8 Amazing Bands that You’ve (Probably) Never Heard Of

So yeah guys, as a music fanatic, I must reveal some awesome bands that a) Are new or b) Have a small and loyal fanbase. And while Coldplay and other more mainstream bands often dominate my listening schedule, these musicians have managed to slip their way into my earbuds, through my eardrums, and send a soothing signal to my nerves. Let’s begin the countdown (or countup), starting with number 8…

#8 – Driftless Pony Club

Yes, that’s actually a thing. Driftless Pony Club is a Chicago-based band, founded in 2001 by Craig Benzine. They have a nice garage rock edge with the lyrical wit of Death Cab for Cutie, and their album Buckminster is quite popular on the internet. Recommended Songs: “He Plans Houses like Trees” and “Legends of Archery”

 

#7 – This Will Destroy You

Despite their seemingly-violent name, these guys kill it in the instruments-only category. This guitar-bass-drums triad is a post-rock powerhouse, finding itself among the likes of Explosions in the Sky and Sigur Ros. Unlike Sigur Ros, This Will Destroy You has limited their amazing music to just guitars and percussion, but they do it so well that I can’t help but enjoy. Recommended Songs: “They Move On Tracks of Never-Ending Light” and “Threads”

 

#6 – The Cab

This band is one that I found long ago scouring through iTunes in search of music samples, and I am thankful that I stumbled upon them. This pop-rock group makes uncommon music for a common genre. A splash love song, a dash alternative rock, and a sprig of soothing piano. Recommended songs: “Endlessly” and “Living Louder”

 

#5 – Modest Mouse

Akin to Driftless Pony Club but more popular in the garage rock circle, the muscular Modest Mouse is a pioneer in the alternative industry. Though Lupe Fiasco’s rendition of “Float On” is more popular, their aforementioned hit is a simple, catchy, yet layered ballad. More of an acquired taste, however, but good for rocking out. Recommended songs: “World At Large” and “Missed the Boat”

 

#4 – The Black Keys

This blues rock duo was one of 2011′s headliners, and their latest album El Camino is still selling like crazy, but I’m going to assume you’ve never heard of them. At first, they sound unpolished and rough, but that adds to their grassroots air. The raw sound and tricky effects are dotted throughout their music, which means you can find a middle ground somewhere. Recommended songs: “Tighten Up” and “Gold on the Ceiling”

 

#3 – Miike Snow

This electronic trio has rocked the hipster scene with their catchy beats and techno licks. Their songs have been remixed time and again, offering a perfect fit from these Swedish beatsmiths. Within ten minutes of listening, they entered my list, and hopefully they will do the same for you. Recommended songs: “Animal” and “Black and Blue”

 

#2 – Death Cab for Cutie

Death Cab for Cutie is a band that you can’t put in a box. They utilize synth (You are a Tourist), keys (Grapevine Fires), electrics (Cath…), acoustics (I Will Follow You Into The Dark) and bass (I Will Possess Your Heart). Thus, DC for C has one of the greatest advantages when it comes to variety. Lyrical wit, powerful emotion, and enunciated vocals from Ben Gibbard prove to be a valuable combination. Recommended songs: “Your New Twin-Sized Bed” and “Summer Skin”

 

#1 – Of Monsters And Men

This 5-piece Icelandic folk band is, in my eyes, the best new band of 2012 by far. Their resemblance to Mumford and Sons, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, and Arcade Fire takes First Place on my playlist. With the male-female voice duo, Of Monsters and Men raises the bar for neo-folk and alternative, and they’ve certainly created a whole new level of awesome. Recommended songs: “Little Talks” and “King and Lionheart”

 

That’s it guys! Go ahead and take a listen.

 

Now I get the “Shepherd” Thing…

Now among the list of the most hated things in creation is goats! This should be a good one ladies and gentlemen!

 

Speaking of which, how are y’all doing? This is another installment of the Tuesday Biblical Theology blog, and today we will discuss some judgement. By this judgement, I mean a Matthew 25:31-46 judgement, that of the charitable and that of the hard-hearted. So, without further ado, let’s jump into it.

 

In class on Monday, Mr. Bryant asked our blissful bro, Blake, to read aloud Matthew 25:31-46. This is something we have all undoubtedly heard and/or read before; it’s the foretelling of Judgement Day, when the Son of Man will divide us into those who clothed, fed, and ministered to Him and those who didn’t. I won’t quote the entire thing, but it quite clearly says that those who care for the sick, feed the hungry, and clothe the poor as tenants (not Tennants, for there can only be one) of their faith will be at the right hand of God. Those who do not exhibit such works… well, have a nice swim in the Lake of all-consuming, flesh-scorching, body-burning Fire. These two parties are separated into sheep and goats. The sheep, though quite stupid in real life, stay loyal to their Heavenly Shepherd and do the best they can in their life to further God’s kingdom. The goats, however, are lazy and never further the kingdom of God.

