GMO Salmon

I had a conversation not so long ago with a local natural foods store owner.   He suggested that in 20-30 years all the fish we eat will be farm raised.  That sounds fairly terrible, but for now (as far I know) it’s a prediction – hopefully an unlikely one and I can go on eating smoked steelhead that was freshly caught.  Today a friend made me aware of a far worse reality: genetically modified salmon.

I articulated a while back why I think that the kind of progress that has brought about GMOs is a bad idea in this post.  Simply put and slightly borrowed from my hero Wendel Berry, I do not believe that what we call the American Way of Life will prove somehow indestructible.  Human kind must have limits.

I’m not going to spend a lot of time on this when Democracy Now puts it so much better.  Please read what they have to say and consider signing their petition.  When I signed I wrote something like this: “GMO salmon is not the solution.  I would much rather paying more for it and eat less of it.”

Check out the petition at Democracy Now.

Moratorium

I wrote this review on iTunes about my friend Nathan’s new album.

It’s hard to to understand why the songs that fill churches don’t closer resemble those of Nathan Chud. Nathan writes worship anthems – the kind with the beautiful melodic hook that is catchy yet still soars – and yes, it sounds like I am describing just another oversized stadium-rock praise album, but Moratorium is not that. While still reminiscent of what’s going on in the pop-worship scene, Nathan’s songs are colored with a deep authenticity and honesty (as the title “Moratorium” suggests). What I find is that the music serves the message. It’s not flawless music – at points I’d like to hear more dynamic textures from the electric guitar and violin parts or a greater piano presence – it’s simple music that most any church worship band could play. But I’m not bothered by these details, because there is something far greater going on here beyond music. Themes of new life, time and the kingdom are sown into this record with lyrics that distinguish Nathan as a different kind of song writer and worship leader. There is a a felt richness as the record begins, “My tragedy / Is that I minimize your perfect love for me / Read about but not realize eternity / Is knowing you today.” In “The Dawn” Nathan calls the church to a new identity, “We are a seed in the underground / We will build while the world is tearing down / We declare your kingdom.” Even the lighter song, “Tomorrow,” which its easy to imagine as a radio hit, has deep impact: “Cares and cash are fading fast / Carrying this world on its way / I’ve lost everything I have / I’m at home and hope beyond the grave.”

Several of the tracks stand out as songs that the Church should be singing. I’d really love to teach these songs at my church: “The Dawn,” “Our Salvation,” “Lord,” “The Greatest Commandment,” and “Distinguish Us.” And if not ideal for a church to sing, all or Moratorium is perfect for the prayer room or a quiet time, most notably, “Gold,” “My Tragedy,” and “Resurrection.”

I list these songs because this is itunes and maybe you just want a sampling, but I’d strongly recommend that you get the whole album. This isn’t a collection of Nathan’s three best tunes with some others tossed in to make a full album. These songs do what Nathan set out to do, bring new life and work to establish the kingdom.

John Piper and the Prosperity Gospel

In an online discussion for one of my seminary classes a classmate posted this video.  Naturally, it came with a preface about how he doesn’t really care for Piper but ….  I think I like John Piper and I really like this video.  It has been particularly applicable to my online discussions about canon and authorship and authority of scripture, but even more so about Gospel and Truth.  Check it out.

Time

Last week I posted a video similar to this one.  I think I like this one more.  Maybe for what it says about my faith and also for what it says about the future generation.

Motivation

I’m all for making the world a better place.

Tragedy … Comedy?

This is from the blog Its all about Me.

The comments to the post mostly agree that this is a clever joke that drawsattention to a horrible situation.  And yeah, it’s a funny little comic, but more than that, this sucks.

Be sure to check out the rest of the blog over at Its all about Me.

Creation Care and the Gulf of Mexico

I am bad at keeping up with all the news.  Firefox opens to BBC news every time I go online, but still, headline scanning doesn’t always cover it. So, I really like little video clips like this one.

It’s a lot of oil.  It’s not too encouraging that this other story from today’s news is about further complications.  Not that this isn’t anything that you don’t already know.  But the reason I am posting is to point out a pretty cool response to all this oil. It’s an article by a guy named Russel D. Moore who does stuff down at Southern Baptist Seminary. In it he writes about the Gulf of Mexico and what the Christian response should be.  I could so relate to his feelings on evangelicals and the environment:

Some conservatives, and some conservative evangelicals, act as though “environmentalism” is by definition “liberal” or even just downright silly. Witness a lot of the evangelical rhetoric across social media on Earth Day a while back: mostly Al Gore jokes and wisecracks about cutting down trees or eating endangered species as a means of celebration.

In the article, Moore appeals to conservatives economic sensibilities by going beyond just the environmental issues that the spill is causing, but also issues regarding fishing, shrimping and tourism.  And that’s great and all, but what really got me was the way in which Moore closed:

We need the creation around us, including the waters and all they contain, because we are not gods. We are creatures who thrive when we live as we were made to live. We exercise dominion over the creation not only when we use it, but also when we conserve it for the generations who will come after.

So pray for the Gulf Coast, that the oil wouldn’t devastate a people and a land already devastated by so much. As you do, remember: real conservatives protect what God loves.

Amen, right? I am just a little but thrilled that evangelicals are getting it.  You should really read the article.  It’s nice and short and also important.

Just after I read Moore’s article, Sojourners prompted me via my inbox to write a letter to the President and to the Senate urging them to … well, the folks at Sojo put it this way: “Tell the Senate and President Obama: This oil spill is a giant wake-up call. We need energy and climate legislation that protects, not exploits, our environment.”  So I did.  I wrote the President and the Senate a letter.  Of course I think you should tell them about it too.  Sojourners has a nice little letter written for you that you can just sign if you like, or switch it up, choose your own adventure style.  Again I just think it’s pretty important.  It’s why I have a blog.

Plastic 3

Erin and I try to avoid plastic as much as we can.  I saw a video on BBC this morning and was reminded why.  It’s about a Hawaiian beach that is getting turned into plastic.  Check it out.  It’s a good reminder to consume less.

Everyone Knows Which Holiday Has The Best Candy

I saw this on a blog post titled “Uh-Oh”, which is fairly apt I think.

And if this isn’t putting you in the Easter mood, check out Jesus’ Facebook page.

Poem

I heard this poem in one of my classes today.  It is a class on prayer.  It resonated strongly with me.  It’s called “The Summer Day” and it is by Mary Oliver.

Who made the world?

Who made the swan, and the black bear?

Who made the grasshopper?

This grasshopper, I mean-

the one who has flung herself out of the grass,

the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,

who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down-

who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.

Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.

Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.

I don’t know exactly what a prayer is.

I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down

into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,

how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,

which is what I have been doing all day.

Tell me, what else should I have done?

Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon?

Tell me, what is it you plan to do

with your one wild and precious life?

from New and Selected Poems, 1992

Beacon Press, Boston, MA

Copyright 1992 by Mary Oliver.