Brian's Online Journal

where am i?

2009-10-27T13:59:00.001-06:00

Been playing with wordpress:

http://comatosesoul.wordpress.com/

not sure what I'm going to do here yet ;)

how

2009-07-10T12:19:00.002-06:00

trying to remember who i was

before i became who i am

twisting back behind the now

searching for something then

how did we get here

Blokus!

2009-07-02T10:44:00.002-06:00

http://www.blokus.com

For anyone that has not heard of this game - one of my favorites :) Wish more people played online. Kind of a mix between Go and Chess.

Trinity Baptist Church

2009-05-31T11:31:00.002-06:00

I have tried very hard to avoid talking about the struggles of my church. Mainly because I wanted to not tear into people with whom I do not agree. Bottom line would be that people don't agree about a number of things and some have chosen to leave (are they all gone yet?)

I keep going back to two sets of scripture:

1 Corinthians 13 - Hard Stuff
Galations 5:19-21

Key 'works of the flesh':
enmity, strife, rivalries, dissensions, divisions

Obviously we can disagree (Acts 15:38-40,) but I think we need to be careful not to let the flesh take over. My personal assessment of my church's situation is that the flesh has taken over. I fight with the flesh as well - one of the key reasons I've not posted much on this topic. I won't lie, I get pissed off something fierce.

My hope is that people's hearts will be filled to the same extent they've filled their heads (I think too often we encourage nothing more than head knowledge and abandon the heart, the relationship.) I pray that those who are leaving find what they are looking for, and have enough decency to make a clean cut.

Is it almost over?

Void of Posts

2009-04-24T09:48:00.003-06:00

Just wanted to apologize for the lack of posts. I have had a ton on my mind, and plenty of material but have really struggled with what is and is not appropriate to blog about. The majority of my thoughts have been about my church and struggles inside it.

Ass, Shit & Conforming...

2009-03-31T11:33:00.005-06:00

Some random thoughts that have been stuck in my head for a little while. I thought I would share. Please feel free to add to this stream of thought or correct my course as you feel led.

I have often wondered what exactly defines 'coarse' or 'obscene' language.

Ephesians 5:4
Colossians 3:8

Who gets to define what words can be used and what words are inappropriate? What is the true goal of these scriptures? More recently I listened to the following sermon:
http://gracelifepulpit.media.s3.amazonaws.com/SC-2009-03-06-PJ.mp3
(Pornification of the Pulpit)

Based mainly on Titus 2:7-8

So all these got my brain flowing, and basically resulted in the following:

1. I don't really understand how some words are ok based on their usage and others are not. The two examples are Ass or Jackass vs Shit. I have friends, and know many in my church that won't let their kids say Ass (at anytime really,) but they can sing it in church if we sing the right hymnal. However shit is never ok, even if your talking about taking a shit. Or stepping in horse shit. Etc...

If a non-believer heard an entire congregation singing about an ass, would they still think of it as a 'bad word'? Does it matter if its in context or not? Going even a bit further, both piss and damn are considered obscene by many (who I assume don't use a king james bible.) Would it be wrong to read verses out loud about those that 'pisseth on the wall' and 'damnation'? Would this be 'coarse'? Obscene? Would reading Song of Solomon out loud be obscene?

2. As best I can tell, our list of 'bad words' is nothing more than accepted norms for a society. What becomes difficult for me is when I consider this against Romans 12:2

Now I know this verse is not directly related to how and what we say, but I have a difficult time understanding how we filter our speech based on the 'world' (our society) while not 'conforming to this world'.

I do not want to be a potty mouth, and to be honest I wouldn't say these words out loud. I said ass two weeks ago, and spelled shit. Too many visits with a bar of soap I guess. But what are we striving for? What is sound speech? How do we avoid 'conforming to this world'?

I am not trying to rationalize anyone's usage of certain words. I just want to better understand scripture. I enjoyed the sermon I posted above, but I am probably on a very different page than that preacher. I personally think God cares a great deal more about our hearts than specific words but then I'm confronted by things like 'sound speech' and my head just begins to spin.

Am I the only one?

Drink, Mourn, Grow

2009-03-08T00:15:00.001-07:00

Like a raging thunderstorm your word approaches.
Light drizzle grows into a sheet of glass stretching from heaven to earth.
And the thirsty land celebrates.
The storm continues.
We drink.