 

I’m sure you’re reading this and thinking, “Yes Ryan, I indeed know this story, what’s the point?” Well, the point, hypothetical reader, relates to class again. When Mr. Bryant asked us if any of us wanted to be judged in this same fashion. So, do we want to be held to these standards? No one raised their hands. Not a single person. We had a midway voracious tilt of the hand, symbolizing uncertainty, but that doesn’t really count. As evident, none of us want to be held accountable like this, and that includes me. I agree with you guys, I don’t want to be thrown in the Lake of Fire if I haven’t furthered God’s kingdom properly! That scares me to death, which really isn’t helping my case of furthering God’s kingdom. Dying, that is.

 

But while I don’t find it enjoyable to be judged like this, I will stand firm in saying this: this isn’t about what we want. You know just as well as I that it’s not about choice. You choose what you will do, follow the Lord or disobey Him, but you don’t choose your Judgement. And that’s why I know that I should be judged by this standard. Now you may ask why I’m kind of scared to be reprimanded or rewarded like this. I’m a good guy, I think; I have willingly accepted a new little brother, I’ve worked with charities, I’ve accepted Jesus. There’s really nothing for me to fear, right? Well actually, yes, there’s nothing for me to fear. That’s just my human nature, to fear the afterlife, but truly we will only experience reward. We will be those sheep at the right hand of God, so why do we tremble?

 

As you finish this reading, know that you have nothing to fear. Why would we be afraid if we are the ones who benefit? We’re not the goats! We’re the sheep! BAAAAAA!!!

 

Enjoy your newfound hope and steadfast faith, and enjoy the week~

 

LUI = Living Under the (Moral) Influence

I’m sorry sir, but I’m taking you DOWNTOWN.

 

Okay, enough references to the law (SWEET JUSTICE), how goes it lads and lasses! This is another installment of the Tuesday Biblical Theology blog, and we’re back with some interesting things to say about the moral influence theory. This antiquated and well-spoken theory as by the church fathers seemed quite hollow to the class on Monday. But is it really as empty as we think? In conjunction with this, we will observe the passage Hebrews 6:6 and the Parable of the Sower. Let’s get to it.

 

As I always say, to argue something we must first define it. The moral influence theory is no exception. The moral influence theory is defined as “the theory that teaches that Jesus’ works and teachings were meant to bring positive moral change to humanity.” This, at first, seems alright. We think, “That sounds about right, Jesus’ teachings were overwhelmingly about morality.” However, this atonement idea stops there. Now, I’m no one to question an ancient mindset, held for over a millennium by venerable church fathers and thinkers. But, in a stunning turn of events, I agree with most of the class that it seems quite hollow. In my eyes, it applies to our everyday lives; it is quite essential to know that Jesus came as not only a Savior but also as a model for how we should live. But His model aspect comes second to His redeeming grace, and that is where the moral influence theory veers. The main reason that I disagree with this theory, though, is that it reduces Christ’s martyrdom and resurrection to symbolism. I’m certain that people who hold this view of atonement still believe that Christ has redeemed our sins, but the way that the theory is stated, it strips His death of much meaning.

 

Okay, you guys deserve a paragraph break. Here it is, sip some coffee… lounge a little bit… partake of the appetizers…

 

Anyway, let’s now visit the idea of the inability to return to the faith. By that statement, I mean that we will discuss the Biblical idea that once you give up on Christianity, you can never return with your same blessing of forgiveness. Hebrews 6:4-8 explains this with the utmost clarity:

 

“For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have taster the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding Him up to contempt. For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being curse, and its end it to be burned.”

 

That was a very long passage, so here’s a summary: For those who have been believers and then fallen out of love with God, they will remain with the crowd of scoffers and sinners and will be baptized by fire. What does this have to do with the moral influence theory, you ask? It relates because if Jesus came to bring positive moral changes to not just believers, but humanity, then why would anyone lapse back into immorality? The same goes for the Parable of the Sower in Mark 4. This story discusses four different kinds of seeds, each spread on four different kinds of ground; the first seed fell upon the path and was quickly snatched away by birds; the second seed was planted on rocky ground, immediately sprang up, but was then scorched by the sun; the third seed was thrown to the thorns and was quickly choked; but the fourth seed was planted in rich soil and yielded much grain. The first three seeds are examples of believers who were shallow in their faith, not far along before they were dispersed by the world around them. But the final one, the one who didn’t turn away, grew fruitfully and provided for many.

