"My Views of Socializing" Part 1
I decided to write on the issue of socializing. Due in part to a couple of my friends and sisters in Christ; Julianne made a post on men being more assertive in making the move to initiate small group activities , and Ana, who had some preconceived ideas about me, (I forgave her), (I love you in Christ- just teasing you) . I just wanted to let my friends know where I am coming from, and perhaps there will be some good edifying feedback from my small readership. These are the views of this blogger. I want to be candid and honest and just pour my little heart out. So here it goes, my .50 cents worth of thoughts (inflation has gone up) and you can make a phone call to my shrink for help.
My views on public socializing
Many of my heroes of the faith, had a hard time with socializing with people, Jonathan Edwards, C.H Spurgeon, A.W Tozer, and A.W. Pink, just to name a few, and oh remember Jack, C.S Lewis. Why did these guys have a hard time socializing? Because they were thinkers, and found much of their talk of their day shallow. Today it seems that our knowledge is an inch deep and a mile wide. So we know little about everything, and not much about anything. These men paid the cost for being a little less social. As an example C.H Spurgeon, instead of playing with the other children at recess time and other times, he read the Puritans. Are we not thankful he did? Jonathan Edwards wrote some his best books while alone, and not being as social as he could of been. He was the more reserved quiet one, while his wife was more of a social type. Now my roommate reminds me that I am not Jonathan Edwards nor Spurgeon. I know that. Not that I need to be reminded. I am not even close. I do not dare compare myself to them, but I do want to emulate their strengths. Many guys want to be like John Piper, many gals want to marry a guy like Piper, but hardly anyone would like to live like Piper. What do I mean? Well Julianne asked if Piper would watch the "Seinfeld Show". My answer is no. From his preaching I have heard, he has preached against it, and shows like it. He doesn't hardly ever go to the movies. My pastor preached on the subject of "movies" a couple of summers ago, right before I went on a mission trip to Brazil. My pastor P.D. quoted from Piper. If you want to know Piper's view on this go to his web cite and type in movies. While in Brazil , in a group setting everyone was talking about the movie "signs". Now I had seen it too. However I remained quiet pondering how would John Piper feel right now? What would he say, or would he remain quiet? Since he didn't go to movies as a kid, did he ever feel ostracized from the other kids? These are the kinds of questions that festered in my mind. Therefore I remained quiet. Living as if I could see through Piper's eyes.
I feel and agree that much of our socializing is very shallow. I am more of a one on one kind of guy. Because the talking is sometimes a little deeper. And I love people, and their stories. Now, I know I don't have to always talk theology, though it is my passion. And we seem to talk about the things we really enjoy. Last night I watched the movie "Glory Road", with some friends. Now, I don't go to movie myself to often, but this one was really good. And it didn't offend my conscience and my sensibilities. And I was able to pray, and watch and give God thanks, and praise, through out the whole movie. So I was doing theology. Stopping to smell a rose , can be good theology, if I enjoy God; who made the rose. And thus glorify God by my attitude of the smelling of the rose.
In part 2 "My Views of Socializing", I will discuss the pratical ways of working out socializing in group settings, My personal views of courting and dating, and relational stuff. I will share more of my heart, as I hope my friends will understnd me more, and that we can learn together from each other. May God bless you much, my friends.
To the Glory of God
My views on public socializing
Many of my heroes of the faith, had a hard time with socializing with people, Jonathan Edwards, C.H Spurgeon, A.W Tozer, and A.W. Pink, just to name a few, and oh remember Jack, C.S Lewis. Why did these guys have a hard time socializing? Because they were thinkers, and found much of their talk of their day shallow. Today it seems that our knowledge is an inch deep and a mile wide. So we know little about everything, and not much about anything. These men paid the cost for being a little less social. As an example C.H Spurgeon, instead of playing with the other children at recess time and other times, he read the Puritans. Are we not thankful he did? Jonathan Edwards wrote some his best books while alone, and not being as social as he could of been. He was the more reserved quiet one, while his wife was more of a social type. Now my roommate reminds me that I am not Jonathan Edwards nor Spurgeon. I know that. Not that I need to be reminded. I am not even close. I do not dare compare myself to them, but I do want to emulate their strengths. Many guys want to be like John Piper, many gals want to marry a guy like Piper, but hardly anyone would like to live like Piper. What do I mean? Well Julianne asked if Piper would watch the "Seinfeld Show". My answer is no. From his preaching I have heard, he has preached against it, and shows like it. He doesn't hardly ever go to the movies. My pastor preached on the subject of "movies" a couple of summers ago, right before I went on a mission trip to Brazil. My pastor P.D. quoted from Piper. If you want to know Piper's view on this go to his web cite and type in movies. While in Brazil , in a group setting everyone was talking about the movie "signs". Now I had seen it too. However I remained quiet pondering how would John Piper feel right now? What would he say, or would he remain quiet? Since he didn't go to movies as a kid, did he ever feel ostracized from the other kids? These are the kinds of questions that festered in my mind. Therefore I remained quiet. Living as if I could see through Piper's eyes.
