Things I Think…
1. The loss of J.I. Packer is not primarily the loss of a great theologian, it’s the loss of a person of great Christian character. We have plenty of theologians…we’re running out of people whose character matches their profession of faith…
2. To be honest, Packer’s character was a constant rebuke to me, a rebuke I needed more than I followed…I still need it and he will always be the standard for Christian communication and the walk I should have…
3. When giants fall, what scares me is how small their replacements are…
4. I thank God that He has surrounded me with giants of the faith, though few know their names compared to Packer…rocks in the river, holding steady…
5. I had an epiphany after my birthday…beside the fact that I’m old now. I learned to read by reading comic books and comic books assumed shared values that were worth sacrifice. Those values were illustrated in heroes and I’ve always kept those values while looking for heroes…and my current depression is from losing heroes, with no replacements in sight and realizing that not as many share those values as I thought…
6. The greatest hero of all is Jesus…but not many share His values either…
7. I’m pretty sensitive…but this culture is so emotionally and spiritually soft it makes me gag. Had to get that off my chest…
8. I much prefer the company of people with great character and questionable theology, than vice versa…
9. We seem to be under the misconception that public complaint is the solution to our problems…that we are going to bitch and moan our way back to normal…good luck with that…
10. If we really cared as much as we claim, and if we truly understood where we’re at in the church and in the society…we’d be acting very differently than we are. The truth is, we are addicted to hate and controversy and wish both to continue unabated…there is something about war that makes us feel alive…no matter the cost…
# 10 – i wish i could disagree, but from what i see around me there are way too many feeding on hate. It takes hate to energize us?
God hates, but He knows what to hate. Too many of us just hate. Is it true that hate makes small, insecure people feel big?
You’re thinking some sad things. Accurate things, unfortunately.
#5 John Lewis, another giant whom we just lost (“the conscience of the House”), has a trilogy of graphic comic books, called “March.”
https://www.amazon.com/March-Trilogy-Slipcase-John-Lewis/dp/1603093958/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=john+lewis+graphic+novel&qid=1595355835&sr=8-2
“The truth is, we are addicted to hate and controversy and wish both to continue unabated.”
We have some very good teachers.
And like drug dealers with an addict, our hate-dealers use our addiction to to their own ends.
Jean,
There’s some truth in what you wrote, especially about feeding our addictions.
On the other hand, I just read a couple comment threads on Gab and it appears that people can be really awful on their own.
Em,
“Is it true that hate makes small, insecure people feel big?”
Yes…and we seem to be shrinking in front of our own eyes…
I have a below average view of human anthropology, so I am not surprised people can be awful. I’ve always expected our national leaders to appeal to our better nature, if for nothing else than to maintain a degree of civil peace. But to my surprise and horror, just the opposite is happening now. Our role models are leading with the example that when someone disagrees with you, your response should be to destroy his/her reputation. I can’t see how that ends well for anyone.
Destroy by slander, misleading and outright lying.
Em and Michael,
true statement. A song I know has the lyric “why do cowards always talk the loudest…”
I like your item #8…I love people of great character!
Regarding item #10…seems like as a society we are consuming ourselves with anger to the point where we are destroying our nation. From the inside out.
I’ll have to gravitate to J.I. Packer’s writings.
I hear ya on #8! Especially after some recent convos with people who are theologically rigid.