Musings

The Merriam-Webster Word of the Day for June 30, 2011 was extenuate.

1: to lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of by making partial excuses : mitigate 2: to lessen the strength or effect of

Regarding the word's origins they offered this:

In 2008, shock and sadness accompanied the death of 3-year-old Caylee Anthony, as indeed it should for the senseless death of any child.   For some, that sense of sorrow and the desire for justice appears to have turned into bitterness, anger, and the pursuit of vengeance.  The trial of Caylee's mother, Casey Anthony, has captured the attention of many Americans and left some believers confused and conflicted.

Believers should always turn to the Living Word of G-d for guidance, strength, and encouragement.

My day job has recently taken me into the world of marketing and all of its fascinating concepts.  One marketing approach that recently got me thinking was "branded merchandise".  You know... a baseball cap with the name of your favorite sports team on it; a pen with the name of your insurance company; a coffee mug with the name of your favorite veterinary clinic.

Branded merchandise is everywhere:

Pens, pencils, and erasers, water jugs, coffee mugs, and baby bottles, caps, hats, and umbrellas, t-shirts, sweat pants, and jackets, gym bags, tote bags, and book bags, lions, tigers, and bears... oh, my!

I found a handy online tool to transliterate Hebrew text by Aaron Eby.

Check it out!

https://www.alittlehebrew.com/transliterate/

Thanks, Aaron! :)

Every once in a while I stumble across a rare gem in the online Messianic world. This time it happened twice!

A while back I had found the site of a Messianic brother named Darren who has a passion for Biblical archaeology. The name of his site is Digging with Darren.

I don't recall the first time I found his site but I was blessed to find it again and wanted to make sure I shared it.  I pray you will enjoy it, too!

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Over the past two millennia, various groups of believers have taken a verse here and a verse there out of context and developed an entire branch of theology from it.  Methodists, Episcopalians, Baptists, Messianics... we are all guilty of this to one degree or another.  It is often the consequence of our finite understanding, a short-sighted focus, or the limited time we have to study the whole counsel of Scripture.

Some of these teachings are born from a need to correct a specific error or heresy being taught.  For example, some doctrines from the first and second centuries were born out of the need to correct certain Gnostic heresies.  These doctrines resulted in a narrow focus on the humanity of Messiah, almost to the exclusion of acknowledging His deity.

In other circumstances, teachings are born out of good intentions, but ignoring the broader messages of Scripture and focusing on minute details, they ultimately end up in error.  Sacred Name theology is one extreme example of this.

Just before the height of last year's "Climategate" scandal, the British newspaper The Telegraph ran an article entitled "Climategate reveals 'the most influential tree in the world'".  Writer Christopher Booker made good points but got the wrong tree.

Booker wrote:

Coming to light in recent days has been one of the most extraordinary scientific detective stories of our time, bizarrely centred on a single tree in Siberia dubbed "the most influential tree in the world". On this astonishing tale, it is no exaggeration to say, could hang in considerable part the future shape of our civilisation. Right at the heart of the sound and fury of "Climategate" – the emails leaked from the Climatic Research Unit (CRU) in East Anglia – is one story of scientific chicanery, overlooked by the media, whose implications dwarf all the rest.

The Merriam Webster Word of the Day for September 21, 2009 was laodicean.

For those of you who are acquainted with Scripture this may sound familiar.  This word comes from the name Laodicea which is one of the seven churches mentioned in the book of Revelation.  The Laodicean believers were known for their lukewarm behavior.  In fact, that is the modern meaning of this word:

lukewarm or indifferent in religion or politics

In fact, M-W refers to Scripture in their etymology of the word:

I was looking at my calendar this morning and noticed that Friday, February 18th was "Purim Katan".

"Purim Katan?", I thought.  "Little Purim?"

Yes, indeed, it is a little Purim.

The Book of Esther tells us:

Now in the twelfth month (that is, the month Adar), on the thirteenth day when the king's command and edict were about to be executed, on the day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them, it was turned to the contrary so that the Jews themselves gained the mastery over those who hated them. (Esther 9:1)

For grins, I went to Webster's 1828 dictionary to look up the words liberalism and conservatism after writing recent Word For Thought articles about them.  His 1828 dictionary is much more reflective of Webster's Christian character than modern dictionaries that carry his name.  I found these insights (the emphasis is mine):

Liberal (Liberalism was not present)

Previously in the Words For Thought series we examined the word "liberalism".  Now let's take a look at conservatism.  Here is what Merriam-Webster has to say about it:

Conservatism

1 capitalized a : the principles and policies of a Conservative party    b : the Conservative party 2 a : disposition in politics to preserve what is established    b : a political philosophy based on tradition and social stability, stressing established institutions, and preferring gradual development to abrupt change; specifically : such a philosophy calling for lower taxes, limited government regulation of business and investing, a strong national defense, and individual financial responsibility for personal needs (as retirement income or health-care coverage) 3 : the tendency to prefer an existing or traditional situation to change

Anyone who frequents this blog knows about the "Words For Thought" series where I examine words, their meanings, and their use in a Scriptural context.

