On Satan

On March 20th, Mars Hill Church in Seattle, WA, hosted an NBC Nightline Face-Off debate on the existence of Satan.

The debators for the existence of Satan were: Pastor Mark Driscoll; founding pastor of Mars Hill Church and Annie Lobert; executive director of “Hookers for Jesus” (seriously). The debators gainst the existence of Satan were Dr. Deepak Chopra; president of the Alliance for a New Humanity, and Bishop Carlton Pearson; author, “The Gospel of Inclusion”.

Here are some direct quotes from the debate that have stood out to me. You can watch the whole thing here if you're interested.


Pearson: “I take the bible very seriously, just not literally.”

Deepak: “All belief is a cover-up for insecurity.”
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Pearson: “What you believe, you create, and you become what you think about…and so I don’t believe in a god or the god, I just believe in god. I love god. I don’t know how not to. But I’m still learning how to love god, believe in god, and leave the devil where ya’ll found him. So I’m just rethinking all this. I believe in the mystical Jesus rather than the mythical Jesus.”

Driscoll (in rebuttal): “Do you really think these people got together and said ‘Let’s create a religion in which there’s only one way to heaven, we’re all sinners, and hell is hot and forever is a long time’, and actually voted on that and this is what we ended up with? I mean, were it invented I think we would end up with something totally different, like salvation by eating chicken wings and napping, you know? That’s what I would have voted for.”

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Deepak: “I don’t need the devil because I don’t have the guilt and shame that you people have.”

Driscoll: “I don’t have guilt and shame. I used to. And in being forgiven I don’t need to rejoice in myself. I get the joy in thanking someone rather than being proud.”

Deepak: “Everyone is saying what they are saying because of their level of consciousness and actually there is no need for debate here because everyone totally believes in their truth.

Mediator: “This debate is not for you guys, it’s for the people watching at home, and they might be learning something.”

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Deepak: “What of all the people who lived before Jesus, and there are millions of them, what about them? Are they damned forever?”

Driscoll: “Two things: one, ultimately there was anticipation more than 2,000 years ago for the coming of Jesus. The Jews had a clear concept of the Messiah. Secondly, it is God who saves. Unlike your system where there is no one outside of the system, my God comes into the system and he saves, and he can save anyone he likes. He can save anyone at any time and God is gracious and loving so I trust God to do what is best.”

Deepak: “By the way, I don’t have a system.”

Driscoll: “Well, for someone with higher consciousness I expected one.”

Deepak: “I have only one philosophy. I want to seek the company of those looking for the truth but I want to run away from those who have found it.”

Driscoll: “Well, Jesus said he was the truth and that’s what I’m looking for.”

What happened.

How did my little baby brother go from this

To this

I don't like it. I used to beat this kid at wrestling. Now he beats those thugs behind him at wrestling. What the crizzap.

Here We Are

Ethiopia: cominatcha in 29 days.

preemieWill

Bethany

-smiles at the thought of Africa-

Carionmywaywardson

Jordanne, the wise

Vanessadances

OH MY KAYLA!!!

Mindy.she.sweet

not pictured: Oh Captain my captain Jhamilton

"It is important to recognize that your team will have a collective identity and personality. A team is not just a collection of individual personalities. Rather, as the team comes together, a collective personality or team dynamic will emerge."

--The Essentials: A Teams Training Manual.

Created by Food for the Hungry.

speaking of curls

"I have realized that we have a wrong understanding of hope. It is only meant to be pointed in One direction."

--Erin Simmons

So that's why America loved her so much

I caught something deep while studying for my film midterm:

"Rescued, adopted, and rewarded with untold wealth for her simple trust and love, the miraculous fortune of Shirley Temple's screen characters made her the embodiment of every spectator's desires."

I see Jesus all over this.

dang.

I am really going to miss this lady.

Oh my Morgan

Me: "Do you want to go get dinner tonight?"
Morgan: "I would love to, but I'm going to a Persian fire-jumping party as soon as I get off work."

Dear Sweet Girls

Carrie. Susannah. Mindy. Kayla. Beth. Becca. Erin. Becky. Rachel. Katie. Stacy. Aril. Stephani. Natalie. Morgan. Nanette. Corrie. Meghan.

Thank you, thank you, thank you sweet girls for blessing me so much last night. After everyone left and my house went to sleep, I sat in the middle of my living room with all your cards and presents and just soaked in all your love.
Your letters to me are priceless. Surely you all must have plotted this ambush of encouragement. Thank you for being such intentional sisters.
I don't think you know that I could not make it alone in this city without you.
Your precious personalities are so familiar to me that I didn't even have to look at the signatures of your letters to know who wrote them. You have such wonderful gifts to give to this world.
You artists, teachers, counselors, singers, mentors, intercessors, writers, healers, encouragers...you have no idea how eternally significant your actions in this time and town are.
Thank you for being vulnerable with me and letting me be vulnerable with you. Thank you for sharing Jesus generously and always with me. I have lived all over the world and never seen anything like it.
I love you very much.

~Bethany

just a few negligible things

• this is my last day to be 21
• for the first time in 2.5 years, I bought new makeup. Sister will kill me when she reads this.
• I walked into my old happy place today--from 2 years ago--and the baristas still knew my name and drink. Made me wish I still lived in OP.
• my dad is in Haiti right now. He goes all the time but for some reason I'm really worried about him this trip.
• I'm getting really excited about Ethiopia.
• I had two exams cancelled this week
• that means 4 next week.
• having a day where I have no responsibility to be anywhere makes me feel like a completely. different. person.
• I'm throwing a nice little party tomorrow night. you should come.
• a human head weighs 8 lbs.

the medecine

"i’ve got His resurrection down inside my skin
but with all my revelating

I just can’t make sense
of this gravity we’re in
cause i’m a dead man now
with the ghosts who live
within the confines of these carbon ribs
and one day when i’m free i will sit
crippled at Your table

crippled by Your side"

-j. m. mcmillan

What I like about today:

• melting snow
• cancelled class
• new coffee shop
• catching up on school
• lunch in a brown bag
• errands run
• Jars of Clay, Redemption Songs
• Ethiopia preparations done
• the gospel on notecards
• reviving the blog
• longer daylight
• girl time