From Non Sequitur, by Wiley
(click image to enlarge)
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Monday, July 14, 2008
Cordwood: poems from the forgotten war
Ralph Jacobs, the author of CORDWOOD, A COLLECTION OF KOREAN WAR POEMS, is a treasured friend and a Harvard educated medical doctor. He served in Dog Medical Company, First Marine Division, in the Korean War.
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"We clambered over the ship's side on rope ladders and chugged on a landing barge into Inchon. With another medical company we set up the major collecting and clearing hospital at the Korean Kimpo Air Field, just captured, to treat the casualties from the assault on Seoul. . . I served in the Marines from July 1950, through June 1951. . . I hope the poems will offer a personal lens for you to see and feel my experiences in Korea. Many of the events, situations, and dilemmas in these poems mirror what others have seen and felt in other wars."
Ralph Jacobs, from his Introduction
April, 2004
The three poems that follow are from Ralph’s first “chapter” of poems: Trip to Korea, Inchon and Seoul Campaigns. “Cordwood” can be purchased from Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Bl., Corte Madera (415-927-9016) or Ralph Jacobs, 55 La Costa Ct, Novato, CA 94947 (415-898-6064)
I will post his poems from the three following chapters periodically in the weeks leading up to the presidential election. (Spectrum blog has previously posted a piece I submitted in which Jacobs’ poem, Cordwood, is featured.)
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MOBILIZE
Telegrams summon the active reservists.
"Report within twenty-four hours."
Six of us docs at Pendleton examine them all day,
still a line a block long at 2 A.M.
Our commanding medical officer—
"Nobody fails this fitness exam—
they're active paid reservists."
One naked Marine—Please speed this up, doc—
my girlfriends waiting in a Carlsbad motel.
Another: My wife's eight months pregnant.
"Hurray, you'll have a son or daughter waiting."
And another: My store will go bankrupt!
Please let me out to sign those loan papers.
"Sorry son, c'est la guerre."
And another: I joined the reserves for the money.
"A real patriot. A corpsman, you lucky dog—
you're going on a luxury cruise."
"Total arrhythmia, grade IV rheumatic murmurs
in all hard areas in one-man.
What a mystery—a human heart."
This man fails.
GERM WARFARE
A new war. Truman mobilizes.
The First Marines sail from San Diego to Korea.
Smallpox is endemic in Korea
"physician protect thyself
No-take vaccinations in your past
leave you on immunized"
Before sailing I tell my corpsman
Prick deeply—get the blood
under the cowpox vaccine on my arm.
Three days later he blurts:
You look like hell doc!
"An immense canker on my lip,
a papule on my arm—I rejoice."
Six months later—in our hospital tent—
two Marines frighten me.
Profoundly listless, hemorrhagic pustules
on their faces, arms and legs.
Dreaded SMALLPOX
By the next morning—both are dead.
The Chinese Army; not immunized—
loses tens of thousands
to smallpox, typhus, cholera.
The Chinese people are appalled—
so many recruits called up.
The Chinese government denounces us:
U.S. Planes are dropping germs.
MAELSTROM
U.S. Fleet Task Force
Army Marines—Amphibious landing
Inchon, Korea, September 1950
All ships engulfed
by a brutal typhoon—
A howling black-cloud dragon spews
walls of water.
Our radios are dead.
Through a deck hatch I watch
whipped foam;
waves five times higher than the top
of the rigging
fling our troopship like cork.
On deck a two inch steel cable
linking three sailors snaps.
The three, swallowed by the sea.
Seasick pills are gone in thirty minutes.
Treatment—keep eating.
Four-inch sides fence the mess tables.
As the ship pitches, Dinty Moore stew bowls
slide up and down, up and down.
Stew three times a day for three days.
Grab that bowl as it goes by.
The reek of vomitus
from gray-green Marines,
bunks in five layers,
the deck, bulkheads—pervades.
The Marines want to get the hell out
of that stinking hold
onto landing barges,
scale shoreline clips,
Way to harbor mud,
attack North Koreans.
Hell on Wheels
Why do Christians laugh when cartoonists portray hell as a humorous prop and the devil as a kind of bumbling idiot? Is it simply sick humor, or a declaration that the idea is ludicrous, an atheistic sneer, a more “enlightened” religious perspective, a kind of cynical “whistling in the dark”, the loss of respect for traditional Christian teachings, a theologically “soft” copout, a collapse of morality, and/or a sign of the Second Coming? Once upon a time, a fortified town would open its gates to invaders if a priest threatened to excommunicate its inhabitants. What has changed?Comic from Rubes, by Leigh Rubin.
(click for enlarged image)
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Reviewing the Pacific Union Recorder
July, 2008
Vol. 108, No 6
GENERAL COMMENTS
In general this issue is newsy and of general interest. However, I'm not crazy about the cover. I'll bet Davina Woods isn't either. The angle of the photograph reveals that she's missing four front teeth. The editorials of Ricardo Graham and Jim Peterson are more personal than usual. I hope the trend continues.
Since the Recorder sent without charge to nearly 75,000 Adventist homes in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah, and it can be read for free in its entirety online. I will not review every news item, editorial, and essay.
Therefore, I’ve decided, at least for the next few issues, to award only Bouquets and Black Eyes. (Bouquets for well-written, uplifting pieces of unusual interest; black eyes for reasons explicit with each award.)
