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?
What one fictional character would most like to meet and talk to? Why? What would you like to ask?
I had a really hard time narrowing this down, because there are so many characters in so many books that I love. I briefly though about wanting to meet Court Gentry (from Mark Greaney's Gray Man series) or Evan Smoak (from Gregg Hurwitz's Nowhere Man series), but then I realized that I'm not really in need of a former black-ops soldier to save me from a dangerous predicament. I thought about Harry Potter, but that seemed like an obvious choice. Locke Lamora from Scott Lynch's Gentleman Bastards sequence was a possibility, but then I'm not sure what I'd really have to discuss with a con artist from a second-world fantasy setting, and I'd probably end the meeting with the realization that he'd stolen my wallet or conned me out of something more valuable.
Space Team by Barry J. Hutchison is one of my current favorite series, and I would chose to meet his character Splurt which is basically a sentient, shapeshifting blob of green goo with eyes floating in it. He has a special relationship with the series protagonist Cal Carver, and seems to be psychically linked which is how he's able to assume the forms that are helpful to Cal during their various space adventures (including a giant version of one of the Golden Girls).
I'm not sure there's anything to talk with Splurt about because he doesn't communicate via any discernible language (other than his goo-ball surface rippling in response to other people talking at him), but I would definitely want to meet him because, for one, he's fonking (oh yeah, there's space swearing in this series too!) adorable. Second, he's got a great sense of humor, apparently. But third and most importantly, since it's been established that his psychic connection (along with a little help pulling matter from alternate timelines) is what allows him to shapeshift into anything in Cal's subconscious, I guess I'd be more than a little curious to see what the contents of my subconscious would manifest through this character in the course of our meeting.
I suppose it probably sounds a little self-analytical and egocentric to want to meet someone based on how they would react to you... but I defy anyone who's read and loved the series to not want to meet this little guy in person!
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