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Showing posts from June, 2016

Response to the Stanford Rapist, the Death of Christina Grimmie, and the Orlando Shooting

Tragedy: (n) an event causing great suffering, destruction, and distress, such as a serious accident, crime, or natural catastrophe. Look around. What do you see? Pain, sadness, and tragedy. How do you cope with the loss of a friend? Of someone you knew? In a city you've visited? If you're grieving, how do you heal? Through acts of kindness or charity? Do you get mad, hating the world? Do you hate the shooters? Do you hate the rapist? Do you shake your head and say, "This country's going downhill" or "I can't stand the world today"? What do you do? Some will bring hope and healing to the conversation. Others will bring hate and continue to hurt. How do we heal? As cities and as a country, as atheists, Christians, and Muslims. As politicians and lay people. How do we handle tragedy? Voices of hope Christina Grimmie Memorial Video To Brock Turner's Father, from Another Father

Stydia and Raskonya: Comparing Teen Wolf with Crime and Punishment

A friend of mine once said that Raskolnikov from Crime and Punishment  is like a "dead man walking," and that he sees Sonya as a "dead woman walking," which is why he gravitates towards her. It wasn't until I was watching a fan video for Stiles and Lydia from Teen Wolf  ("Stiles and Lydia: Light" by leukocyte) that I was inspired. In season 3, Stiles is inhabited by a nogitsune, a demon spirit that controls him. He gravitates towards Lydia throughout the season, just like Raskolnikov gravitates towards Sonya. Lydia accepts Stiles once he is free from the nogitsune, just as Sonya accepts Raskolnikov after he has confessed his crime (Teen Wolf Wikipedia and Teen Wolf Wikia). Both couples are also rather unlikely, as Sonya and Raskolnikov do not meet until partway through the novel and Stiles and Lydia do not connect until partway through the series. Both also have much work to do to solidify their relationship once the men are free from their demons.

Effects of The Chronicles of Narnia

The following post was inspired by this weekend's 10th Lewis and Friends Colloquium at Taylor University. I'm not sure when I began reading The Chronicles of Narnia , but it must have been after I became a believer. I say that because I do not think that anyone explained the symbolism to me. I could tell from the imagery and my knowledge of the crucifixion that Aslan was meant to represent Christ. This was made even more apparent through visuals when the movie for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe came out in 2005. I don't know how someone could read the Narnia series and not sense the Gospel. I am currently reading Lewis' Mere Christianity right now, and parts of it are difficult for me to grasp. I think the title is ironic. I prefer the theology portrayed in the Narnia series at this point. I recommend these books for helping both kids and adults understand spiritual topics such as heaven. For example, remember the description near the end of The Last Battle