Two of the words that I found to be rather interesting lately are liberalism and conservativism. They don't always mean what we think they mean.  This article (and the next few that follow it) will examine these words.  Let's start with...

Liberalism

1 : the quality or state of being liberal 2 aoften capitalized : a movement in modern Protestantism emphasizing intellectual liberty and the spiritual and ethical content of Christianity    b : a theory in economics emphasizing individual freedom from restraint and usually based on free competition, the self-regulating market, and the gold standard    c : a political philosophy based on belief in progress, the essential goodness of the human race, and the autonomy of the individual and standing for the protection of political and civil liberties; specifically : such a philosophy that considers government as a crucial instrument for amelioration of social inequities (as those involving race, gender, or class)    d capitalized : the principles and policies of a Liberal party

The Merriam-Webster Word of the Day for September 16th, 2009 was pink.

First: I know... I know.  I'm WAYYY behind if I am pulling up a WotD from 2009. :)

Second: no... this word does not refer to the color.  It's a verb:

1 a : to perforate in an ornamental pattern b : to cut a saw-toothed edge on 2 a : pierce, stab b : to wound by irony, criticism, or ridicule

One of the ideas reiterated throughout this blog has been "words have power". One particular example that I often share with friends and family is the expression "I'm sorry".

I'm Sorry

In a literal sense saying "I'm sorry" means "I am wretched, worthless, poor."

Why would someone say such a thing? Aren't we created in the image of G-d?  (Genesis 1:26)

This "wretched" meaning dates back to the 13th century and a time when people would debase themselves before some nobleman or leader as a result of some offense. They would essentially say "I am wretched, worthless, and poor" and seek the nobleman's mercy and favor.

My father, Carl Stephenson, passed away this past Sunday at the age of 61.

It has been a difficult time for the family, but I have found a small measure of comfort in being able to honor my father by delivering the message during his memorial service.  I would like to share it with you as well.  (Many thanks go to Jim Kilson for his assistance in preparing this message.)

My father was a "good ole boy" from a small town in south Texas, and most of his friends (and several of my family members) are just "down home" kinds of folks.  They have little to no idea about "Yeshua" or the Messianic movement, so I tailored my message for that group.  Here it is...

Proverbs 22:6 tells us

Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.

The responsibility of a parent is to train a child... not just raise a child.  People can raise dogs, cows, chickens, or any other kind of animal they like.  Scripture tells us that we should train our children.  We have a responsibility that is greater than just providing food and shelter and raising them.  If anyone is interested, I highly recommend Reb Bradley's Child Training Tips book.

The work of our heavenly Father (through the Messiah) is to author and perfect our faith (Hebrews 12:2) and conform us to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29).  We as parents should actively assist in this effort rather than oppose it through laziness or passivity.  Unfortunately, I find examples of such opposition to be far too common in the world.

I usually ignore the rubbish coming out of Hollywood that involves witches, goblins, ghosts, and vampires.  That whole passage in Philippians comes to mind:

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.  (Philippians 4:8)

Given that neither Harry Potter nor the Twilight series seems to fit into any of those categories, I haven't paid them much mind beyond being generally aware that they are a "big deal" to the American public.  Imagine my surprise when I read an article on Foxnews.com entitled "Vampire Books Like 'Twilight' May be Altering Teen Minds".

"Surprise?" you may ask.

"What surprise is there about those types of books 'altering teen minds'?"

A cargo cult is a religious practice that has appeared in many traditional tribal societies in the wake of interaction with technologically advanced cultures.  The cults focus on obtaining the advanced culture's material wealth (the "cargo") through magic and religious rituals and practices.  Cult members believe that the wealth was intended for them by their deities and ancestors.  Cargo cults developed primarily in remote parts of New Guinea and other Melanesian and Micronesian societies in the southwest Pacific Ocean, beginning with the first significant arrivals of Westerners in the 19th century.  Similar behaviors have, however, also appeared elsewhere in the world.

Cargo cult activity in the Pacific region increased significantly during and immediately after World War II when the residents observed the Japanese and American combatants bringing in large amounts of material.  When the war ended, the military bases closed, and the flow of goods and materials ceased.  In an attempt to attract further deliveries of goods, followers of the cults engaged in ritualistic practices such as building crude imitation landing strips, aircraft, and radio equipment and mimicking the behavior they had observed of the military personnel operating them.

The Apostle Paul wrote,

For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.   (Romans 10:2)

And the Truth Shall Set You Free

In September, the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life released the results of their "U.S. Religious Knowledge Survey".  [If you would like to take a shortened version of the survey online it is available here. -B]

The results were summarized in a FoxNews.com article that stated:

Atheists and agnostics scored highest, with an average of 21 correct answers [out of 32 questions], while Jews and Mormons followed with about 20 accurate responses. Protestants overall averaged 16 correct answers, while Catholics followed with a score of about 15.