LOCAL CONFERENCE NEWS:
Bouquets
Martha Havens’ Northern California report, Former Librarian Helps Children Develop a Love of Reading
Betty Coony’s account of the life of an Adventist Major League baseball scout
Black Eyes
Donna Tungesvik’s quote in Lodi-Fairmont’s An Afternoon in Asia community outreach piece: "A lot of our guests were non-Adventists, in one case, atheist. . . A number of guests, including the atheist, have asked to be invited again."
Larry Unterseher, as the new president of the Nevada-Utah Conference, it would have been refreshing if you had introduced yourself simply as the new guy with a lot to learn.
KEEPING YOU INFORMED
Bouquets
Let’s Talk About Depression by Dynnette Hart and Bonnie Meyer is well written, objective, and informative.
Zoei Toh became a worldwide Adventist singing celebrity at sixteen months. Over 5,500,000 people, including my wife and me, have listened to her sing The Lord's Prayer. It's a You Tube treat!
Black Eyes
Alan J. Reinach, Esq. argues that same-sex marriage challenges religious liberty. What he really objects to are laws that forbid "religious people" from discriminating against homosexuals and unmarried couples.
Vol. 108, No 6
GENERAL COMMENTS
In general this issue is newsy and of general interest. However, I'm not crazy about the cover. I'll bet Davina Woods isn't either. The angle of the photograph reveals that she's missing four front teeth. The editorials of Ricardo Graham and Jim Peterson are more personal than usual. I hope the trend continues.
Since the Recorder sent without charge to nearly 75,000 Adventist homes in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah, and it can be read for free in its entirety online. I will not review every news item, editorial, and essay.
Therefore, I’ve decided, at least for the next few issues, to award only Bouquets and Black Eyes. (Bouquets for well-written, uplifting pieces of unusual interest; black eyes for reasons explicit with each award.)
LOCAL CONFERENCE NEWS:
Bouquets
Martha Havens’ Northern California report, Former Librarian Helps Children Develop a Love of Reading
Betty Coony’s account of the life of an Adventist Major League baseball scout
Black Eyes
Donna Tungesvik’s quote in Lodi-Fairmont’s An Afternoon in Asia community outreach piece: "A lot of our guests were non-Adventists, in one case, atheist. . . A number of guests, including the atheist, have asked to be invited again."
Larry Unterseher, as the new president of the Nevada-Utah Conference, it would have been refreshing if you had introduced yourself simply as the new guy with a lot to learn.
KEEPING YOU INFORMED
Bouquets
Let’s Talk About Depression by Dynnette Hart and Bonnie Meyer is well written, objective, and informative.
Zoei Toh became a worldwide Adventist singing celebrity at sixteen months. Over 5,500,000 people, including my wife and me, have listened to her sing The Lord's Prayer. It's a You Tube treat!
Black Eyes
Alan J. Reinach, Esq. argues that same-sex marriage challenges religious liberty. What he really objects to are laws that forbid "religious people" from discriminating against homosexuals and unmarried couples.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Reviewing Spectrum
Spring, 2008
Volume 36, Issue 2
GENERAL COMMENTS
This is an excellent issue. The Ages of Adventism by Bull and Lockhart and The Point of the Spear by Benjamin McArthur are MUST READS. The film, The Power of Forgiveness is a MUST SEE. How Birding Became Almost Cool by Hayward and McClelland is beautifully written and magnificently illustrated. Even if you’re not a member of the birding community, this article is a rare treat.
EDITORIALS
Naming Names
by Bonnie Dwyer
Bonnie delivers the goods this time. This issue does indeed tell "the story of Adventism". Historians, musicians, birders, artists, poets, bloggers, and editorial writers all make a contribution.
Manifesto for a Prophetic Adventism
by Charles Scriven
In this passionate editorial, Scriven asserts that "for members of alert and open mind, hand-me-down Adventism is now, in substantial part, discredited. . . When poverty and mental breakdown are more of a threat than jewelry and dancing, the latter obsessions seem like the equivalent of buggy whips."
Referring to Spectrum, Adventist Today, loosely affiliated institutions, peace groups, lay ministries, Adventist service organizations, and bloggers, Scriven issues the following challenge. "So let's shake our fists at the naysayers and dream-slayers, and rise up in one accord to declare, as trumpets do, that we are here. And let's say further, and say unmistakably, that we will cause something to happen; we will make a difference. . .Prophetic Adventism will remain but a little flame—except as we who see the vision link arms and do all we can make the circle wider."
FEEDBACK
Old Testament Sexual Laws
by Jim Miller
This letter is enlightening and knowledgeable. As usual, dispassionate scholarship trumps bigotry.
CONVERSATIONS
A Young Conductor Makes Waves
Shi-Yeon Sung Joins the Boston Symphony Orchestra
An Interview by Alita Byrd
It is thrilling to discover that Adventism has not stifled the career of such a marvelous talent. (I’m referring to the "the dispensation rule" that allows, even requires, the employees of Adventist institutions to work on Sabbath, while employees, working the same hours for a secular employer, are "officially" committing a mortal sin.)
SPECTRUM BLOG
A Discussion of Postmodernism from the Spectrum Web Site
Responses to David Larsen’s review of Everlasting Gospel / Ever Changing World
by Jon Paulien, Pacific Press
As far as I'm concerned, “postmodern” literature is full of fuzzy language and unhelpful generalizations about individual religious beliefs. Consequently, I'll leave a critique of the book and a commentary to someone less biased than myself.
SANCTUARY a prose poem sermon
by Kendra Haloviak
I agree with Kendra. A Christian sanctuary should be a safe place, physically and psychologically, "from which to launch a mission, , , a place to welcome the world".
