Woman With A Story Waiting To Be Told

Hajiyani Abeda fought against the Soviets in Afghanistan and now the Taliban. She is well past her youth and living and fighting in a place where women are barely allowed to leave the home, let alone command men in battle. One commander said of her, "We don't even think of her as a woman when she comes to these meetings," he said. When the Guardian asked how many fighters she had under her command, she raised a bemused eyebrow.

"These are all my fighters," she said...

You can read the rest here.

This is one biography I would love to read. Tim?

Some questions:
-Why do you think, in an Islamic culture, her gender is overlooked? (Do you think this honors what they believe to be God's word?)
-She has earned respect of men, are other women afforded that same opportunity in Afghanistan today?
-Would you read her story?

Memorial Day Tribute To A Fallen Marine

Billy Spencer was shot and killed while trying to drag his commanding officer, who was shot by a sniper, to safety. A truly heroic act of sacrifice.

May we not forget the sacrifices made by those who have come before us.

I have never been able to think of the day as one of mourning; I have never quite been able to feel that half-masted flags were appropriate on Decoration Day. I have rather felt that the flag should be at the peak, because those whose dying we commemorate rejoiced in seeing it where their valor placed it. We honor them in a joyous, thankful, triumphant commemoration of what they did. ~Benjamin Harrison

Martyrdom

As a consequence of professing their faith, early Christians were persecuted mostly during the Roman Empire and were often tortured to death for maintaining his or her religious belief. Many deaths were inspirational for other people and increased the fame of the Catholic religion, although several of these stories are unhistorical and are purely legendary. Meet ten of the most excruciating martyrdoms of early christianity...

1. Saint Hippolytus: torn apart by horses

2. Saint Ignatius Of Antioch: sentenced to be eaten by lions at the Coliseum

3. Saint Lawrence: grilled and toasted alive

4. Saint Agatha of Sicily: had her breasts cut off

You can read the stories and the rest here.

Some questions:
-Would you really, I mean really die for what you say you believe as it relates to your world view?
-If you are not a Christian, how do historical Christian martyrs effect your understanding on Christianity?
-If you are a Christian, how do things such as this effect your faith? Does it strengthen it or cause you to shrink back?
-Why do you think suffering plays an integral part in the Christian faith?
-Is persecution still alive and well today?

Stigler's Law Of Eponymy: Oh The Irony

Apart from iconic figures like Darwin and Einstein, most scientists labour in obscurity. One of the few ways in which they can gain lasting recognition is by having a scientific discovery named after them.

However, the system does not always work smoothly. Indeed, naming disputes are so common that there is even a rule of thumb called the Zeroth theorem, which states that eponymous discoveries are, more often than not, wrongly attributed.

Appropriately enough, the theorem is also known as Stigler's law of eponymy even though it was originally formulated by Robert Merton of Columbia University in New York.

You can read of five examples here.

Some questions:
-Should these discoveries be renamed to honor the one who found them?
-Should it really matter?
-Is this an issue of pride or of giving credit where credit is due?
-Do you know of any other examples?

Destination Psych Ward

I'm not crazy, doctor. There really is a cat in my wall.

A Brooklyn man found himself locked up in a loony bin for four days after he smashed down walls in three apartments trying to rescue a fugitive feline.

Muth couldn't catch Rumi from that hole either, so he broke into a third apartment, and again started smashing walls.

Steiner [the superintendent] had as much success coaxing Muth out as Muth did with Rumi.

So the super called cops - who shipped Muth to a local psych ward.

Rumi remained in the catacombs of the condo - a former church. And the shrinks decided Muth was suffering from bats in his belfry.

The hospital records say he had a "bizarre delusion [he] was trying to save a cat of his friend," The Brooklyn Paper reported.

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-Do you think a cat was worth it?
-Should this man do what most Americans believe they are entitled to do: sue?
-Do you think we have lost trust in our fellow man (would he have been trusted back in the 1930's)?
-Should the Brooklyn Paper apologize?
-What do you think about Muth's final statement in the link above?