Lightning illuminates ominous clouds like a camera’s flash.
A large field ignites into dance.
Yellow, orange and blue melt into white.
The fire is raging.
We mourn.

Scorched earth lives among the quenched.
Destruction mingles with restoration.
The rain’s punches subside and the lightning ceases.
The storm is ending.
We grow.

Paradox...Bad Theology

2009-01-26T17:43:00.006-07:00

It has been a very long time since I scribbled more than just a few words here, so I thought I would share a few sections from two books I recently finished. The Reason for God and The Shack. I loved both of them, and would definatley recommend each. Here are a few excerpts, followed by some thoughts:

The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism
- by Timothy Keller
from Chapter 11 Religion and the Gospel
Sin and evil are self-centeredness and pride that lead to oppression against others, but there are two forms of this. One form is being very bad and breaking all the rules, and the other form is being very good and keeping all the rules and becoming self-righteous. There are two ways to be your own Savior and Lord. The first is by saying, "I am going to live my life the way I want." The second is described by Flannery O'Connor, who wrote about one of her characters, Hazel Motes, that "he knew that the best way to avoid Jesus was to avoid sin." If you are avoiding sin and living morally so that God will have to bless and save you, then ironically, you may be looking to Jesus as a teacher, model, and helper but you are avoiding him as a Savior. You are trusting in your own goodness rather than in Jesus for your standing with God. You are trying to save yourself by following Jesus.

from Chapter 14 The Dance of God
...At the end of Matthew 11, Jesus calls us to "Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.... Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me.... For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." A man once said to a pastor that he would be happy to believe in Christianity if the cleric could only give him a watertight argument for its truth. The pastor replied, "What if God hasn't given us a watertight argument, but rather a watertight person?" Jesus is saying "I am that person. Come to me. Look at who I am. Look at my Cross. Look at my resurrection. No one could have made this up! Come to me, and you will find rest for your souls."

The Shack
- by William P. Young
from Chapter 14 Verbs and Other Freedoms
If you put God at the top, what does that really mean and how much is enough? How much time do you give me before you can go on about the rest of your day, the part that interests you so much more?"....I don't just want a piece of you and a piece of your life. Even if you were able, which you are not, to give me the biggest piece, that is not what I want. I want all of you and all of every part of you and your day."....I don't want to be first among a list of values; I want to be at the center of everything. When I live in you, then together we can live through everything that happens to you. Rather than a pyramid, I want to be the center of a mobile, where everything in your life-your friends, family, occupation, thoughts, activities--is connected to me but moves with the wind, in and out and back and forth, in an incredible dance of being."

I think I have been struggling with my own personal paradox for a while now, in fact I am pretty sure I am still struggling with it. Theology vs. relationship. The chicken and the egg. For several years now I have held relationship above all else. Specifically relationship with Jesus. But here is the rub, how can you have relationship without some 'theological foundation'? But Jesus is our foundation:

Acts 4:11

This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.

But then how do I understand this verse without theology?

1 John 5:20

And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

I still have not let go of theology, I enjoy it at times, but do I find Jesus in it? Does that even make sense? Is it nothing more than a question of motivation? And if it is, then what is 'bad theology'? This is my current paradox. Have I created something out of nothing?

brotherly love

2009-01-18T23:35:00.001-07:00

pull out
avoid

lower head
cower

each of us right
each of us wrong
each of us unmovable

hell to pay
when my way
means more than yours

no wonder
so many turn away

Sometimes I really enjoy getting to work late...

2008-11-07T10:58:00.003-07:00

After turning off the ignition, I gather my wallet, badge, bottled water, route forty four Dr. Pepper, laptop, and sack lunch. I open my car door and a wave of cold silence nearly knocks me down. The parking lot is full of cars, but I am alone. A small smile flashes across my face.

The silence is broken by a squeaking sign being rocked back and forth by the wind like a newborn struggling to sleep in their mother's arms. I slowly exit the parking structure almost reluctantly only to be surprised by continued solitude. Next to my office building is a golf course, with a line of overpriced homes just on the other side. Strangely no dogs are barking. No kids are playing. It is almost as if God is directing a movie and this is my own private scene.

