="http://bittersweetblue.blogspot.com/2006/10/god-is-not-your-boyfriend.html">Ariel</a>, for bringing Tim's critique to my attention. It started a helpful discussion at my house!Tom Spannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18344526010278963649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19583775.post-1161544349740421212006-10-22T13:42:00.001-05:002006-10-22T16:18:10.556-05:00Is God a Hopeless Romantic?<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4022/1239/1600/102_0291_ed.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4022/1239/320/102_0291_ed.jpg" border="0" /></a>Over at Challie's, <a href="http://www.challies.com/archives/002153.php">John Eldredge's new book</a> has come under fire for his claim that God shows romantic love to all of us (we just have to look for it). I agree largely with Tim's response. It's not that I don't think that the Lord loves us, it's that He loves us with a sacrificial, I-want-the-best-for-you love.<blockquote><span style="font-size:130%;">We don't need, nor should we expect from God, special love notes.</span></blockquote>In Scripture, we don't see the <i>romantic</i> love that Eldredge dwells on whether you look at OT references to Israel being the Lord's chosen people (even with the adultery references), the few places in SOS that might be taken to be symbolic of God's relationship with us, or NT references to the Church being the bride of Christ. Romantic love is feelings-oriented, experience-driven, and temporary. God's love--as described in the NT using the word "agape"--is unconditional, active, and eternal. This is the kind of love we need, and that everyone can receive. We don't need, nor should we expect from God, special love notes.<br /><br />It seems that Eldredge (and several other writers and song-writers) look at human interactions and human nature and assume that God feels and acts the same way we do. We give romantic gifts when things are going well with our relationship and we want to show that we are pleased with our mate. If God does send a heart-shaped rock to me, does that mean He is pleased with me and feels romantic? What if He doesn't send me any signs? Is He displeased? What if He sends trouble and pain? The danger with looking for signs is that "not all that glitters is gold," and signs are unpredictable. God's love is constant and sure, never-failing or relenting even when we fail Him. This kind of love makes me want to seek hard after the Lord, not supposed romantic signs from above.<blockquote><span style="font-size:130%;">I worship a Lord who showed His love in much more powerful and meaningful ways...</span></blockquote>This brings up a key issue regarding theology (practical or otherwise) and human attempts to describe God. One cannot be too careful what metaphor one uses to illustrate the character of the Lord. As an illustration, suppose I wanted to point to God's strength and righteous indignation. I might call Him a "roaring lion," but my readers would get the wrong impression, namely, they would think of Satan. On the other hand, if I call Him "the Lion of the Tribe of Judah," then I would hit the mark.<br /><br />Closing thought: When Eldredge uses the heart illustration, he denotes the mushy boyfriend-girlfriend relationship characteristic of teenage puppy love. I worship a Lord who showed His love in much more powerful and <i>meaningful</i> ways: He sent His Son to die for me and He prepares a place for me in the eternal Kingdom of God.Tom Spannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18344526010278963649noreply@blogger.com2