Caring For Our Own: An American Icon

Joseph Patrick Dwyer, 31, died of an apparent overdose in an ambulance on the way to the hospital. After breaking down the door to Dwyer's home, officers found him surrounded by empty cans of aerosol-gas dusters and prescription pills.

Dwyer, a private first-class medic, became an image of the Iraq war after a picture showing him carrying an injured Iraqi boy away from a fire fight ran on the front page of several newspapers in 2003, just after the invasion of Iraq by coalition forces.

"He was just never the same when he came back, because of all the things he saw," Matina Dwyer said. "He tried to seek treatment, but it didn't work."

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-Is this the government's fault? Our society's? His?
-Should military who served in wars have more mental care available to them?
-Is he responsible for his own death or do others share in the blame?
-Is he a symbol of America in more ways than one?

A Student With A Gun

Merkaz Harav Yeshiva in Jerusalem:

Witnesses said that only one terrorist had entered the building and that he managed to fire 500-600 bullets over the course of 4-10 minutes before he was killed.

The gunman entered the library where about 80 people were gathered, witnesses said, and opened fire.
Yitzhak Dadon, a student, said he was armed with a rifle and waited on the roof of a nearby building. "He came out of the library spraying automatic fire ... the terrorist came to the entrance and I shot him twice in the head," he said.

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-What do you think about students having guns on/near school areas?
-Do you think Yitzhak Dadon did the right thing in this case?
-If this had happened in America, what do you think the differences would be? Afterall, schools are gun free zones.
-Should this cause us (Americans) to rethink the issue of guns on campus; especially in light of the recent string of college/school shootings?

Overcoming Sin & Temptation: John Owen Style

Some of you may or may not know this, but I hold John Owen in high esteem. It was from The Death of Death in the Death of Christ (it is free to sign up to read the pdf or word documents. The tex file is free without signing up) that I first understood the importance of theological undergirding. Until that point, application was king and theology was left for those who wanted to be stiff-necked. Through God using that book to convict my soul of the importance of having good, correct doctrine, I am now able to correctly apply scripture via my theological foundation rooted in the very words of God (this is the same way scripture is set up as well. Look at the epistles or letters in the NT. First comes the theological foundation and then the ethic/applicatoin). I owe a great deal to John Owen and the labors of his pen for he helped me to work out for whom did Christ die and to what extent did His death reach.

With that being said, Tim Challies started a reading challenge going through the classics. One of Owen's other works is on the list. It is called Overcoming Sin & Temptation. Challies breaks down chapter 11 in his most current post and it is well worth the read. Do stop by and take a look at it.

If any of you are thinking of picking up a work by Owen, let me quote for you the first thing I ever read by Owen. This is in the "letter to the reader" section of The Death of Death in the Death of Christ.

To the reader.

Reader, If thou intendest to go any farther, I would entreat thee to stay here a little. If thou art, as many in this pretending age, a sign or title gazer, and comest into books as Cato into the theatre, to go out again, — thou hast had thy entertainment; farewell! With him that resolves a serious view of the following discourse, and really desireth satisfaction from the word and Christian reason, about the great things contained therein, I desire a few words in the portal. Divers things there are of no small consideration to the business we have in hand, which I am persuaded thou canst not be unacquainted with; and therefore I will not trouble thee with a needless repetition of them.

It is a difficult read, but well worth the time invested; again, it changed my whole Christian world view. It took me over 2 years to read through The Death of Death in the Death of Christ due to the english verbage and Owen's style of writing (Passive Voice) along with the fact that I wanted to learn from it and not just read through it.

You can read more on Challies here.

Some questions:
-What are some books that have shaped and formed your world view?
-Did you ever read a book, agree with it and years later come to the realization that it was wrong?
-What do you think of Owen's statement to the reader? Do you think it would be beneficial if we all approached reading with that high of a regard?
-Isn't it great that resources of this caliber are available for free to us? All we have to do is read them.

