Modern Man's Tower of Babel

So many centuries ago, the descendents of Noah gathered on a great plain to construct a mighty city surrounding a tower that would reach into the heavens. United in language and culture, man's limits seemed to stretch just beyond his ever growing reach. God recognized the potential of man to do extraordinary things. In His sense of justice and compassion, God went to see this structure of man and decided it to be built out of wickedness instead of faith. The men of the time confirm this with their own words when they claim to build it lest they be forgotten or scattered throughout the earth. Self interest moved man from faithful trust in God to provide to the rebellious state of erecting a great city with its tower stretching into the heavens.

As Genesis tells us, God scattered the people of the city by setting new languages in their tongues. No longer able to come together united in each other, they spread throughout the earth. The very fear that drove them to reach into the heavens became their punishment.

Our self interest seems to have us return to a common language based not on words and phrases but on 1s and 0s. The technology of today, continues to expand at an unbelievable rate as we unwrap the mysteries of DNA, strike deeper into space and continue to shrink the world through advances in communication.

Who could deny the blessings to come from these advances in technology as we celebrate the ability to complete surgery with only two or three small incisions? How would we feed our growing populations without the breakthroughs in agricultural science? How many people with diseases receive instructions from tiny machines held in their hands that perform tests day in and day out? What of the soldier or business man who says good night to his children while working half way across the world? The advances in technology offer many blessings for us all.

As I type on my laptop after completing a search of scripture and corresponding commentary, I marvel in the time saved by having volumes of books at my fingertips. How do we balance our good with the evil perpetrated with the increasing advancements in knowledge?

So many technological advances become perverted from their original use to suit the needs and desires of others. As for each of the benefits listed above, I believe perversions exist, created for the harm of others. Our 1's and 0's chart a digital course towards omniscience, omnipotence and omnipresence. In our attempts to be heard and seen and most importantly not forgotten, we seek to achieve as a civilization the nature of God's being which allows our Creator (minding my inclusive language) to know, influence and experience all.

Just as our ancestors attempted to reach into the heavens long ago, we bring the vantage of the heavens to us through our satellites and orbital telescopes. We must guard against our digital reformation from becoming a digital revolution against God. Should we clone a human because we believe we can? Does the ability to listen in on our international neighbors give us the right too? To what end do we unravel and reconstruct the DNA of our unborn children in an effort prevent disease and imperfections?

In an attempt to answer these questions, I refer back to the old saying, "if you have to ask how much it is, you probably cannot afford it". These brave new world technologies will cost us much of our humanity. If we need to ask how much of our humanity they will demand, I think it safe to say, we cannot afford it.

What is discountedCULTURE?

The quick and easy lies in the fact that the website requires something not easily duplicated.

In the process of naming this collection, I thought of the many strange traditions, stories, cultures and the many people therein who have defined Christianity throughout the ages. Too many times, what should have failed, succeeded. Despite persecution and distortion, Christianity expanded. A religion without specific cultural boundaries which actually transcends language, history and traditions to weave TRUTH, regardless of its shape, size, color, taste, smell, sound, texture etc. into the story of God's creation and His eternal preparations for all who occupy creation through the saving power of Christ...the anointed.

TRUTH cares not which way the wind blows because it always smells the same. TRUTH takes no issue with your history, position, future, plans, hopes or dreams because we all occupy temporal space. TRUTH however remains constant; always was, always is, always will be. Everything else falls under either facts or information (F&I).

Like F&I, we enjoy short lived existences in this life. Also like F&I, many of us will go through our existence not making a huge impact on the circumstances around us as our importance relates specifically to a select group of others. Unlike F&I however, before us an option exists that will allow us to transcend this existence and we will change from once was, is now, soon will be no more to once was, is now, always will be. F&I cannot become TRUTH because they began due to the results of action in the normal course of creation. F&I can be accurate but they do not apply to people in all times and all places. TRUTH remains constant.

Through Christ, we receive an invitation to become as TRUTH, a constant part of existence.

I will undoubtedly continue this thought later. For now, I feel confident in the case for the importance of TRUTH.

That TRUTH can be found in the declaration of Paul to the Romans that Christ so loved us first that before we knew Him and while we sinned, He died for us.

