Bag of Randomness

  • I’ve noticed in the news footage I’ve seen about Newt campaign events, it appears he has Secret Service protection, which kind of surprised me because I have not read about it in the news and it seemed early in the election process, although I know sometimes protection is granted early such as the case with Herman Cain and Obama back in 2008.  I started to wonder if Newt was just using his own security to ‘appear’ like Secret Service agents to appear more presidential, and I think I might just be right because this article states that Romney is the only candidate with protection.
  • Romney needs to really start to think before he speaks or he’s going to be more gaffe prone than Biden.  He recently said “I’m not concerned about the very poor.”  Granted he was trying to emphasize that he wanted to improve the middle class, but you gotta be careful how you say things and not make $10,000 bets.
  • Bruce Willis’ first name is actually Walter.
  • Bill Murray will be playing FDR in an upcoming flick, here are some pics.
  • Upon a little presidential research, I discovered that Eleanor Roosevelt’s parents both died before she was ten years of age.  Franklin married Eleanor on March 17, 1905, and her uncle Theodore gave her away.  Theodore was acting president at the time, as he was in office from 1901-1909.
  • Franklin Delano Roosevelt III is still alive, goes by the name Frank Roosevelt,  and is part of the faculty at Sarah Lawrence College.  You can view his CV (pdf) here.
  • At first I thought it was a bad idea for corporations to release their Super Bowl commercials early, but after some thought, doing so allows them gain more exposure.  I mean, they are already going to get the Super Bowl exposure no matter what, the only negative is the element of surprise on the audience’s end.
  • ABC has a sitcom name Happy Endings and one subject of the show was this woman’s dilemma dating a man who’s last name is Hitler.
  • And now for a little culture – Samantha Bark’s Rendition of Eponine’s Classic “On My Own”
  • In reality, dogs are not colorblind.
  • Patriots owner Robert Kraft is on the cover of Sports Illustrated this week, that along with the great weather we are having compared to a year ago has to be driving Jerry insane.
  • The other day in our Bible study in which we are looking at the Sermon on the Mount, we examined what Jesus said about divorce, in particular this verse, “But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery.”  One friend thought it was interesting how Jesus provided an exception, an ‘out’ I guess.  That is, if the wife is unfaithful, then the husband has the right to divorce.  Jesus specifically makes this exception, I wonder why no other exception, such as physical abuse wasn’t also stated by Jesus.
  • I could have swore I heard a sonic boom last night, and then later in the night I saw the local news reporting others heard the same thing and saw a bright and fast traveling object in the sky.  It almost reminded me of when the Space Shuttle Columbia exploded over Texas, but that explosion and MUCH louder and it shook the windows in my house in Mineral Wells.
  • As much as I haven’t been pleased with American Airlines’ service over the years, my heart goes out to all those that will be losing their jobs.
  • David Letterman is now the longest-serving host in late-night television history.  I say he’s still going strong, just not as edgy, and I guess age changes a person.  But however you look at him, he changed late night, making it savvier, and thanks to him, his comedic style has influenced the likes of Jon Stewart, Louis CK, and even Jay Leno who really got his big start as a recurring guest on Late Night.  What Letterman has done well is to keep his public life public, so when he actually opens up his heart about his marriage and infidelity, birth of his son, and heart surgery, it’s genuinely touching.  His greatest moment perhaps was his first show after 9/11.
  • This was a popular post everywhere yesterday – Ordering at Sonic
  • John Lennon’s last words to Paul McCartney, “Think about me every now and then, old friend.”
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6 Responses to Bag of Randomness

  1. Anonymous says:

    I would venture that in the patriarchal society of the day, women had no standing to seek divorce, and the question of physical abuse would have only been considered to be a one way street with men perpetrating the abuse. So, an exception for divorce due to physical abuse would not have been necessary since men are the only ones who can get divorced and they're not going to be physically abused (per the thinking of that day). You bring up an important consideration which is Jesus speaking (and Paul and other biblical writers later) to the society of the day. Yes, Jesus was the Great Liberator, but he didn't turn everyone into an equal rights society with the twitch of his nose… although He no doubt modeled and spoke about. such liberation. Which — I know this is offensive to many — but I believe the homosexuality discussed in the New Testament was from a viewpoint that everyone sexually identifies as heterosexual. Don't we know this not to be the case today? And when we connect the dots of there being no Greek nor Jew, slave nor free, male or female in Christ, don't we see that gender, status, position, sexual identity and the like are all "equal" in Christ?

