tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14410967.post3258919758485552100..comments2024-03-25T19:00:40.046-06:00Comments on The Constructive Curmudgeon: Be Countercultural: Listen to ChristDouglas Groothuis, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/08766692378954258034noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14410967.post-90741641296777468312008-01-10T11:19:00.000-07:002008-01-10T11:19:00.000-07:00Than,Our solution to your dilemma has been to conn...Than,<BR/><BR/>Our solution to your dilemma has been to connect with the local homeschool group. Even if you don't homeschool, consider looking into this growing segment of the population. You might find that a number of families have values similar to your own, and that can be the beginning of some good relationships for your boys.Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15786874834919065011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14410967.post-75304407117977988582008-01-09T17:04:00.000-07:002008-01-09T17:04:00.000-07:00Than Brown:May God bless your efforts to obey him ...Than Brown:<BR/><BR/>May God bless your efforts to obey him and be a godly parent!Douglas Groothuis, Ph.D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/08766692378954258034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14410967.post-39813159302809908492008-01-08T07:29:00.000-07:002008-01-08T07:29:00.000-07:00Thanks, Doug, for your scriptural challenge and en...Thanks, Doug, for your scriptural challenge and encouragement to be counter-cultural. I have been recently lamenting the affects of trying to embody such verses as you give here; being counter-cultural in a biblical way comes with a price and a measure of pain.<BR/><BR/>We as a family have made deliberate choices to limit the amount of "screen time" our two young boys have, encouraging them to read, enjoy the outdoors, or to be creative with the toys they possess. Unfortunately, this is not a common value, even among evangelical Christians. As a result, it has been a difficult journey to foster relationships for our children with other children. Kids come over with a preset expectation to be entertained or to have unlimited Xbox or GameBoy play time. They leave disappointed, and that relationship for our boys fizzles. <BR/><BR/>I grieve for my boys, and pray...Than Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15081733236434280729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14410967.post-36616740297251259282008-01-07T20:01:00.000-07:002008-01-07T20:01:00.000-07:00Who dismissed culture as a whole? I gave three sta...Who dismissed culture as a whole? I gave three statements by the Lord of the Universe for you to chew on. Are you?!Douglas Groothuis, Ph.D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/08766692378954258034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14410967.post-14107086826566279342008-01-07T13:29:00.000-07:002008-01-07T13:29:00.000-07:00Doug,Just wondering if you would agree that if you...Doug,<BR/>Just wondering if you would agree that if you do actively live out the three scriptures you mention then you might be countercultural to most of the church culture?<BR/><BR/>These disciplines for the most part I fear are not well received anymore. It is a good reminder, especially the "when" you fast, not the "if" you fast.<BR/><BR/>BenBenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01646510070878671812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14410967.post-18208265793580568262008-01-07T11:04:00.000-07:002008-01-07T11:04:00.000-07:00Doug,I am not sure that any of the passages that y...Doug,<BR/><BR/>I am not sure that any of the passages that you referred to can be justified as an exhortation by Jesus to be countercultural. It is unfair to say that the pharisees in Matthew 6 represent the cultural Zeitgeist of the day. And, in the context, what people highly value in Luke 16 is money, which is detestable in God's sight. <BR/><BR/>I will grant you Luke 9 in that denying oneself is indeed countercultural. But Christ's point in the verse was not to be countercultural but rather love Jesus.<BR/><BR/>I am in agreement with you that Christianity is countercultural; however, I think we can better represent ourselves when we abstain from proof texting and a quick dismissal of culture as a whole.<BR/><BR/>A simple dismissal of culture with sweeping generalizations like "be countercultural" certainly does not do the topic justice. Rather, a thorough examination of cultural trends followed by careful analysis and finally cultural exegesis would prove beneficial in guiding one through the cultural discussion. I would recommend Kevin Vanhoozer's <A HREF="http://www.wtsbooks.com/product-exec/product_id/4774/nm/Everyday_Theology_How_to_Read_Cultural_Texts_and_Interpret_Trends_Cultural_Exegesis_Paperback_" REL="nofollow"><I>Everyday Theology</I></A> for a good overview.James Gordonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10743030107580852971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14410967.post-22277733041493357602008-01-07T10:55:00.000-07:002008-01-07T10:55:00.000-07:00Mr. Adams: I confess I haven't the slightest idea ...Mr. Adams: I confess I haven't the slightest idea what you're on about with the above response.<BR/><BR/>Does no one find it the least bit ironic that in a passage in which our Lord states, "If any of you are ashamed of me and my words," someone has found it necessary to correct his original language use according to the spirit of this age?Ken Abbotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01398980914190503708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14410967.post-86066649915258454972008-01-07T10:01:00.000-07:002008-01-07T10:01:00.000-07:00Ken...What is it about love for God and others you...Ken...<BR/>What is it about love for God and others you don't understand?Paul D. Adamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18213551311029058377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14410967.post-50754277820669925402008-01-07T09:18:00.000-07:002008-01-07T09:18:00.000-07:00SD: I'm sorry--are we acquainted?SD: I'm sorry--are we acquainted?Ken Abbotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01398980914190503708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14410967.post-51321558619592418372008-01-07T09:02:00.000-07:002008-01-07T09:02:00.000-07:00Ken - give it a rest. Why don't you respond to the...Ken - give it a rest. Why don't you respond to the post and not argue about translations?Southern Dreaminghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15166289357881326945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14410967.post-73405368106222569982008-01-07T06:44:00.000-07:002008-01-07T06:44:00.000-07:00Argh! Be even more counter-cultural and eschew th...Argh! Be even more counter-cultural and eschew the lazy use of the third person plural pronoun as a genderless substitute for the proper third person singular!<BR/><BR/>What ungrammatical translation IS this?Ken Abbotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01398980914190503708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14410967.post-75282011487542883472008-01-07T06:18:00.000-07:002008-01-07T06:18:00.000-07:00Jesus also says:"love your enemies and pray for th...Jesus also says:<BR/>"love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:44)<BR/><BR/>and<BR/><BR/>"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. [and] Love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 22:37-39<BR/><BR/>Can we be <I>counter</I>cultural without be <I>anti</I>cultural? Precisely how do we love our neighbor while eschewing the culture in which they're embdedded? That is an important question and must be answered before we can begin to be effective with the Gospel message. We're not merely called to be different but called to call others to be different as well.Paul D. Adamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18213551311029058377noreply@blogger.com