The wind picks up and I further retreat into myself as I walk up the small hill that leads to the back entrance of my building. There is no one behind me, and no one ahead of me. In my head I picture crowds hustling towards office atrophy. Everyone eager to begin the slow torture of enduring a minimum of eight hours anticipating the day's end. The picture stands in stark contrast to my current journey. I am half way done with my walk and still do not see a single living soul. The only sounds are created by my flirtatious dance with the wind. If not for our momentary embraces there would be absolute silence now.

With strange sorrow I dismiss my walking companion as I enter the office building. The entrance is a glass void. The wind seems upset, rattling the doors and glass panes. I lift my badge up to the next door and the electronic beep echoes through the entrance area. Once inside I can no longer hear her. My new companion is the synthetic lighting bathing me indiscriminately. I am still alone. As I approach my office, I have my first human interaction since leaving my car. Seven hours, fifty nine minutes and then I am free again.

evade

2008-10-27T11:39:00.001-06:00

the will of man confuses me
the will of religious men smothers me
your will evades me

Legion, Saviour Machine

2008-10-27T00:09:00.002-06:00

A few nights back several friends and I were discussing music and somehow this song came up. There is one line in particular 'the dragon slides between her thighs' that I mentioned and attributed as a quote from Revelation. I was wrong, it is not a word for word quote. It is more of a paraphrase of Revelation Chapter 17-18, here is the entire first verse of the song:

legion moves over the land
softly he whispers his forces command
naked she lies on the crucifix crying
the tears of the innocent die
the dragon slides between her thighs
the dragon breathes the fire
as blood drips from her eyes
until delivered of the child

I'm sure you can google the whole song if your interested. Somewhat random, but I thought I would share ;)

Pro Life Prayer?

2008-10-21T12:47:00.004-06:00

Dear heavenly father,

Please give me a pro-life candidate to vote for so I don't have to pray at the clinics. Please give me a ballot measure so I don't have to love these women in distress. Provide for us an amendment so we do not have to financially support a young pregnant teen. Lord please give us the ability to carry out our own vengeance on these people and thank you that we are not like them. Please fix our politics instead of our hearts, so we do not have to adopt a developmentally disabled infant. Lord, I am ready and willing to give you my vote - please don't ask for anything more.

Amen.

(On a more serious note, thank you to everyone whose hearts are broken, eyes are red, and hands are busy - not that mine are...)

Time for a change!

2008-08-28T20:37:00.002-06:00

The DNC is in Denver this year and so I have spent some time listening to speeches. I have heard snippets. I honestly have not sat through an entire speech yet (although I did listen to the entire prayer by Donald Miller.) A recurring theme is change. Speech after speech talks about it being time for a change! And I have to agree 100% it is time for a change.

Unfortunately, the speakers are focused on changing the party of the presidency and my desire is for a change in the heart. It seems that more and more I get sick when I listen to politicians. I am tired of hearing how Republicans ruined this and Democrats destroyed that. How long will it take for us to move past our differences and make real progress? Do we really want to feed the poor, or just talk about it? Do we really want a better tomorrow for all, or just what works best for me?

I will likely vote this year, but I continue to struggle with what role I play in politics. Not long ago I abandoned the Republican Party because they simply did not reflect Jesus. Even worse they distorted the image of Christ to thousands of unbelievers. I did not switch sides, I am not a Democrat – they as a party are just as unlike Jesus as Republicans. This is the downfall of our parties. We try to wrap up who we are; we partially define ourselves, by our political parties. Jesus does not fit into either party. Jesus is bigger than a political party. We are all bigger than a political party and maybe that is my entire gripe about politics. We seem to have moved beyond ideological differences towards something more visceral. We have constructed two huge walls, one republican and one democrat, and all the issues we struggle with remain in the middle, unsolved.

If we loved the way we have been instructed to love, would there even be anything worthwhile to vote for?

Jim Wallis vs Dobson vs Obama

2008-06-25T12:53:00.003-06:00

James Dobson accuses Obama of `distorting' Bible

Dobson and Obama: Who is 'Deliberately Distorting'? (by Jim Wallis)

I really liked what Jim Wallis said, but to be fair I did not listen to Dobson's show (I have only read the news clippings about it.)