THE AGES OF ADVENTISM
by Malcolm Bull and Keith Lockhart
The full text of their remarks at the 2007 Adventist Forum Conference in Santa Rosa, California
The subtitle says it all, Adventism in the Present Tense: Pondering Our Pasts, Plotting Our Futures. It’s seventeen pages of fascinating SDA history and future prognostication. It is a MUST READ.
THE POINT OF THE SPEAR: Adventist Liberalism and the Study of Ellen White in the 1970’s
by Benjamin McArthur
This article is also a MUST READ. The following quote is the last paragraph.
"The North American Adventist Church in 2008 is far from the world it knew in 1970. The sense of confidence the Church shared with the nation forty years ago has largely evaporated. Growth is no longer assumed; simply holding our own is now the challenge. This suggests that a new "Adventist Project" must be generated. Once again, Adventist scholars must take it upon themselves to help reshape the Adventism that might carry meaning for contemporary America. The stakes are high, and resistance is certain. But we owe the church no less."
HOW BIRDING BECAME ALMOST COOL
A review of Scott Weidensaul’s, Of a Feather: A Brief History of American Birding
by James L. Hayward, paintings by James McClelland
This article is to be avoided if you don't have some ready cash. It's a fascinating introduction to birding. (I’m only buying Of a Feather for my wife or allowing her to read this article because she is already a novice birder and has previously purchased the "required" expensive binoculars!)
INTRODUCING THE ONLINE SPECTRUM BOOK AND FILM CLUB
Check out the book and film club selections through April of next year. They set the stage for fascinating Internet conversations.
Prayer: Does It Make a Difference? a book by Philip Yancy
Reviewed by Daneen Akers
The following quote is the one that stuck with me. "In the end, one of the best reasons we have for praying is Jesus. Surely if anyone was privy to God's will it was Him, but he still prayed-- even angrily and tearfully at times. That's probably a good example for us all."
The Power of Forgiveness, a film by Martin Doblmeier
Reviewed by Shasta Nelson
This film is a life changer, a definite MUST SEE.
GOD IS NOT a poem
by John McDowell
John, The Science of Santa Claus portrait that accompanies your poem is just plain goofy! And even though I have trouble with visualizing God "as a cold wind blowing through emptiness", no one deserves that illustration.
Volume 36, Issue 2
GENERAL COMMENTS
This is an excellent issue. The Ages of Adventism by Bull and Lockhart and The Point of the Spear by Benjamin McArthur are MUST READS. The film, The Power of Forgiveness is a MUST SEE. How Birding Became Almost Cool by Hayward and McClelland is beautifully written and magnificently illustrated. Even if you’re not a member of the birding community, this article is a rare treat.
EDITORIALS
Naming Names
by Bonnie Dwyer
Bonnie delivers the goods this time. This issue does indeed tell "the story of Adventism". Historians, musicians, birders, artists, poets, bloggers, and editorial writers all make a contribution.
Manifesto for a Prophetic Adventism
by Charles Scriven
In this passionate editorial, Scriven asserts that "for members of alert and open mind, hand-me-down Adventism is now, in substantial part, discredited. . . When poverty and mental breakdown are more of a threat than jewelry and dancing, the latter obsessions seem like the equivalent of buggy whips."
Referring to Spectrum, Adventist Today, loosely affiliated institutions, peace groups, lay ministries, Adventist service organizations, and bloggers, Scriven issues the following challenge. "So let's shake our fists at the naysayers and dream-slayers, and rise up in one accord to declare, as trumpets do, that we are here. And let's say further, and say unmistakably, that we will cause something to happen; we will make a difference. . .Prophetic Adventism will remain but a little flame—except as we who see the vision link arms and do all we can make the circle wider."
FEEDBACK
Old Testament Sexual Laws
by Jim Miller
This letter is enlightening and knowledgeable. As usual, dispassionate scholarship trumps bigotry.
CONVERSATIONS
A Young Conductor Makes Waves
Shi-Yeon Sung Joins the Boston Symphony Orchestra
An Interview by Alita Byrd
It is thrilling to discover that Adventism has not stifled the career of such a marvelous talent. (I’m referring to the "the dispensation rule" that allows, even requires, the employees of Adventist institutions to work on Sabbath, while employees, working the same hours for a secular employer, are "officially" committing a mortal sin.)
SPECTRUM BLOG
A Discussion of Postmodernism from the Spectrum Web Site
Responses to David Larsen’s review of Everlasting Gospel / Ever Changing World
by Jon Paulien, Pacific Press
As far as I'm concerned, “postmodern” literature is full of fuzzy language and unhelpful generalizations about individual religious beliefs. Consequently, I'll leave a critique of the book and a commentary to someone less biased than myself.
SANCTUARY a prose poem sermon
by Kendra Haloviak
I agree with Kendra. A Christian sanctuary should be a safe place, physically and psychologically, "from which to launch a mission, , , a place to welcome the world".
THE AGES OF ADVENTISM
by Malcolm Bull and Keith Lockhart
The full text of their remarks at the 2007 Adventist Forum Conference in Santa Rosa, California
The subtitle says it all, Adventism in the Present Tense: Pondering Our Pasts, Plotting Our Futures. It’s seventeen pages of fascinating SDA history and future prognostication. It is a MUST READ.
THE POINT OF THE SPEAR: Adventist Liberalism and the Study of Ellen White in the 1970’s
by Benjamin McArthur
This article is also a MUST READ. The following quote is the last paragraph.