Hispanic Catholics were the lowest-scoring group with 11.6 questions answered correctly.

The Merriam-Webster Word of the Day for October 21st was renovate.

1: to restore to a former better state (as by cleaning, repairing, or rebuilding) 2: to restore to life, vigor, or activity : revive

There is a website I enjoy visiting from time to time that deals with all things typography: I Love Typography.

I was pointed there recently to an interesting article entitled "Where does the alphabet come from?"

What makes this article interesting is that it goes all the way from ancient cuneiform to modern-day English letters.  What makes it exceptionally interesting is that it includes references to people and places in the Bible in a positive manner.

I just sat and shook my head in amazement at the hypocrisy.

I have seen the word flabbergasted before and even used it at times but I had not ever felt it to this degree.

I was embarrased on behalf of those who would exhibit such a double standard.  It made me enormously uncomfortable even being aware of it.  No... I am not talking about the behavior of someone in my congregation, community, or office.  I'm referring to certain individuals with the medical journal "Lancet".

CNN ran an article entitled Home births: No drugs, no doctors, lots of controversy on August 9th.  In it they quote a Lancet editorial as follows:

The Merriam-Webster Word of the Day for August 1st 2007 was the adjective august.

marked by majestic dignity or grandeur

They provided this insightful bit of information about the origins of the word:

"August" comes from the Latin word "augustus," meaning "consecrated" or "venerable," which in turn is related to the Latin "augur," meaning "consecrated by augury" or "auspicious." In 8 B.C. the Roman Senate honored Augustus Caesar, the first Roman emperor, by changing the name of their month "Sextilis" to "Augustus." Middle English speakers inherited the name of the month of August, but it wasn't until the mid-1600s that "august" came to be used generically in English, more or less as "augustus" was in Latin, to refer to someone with imperial qualities.

Even more so than our last "Word for Thought", copacetic, the origins of the Merriam-Webster Word of the Day for March 26th are Hebraic.  The word was shibboleth.

1 : catchword, slogan 2 : a widely held belief or truism 3 : a custom or usage regarded as distinctive of a particular group

Whoah, dude!  The Merriam-Webster Word of the Day for March 23rd was, like, wayyy cool.  It was, uh... uh...

Oh, yeah... copacetic!  \koh-puh-SET-ik\

That means "very satisfactory", dude.  Sweeeet.

OK, yes, the word is often associated with "dudes" from the valley because of its prevalent use during various movies of the 80's and early 90's but its use in America goes back to the 1920's and the early jazz era.

I came across an article today and as I read it, I was grieved in my soul.

The article, entitled "Go Ahead and Follow Your Heart. God Wants You To", was on the blog site named PersonalFinanceByTheBook.com.

Upon reading the title a handful of verses immediately came to mind.  Chief among them was this:

"The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?"  (Jeremiah 17:9)

Since this is true, why oh why would G-d want us to follow our hearts?

The author, Joe Plemon, includes this definition of heart in his article:

Pastor Rick Warren defines it thusly, "the bundle of desires, hopes, interests, ambitions, dreams and affections that you have."

"It Is Well With My Soul" is a well-known hymn written by Horatio Spafford and composed by Philip Bliss.

Spafford wrote the hymn after several traumatic events occurred in his life.

The first was the death of his only son in 1871, shortly followed by the great Chicago Fire which ruined him financially (he had been a successful lawyer). Then in 1873, he had planned to travel to Europe with his family on the SS Ville du Havre but sent the family ahead while he was delayed on business concerning zoning problems following the Great Chicago Fire. While crossing the Atlantic, the ship sank rapidly after a collision with a sailing ship, the Loch Earn and all four of Spafford's daughters died. His wife Anna survived and sent him the now famous telegram, "Saved alone." Shortly afterward, as Spafford traveled to meet his grieving wife, he was inspired to write these words as his ship passed near where his daughters had died.

The Merriam-Webster Word of the Day for March 16th was archetype [AHR-kih-type].

the original pattern or model of which all things of the same type are representations or copies : prototype; also : a perfect example

The Merriam-Webster Word of the Day for March 9th was eclectic.

1 : selecting what appears to be best in various doctrines, methods, or styles 2 : composed of elements drawn from various sources; also : heterogeneous

The Merriam-Webster Word of the Day for March 4th was licit.

conforming to the requirements of the law : not forbidden by law : permissible

In their "Did you know?" section they provided this:

"Licit" is far less common than its antonym "illicit," but you probably won’t be surprised to learn that the former is the older of the two. Not by much, though: the first known use of "licit" in print is from 1483, whereas "illicit" shows up in print for the first time in 1506. For some reason "illicit" took off while "licit" just plodded along. When "licit" appears these days it often modifies "drugs" or "crops." Meanwhile, "illicit" shows up before words like "thrill" and "passion" (as well as "gambling," "relationship," "activities," and, of course, "drugs" and "crops.") The Latin word "licitus," meaning "lawful," is the root of the pair; "licitus" itself is from "lic?re," meaning "to be permitted."