I just found out that he is now a uest blogger for Mark Driscoll's Resurgence. Congratulations! Anthony made an effort to get to know me and just be an overrall rad guy some while back with an interview (Note: "deeply wounded" may be a bit of an over-statement that I did not mean to imply. Wounded, for sure... but I never cried about it... BTW, Emma is Buddhist.) and he a pretty interesting blog from a moderate/conservative Presby(?) point-of-view. Be sure to check out his Resurgence blog out as well as his World Mag (online) Blog.

Postscript: There is a comment on the interview regarding the integrity of Rev. Matheney... I will haver a reply hosted here within a week. I stand by him.

Liturgy - I'm not even kidding. I think it may actually be important for the order of the Community which God has lovingly redeemed and is bringing to restoration. It's not perfect... sometimes it gets old (you know you were thinking it... I just had the heresy to say it) But I think that all those silly OT rituals the Jewish-folk had to perform (and still do, to one extent or another) didn't just disappear at Pentecost... Maybe, just maybe, God had a little bit of decency and order planed out for his Cross-Covenant people, but who am I to guess these things?

Snow Cones - I would really like a Bug Juice snow cone from the Mormon venders in Jerome. That would be tasty. In my belly.

The Holy Spirit - What is it? What does it do? I am so confused... Charismatic pneumatology never quite stuck with me...

Fireworks - I would NEVER.

Presbyterianism - Honestly, I am seeing if I can become a Presby for serious... I dunno.

The EC(USA) - I like it. I hate it. It's not catholic.

Dear Community of the Covenant,

I became painfully aware of the deeply rooted wickedness within our Flock shortly after taken my new office of Bishop of Everything Presbyterian. This must be dealt with swiftly and in a serious manner, as I am sure my Underlings can attest to. It is appropriate, as seen in both church history and relative consistency of effectiveness, to pronounce anathema, as deemed appropriate by higher ecclesiastical power (in this case, that being myself) Following the lead of the Bishop of the Georgetown See of the Free Catholic Church I will now adapt His Lordship's Form Letter for use in our own inferior (although improving) ecclesiastical setting. If I feel it to be necessary, I will issue one of these letters (on goat-skin parchment, for added effect...) and you will have a set-limit of time to respond accordingly. If you feel yourself to be in error, as guided either by the Holy Spirit of God or by a shocking realization that your denomination is NOT Catholic-friendly, and you send in a letter of renouncing sorrow and a suitable indulgence (cream cheese mints tend to do the trick) I will consider the option of sparing the rod. And so we begin:

Dearest (pick one) in the Church of Presbyterianism,

*unrepentant sinner
*flaming heretic
*erring sister or brother
*Pentecostal adherent

I am sure that many of you are aware of the recent re:imagining of ecclesiastical order within our prestigious Presbyterian tradition, namely, the instituting of a higher shepherding order, the Office of Bishop. As I am also sure you are aware, I am in Lordship of that Office. Regardless of whether or not one was aware of such a blessing from our most high God, it is now in place, so deal with it. I assume you know that the Office of Bishop is to gently correct the wayward sheep of our eclectic flock and bring them back to the pastures of eternal peace and the wells of everlasting life and not let them suffer the pitfalls of the Satan or the snares of various heresies which I shall later elaborate on. With such responsibility comes a grievous thing, wicked to the vulgar and un-regenerate eye: excommunication. It is a sad thing when one of our own will leave the Knowledge unto Salvation for the road which knows only perdition and fiery destruction, yet it is a rather common occurrence amongst we Protestants.

It deeply pains me to pronounce such a high a terrible judgment upon a soul which shall only know what ails it upon rejection by our most High God, maker of both heaven and earth. But, for the sake of the community (its purity and safe-keeping, entrusted to the Bishops by God himself) I shall feel no remorse.

Therefore, having been led by the Spirit to the illumination of suck dark devices, I, Bishop Mike, must tell you that it is no small matter that you have (circle all that apply):

*Recently begun to reject your baptism as an infant for a "newer one"
*Taken up the wicked and deceiful doctrines of the Pentecostals
*Taken part in a worship gathering where the American flag was seated next to the Alter of the Holy Eucharist
*Mocked the the hairstylings and musical sympathies of his Lordship
*Suggested a less formal liturgy in order to be more "relevant"
*Fully read any book by condemned heretics: John Piper or Pat Robertson
*Listened to any CCM music within two square-miles of his Lordship's presence
*Taken sympathies with the Basque nation
*Vocally announced the disturbing likeness of his holiness, Pope Benedict XXVI and the sith lord, Darth Sidious
*other ________________