"The North American Adventist Church in 2008 is far from the world it knew in 1970. The sense of confidence the Church shared with the nation forty years ago has largely evaporated. Growth is no longer assumed; simply holding our own is now the challenge. This suggests that a new "Adventist Project" must be generated. Once again, Adventist scholars must take it upon themselves to help reshape the Adventism that might carry meaning for contemporary America. The stakes are high, and resistance is certain. But we owe the church no less."
HOW BIRDING BECAME ALMOST COOL
A review of Scott Weidensaul’s, Of a Feather: A Brief History of American Birding
by James L. Hayward, paintings by James McClelland
This article is to be avoided if you don't have some ready cash. It's a fascinating introduction to birding. (I’m only buying Of a Feather for my wife or allowing her to read this article because she is already a novice birder and has previously purchased the "required" expensive binoculars!)
INTRODUCING THE ONLINE SPECTRUM BOOK AND FILM CLUB
Check out the book and film club selections through April of next year. They set the stage for fascinating Internet conversations.
Prayer: Does It Make a Difference? a book by Philip Yancy
Reviewed by Daneen Akers
The following quote is the one that stuck with me. "In the end, one of the best reasons we have for praying is Jesus. Surely if anyone was privy to God's will it was Him, but he still prayed-- even angrily and tearfully at times. That's probably a good example for us all."
The Power of Forgiveness, a film by Martin Doblmeier
Reviewed by Shasta Nelson
This film is a life changer, a definite MUST SEE.
GOD IS NOT a poem
by John McDowell
John, The Science of Santa Claus portrait that accompanies your poem is just plain goofy! And even though I have trouble with visualizing God "as a cold wind blowing through emptiness", no one deserves that illustration.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Reviewing the Adventist Review
June 26, 2008
Vol. 185, No. 18
GENERAL COMMENTS
Editors, writers need your help in producing final copy. Less than acceptable writing mars a number of what should have been excellent pieces in this issue. The cover story is the most egregious example; but On Temporary Assignment, Ask the Doctors, Not a Spectator Sport and the adaptation of the story in KidsView, Every Last Drop, needed final editing before they appeared in print.
MUST READS: Running from Death by Wilona Karimabadi, With the Times by Kimberly Luste Maran, and Control Freak by Clifford Goldstein
COVER STORY
Running from Death by Wilona Karimabadi
This is a MUST READ. “In a time when standing up for justice could have meant the loss of your own life, one man did what was right, despite the consequences. He was a man whose moral principles and courage were guided by his love for God and humanity. His English name was John Henry Weidner [Johan Hendrik Weidner].”
The Dutch-Paris underground he helped to establish saved about 800 Jews, 100 Allied aviators, and many others who were escaping the tyranny and murder of Nazi oppression.
“Weidner's wartime rescue efforts did not go unrecognized. For his courage he was awarded the United States Medal of Freedom, made a member of the Order of the British Empire, the Dutch Order of Orange Nassau, and given the Dutch Medal of Resistance. The French government awarded him the Croix de guerre and Medaille de la Resistance, and the Legion d¹honneur. The government of Belgium also made him an officer of the Order of King Leopold.
“In addition, the government of Israel honored him as one of the Righteous Among the Nations at the country's national Holocaust Memorial in Yad Vashem. Weidner has a tree planted in his name there. He also participated in the opening of the United States Holocaust Memorial in Washington, D.C., in 1993 as one of seven persons selected to light candles recognizing rescuers.”
‘During our lives, each of us faces a choice: to think only about yourself, to get as much as you can for yourself, or to think about others, to serve, to be helpful to those who are in need. I believe that it is very important to develop your brains, your knowledge, but it is more important to develop your heart, to have a heart open to the suffering of others. As for myself, I am just an ordinary person, just someone who wants to help his neighbor.
'That is the aim of God for me: to think about others, to be unselfish. I am nothing exceptional. If I have one hero, it is God who has helped me to fulfill my mission, to fulfill my duties, to do what I have to do. But for myself, I am just a simple person. During the war, I did what I think everyone should have done.’ John Weidner died in Southern California in 1994.
Editor's note: If you haven't read the story of this Adventist hero, read it! Used copies of the following books documenting his wartime exploits are available from Amazon.com for pennies: Flee the Captor by Herbert Ford, The Hand of Compassion by Kristen Renwick Monroe, and The Courage to Care by Sondra Myers.
ARTICLES
On Temporary Assignment by Dick Rentfro
“In God's eyes, the greatest heroes and heroines of faith are not those with the biggest bank account or those holding political power. Rather it's those who serve faithfully, who regard themselves as on temporary assignment.”
Getting Your Vitamin D? by Allan R. Handysides and Peter N. Landless
Get your Vitamin D levels measured! “It may play a role in up to 16 different cancers, diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis.”
Kids View, edited by Wilona Karimabadi and Limberly Luste Maran
I would have put the clever “Pathfinder badge” title on a white background. The black background makes it sort of disappear into the gloom. Other than that, and the minor problem noted in General Comments, well done!
Not a Spectator Sport by Candy Clark
“On April 19, 2008, 45 participating Pathfinder teams representing eight unions in the North American Division met at Pioneer Memorial Church on the campus of Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, for the 2008 Invitational/Division Level Pathfinder Bible Achieve-ment. A record 40 teams earned a first-place certificate, with the remaining five receiving second-place certificates."