 

In conclusion, the moral influence theory strays from my idea of the atonement, but ultimately you must decide. Not much else I can do to shape your views other than give you my opinion. Whichever side you choose, stay strong in your resolve and stay strong in your faith.

 

Enjoy the week~

The Case for Doctor Who, Part 1 – The Show

Here it is, the long-awaited, oft-hated, quite-debated blog post making the case for my current favorite program on TV, Doctor Who. This will be a string of blog posts, each part dealing with aspects of the series. First on the chopping block is the show itself, the history behind it, and its progression. Step into the TARDIS with me as we take a fantastic journey across time and space to unveil the legendary Doctor Who.

Doctor Who first aired on BBC television on November 23rd, 1963, on the channel BBC One with the episode “The Unearthly Child”. This episode featured the very first Doctor, William Hartnell, a 55-year-old actor known for playing tough characters in many films. In the genesis of the show, the Doctor would have been just as callous as Hartnell’s former movie portrayals, but this characteristic and others were removed for the pilot’s second shooting. The first version of “The Unearthly Child” was a failure due to power outages in Britain and the assassination of John Kennedy on that very day, but the second version was aired a week later and attracted a greater following. The following episode, simply titled “The Daleks” (more on them in an upcoming blog post), was the episode that actually caught the imagination of the viewer. This was because of the eponymous alien race, a completely revolutionary species that was more whimsical than anything on television, and the Daleks are, to this day, one of the most iconic Doctor Who creatures.

 

As time went on, the show gained both traction and color with the comedic-yet-serious Doctor #3, Jon Pertwee. It was here that the series began to reflect the times, as evident by the new “Whomobile” (a hovercraft) and motorcycles. A new enemy was also introduced under the name the Master, the Doctor’s Time Lord nemesis. The Master was in the series until his eventual death and refusal to regenerate during his death in a 2008 episode, featuring my personal favorite Doctor David Tennant. From the Third Doctor to the Eighth, the show was without much hardship. When Eighth Doctor Paul McGann recieved bad reviews in the U.S., the show was canceled for nearly a decade until the 1996 for-TV movie brought it back to the U.S. The movie didn’t gain a large enough following to carry on the TV show, and the story was retired until 2005 when Christopher Eccleston (my first Doctor, but not my favorite) made his entrance. Following him was David Tennant, who reigned over the show from 2007 to 2010, and Matt Smith, the most current Doctor.

 

This is just a rudimentary introduction to the show as whole, and look forward to Part 2, the Doctors. See you all tomorrow~

 

British Slang vs. American Slang… Which One is Better?

In my advanced knowledge of British YouTubers, television shows, and semantics, I’ve come across many a-slang from across the pond. In fact, I like most of this slang more than American casual talk not only because it sounds cooler, but also because it makes more sense. The British slang will be on the right, and the American equivalent is on the left…

 

Pavement - Sidewalk, were bikers and pedestrians commute

Trainers - Sneakers, tennis shoes

Post - Mail (then add “man” and BAM)

Minted – Rich, to have much wealth

Lift - Elevator

Dummy - Pacifier, or person of low intelligence… they both make sense

Sleeping Policeman - Speed bump

Cling Film - Saran wrap (I hope I spelled that right)

Peckish - Hungry

See? Don’t all of these words make sense, and sound cooler at the same time? I rest my case.

 

Also, see my other most recent post and expect more spontaneous blogs this week!

Corporate Sin is the Spice of Blogs

Well, I was told to make this interesting, so here goes nothing.

 

How goes it ladies and gentlemen, this is your host (with the mediocre amount) bringing to you another Biblical Theology post. After a rejuvenating break, we’re back with a compassion (or vengeance) for blogging and do expect more posts soon. But that’s the future, and this is the present, and in the present you will read this post. This post will most definitely not be about blue boxes or time-traveling Brits, but instead about something very interesting and tricky: what should be done when faced with corporate sin? To answer this, we must first know what corporate sin is, so let’s jump right into it.

 

We discussed in class the case of a computer that was stolen by your father and then passed down to you. This trippin’ device, you find out, was stolen from an impoverished family who saved for years the money for this computer in hopes of furthering their son’s education. It so happens that you can easily locate this family and you now have the choice to return the stolen property. Now I said “choice” because we don’t quite know yet if we should return it. Sure, most us would do this so we wouldn’t have a guilty conscience. But this is really your father’s sin, and he has given it to you. You shouldn’t pay for what he’s done, right? What about that verse in Deuteronomy that says “the iniquities of the fathers shall not be passed onto their sons?” That has to apply!