Letter From A Birmingham Jail

While confined here in the Birmingham city jail, I came across your recent statement calling my present activities "unwise and untimely." Seldom do I pause to answer criticism of my work and ideas. If I sought to answer all the criticisms that cross my desk, my secretaries would have little time for anything other than such correspondence in the course of the day, and I would have no time for constructive work. But since I feel that you are men of genuine good will and that your criticisms are sincerely set forth, I want to try to answer your statements in what I hope will be patient and reasonable terms.

-Martin Luther King Jr.

You can read the rest here.

Some questions:
-How do you view King's contributions to the Civil Rights Movement?
-Have you ever read the letter linked to above? Do you find it inspiring?
-How do you celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day?
-If King was still alive today, do you think he would be pleased with the progress made thus far?
-What are your thoughts concerning his assessment of the "white" churches of the south?

Blessed Be The Name Of The Lord

Below I have copied verbatim the words of an email I recieved from a long time friend of mine's husband. They have been compelled by the Lord to move to Nepal to share the gospel with the people of Nepal. They have sacrificed much for His name and it encourages and shames me in the same thought to know that their faith has been tested and they praise God all the more in spite of it. I long to have faith such as what they are demonstrating at this time.

Background:

Shanee was pregnant. All was reported well and good about a week ago. Thursday it was reported that the baby may have fetal hydrops and that could result in a 20-30% survival rate or it could just be infection that hopefully could be treated. They asked for prayer and that it only be infection but either way, they wanted the Lord to be glorified. After that email I received another update stating they never made it Bangkok but to New Dehli. Hopes were still high that it may only be an infection. Several tests were ran and nothing was found to be causing the fluid in the chest and abdomen that would give credit to hydrops. Still prayer was asked for and their desire was that the name of the Lord is to be praised regardless. Then I received the following email:

Priya Jean was born by C-section at about 4:30 on the evening of Dec. 31st. After struggling through the night she went to be with the Lord around 6 am on New Year's morning. She weighed about 5.5 pounds (1 pound of which was fluid), and she was unable to overcome the fluid that had built up in her chest and abdomen. She struggled throughout the night as her blood pressure kept dropping and the doctors tried everything to overcome it.

Shanee and I were able to hold her and say goodbye to her with our mothers there by our side.

Shanee is doing fine after her C-section. She should be able to leave the hospital tomorrow or the next day. Shanee and I are so thankful for your prayers and for all the support we've received here. Our good friends Nathan and Kari Shank were here in Delhi and they were there with us at every step. Also, our good friends Glen and Marvella Thompson flew straight here to Delhi from Thailand and were like another set of parents to us throughout this ordeal.

This has been, without a doubt, the most difficut thing we've ever been through. We are pleased that our daughter is through with the troubles of this world and in the arms of her Lord. And we praise Him. We praise Him. Job said it best in the wake of losing all that he valued on earth: "The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." That conveys our feelings better than anything we could say. The Lord gave us Priya, and He has chosen by His gracious will to take her away. Blessed be his Name. Her life was an undeserved gift to us. We wouldn't trade one moment of the seven months we had with her. And we praise God for it from beginning to end. We don't know the reason why she was taken, but we know the God who made that decision. And He is enough for us. He is our glory and our strength. We want to praise Him right now as the God of all grace and comfort. He has been our truest and most constant companion in the midst of all this.

We are in the midst of arranging the details for a flight back to Missouri. We should be there in the coming week. We'll hold a memorial celebration there--details will follow. Once again, thank you so much for your prayers and words of encouragement. It is our desire that you would praise the Lord with us at this time. He is always worthy of it.

For His Name,

Jesse and Shanee

May the Lord grant them much grace during this time and may their request be granted: Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Who's Your Favorite Hero?

I ran across this page of real-life superheroes. Which one is your favorite?

1. Superbarrio
2. Terrifica
3. The Eye
4. Citizen Prime
5. Tothian
6. Angle Grinder Man
7. Mr. Silent
8. Chris Guardian
9. Geist
10. Foxfire

You can view a synopsis of them here.

Some questions:
-Would you want one of these guys in your city?
-What do you think about what they are attempting to communicate?
-Do you think they are effective in what they are attempting to do?
-Are superheroes better left to Hollywood?