Desperate Houseflies: The Magazine

Feel free to pull out your trusty fly swatter and comment on what is posted here, realizing that this odd collection of writers may prove as difficult to kill as houseflies and are presumably just as pesky. “Desperate Houseflies” is a magazine that intends to publish weekly articles on subjects such as politics, literature, history, sports, photography, religion, and no telling what else. We’ll see what happens.

Friday, November 17, 2006

Hodgepodge

POLITICS: The rest of the Houseflies are admirably addressing this area, so I’ll just tip my hat to their thought-provoking posts and comments…

POLITICS + RELIGION: Most of you will stay away because we’ve fought this fight many times before, but I’ve enmeshed myself in another discussion of Christianity as it relates to war/pacifism over at my friend, Danny Dodd’s, blog. But feel free to come on over if you wish.

BOOKS: I’m still working on two, which is my normal practice. I’m just two chapters away from finishing my book for work, The Unnecessary Pastor (by Marva Dawn & Eugene Peterson). I’ll probably post a few thoughts from it when I’m done. Even though it might be my least favorite book by Peterson, there are still several good thoughts interspersed. And on my fun book front, Lemony Snicket’s book #7, The Vile Village, is sitting on my nightstand at home. I haven’t started it yet, but I will. I think all of you should read a Lemony Snicket book. Seriously!

SPORTS: I’m all about the Razorbacks this year. Number five in AP, but number seven in the BCS. There is no way Notre Dame should be ahead of Arkansas, but I was still surprised to see the AP bump us ahead of them. For some reason, sports folks love Notre Dame. Rutgers has me worried. Arkansas really needs West Virginia to take them down. Here’s my plan:
* Cal (or UCLA) over USC
* USC over Notre Dame
* WVU over Rutgers
* Ohio State beats Michigan by 40 points (or vice-versa)
* Arkansas beats MSU, LSU, and Florida

Okay, a bit far-fetched, but it could happen…

RELIGION: This emerging movement still has me thinking. I brought it up to a couple of Episcopal pastors yesterday, but they immediately gravitated to the worship service end of it. Which is the one part that doesn’t interest me. I’m much more captivated by the “how you live is more important than what you believe” aspect of it.

I started thinking, if you asked folks who best epitomized the life of Jesus…
* Roman Catholics would say the Pope (I’m guessing)
* Evangelicals would say Billy Graham (look at all those people he converted)
* I don’t know who Mainline Protestants would say (I’ll have to ask)
* Emerging folks would probably say Mother Teresa.

Evangelicals would then point out that Mother Teresa was Catholic, to which emerging folks would say, “I don’t care if she’s a chicken, she lived more like Jesus than anyone I’ve seen.” 1st John says, “Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.”

Quit bugging me, Mikey. I have no point. Just thinking out loud…

SEE YA: I’m on the road today through late tomorrow night. I hope to check in late tonight, but otherwise, just thought I’d throw some random thoughts out for fun.

Yours,
Al

15 Comments:

Blogger juvenal_urbino said...

I don’t know who Mainline Protestants would say

I'm not sure there'd be a single answer, but Martin Luther King would be at the top of many of their lists.

What would be the CsOfC answer? (Certainly not Billy Graham.)

9:36 AM  
Blogger Michael Lasley said...

The world would be a much better place, Al, if people would simply start making points.

11:15 AM  
Blogger Al Sturgeon said...

Not Billy Graham, but it would be a preacher. And his credential would be a number of baptisms. Same paradigm as the evangelicals.

[I'm out of town, but I just checked into the hotel and it has free wireless!!! Woo hoo!!!]

12:40 PM  
Blogger Terry Austin said...

CsofC would say Batsell Barrett Baxter, but only because everybody loves to say Batsell Barrett Baxter.

But seriously... Jim Bill McInteer?

12:54 PM  
Blogger Michael Lasley said...

McInteer would be a good one, Terry, if we're looking for a name.

It's a hard one though, since a lot of times the people who are living most like Jesus aren't seen by those of us who follow Jesus.

1:06 PM  
Blogger Al Sturgeon said...

Okay Mikey, I should have made a point, since you're making one for me.

My belief (as an emerging "emerging") is what you're saying.

I'm at odds with the way evangelicals (and I'm including CofC answers here) would frame the answer to the question (as well as the Roman Catholic answer). I'm much more comfortable with the emerging & mainline Protestant answer.

I think I noticed at breakfast yesterday why the emerging movement won't reinvigorate the mainline Protestant churches, though (very informal polling there, though). I'm afraid those churches are too steeped in liturgy, etc. to catch the wave of folks that aren't seeing that as the primary thing.

1:22 PM  
Blogger juvenal_urbino said...

A lot of people would probably say . . . oh, whatsizname . . . the dude that preceded Steve Flatt on that show. You know. Was that Jim Bill? I don't think it was. Some other little round dude.

those churches are too steeped in liturgy, etc. to catch the wave

That's more-or-less what I meant before about the mainliners being too High Church and looking like yesterday's biscuits to the emergers. Although, if you're talking about your Episcopal lunch, the Episcopalians are waaaaaaaay liturgical, even for mainliners.

1:30 PM  
Blogger Al Sturgeon said...

Ira North. The man, the legend.

1:38 PM  
Blogger juvenal_urbino said...

Ira North. The very one. I get my little round preachers confused. Ira North. Jim Bill McInteer. Chick Allison. They all look alike to me.

Michigan fans would say Bo Schembechler. Anybody care to make a UM-OSU prediction, in the wake of his DEmise?

1:41 PM  
Blogger Al Sturgeon said...

Before, I thought the Buckeyes in a blowout. Now, not so sure...

1:51 PM  
Blogger Terry Austin said...

It's a hard one though, since a lot of times the people who are living most like Jesus aren't seen by those of us who follow Jesus.

So you're nominating me, then?

1:59 PM  
Blogger juvenal_urbino said...

I wouldn't wanna have money on it, either way, Al. I'm inclined to think, though, that UM is pretty overrated. I haven't seen them, but they haven't played anybody. Wisconsin is probably the best team they've played. (Notre Dame is overrated, too.)

OTOH, Arkansas hasn't really played anybody better, except USC.

2:41 PM  
Blogger juvenal_urbino said...

I predict Arkansas will end up playing either WV or WI in whatever bowl game they appear in. Personally, I'd rather see them play WV. Two very similar teams, both of which use a lot of wacky offensive formations. Should be entertaining.

10:28 AM  
Blogger juvenal_urbino said...

That's if AR doesn't have a let-down this week and lose to LSU.

10:54 AM  
Blogger Al Sturgeon said...

I'd like to see them play WVU, too. That would be an interesting matchup of conferences, too...

The WV quarterback is from down in this part of the country - a friend of mine coached him in Little League.

Oh, I didn't get to see the Michigan/Ohio State game, but I did get sick of hearing some dude on ESPN Radio go on like it was the greatest game ever played in the history of the world. Any game where a team is up 11 in the 4th quarter and holds on to win is not the greatest game ever. Did he not remember Texas/USC last year?

7:24 AM  

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