A New Direction by Frank J. Perez
“At that Adventist boarding school [Colegio de las Antillas in Cuba] we shared a love for learning and a passion for Jesus that caused me to change the direction of my life. The course I've chosen continues to this day. The difference in my life wasn¹t because of the books in the library, or the Ph.D.s behind my teachers' names. It wasn't the high-tech classrooms; our classrooms were rudimentary and well behind the times. What made the difference was learning to know Jesus and accepting His gift for me.”
DEPARTMENTS
Letters
Three of the letters to the editor left me wondering about the Review's letter policy. Barb Marsh was abrupt and sarcastic; Alen Forquer debated "foreknowledge" with himself for four paragraphs; and Bevin Brett reviewed an “online exclusive article”.
Control Freak by Clifford Goldstein
In a fascinating scientific and logical tour de force, Goldstein demonstrates “How grateful we need to be . . . for the sovereignty of God” It’s a MUST READ.
World News & Perspectives
General Conference President, Jan Paulsen calls diversity both a challenge and an opportunity in a live conference with pastors across Europe; Newbold College in the UK reports that Jane Sabes, a political science professor at Andrews University, will be the new Principal; Adventist Artist, James David Chase’s 22,719 word portrait of Arnold Palmer, made entirely of quotes from and about him, is a “centerpiece” in the United States Golf Association’ museum; and an historic SDA church business meeting was held in North Korea.
Lessons Learned
The Best Gift by Valerie N. Phillips
“So what if our gifts are less sophisticated or less expensive than someone else's? (Remember how Jesus valued the widow with the two mites?) Many of us are tempted to offer a gift in order to impress instead of to express. But when something is given with genuine love, the giver becomes the gift.”
Reflections
Perfect Surrender by Maria Lombart
“’Perfect surrender’ means giving up all claims on what I personally believe I have a right to have. It means saying, I am willing, Lord, to accept Your best for my life and to trust that Your best is better than I can imagine. . . Perfect surrender is not an immediate achievement. Neither does it come as a result of my having worked enough and learned enough and tried hard enough to become perfect. It comes, rather, as a gift from a Father who truly cares about me.”
EDITORIALS
She Hung Up on Me by Roy Adams
Roy, I am one of your greatest admirers. That said, your editorial was a disappointment. In addition, the illustration that accompanied your words, the profiles of two cut out black figures, hat in hand, bowing toward each other, reinforced an unfortunate vaudevillian racial stereotype.
Now to your editorial. Regarding your example of Paul’s “courteous behavior”. You assume the following statement to be an apology. "Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: 'Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people'". You also assume that Paul didn't know the man who hit him in the mouth. That seems unlikely. Given the context of Paul's first response, "God will strike you, you whitewashed wall", I believe Paul was being sarcastic.
When you returned the call of the discourteous woman, you could have had your assistant on another line. You could have identified yourself and stated that you had two reasons for returning her call. First, to give the woman the opportunity to apologize for her behavior. Second, to clear up a misunderstanding regarding something you had written in a Sabbath school lesson.
Christians aren’t required to "walk on egg shells" and "use our softest voices" when we confront discourteous behavior.
I am fond of the story of two men in an elevator. Both get on together every day. One man gets off at the seventh floor and the other at the 11th. Before the man gets off at the seventh floor, he whacks the other man on the back. This happens every day, and finally the bellhop that operates the elevator works up enough courage to question the man as he rides to the 11th floor. "What is going on? Why does that man hit you every day before he gets off the elevator?" Before the man gets off at the 11th floor he answers, "I don't know. Ask the other guy; it's his problem."
So she hung up on you; big deal.
With the Times by Kimberly Luste Maran
This editorial is a MUST READ. The illustrations that support her conclusion are entertaining and “with it”. "Those who lead our youth need to really know what is going on in their kids’ lives and figure out how to make the best, positive impact in the short time they have with them."
Vol. 185, No. 18
GENERAL COMMENTS
Editors, writers need your help in producing final copy. Less than acceptable writing mars a number of what should have been excellent pieces in this issue. The cover story is the most egregious example; but On Temporary Assignment, Ask the Doctors, Not a Spectator Sport and the adaptation of the story in KidsView, Every Last Drop, needed final editing before they appeared in print.
MUST READS: Running from Death by Wilona Karimabadi, With the Times by Kimberly Luste Maran, and Control Freak by Clifford Goldstein
COVER STORY
Running from Death by Wilona Karimabadi
This is a MUST READ. “In a time when standing up for justice could have meant the loss of your own life, one man did what was right, despite the consequences. He was a man whose moral principles and courage were guided by his love for God and humanity. His English name was John Henry Weidner [Johan Hendrik Weidner].”
The Dutch-Paris underground he helped to establish saved about 800 Jews, 100 Allied aviators, and many others who were escaping the tyranny and murder of Nazi oppression.
“Weidner's wartime rescue efforts did not go unrecognized. For his courage he was awarded the United States Medal of Freedom, made a member of the Order of the British Empire, the Dutch Order of Orange Nassau, and given the Dutch Medal of Resistance. The French government awarded him the Croix de guerre and Medaille de la Resistance, and the Legion d¹honneur. The government of Belgium also made him an officer of the Order of King Leopold.
“In addition, the government of Israel honored him as one of the Righteous Among the Nations at the country's national Holocaust Memorial in Yad Vashem. Weidner has a tree planted in his name there. He also participated in the opening of the United States Holocaust Memorial in Washington, D.C., in 1993 as one of seven persons selected to light candles recognizing rescuers.”
‘During our lives, each of us faces a choice: to think only about yourself, to get as much as you can for yourself, or to think about others, to serve, to be helpful to those who are in need. I believe that it is very important to develop your brains, your knowledge, but it is more important to develop your heart, to have a heart open to the suffering of others. As for myself, I am just an ordinary person, just someone who wants to help his neighbor.
