http://www.alanhartung.com Faith, Art, Politics, and the Emerging Church Sat, 19 Jul 2008 19:42:17 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en It's the time again where the Christian political machine is revving up for another presidential election. This is a time, as a Christian, I truly dread. This is the time where human sexuality, abortion, gay marriage, etc., rule the voting consciences of many Christians. It comes down to a simple principle: ... http://www.alanhartung.com/blog/index.php/2008/07/19/legislating-morality/ Last weekend, I had a most excellent time in San Diego. My girlfriend grew up there, and she has a regular appointment once a month in the area. Since we just hit our one year dating anniversary, I decided to look for hotels in downtown San Diego and see what ... http://www.alanhartung.com/blog/index.php/2008/07/01/doubletree-hotel-san-diego-downtown-4-stars-i-think-not/ But the new generation of evangelicals is sick of being labeled as backward rednecks because of their association with fossils like Dobson. There are many evangelicals like Cizik too who are not all about homophobia, nationalism, war-without-end and American exceptionalism or the Republican Party. Like Cizik they believe that the ... http://www.alanhartung.com/blog/index.php/2008/06/27/frank-schaeffer-on-james-dobson-on-obama/ Firefox 3 was released today. Download now and help Firefox get into the Guinness Book of World Records for the most downloads on a single day!ShareThis http://www.alanhartung.com/blog/index.php/2008/06/17/firefox-3-out-today/ I once contemplated reading nothing from the Bible except the Gospels for an entire year. I didn't do it, but I did read the Gospels much more often than any other books that year. That experience was probably the forerunner to my exodus from the establishment and seeking out ways ... http://www.alanhartung.com/blog/index.php/2008/04/23/warning-the-gospels-may-be-harmful-to-your-religion/ ShareThis http://www.alanhartung.com/blog/index.php/2008/04/23/new-universal-symbol-for-gasoline/ It dawned on me (with a friend's help) that "The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim" when translated completely to English is: The The Angels Angels of Anaheim" Couldn't we just call them Los Angeles of Anaheim? Or better yet, why not.. the Anaheim Angels. Gee, why didn't they think of that one?ShareThis http://www.alanhartung.com/blog/index.php/2008/04/04/the-los-angeles-angels-of-anaheim/ Yep. I took the plunge. Again. :D Proposed on a secluded beach outside of Malibu last night. More details to come... No date set, yet, but it could be as early as the end of summer. Edited: Sorry, this was an April Fool's joke. I posted a comment saying "read the date" when ... http://www.alanhartung.com/blog/index.php/2008/04/01/im-getting-married/ I've seen Zito pitch twice. Once he threw a complete game shutout against the Angels in Anaheim (and I was in the city of Anaheim's box... and I invited an A's fan who happened to be wearing his A's stuff when I called about an extra ticket...). This time, it ... http://www.alanhartung.com/blog/index.php/2008/03/31/barry-zito-not-the-same/ I love it! Update: Embedding has been turned on and off on this short, and it seems now it is back on. If you can't get the video to play, click the link in the comments. ShareThis http://www.alanhartung.com/blog/index.php/2008/03/28/pagan-christianity-hilarious-spoof-video/ I've had that changed version in my head all week. Singing, "I fought the law, and I won!" Yes, I won. I went to court on principle. I came to a complete stop before turning right on red, and I was not going to pay the ticket unless I was found ... http://www.alanhartung.com/blog/index.php/2008/03/13/i-fought-the-law-and-i-won/ I received a small amount of justice yesterday. It appears that Van Nuys Superior Court Commissioner Martin Wegman thinks I deserve the chance to be innocent... I posted earlier about the possibility that I could not afford to be "not guilty." It was going to cost me $381 to have my day ... http://www.alanhartung.com/blog/index.php/2008/01/30/martin-wegman-special-thanks-to-a-van-nuys-superior-court-commissioner/ Heath Ledger is found dead in US My girlfriend asked me a couple of days ago if I would choose to be a famous director/actor if it meant we had to break up. I said no, and not just because that was the right answer to give your girlfriend. Success does not ... http://www.alanhartung.com/blog/index.php/2008/01/22/why-i-would-not-choose-fame-and-fortune-over-relationships-heath-ledger/ Many of the wonderful things in life go by unappreciated. A kind word, a smile from a stranger, the gentle breeze on a hot summer day. What was once wonderful often sinks beneath the muddy waters of routine. The faithfulness of a friend is too often forgotten even before the next trial begins. But ... http://www.alanhartung.com/blog/index.php/2008/01/21/each-day/ I just spent a good chunk of my morning in traffic court. I've always plead guilty and hoped for a reduced fine when faced with a traffic ticket. But this time, I didn't do it. Really. I was ticketed for not stopping at a red light while turning right. The particular ... http://www.alanhartung.com/blog/index.php/2008/01/14/los-angeles-traffic-court-coercion-to-plead-guilty/ Whether he took HGH or not, I don't know. But when he talked to Mike Wallace, he looked like a liar to me.ShareThis http://www.alanhartung.com/blog/index.php/2008/01/07/roger-clemens-looked-like-a-liar/ Such a promising young rookie denied his 1,000 yard season because Herm Edwards refuses to bench a QB who sucks. Right now as I watch the game, Croyle is 8 for 24, and not a single reception for D. Bowe. Going into this game, he only needed 18 yards to make 1,000. ... http://www.alanhartung.com/blog/index.php/2007/12/30/dwayne-bowe-might-not-get-1000-yard-because-of-brodie-croyle/ My friend Jason Zahariades is exploring Eastern Orthodoxy. He's got a lot of great posts on his blog, and a recent post challenges equality in interpretation of the Scriptures. He quotes Fr. Stephen, "Literalism is a false means of interpretation (hermenuetic) and is a vain attempt to democratize the Holy writings. ... http://www.alanhartung.com/blog/index.php/2007/12/28/biblical-understanding-through-community-experience/ OpenSong is software for the Mac which can run your multimedia presentation over a projector. And the price is great: free. Definitely worth a look for those of you who use projection for your times of community worship.ShareThis http://www.alanhartung.com/blog/index.php/2007/12/27/opensong-open-source-for-your-worship-services/ "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God." - Ephesians 2:8 There's a disconnect in the common Evangelical doctrine of salvation between faith and works. Perhaps disconnect is not the right word, but there's a one-sided view of "works." ... http://www.alanhartung.com/blog/index.php/2007/12/27/saved-by-faith-and-what-you-dont-do/