With this TRUTH, and the considerable volumes of TRUTH found in the bible, I hope to strike deep into the culture with ideas that critics routinely discount or rail against. Standing firm in beliefs that often set me in direct opposition of the flow of the culture of the world, I hope to reverse the direction of those spiraling closer and closer to the pit of an eternity separate from God. With each turn, the next spiral tightens and they gain speed.

Some of these beliefs include: humility, denial of self, personal responsibility, the constant pursuit of spiritual perfection, dedication to institutions of marriage and family and the attainment of contentment. These truly represent only a fraction of those teachings left for all of us by Christ. I would continue lest I overwhelm a fellow reader or even myself.

discountedCULTURE should grow out of TRUTH for the sole purpose of moving closer to the cross of Christ. The very phrase screams of opposition to conventional wisdom. Why in heaven or earth would someone want to move closer to such a cruel device as the cross? How can death bring about life? Could a god be subjected to such a violent end?

The life, death and resurrection of Jesus, the Christ, sends ripples through all of time. The mirrors of TRUTH scattered throughout the past reflect back the light of Christ's death on the cross to reveal God's plan to restore mankind while future generations find warmth in the winter of worldliness as they enter into the household of God the Father, brothers and sisters in Christ.

Jesus becomes the anchor of all of man's existence.

I do not intend for discountedCULTURE to become a resting place for fellow believers. All should come and feed on as much as needed but believers should not rest for too long but use this forum as an opportunity to push back against the world. With many hands, the lifting becomes light. I feel much remains to be lifted before the world today as it craves TRUTH. As hurt and destruction ravage billions in the world, TRUTH receives a welcome in direct proportion to the suffering in the world. In the aftermath of storms, disease, famine, divorce, death, infidelity, injustice, persecution etc. mankind seeks understanding from a god who could allow such misery in the world.

discountedCULTURE hopes to answer a few of those who seek revelation for the harvest continues to grow and the workers remain few.

What Am I Doing?

A professor once questioned the true intentions of me and my classmates as to whether any desire we had to become writers in any since of the word actually took form in our life. We were told that if we were not writing 1000 words a day already, we were woefully behind.

Another teacher, of life, not the classroom, warned me to measure my stated intentions against my actions to divine my true intentions. Now I sit convicted by those for whom I learned adding to the ever growing body of information in the world.

I only hope to contribute some resemblances of knowledge along the way in an effort to become a more effective communicator of the Gospel of Christ.

One other teacher I cherish, my father, stressed the importance of becoming professional in all my endeavors. Seek excellence emulated by those currently known to be leaders in your pursuits.

The leaders of Christianity, often called the Fathers of the Early Church, wrote copious amounts of essays, commentaries, apologies, treatises, sermons, letters etc. This, largely because they read copious amounts of the same. Since I have begun the latter, I now attempt to tackle the former with all humility and a growing hope for the guidance of the Holy Spirit that something I say will resonate with some reader for the sake of furthering the Kingdom of God.

Should you call me a colleague or even a pupil, I ask you to read these writings as a fellow traveler on the path to Wisdom and Perfection (and I thank you for the honor you pay me in investing your time in my writings). Except, I blindly grope each pebble before me as I search desperately for discernment on my hands and knees.

I claim no great enlightenment or achievement, only the passion of one who answers the call to serve. I write for the discipline of study and interpretation for one cannot write consistently with any since of intelligence unless they continue to consume and digest new material. Since I am a traveler, I fully expect to stumble in my works and for that I request that your reproofs come with gentleness and reverence.

If God grants me the privilege of an audience of anyone not seeking the life of a professional in ministry such as that as the elder, deacon, professor etc., then I offer these writings simply as one believer seeking to share the joy of God's word left for the edification of all man kind.

I will undoubtedly appear to write as the farmer of the Gospel texts of Matthew, Mark and Luke, as he sowed his seed, dropping it haphazardly hoping for something to take root.

However, I hope to resemble that of the farmer found in Isaiah 28 who plants his seed, each in its proper way and each in its proper place.

I thank you with all sincerity for your time and encourage you to challenge me when you find flaws in my thought as I believe firmly in the sharpening of ideas through clashing interpretations. May God bless you and keep you.