Random reflections from a trip to the book store:

2008-06-23T13:19:00.003-06:00

So I finally found some time to go the bookstore. It is a quick trip from my office, but I still managed to allow my brain to spin out of control too far in too many directions.

On the way there I was driving behind a Coke truck with a huge Vitamin Water advertisement. Now I have never tried this stuff, but I cannot stop thinking, 'Do we really need to add anything to water?' In addition, I cannot get the movie Idiocracy out of my head. Part of the movie involved society trying to figure out why their crops were dying after they started watering them with gatorade. After all gatorade has everything you need, right?

Another thread of thought had to do with Christian radio. I wonder how often Christian radio is inspiring verse how often it is nothing more than entertainment for religious people. For me it is almost always nothing more than entertainment; should I feel bad that I am not inspired?

A smaller but more powerful thread of thought revolved around the difficulties I have with distance in relationships. I cannot stand being so far away from friends. I have a hard time communicating sometimes when I cannot see the other half of the conversation. Maybe I need to just improve my communication skills entirely?

Significantly less important I was thinking that I really do want to believe that the new X-files movie will not suck :)

Anyways - I bought three books:
The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism
unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity... and Why It Matters
Through Painted Deserts: Light, God, and Beauty on the Open Road

I wanted Jesus for President as well, but they were sold out.

Too much!

2008-06-05T12:04:00.003-06:00

So I just got back from a trip to Vegas. We have a crazy love hate relationship. I really enjoy playing poker out there. The poker rooms are nice and are non-smoking. Both the tournaments and ring games are super juicy (because of donks like me.) There are plenty of choices when trying to decide where to play. The summer months in Vegas are simply the pinnacle for poker players. The WSOP and all the other Deep stack type events draws us in like a sci-fi tractor beam.

But then there is the excess. Excess everything. Vegas is simply too much. Anything you can have a problem with, an addiction, is readily available in massive quantities. From pornography to gambling, from tobacco to ego. The sex side of Vegas hits you almost immediately. Whether it be advertisements for men's clubs on and in the cabs, or advertisements for adult shows at major casinos. Not to mention everyone dressing a little skimpier while in Vegas, or the absurd waitress uniforms at some of the casinos.

The next thing you probably run into (depending what time you arrive,) will be tobacco. Walking through a casino in Vegas can be hell on earth for anyone even mildly irritated by smoke. Admittedly some casinos ventilate better than others. I could go on, but I think you get the idea. It just gets depressing. At times the desperation can be suffocating.

As for poker, I had a good time, and learned a few things. On my way back home I realized how much of a newbie I still am. I've probably spent fewer than 50 hours at the tables. I lost money while there, but not a whole lot. I cut myself off before I even reached my limit. Next time!

Artificial Flavor

2008-05-28T10:38:00.000-06:00

Buy another TV for a room I never sit in.
Buy another CD to tickle my ears and make me forget the world outside me.
Give me another doctrinal discussion to make me feel important.
Give me another lesson on how to be happy where I am.
Blast the stereo, maybe God will come back when I am ready.
Blast the headlines, scripture just seems so old.
Give me another movie to get lost in.
Give me another artificial flavor.

Mental Stimuli

2008-05-20T17:17:00.005-06:00

Check'em out!

Authors@Google: Tim Keller
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kxup3OS5ZhQ

Apparently Google brings authors in to talk about their books from time to time. Tim Keller wrote The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism. I have not read it yet, but after watching the video it is definitely on my long list of things to read.

==

Evangelical Politics: Three Generations [Speaking of Faith from American Public Media]
http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs/evangelical_politics/

I used something Shane Claiborn said about Dietrich Boenhoffer during this discussion in earlier comments. The whole thing is really good. While the three speakers disagree on some core issues, it never gets too heated. Definitely a good listen (or watch depending on what format you pick.) I suggest the unedited version opposed to the polished radio edit :)

==

If you enjoy message boards, you should check out:
http://www.theholywild.com/forum/

==

I Want to Believe

Free Music

2008-04-29T10:29:00.003-06:00

Couple of free song downloads:

Coldplay - Violet Hill
http://www.coldplay.com/

NIN - Discipline
http://dl.nin.com/discipline/nin

The Autumn Film - So Loved EP
http://share.go-backstage.com/so-loved-ep/

Reap the Whirlwind Baby

2008-04-24T14:12:00.002-06:00

Get ready for a somewhat random blog about randomness. I have not written much over the last several weeks. In fact my last blog was nearly a month ago. To be honest I have not read much either. I went on vacation, and for the past two weeks I have been trying to convince my brain that the vacation is over. I think I may finally be winning the argument.