    • Matt H. says:

      I won't argue with your interpretation and application of the Galatians 3 passage you quote. Perhaps that is the correct reading, though many other perspectives exist on the topic. I will just point out, though, that your assumption about societal recognition of sexual orientation is historically false. We often conclude that those who have gone before us (sometimes thousands of years before us) had a more primitive understanding of the way things are: in this case their understanding of sexuality. When Paul writes his letter the Romans, the Roman emperor of the time (Nero) was openly engaging in homosexual relationships. Plato even discusses the "serious and sustained love that can occur between one male and another." All I'm saying is that it would be a mistake to disregard Scriptural passages on sexuality simply because, "we know so much more today."

      • Anonymous says:

        I don't disagree that the understanding of sexual identity may have been known by some, but I don't think Paul, specifically, wrote with it in mind. I think he wrote from the understanding that everyone was heterosexually oriented.

  2. Paul Clifford says:

    I had a professor in seminary that said "pornea" isn't "infidelity," but "incest." Look at the disciples' reaction. It sure looks like they think there's no way to ever divorce your wife. You should divorce if you find out you're married to your sister, though.

    God can even heal both abuser and abused (not that they should live together during that process). I bet that's why. I've seen marriages come back from abuse, adultery, etc., so I know what seems impossible is possible. In fact, this book (hope that shows as a link) is by a friend that was saving up for a divorce and then God stepped in. Now, they look like newlywed 20-somethings, not the married for a while, with three kids, 40-somethings, that they are.

    "The other day in our Bible study in which we are looking at the Sermon on the Mount, we examined what Jesus said about divorce, in particular this verse, “But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery.” One friend thought it was interesting how Jesus provided an exception, an ‘out’ I guess. That is, if the wife is unfaithful, then the husband has the right to divorce. Jesus specifically makes this exception, I wonder why no other exception, such as physical abuse wasn’t also stated by Jesus."

  3. Stefanie says:

    I deeply admire Eleanor Roosevelt. On a personal level, I don't think her marriage with Franklin Roosevelt turned out to be that source of great joy but more of an enduring friendship. But, even thought it wasn't ideal, she certainly didn't wallow in sadness. She still led many great accomplishments and drove people to being the best they could be and nothing less. I adore that woman and she is definitely on my top 10 list of who I want to be when I grow up!

    Has there ever been any research on what all 'unfaithful' implied back in biblical times? I wonder if it only meant sleeping with another person. For example, if a man hit his wife, was he being 'unfaithful' to her? Perhaps being abusive to your spouse meant you were unfaithful to them. Thus, that would give the wife the right to leave him. Kinda makes sense to me. I just don't know the history here.

  4. Matt H. says:

    Jesus, in addressing legitimate reasons for divorce, was actually protecting wives from being "abused" by their husbands (in a broader sense). In Jesus‟ time, there had been a great debate over what constituted as appropriate grounds for divorce. These two rabbis, Shammai and Hillel, were arguing about what Moses meant when he granted husbands the right to divorce their wives if they discovered something “indecent” about them (Deut. 24:1-4). Shammai believed the indecency referred to was adultery. Hillel thought it could mean anything displeasing to the husband. If your wife burns dinner – See ya! If you find someone more attractive, send her packing. In a male dominated society, you won‟t be surprised to find that most husbands were in favor of Hillel‟s loose interpretation, and all those divorced wives found themselves as shamed, outcasts in society – not able to return home to their parents, not a woman any man would want to marry. If she was divorced, no matter what the husband's reasoning, the woman was to blame. So onto the scene steps Jesus to clear up the matter – the indecency means “marital unfaithfulness” (Matt. 5:32).

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