These actions have offended the purity of the Bride and, without repentance and the purchasing of indulgences, lessened the expectations of Our Bridegroom, the Saviour himself. As a result, both evidence of turning-ways and an offering of sacrifice and reconciliation to his Lordship, I expect the following actions to be taken:


*The full financial burden of his Lordship's educational expenses
*Public renunciation of said heresies and/or offensive actions (while bound with bale-twine and cow-grease smeared upon one's naked arse)
*The purchasing of fuel for the Holy Automobile for one years time
* Chinese water-torture followed by ninety-eight hours of Lawrence Welk re-runs with one's eyes sown open

You will have (circle one) 10 30 60 90 days to respond appropriately before the might fist of our just and righteous God kisses you in the face and a formal letter of anathema is issued.

Peace and Blueberries,

Mike Noakes,

Bishop of Everything Presbyterian.

I have neglected my blog for a while. Again. I think I sometimes just get too busy to keep up with all the little pixels and the face-less friends and foes. Sometimes I get in a strange mood where I find everything silly and pointless. Whoever wrote the Song of Songs and I would've been buddies, we, in our old age and wise contemplations...

Good News (Evangelion) : I am no longer in that sad little mood.
Bad News (Mauvaises Nouvelles) : I may be a heretic.

But we all already knew that, didn't we?

On a different note; I am debating how I feel about protestantism. Honestly.

Ugh.

Transition in bittersweet.

Lately I have decided that I am no longer going to go visit people I honestly don't care for or have any real relationship with. That's not to say that I am not going to build new friendships or be kind to new people I have recently met, rather, I won't go out of my way to go to a party that is composed entirely of people I will never want to hang out with outside of that situation or try to make appearances simply for the sake of being a social-commodity.

Sorry for the lack of a normal update in a while. I have been super busy with work and my social-life in the real-world. I wasn't able to go to work today; I felt sick. I stayed in bed for quite some time and now everything feels fairly normal again. Weird, I know...

Jazz in the Canyon is coming up this weekend. I think Lynlea and I are going on Saturday. Any Idaho people going also? Let's get a sno-cone! Mmmm... Sugary ice and jazz music in Idaho's butt-crack. What could be better?

I am finishing the Bell Jar (by Sylvia Plath) today. Good stuff. I have read a few of her short stories before I read this book. They were more transparent than this book, I think. Right now in the book, her mind is beginning to crumble. It is sad and fascinating at the same time. Check it out.

Well, I will try and having something interesting up here in a bit...

Peace

In my opinion, absolutely not. That is absurd and a little crazy. But there are those who obviously disagree with that idea (that is, the teaching of the Christian church for over 2,000 years!) that tradition and prayer/sacred listening are also on the SAME LEVEL as the books which became known as the "Holy Bible."

Protestants hold to the view of Martin Luther's sola scriptura, or "scripture alone." This theory developed as a result of abuse of the apostolic authority in the middle ages. It is purely reactionary and has no internal evidence OR historical warrant for itself. That is not to say that the scripture (however many books that includes in each of our respective traditions) is without warrant itself, absolutely not! The holy writ has served generations of faithful God-followers, Jews, Christians, and even members of other faiths exceedingly well and has proven to be a sure comfort in tumultuous times. But, aside from its own divine-ness (God-breathed) and spiritual merit, it is not special in any sort of idolatrous sense.

I won't say much here, but take a read:

Catholic Answers - The RCC's point of view
Greek Orthodox diocese of America - The EO's point of view
PC(USA) theology 101 - The traditional Protestant Point of View

Postscript: Any offensive or mean-spirited comments will not only be deleted, but future comments will be deleted as well. I am not joking around this time.

I bought a bed. I have been wanting to do that for sometime now, but I have only recently succeeded in completing my self-determined task. It isn't a bed with a mattress or a bedpost or anything of that sort. It is only a sleeping pad. I think I will appreciate my sleep much more if I am closer to the ground, rather than elevated above it.

That is all.

Contemplative prayer is, in a way, simply the preference for the desert, for emptiness, for poverty. One has begun to know the meaning of contemplation when [one] intuitively and spontaneously seeks the dark and unknown path of aridity in preference to every other way. The contemplative is one who would rather not know than know. Rather not enjoy than enjoy. Rather not have proof that God loves [her or him] [She or he] accepts the love of God on faith, in defiance of all apparent evidence. This is the necessary condition, and a very paradoxical condition, for the mystical experience of the reality of God's presence and of his love for us. Only when we are able to "let go" of everything within us, all desire to see, to know, to taste and to experience the presence of God, do we truly become able to experience with the overwhelming conviction and reality that revolutionize our entire inner-life.