'That is the aim of God for me: to think about others, to be unselfish. I am nothing exceptional. If I have one hero, it is God who has helped me to fulfill my mission, to fulfill my duties, to do what I have to do. But for myself, I am just a simple person. During the war, I did what I think everyone should have done.’ John Weidner died in Southern California in 1994.
Editor's note: If you haven't read the story of this Adventist hero, read it! Used copies of the following books documenting his wartime exploits are available from Amazon.com for pennies: Flee the Captor by Herbert Ford, The Hand of Compassion by Kristen Renwick Monroe, and The Courage to Care by Sondra Myers.
ARTICLES
On Temporary Assignment by Dick Rentfro
“In God's eyes, the greatest heroes and heroines of faith are not those with the biggest bank account or those holding political power. Rather it's those who serve faithfully, who regard themselves as on temporary assignment.”
Getting Your Vitamin D? by Allan R. Handysides and Peter N. Landless
Get your Vitamin D levels measured! “It may play a role in up to 16 different cancers, diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis.”
Kids View, edited by Wilona Karimabadi and Limberly Luste Maran
I would have put the clever “Pathfinder badge” title on a white background. The black background makes it sort of disappear into the gloom. Other than that, and the minor problem noted in General Comments, well done!
Not a Spectator Sport by Candy Clark
“On April 19, 2008, 45 participating Pathfinder teams representing eight unions in the North American Division met at Pioneer Memorial Church on the campus of Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, for the 2008 Invitational/Division Level Pathfinder Bible Achieve-ment. A record 40 teams earned a first-place certificate, with the remaining five receiving second-place certificates."
A New Direction by Frank J. Perez
“At that Adventist boarding school [Colegio de las Antillas in Cuba] we shared a love for learning and a passion for Jesus that caused me to change the direction of my life. The course I've chosen continues to this day. The difference in my life wasn¹t because of the books in the library, or the Ph.D.s behind my teachers' names. It wasn't the high-tech classrooms; our classrooms were rudimentary and well behind the times. What made the difference was learning to know Jesus and accepting His gift for me.”
DEPARTMENTS
Letters
Three of the letters to the editor left me wondering about the Review's letter policy. Barb Marsh was abrupt and sarcastic; Alen Forquer debated "foreknowledge" with himself for four paragraphs; and Bevin Brett reviewed an “online exclusive article”.
Control Freak by Clifford Goldstein
In a fascinating scientific and logical tour de force, Goldstein demonstrates “How grateful we need to be . . . for the sovereignty of God” It’s a MUST READ.
World News & Perspectives
General Conference President, Jan Paulsen calls diversity both a challenge and an opportunity in a live conference with pastors across Europe; Newbold College in the UK reports that Jane Sabes, a political science professor at Andrews University, will be the new Principal; Adventist Artist, James David Chase’s 22,719 word portrait of Arnold Palmer, made entirely of quotes from and about him, is a “centerpiece” in the United States Golf Association’ museum; and an historic SDA church business meeting was held in North Korea.
Lessons Learned
The Best Gift by Valerie N. Phillips
“So what if our gifts are less sophisticated or less expensive than someone else's? (Remember how Jesus valued the widow with the two mites?) Many of us are tempted to offer a gift in order to impress instead of to express. But when something is given with genuine love, the giver becomes the gift.”
Reflections
Perfect Surrender by Maria Lombart
“’Perfect surrender’ means giving up all claims on what I personally believe I have a right to have. It means saying, I am willing, Lord, to accept Your best for my life and to trust that Your best is better than I can imagine. . . Perfect surrender is not an immediate achievement. Neither does it come as a result of my having worked enough and learned enough and tried hard enough to become perfect. It comes, rather, as a gift from a Father who truly cares about me.”
EDITORIALS
She Hung Up on Me by Roy Adams
Roy, I am one of your greatest admirers. That said, your editorial was a disappointment. In addition, the illustration that accompanied your words, the profiles of two cut out black figures, hat in hand, bowing toward each other, reinforced an unfortunate vaudevillian racial stereotype.
Now to your editorial. Regarding your example of Paul’s “courteous behavior”. You assume the following statement to be an apology. "Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: 'Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people'". You also assume that Paul didn't know the man who hit him in the mouth. That seems unlikely. Given the context of Paul's first response, "God will strike you, you whitewashed wall", I believe Paul was being sarcastic.
When you returned the call of the discourteous woman, you could have had your assistant on another line. You could have identified yourself and stated that you had two reasons for returning her call. First, to give the woman the opportunity to apologize for her behavior. Second, to clear up a misunderstanding regarding something you had written in a Sabbath school lesson.
Christians aren’t required to "walk on egg shells" and "use our softest voices" when we confront discourteous behavior.
I am fond of the story of two men in an elevator. Both get on together every day. One man gets off at the seventh floor and the other at the 11th. Before the man gets off at the seventh floor, he whacks the other man on the back. This happens every day, and finally the bellhop that operates the elevator works up enough courage to question the man as he rides to the 11th floor. "What is going on? Why does that man hit you every day before he gets off the elevator?" Before the man gets off at the 11th floor he answers, "I don't know. Ask the other guy; it's his problem."
So she hung up on you; big deal.
With the Times by Kimberly Luste Maran
This editorial is a MUST READ. The illustrations that support her conclusion are entertaining and “with it”. "Those who lead our youth need to really know what is going on in their kids’ lives and figure out how to make the best, positive impact in the short time they have with them."
