Yet more proof that words…
Because we’re stupid sheep (and I mean that in the best sense of the word…), we need to constantly be reminded of simple things & concepts.
Stuff like this: Words have meaning and power.
I love words. Big, fancy words. Small, simple words. Refined words. Coarse words. Theological words. Pop-culture words. Sincere words. Snarky words. Profound words. Superficial words. You know… words! And, even though writing is often difficult, it is always enjoyable and even, in those all-too-rare instances, sublimely intoxicating & rewarding. That love of words & writing is a major reason why I so enjoy blogging. But I, as I am wont to do, digress…
It’s always good to be reminded of both the beauty of words, and of the companion struggle to use them properly & effectively. In light of this, I would commend to you the following two posts & two (recently new to me) blogs as effective reminders:
- Post #1: The Stuff You Write Isn’t Even In English, by Frank at Putting out the Fire.
- Post #2: The Right Word, by the always erudite Rev. Peterson at Cyberstones.
- Blog #1: House, M.Div. - Caustic, truthful, on-point, and above all Lutheran.
- Blog #2: Extreme Theology - Just fabulous…
-ghp
A Christmastide PSA
As a public service to the Territorial Readership (and to the blogosphere at large, thanks to indexing bots), I offer these two reminders about commonly held “facts” that ain’t facts…
1) Christmas Was NOT Based On A Pagan Holiday [courtesy Cranach]
2) Luther’s use of “bar” tunes had nothing to do with exploiting contemporary music through the addition of pious lyrics. Rather, it only referred to the “bar form” of stanza structure. Yet, it has cropped up again, this time in a comment on a great posting over at Extreme Theology.
Consider yourselves publicly served…
-ghp
Lutheranism Protestantism, Redux
I’ve said it before (I’d link to it, but I’m feeling a little ornery - you can just use the nifty live search box that I’ve so generously made available for your use!), I know I’ll say it again, and I’m saying it now:
Lutherans, thank God, ain’t Protestants!
The prompt for this restatement of truth is the outstanding post by Der Bettler, Protestant or Lutheran? , over at Hoc Est Verum. He goes into more detail, and says it better than I’ve ever done. Read it. Leave a comment thanking him for it. Give thanks to God that Der Bettler is going to CTSFW next year!
-ghp
The “Nanny State” sucks
Like none of us saw this coming? Yeah, right… 
The most appropriate quote? “The intrusions of the “Nanny State” are never-ending.”
The sub-title of the article (“Many Politicians Would Rather Restrict Our Freedoms Than Improve Our Lives” ) puts a political spin on it, but that’s certainly not the only way in which this problem is manifested.
Living under the law is what it is, and it seems that we have an unending thirst to subject no only ourselves to it, but also everyone else. Our Old Adam delights in the sinful delusion that we can effect our own salvation. Ironically, a byproduct of this delusion is the idea that we must put the lash of the law to our fellow citizens, so that they will toe the line & be saved from themselves, even as we hypocritically would exempt ourselves from the harshest letters of the law.
It’s offensive to the ideals of liberty upon which this country was founded. I don’t smoke, but I am fully against the types of smoking bans that have been wrongly inflicted upon the citizens of Ohio, not to mention my own town of Valparaiso. I have the right to patronize — or not to patronize — an establishment, based on my feelings about their rules/ways of doing business. If I don’t like smoking, and they allow it, then I can express my displeasure by taking my business elsewhere. I do not have the right to expect that every establishment must bend to my will & whim.
Smokers are not criminals. Drinkers are not criminals. People who abuse those activities may or may not be criminals (or, at the very least, fools), but the mere act of smoking or drinking, or eating a bacon double cheeseburger is neither inherently sinful, nor illegal.
Let the free market work. Let folks have their personal liberty. Dismantle this culture of victimization & reintroduce the culture of personal responsibility.
-ghp
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