Right before vacation I finished reading The Emerging Church: Vintage Christianity for New Generations. It gets two really big thumbs up from me. The book was well written, covered a variety of interesting topics, and constantly reminded the reader about what really mattered. To juice it up even more, there were discussion questions at the end of each chapter which would make the book fun to read/study as a group. Also, I found the sidebar commentary by several known players in the 'emerging' world an enjoyable bonus. Last but not least, I am not sure my eyes would have been open to the depth of conflict between old school and new school evangelicals had I not read this book. Not because of the book's content but because of the aftermath of discussions spurred by me reading it. So crack it open and give it a read; or don't.

Speaking of books, my lack of reading is a real problem because I have quite the growing list of books I am interested in. I am currently reading:

Titus Groan

A History of Israel From the Bronze Age Through the Jewish Wars

Greg Boyd's blogs on old testament violence

Then I have my list of books I want to read:

The Irresistible Revolution Living As an Ordinary Radical

Jesus for President: Politics for Ordinary Radicals

Is Belief in God Good, Bad or Irrelevant? A Professor And a Punk Rocker Discuss Science, Religion, Naturalism & Christianity

The Myth of a Christian Nation How the Quest for Political Power is Destroying the Church

The Original Revolution Essays on Christian Pacifism

God Is a Warrior

The Jesus I Never Knew

The Politics of Jesus Vicit Agnus Noster

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

I am sure I have forgotten several. For example I just remembered UnChristian is another one I want to read. Needless to say I need to get busy!

So I returned The Emerging Church book to my friend, finished packing, and before you know it I was on a plane with my family flying to Houston. Vacation came at the perfect time. Work had been a little stressful and I am sure I needed a break. Of course they announced more layoffs while I was on vacation but hey, that is a different topic! So the plane ride to Houston was smooth (family did great,) car rental was good, and traffic cooperated so that we arrived at my sister's house right on time. Really enjoyed hanging with family the entire week (got to see my sister, her husband, her three kids, my mother, stepfather, father, my wife's brother along with his wife and kids.) Even my wife's parents were visiting at the same time (they live five minutes from us.)

While in Houston I got to play golf (for the first time this year.) The course was beautiful and really fired me up. I would love to play more rounds this year. I have only averaged 1-2 rounds a year since having kids. I also got to see a college buddy and his family that I had not seen in quite some time; we hung out for a few hours at his house. I rode a motorcycle for the first time ever, which was pretty damn cool. I also got to chow down on some serious food (I think I gained 14 pounds while in Houston.) I know this is not a good thing, but seriously you have to get your Sweet Mesquite on when in Houston. I also watched almost every Astros' game while in Houston. I missed a few innings while at my brother-in-law's house but still, this was probably more baseball than I had watched in the last two years combined.

After a week in Houston, we dragged our way through the airport again and eventually ended up at home in familiar blankets with familiar pillows. Of course I had to be at work the next day, but life was good. Most of my first day back at work was spent catching up on layoff rumors and real news (no good employee will go unpunished.) I was not feeling very well, but assumed I was just a bit tired from travelling. The day finally ends and I walk to my car only to find the passenger side rear tire is flat. Sweet. After about fifteen minutes I have the spare on. Not a big deal - a small delay, changing a flat is relatively easy. I hop in the car, turn the key and POP! Something in my car snap, crackle, popped and it did not smell very nice afterwards! Car refuses to start now, but I still have power. So I check all the fuses (they are all good.) Go back into work, borrow a flashlight and check things out. Still did not see anything. So my in-laws come to get me, and we give the car another once-over and discover that the car battery exploded (literally.) The battery is behind the engine and a little hard to see, but with a better flashlight we see that the entire side of the battery has blown off.