Friday, July 4, 2008
Reviewing the Adventist Review
June 19, 2008
Vol. 185, No. 17
GENERAL COMMENTS
Two essays are MUST READS: Stephen Chavez’ editorial, Going Against the Flow, and Rick Labate’s, What Is a Church Congregation?
COVER STORY
Still “People of the Book”? by Mark A. Kellner
In this important journalistic piece, Kellner quotes the broadcaster Woodrow Kroll: "the Bible is struggling to survive the neglect of its friends." He goes on to quote Albert Mohler: "Fewer than half of all adults can name the four Gospels. Many Christians cannot identify more than two or three of the disciples. . . 60 percent of Americans can't name even five of the Ten Commandments."
The Bible is replete with conflicting historical accounts of what actually happened. Consequently, it's a good idea to follow Kellner’s advice and stay "engaged" with the biblical text if we wish to consider ourselves "People of the Book”. Unfortunately, in this issue, Frederick Russell writes (See Hunger for God.): "Had Moses seen the face of God, he would have been fully consumed by His glory."
Many Adventist writers, like Russell, seem unaware of Exodus 24: 9-11. "Moses and Aaron, Nadab and a Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of sapphire, clear as the sky itself. But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank."
ARTICLES
Reconnecting by Mike Jones
Jones, who has been in and out and back in the Adventist Church, has the following suggestions for reconnecting with former Adventists. Leave the former member on your church mailing list. Watch for in active members on Sabbath mornings when they visit. Pray for but don't nag your family member who has dropped out. Consider anointing a former member who becomes ill. Apologize for the church when a former member feels wounded. Keep former members in your prayers. Remember to claim God's promises on behalf of the inactive or former member. Listen, listen, listen. And finally, never give up.
Sometimes We Feel Lost in Total Darkness
Kenneyetta Fields-Williams’ devotional piece reminds us that without a spiritual roadmap, we can lose our way in the darkness of despair.
Measuring Greatness by Leonard Brand
Even though Leonard’s father would not be considered a great man “as modern society measures greatness”, he was a man who “was never satisfied with doing something just ‘good enough. He put out extra energy to do is very best". He was also a marvelous Christian and adored by his family. No father could wish for a more loving tribute.
DEPARTMENTS
Letters
Pastor Chester Hitchcock's letter was a cry for help, and he speaks for many other small church pastors across North America. My son and his family attend a tiny church in the Midwest. The pastor, a retired hospital chaplain, will be allowed to retire this summer. The church has no phone and on any Sabbath in which my son, daughter-in-law, and their children do not attend, the local congregation will be made up of five "mature" members.
My son is a medical doctor who pays a faithful tithe. Consequently, this tiny church has become a cash cow for the local conference. My son is first elder and his wife is the church treasurer. There are three small churches within thirty miles of each other, but the conference leadership seems unwilling to consolidate these churches and/or provide the ministerial leadership that would allow these churches to become viable again.
These small-town churches are the canaries in the “mines” of the Adventist Church. I have been told that Grace Connection, the Adventist fellowship I attend in Chico, has a larger membership than the median Adventist congregation in North America.
Tools of the Trade by Monte Sahlin
Sahlin is chair of a team that is developing a comprehensive discipleship curriculum. You can recommend resources to him at “msalhin@creativeministry.org” or (800) 272-4664. In this issue he recommends four books designed to "Tool” Adventists for ministry. How to Lead Your Church Department Successfully; Deacon & Deaconess; Wanted: Relationships Where Love is in Place are available from AdventSource. Hooked on Unhappiness is published by Pacific Press.
World News and Perspectives
Kenneth Wood, 90, Longtime Review Editor and Chairman of the White Estate Board, has died; Russell Standish, 74, was killed in an Australian car crash; Cindy Tutsch is the author of Ellen White on Leadership (I hope the disjointed language and syntax of Tutsch’s quotations are not an indication of what her readers can expect.); and finally a mission story from Nepal.
When Bhaju Ram Shrestha was seventeen, he was kicked out of his house for becoming a Protestant Christian in Nepal. In the last 40 years he has cofounded the Adventist Church in Nepal, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency, translated several editions of the church’s Adult Bible Study Guide, and is the recognized leader of Nepal’s 5,400 church members.
Kingdom Business
In has essay, Hunger for God, Fredrick A. Russell writes some memorable words. "If you're interested only in God's blessings, then that's what you'll settle for. If you want only to know the ways of God, you'll be content with that. But you'll never have all He wants to give."
Bookmark
W. Clarence Schilt recommends Sometimes I Don’t Feel Like Praying published by the Pacific Press. According to Schilt, it “should be a helpful book for those who want to take their spiritual experience to a higher level".
Reflections
What Is a Church Congregation? This short essay by Rick Labate is a MUST READ definition of what a Christian congregation should be.
EDITORIALS
Going Against the Flow by Stephen Chavez
This editorial is a MUST READ. Stephen Chavez is a brilliant essayist, and his words reflect the very finest aspirations of Christian Adventists everywhere. The following quotation is his final paragraph.
"Christ surely calls us to flee worldly influences such as pride, greed, gluttony, hatred, violence, and promiscuity. And when we do, we will certainly create a counterculture. But unfortunately, it takes more than a change of clothes or a behavior modification to influence our cynical society; it takes an encounter with Christ, 'who called [us] out of darkness into his wonderful light'." (1 Peter 2:9)
Take a Load Off and Rest by Wilona Karimabadi
Karimabadi makes the point that the Sabbath was made for human beings to "take the time to breathe". It might even mean "taking a break from services". I couldn't agree more.