I feel and agree that much of our socializing is very shallow. I am more of a one on one kind of guy. Because the talking is sometimes a little deeper. And I love people, and their stories. Now, I know I don't have to always talk theology, though it is my passion. And we seem to talk about the things we really enjoy. Last night I watched the movie "Glory Road", with some friends. Now, I don't go to movie myself to often, but this one was really good. And it didn't offend my conscience and my sensibilities. And I was able to pray, and watch and give God thanks, and praise, through out the whole movie. So I was doing theology. Stopping to smell a rose , can be good theology, if I enjoy God; who made the rose. And thus glorify God by my attitude of the smelling of the rose.
In part 2 "My Views of Socializing", I will discuss the pratical ways of working out socializing in group settings, My personal views of courting and dating, and relational stuff. I will share more of my heart, as I hope my friends will understnd me more, and that we can learn together from each other. May God bless you much, my friends.
To the Glory of God
posted by Daniel Mann at 9:03 PM
4 Comments:
i think God has blessed different people with different talents, skills, and desires. some need to have the interation with other people, others must have quiet time to just think, and there's a good many people who require differing levels of each - depending on what stage of life they're in.
but, that's just my .02 cents worth! :-)
That is an interesting perspective. I think it is important to yoke yourself (close friends) with friends who aren't shallow. Otherwise how do you get challenged spiritually. I think these verses relate to this grey area.
Something like... "To him who is pure all things are pure"
and ... "You should not ruin your friend because of eating and drinking" (bad memory)
I remember when I was young my old man who wasn't a christian and loved music. He was given a tape about the evils of rock music. Now they told people not to talk to my dad for fear they would scare him away with the gospel. It turns out all that back tracking with rock music was nonesence and the one thing that remains true is the gospel and they refused to tell him because they were trying to create him into a model christian. Mind you now that I am born again and older I tell him the gospel and he does hate it which is very disheartening.
In terms of movies and T.V shows I think some people can make a mountatin out of a mole hill.
I am very sceptical when people take up a whole sermon preaching about the evils of television or movies or XBoxes. Culturally relevant yet a spiritually dead sermon. After all guess what the bad old anti-christ did for his world wide address at Christmas. "TECHNOLOGY IS OUR BIGGEST EVIL AND THREAT TODAY BLAH BLAH BLAH"
This sounds like the truth yet is nothing like it just like all their doctrines.
Dan
Remember the story MacArthur tells in "Hard to Believe"
Some stuedent came up to him after a message and said " Boy I would give the world to be able to preach a sermon like that".
MacArthurs Amswer was "Good, because that's just what it will cost you"
Puritan
I'll bet the movie your Dad watched was " Hells Bells". Did you know the host for that is now a calvinist and he hosts "Amazing Grace": The history and theology of Calvinism. You should watch it if you can.
As far as movies and t.v. It has been a blessing not having any t.v. in my house, but whenever I watch something like Sienfeld my worldview grid is always up. However, that does't mean I am so tedious as not to laugh and enjoy the stupid things Kramer does.
Would Piper watch something like that. I think we would all be srprised at what christians watch.I just finished watching some of a Greg L Bahnsen d.v.d. and he gives an illustration from the movie Terminator Two. While it was a refutation of a certian phlosophy propagated in the movie, the point is he went to the theatre and watched it and I'm sure he enjoyed some of it as well.
As far as your Dad, I can relate my father hates the Gospel as well. I'll be praying for you
Post a Comment
<< Home