Logocentric (adj).Regarding words and language as a fundamental expression of an external reality (especially applied as a negative term to traditional Western thought by postmodernist critics).
Sometimes I just write whatever I feel like. Other times I respond to prompts, many taken from the following places:
I have always enjoyed the longer distance running and skiing. The Marathon in Summer Olympics and the 50km Mass Start in the Winter. My wife can't understand how I can watch the same race for several hours. But they are fascinating to me. I like the Downhill Slalom, Bobsled and Luge sports. Attending a Winter Olympics remains on my bucket list.
My favorite sporting events in the Winter Olympics are the Luge, Bobsled, Figure Skating and curling. Initially, I thought I would be bored with curling but I'm not. It's fascinating how they determine each glide's angle and potential score.
When my children were younger we built them a luge course, they loved it. We were lucky that winter to have lots of snow to build up the walls and with some help with pallets that we covered with snow, it kept them and the neighborhood kids busy until it warmed up and melted. I was a lot more at ease with the luge course than I was when they decided to try arial jumps off our house roof. Never a dull moment when you live in Maine.
I am reading ESV through the Bible this time. Like you, I've explored a bunch of translations. My church uses NIV but my women's Bible study group (part of the same church) varies based on what Bible study we're doing.
Hope you enjoy the Olympics! I agree that the every four year thing makes them feel more special.
I read the New American Bible, which is a Catholic Bible. (NABRE) They include Tobit, Judith, 1 & 2 Maccabees, which generally aren't included in other versions of the Bible. I would be curious to read an orthodox bible or the Ethiopian Bible as I hear they have differences as well.
As for the Olympics, I love the Winter Olympics. I'm just crossing my fingers I have time to watch!
In terms of the original texts the NASB has the best reputation among conservative scholars. It looks at more translations, has a sensible hierarchy of text selection and the best principles for approaching the translation task. It favors original texts when possible. The ESV and NKJV are on a similar level. The Net Bible gives the best overview of the discussions in its commentary. The NIV renders the original text to make it more readable. It is a more functional text which is why many churches use it but it is also less precise. Greek or Russian orthodox are more Septuagint orientated and there is a considerable amount of ethical or emotional rendering to the text.The disadvantage of the NASB is that it loses much of the Hebrew poetical style in its effort to be precise as this does not translate into the English
I'm very fortunate to have met some practicing and humble Christians. Truly humble people seek to serve, not attain power and influence. The actions of many Christians make me run the opposite way... as fast as I can.
In his book, Sit, Walk, Stand, Watchman Nee states: "Nothing has done greater damage to our Christian testimony than our trying to be right and demanding right of others. We become preoccupied with what is and what is not right. We ask ourselves,' Have we been justly or unjustly treated?' and we think thus to vindicate our actions. But that is not our standard. The whole question for us is one of crossbearing".
Jeff, this is an excellent book. Perhaps one for your reading list?
Song: "It Must Have Been Love" Artist: Roxette Album:Pretty Woman Soundtrack
Let's continue with Soundtrackers' Soundtracks week and go international to get a little Swedish influence. No, it's not ABBA. Or Ace of Base. Or Robyn (I really wanted to do "Dancing On My Own" but, alas, it's not a soundtrack song that I know of). Or the Cardigans. Or Avicii. Or Europe. Or Eagle-Eye Cherry (been there, done that!). Man, Sweden has had a pretty big impact on the American music scene! But today I'm going with the sensational Roxette, a band that's still recording and touring today, thirty years after they originally formed... although not without a couple breaks over the decades.
While I'm more of a "Listen to Your Heart" kind of guy (both the original and the cover by DHT are excellent), this track isn't too bad either and has the added benefit of being featured prominently in the classic film Pretty Woman.
"In case I forget to tell you later, I had a really good time tonight."
This was probably one of the first movies I watched where I was truly aware of the quality of the writing. Up until this point, I knew writers wrote screenplays that were turned into movies and television, but I didn't really have a grasp of what it meant to write good dialogue, or a compelling narrative, or endearing characters... and when I saw all of those elements of this movie work together for the first time, it was like a light bulb went off. "Oh, that's what a screenwriter does!"
Interesting side note: the screenwriting, J.F. Lawton, has had a rather eclectic career, going from a BAFTA-nomination with Pretty Woman to writing or co-writing such films as Blankman, Chain Reaction, and the Steven Seagal action extravaganza Under Siege. Before Pretty Woman was released, he even wrote and directed a pair of films: Pizza Man and Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death.
I find it fascinating that his story about a rich businessman who buys a prostitute's mostly non-sexual company for a week is the most normal piece of writing on his resume.
But I digress. Back to Roxette and my song choice today. Finishing 1990 at No. 2 on their year-end Billboard Hot 100, this song was certified gold in a number of countries (including the United States), and was the duo's third No. 1 hit in the United States, and garnered songwriter Per Gessle (one half of Roxette) an award from BMI commemorating the song's 4,000,000th radio play in 2005.
Overall, Roxette has had nineteen UK Top 40 hits, and have received a number of awards for their albums which have sold, at last count, an estimated total of 75 million copies worldwide.
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