Time to go to Wal-Mart! We replace the battery and now the car is as good as new (although I feel bad that my in-laws had to drive an hour just to help me with a battery.) I get home, feeling absolutely dreadful now and pass out before 11 PM which simply reeks of unfamiliarity. When I wake up I need to get the flat patched up and dump the exploded battery at the Wal-Mart auto section, but instead I have a lovely 102 degree fever and end up in bed for the next four days. I got up for extended periods of time to work and watch playoff hockey, but I really did almost nothing for six days.

So now I am back at work, healthy (although the wife is sick,) and looking for my routine so that I can bemoan the fact that I am stuck in a routine. It has definitely been a crazy month. Hopefully my next blog will be a bit more structured!

PS - Hurray for Hillary! She won Pennsylvania, now we get to watch her and Obama be nasty for a few more weeks. Joy.

Movie Madness

2008-03-26T13:21:00.001-06:00

There are entirely too many movies I am interested in seeing. Here is a list of recently released and upcoming movies I want to see:

Enchanted
The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising
Dan In Real Life
Into The Wild
Things We lost In The Fire
The Darjeeling Limited
American Gangster
Michael Clayton
Gone Baby Gone
Across The Universe
Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Dark Knight
CJ7
Righteous Kill
The Grand

Anything particular you cannot wait to see?

Judas, McCarthy and that famous blue dress…

2008-03-25T15:20:00.003-06:00

At times I have labeled myself apathetic when it comes to politics, but that is simply not accurate. Politics interests me, although I am not sure why. If I were to make a list of things that deserved attention, politics would not be anywhere near the top. But still I find myself wrapped up in the discussion. Just yesterday we were privileged enough to see some of the stellar topics covered during an election year:

Governor Bill Richardson compared to Judas Iscariot.
Senator Hillary Clinton gets caught exaggerating the dangers of her Bosnia trip.
Bill Clinton gets compared to Joseph McCarthy and accused of staining his legacy (with a blue dress reference thrown in for good measure.)
Barack Obama called a racist for comments he made about his ‘A More Perfect Union’ speech.
And the question raised, how close was John McCain to switching parties?

As we struggle with a plethora of significant issues, these are the stories that demand our focus. This is the circus we get to participate in for the next eight months! And yet I continue to tune in and watch the twenty-four hour 'news' networks.

A few more quotes from The Emerging Church: Vintage Christianity for New Generations

2008-03-16T14:58:00.005-06:00

At the end of a chapter on multisensory worship and teaching, Dan Kimball had this to say:

The goal is not to manipulate people's emotions through experiences or preaching or use of multisensory experiences. We need discernment. I believe the more the emerging church uses multisensory worship and teaching, the stronger and deeper our use of Scripture needs to be. Those of us who are emerging leaders need to make sure we are using Scriptures to guide and teach as we worship. This will put Jesus all the more at the center of our worship gatherings, not move him away!

Then in a later chapter (Expecting the Spiritual, Expressing the Arts:)

The emerging church must be 100 percent about worshiping God when we gather. No matter what creative form it takes, worship cannot be merely a meeting, a presentation, or a program. We must worship or we cheat God and those who come to our gatherings.

An interesting story...

2008-03-08T02:20:00.003-07:00

Greg Boyd posted something that caught my eye yesterday on his blog:
http://gregboyd.blogspot.com/

The specific item was in his post A Discussion With Chuck Colson and Shane Claiborne, where Greg recounts a story told by Shane Claiborne during a public debate:

The most insightful, I thought, was when he responded to Colson's citation of Bonhoeffer's attempt to assassinate Hitler as an example of how Christians need to participate in politics and sometimes resort to violence. Shane told a story (of course) of a film he watched that interviewed Hitler's chief secretary. She said that it was "miraculous" how Hitler escaped unharmed when the bomb Bonhoeffer's group planted exploded. This reinforced Hitler's sense of divine mission at a time when it was wavering and encouraged him to carry out his genocidal programs more enthusiastically. Shane said that as much as he respects Bonhoeffer, "the cross lost when that bomb went off." Wow.
[emphasis mine]

I am ignorant of every topic covered in this story; Bonhoeffer, Hitler, the history of events, the film, etc... But I thought the zinger, 'the cross lost when that bomb went off' was particularly interesting. This can be extremely profound even when applied to something less dramatic. I wonder how many times the cross has lost when I...