Vol. 185, No. 17
GENERAL COMMENTS
Two essays are MUST READS: Stephen Chavez’ editorial, Going Against the Flow, and Rick Labate’s, What Is a Church Congregation?
COVER STORY
Still “People of the Book”? by Mark A. Kellner
In this important journalistic piece, Kellner quotes the broadcaster Woodrow Kroll: "the Bible is struggling to survive the neglect of its friends." He goes on to quote Albert Mohler: "Fewer than half of all adults can name the four Gospels. Many Christians cannot identify more than two or three of the disciples. . . 60 percent of Americans can't name even five of the Ten Commandments."
The Bible is replete with conflicting historical accounts of what actually happened. Consequently, it's a good idea to follow Kellner’s advice and stay "engaged" with the biblical text if we wish to consider ourselves "People of the Book”. Unfortunately, in this issue, Frederick Russell writes (See Hunger for God.): "Had Moses seen the face of God, he would have been fully consumed by His glory."
Many Adventist writers, like Russell, seem unaware of Exodus 24: 9-11. "Moses and Aaron, Nadab and a Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of sapphire, clear as the sky itself. But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank."
ARTICLES
Reconnecting by Mike Jones
Jones, who has been in and out and back in the Adventist Church, has the following suggestions for reconnecting with former Adventists. Leave the former member on your church mailing list. Watch for in active members on Sabbath mornings when they visit. Pray for but don't nag your family member who has dropped out. Consider anointing a former member who becomes ill. Apologize for the church when a former member feels wounded. Keep former members in your prayers. Remember to claim God's promises on behalf of the inactive or former member. Listen, listen, listen. And finally, never give up.
Sometimes We Feel Lost in Total Darkness
Kenneyetta Fields-Williams’ devotional piece reminds us that without a spiritual roadmap, we can lose our way in the darkness of despair.
Measuring Greatness by Leonard Brand
Even though Leonard’s father would not be considered a great man “as modern society measures greatness”, he was a man who “was never satisfied with doing something just ‘good enough. He put out extra energy to do is very best". He was also a marvelous Christian and adored by his family. No father could wish for a more loving tribute.
DEPARTMENTS
Letters
Pastor Chester Hitchcock's letter was a cry for help, and he speaks for many other small church pastors across North America. My son and his family attend a tiny church in the Midwest. The pastor, a retired hospital chaplain, will be allowed to retire this summer. The church has no phone and on any Sabbath in which my son, daughter-in-law, and their children do not attend, the local congregation will be made up of five "mature" members.
My son is a medical doctor who pays a faithful tithe. Consequently, this tiny church has become a cash cow for the local conference. My son is first elder and his wife is the church treasurer. There are three small churches within thirty miles of each other, but the conference leadership seems unwilling to consolidate these churches and/or provide the ministerial leadership that would allow these churches to become viable again.
These small-town churches are the canaries in the “mines” of the Adventist Church. I have been told that Grace Connection,
Tools of the Trade by Monte Sahlin
Sahlin is chair of a team that is developing a comprehensive discipleship curriculum. You can recommend resources to him at “msalhin@creativeministry.org” or (800) 272-4664. In this issue he recommends four books designed to "Tool” Adventists for ministry. How to Lead Your Church Department Successfully; Deacon & Deaconess; Wanted: Relationships Where Love is in Place are available from AdventSource. Hooked on Unhappiness is published by Pacific Press.
World News and Perspectives
Kenneth Wood, 90, Longtime Review Editor and Chairman of the White Estate Board, has died; Russell Standish, 74, was killed in an Australian car crash; Cindy Tutsch is the author of Ellen White on Leadership (I hope the disjointed language and syntax of Tutsch’s quotations are not an indication of what her readers can expect.); and finally a mission story from Nepal.
When Bhaju Ram Shrestha was seventeen, he was kicked out of his house for becoming a Protestant Christian in Nepal. In the last 40 years he has cofounded the Adventist Church in Nepal, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency, translated several editions of the church’s Adult Bible Study Guide, and is the recognized leader of Nepal’s 5,400 church members.
Kingdom Business
In has essay, Hunger for God, Fredrick A. Russell writes some memorable words. "If you're interested only in God's blessings, then that's what you'll settle for. If you want only to know the ways of God, you'll be content with that. But you'll never have all He wants to give."
Bookmark
W. Clarence Schilt recommends Sometimes I Don’t Feel Like Praying published by the Pacific Press. According to Schilt, it “should be a helpful book for those who want to take their spiritual experience to a higher level".
Reflections
What Is a Church Congregation? This short essay by Rick Labate is a MUST READ definition of what a Christian congregation should be.
EDITORIALS
Going Against the Flow by Stephen Chavez
This editorial is a MUST READ. Stephen Chavez is a brilliant essayist, and his words reflect the very finest aspirations of Christian Adventists everywhere. The following quotation is his final paragraph.
"Christ surely calls us to flee worldly influences such as pride, greed, gluttony, hatred, violence, and promiscuity. And when we do, we will certainly create a counterculture. But unfortunately, it takes more than a change of clothes or a behavior modification to influence our cynical society; it takes an encounter with Christ, 'who called [us] out of darkness into his wonderful light'." (1 Peter 2:9)
Take a Load Off and Rest by Wilona Karimabadi
Karimabadi makes the point that the Sabbath was made for human beings to "take the time to breathe". It might even mean "taking a break from services". I couldn't agree more.
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