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?
Without getting into the politics of it all (or maybe just skirting them a little ), I thought this article was remarkable for two reasons. Well, three... but one of them is related to other news mentioned in the article.
First, after a "tumultuous" summit in Helsinki (to say the least), followed by multiple days of additional Trump statements to walk-back the Helsinki remarks... and then walk-backs of the walk-back... who on Earth thought it would be a good idea to promote the idea of bringing these two world leaders together again? I mean, I have an idea who, but this seems like a remarkably short-sighted piece of news, considering the furor that's still going around about the last meet-up.
Second, our Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats - the Cabinet-level official responsible for overseeing our entire National Intelligence Program - has now, in the course of a week, been thrown under the bus in Helsinki when Trump called him out by name and then suggested that he's inclined to believe Putin's word as that of our intelligence community, and is now being blindsided by the announcement of a subsequent meeting with Putin. And I quote, "[This second meeting with Putin] came as news to Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, who was being interviewed onstage at the Aspen Security Forum on Thursday when the announcement took place." I mean, honestly. I don't have a job that's even close to as important as the United States Director of National Intelligence... but if my boss one day decided to publicly announce that he was inclined to believe the CEO of a competing company over me an important issue related to the job he hired me to do... and then a few days later announced that he would be bringing that other CEO to a meeting that I didn't know was happening when it's my job to help arrange and advise on these meetings... I'd be looking for the door. How much abuse are Dan Coats and the other "adults in the room," as they're often referred, going to take before they've had enough of being embarrassed and contradicted on the world stage?
And third, this isn't really related to the meat of the article, but the story does make mention of the fact that, days later, the White House finally got around to ruling out the idea of making former U.S. diplomats and officials available to Russia for interrogation. And to think, it only took half a week and the Senate passing a resolution by a vote of 98-0 to get the White House to acknowledge that allowing Russia to interrogate American citizens who have dedicated their lives to government service is a bad idea. It's astounding to me that the notion was ever under consideration, let alone something Trump considered to be an "incredible offer" from Putin.
I really try not to wade into political commentary on the internet very often, but this week has really been too much. Between all of this and the horrendous European tour that preceded the Helsinki summit, it feels like this week in American diplomacy has been akin to watching a clown car crash into a raging dumpster fire.
), I thought this article was remarkable for two reasons. Well, three... but one of them is related to other news mentioned in the article.
Comment • View 1 comment 