 

The above is corporate sin, a sin in which people have collectively done wrong to another. I know it sounds like a stretch, but this and the Holocaust are both corporate sins. Such sins are also characterized as creating an upper hand in convenience and/or power for one party. In the instance of the laptop theft, you and your dad benefited from the computer by utilizing it. In the case of the Holocaust, Hitler “benefited” from the murder by gaining political traction. But this isn’t just about examples; we need to analyze. Have we committed corporate sin in our history? Have we benefited by putting others down? What should we do to repair these actions?

 

The answer to the first two questions is simply “yes”, we have had to step on the heads of the Native Americans to reach our prosperity today. We’ve now moved them to arid reservations, confining them to at best 5% of the land they used to roam. But now for the analysis: how do we really reprehend this? Do we convince 350 million American citizens, not all of whom were related to the relocation of the Native Americans, to give the land back and head to Europe? I say no, because such drastic measures are ridiculous. The Separatists and Huguenots were running from religious persecution, fearing for their lives, and consequently needed to take the land. Then, in the presidency of Old Hickory, we decided that the Trail of Tears was a good idea. Now that the story is laid out before us, both parties are in the right: the natives were here first, and we were on the run for our faith.

 

It is truly a confusing and tough situation, and no matter how much analysis we do, we can only decide to displace one or the other. Such is the problem of evil, for we are doomed to always hurt someone. I know I said I wouldn’t talk about time-traveling Brits, but I’m afraid that I must again utilize Doctor Who as an example: The Doctor visits Pompeii on the day of Mount Vesuvius’ devastating eruption. As we all know from history, no one survived. The Doctor, who doesn’t leave until the moment of the eruption, can do nothing to change a fixed point in time. He must simply leave everyone to die. But is this right? Well, our swanky Doctor does save a single family. A husband, a wife, a boy, and a girl is all he can salvage from this catastrophe. This should give us the tiniest amount of insight to the answer of corporate sin: it’s sometimes fixable, sometimes not. That’s the furthest my simple human brain can go.

 

In closing, I know it’s a struggle. It’s difficult as a believer to come across a theologically troubling thing that you cannot answer. Some people see this shaky ground and throw their hands up in defeat. They just wake away, but not you or I. We see this and we know that however little we can do about it, the more God can. So please, don’t be too troubled with this. That’s not to say don’t mull over this, but don’t give up. Stay strong, brosephs, we’ll make it together.

 

Enjoy the week~

Making a Statement (and Upholding it would help)

What’s up lads and lasses? This is another Tuesday installment of Seventh Day Lounge blogging, with me as your host. Today, we’ll be talking about mission statements: what they are and what they mean. After we’ve look at that, we’ll put the mission statement of Jesus from Luke 4:18-19 in the frame of our knowledge. Let’s get down to it, shall we?

 

Now, you all might know what a mission statement is, but for those of you who don’t, let’s look at a definition. The dictionary defines the term as “an official statement of the aims and objectives of a business or other organization.” From that definition, you might portray in your mind a business card with a slogan printed on the bottom. Or, if you are like me, you might have conjured an image of a large PDF file that contains company promises and legal stuff. These are both right; Fortune 500 companies have mission statements, just as do Ben and Jerry’s or that Charles Schwab on the corner. However, did any of you think of a church? Churches nowadays have message boards in the parking lot, some of which have humorous or embarrassing messages, but others have their mission statement for all to see. My church is one of the latter, and its mission statement is, “Equipping believers to impact their world for Christ.”

 

I assume that you all have a grasp on what mission statements are now, but let’s see what they mean. Well, a mission statement isn’t just a catchy phrase or witty wordplay on a neon sign or, in this age of technology, a website. It is meant to be a promise of sorts. So when my church says its mission is to equip believers to impact their world for Christ, they intend for those words to carry weight. Likewise, when Hewlett-Packard claims that its mission is “to deliver seamless, secure, context-aware experiences for a connected world”, then they are supposed to uphold it. Though we may not call them mission promises, we call them mission statements because they clearly state what the business or church plans to do.

 

Now that we have all of our bases covered, let’s check out Luke 4:18-19 (or Isaiah 61:1-2): “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.”

 

Since I have revealed to you the function of mission statements, you can look at this and think about the ramifications. Jesus has taken a verse from Isaiah and read it aloud to the synagogue, then follows this in verse 21 saying, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Now THAT is boldness. Our Lord has summed up his entire ministry in a single statement! Sound like something we were just talking about? Exactly.

 

Let’s look at His mission statement over two millennia later, in an era where Christianity is a predominant religion throughout the world: the Gospel has been preached to thousands, and the Bible has affected the brokenhearted, set free the captives of sin, opened the eyes of the blind and given hope to the oppressed. It seems like God has upheld His son’s mission statement. So as you go today, remember Jesus’ mission statement. Do you follow this mantra? Will you follow this mantra? Let’s all follow in the Savior’s footsteps and join his mission.

 

Enjoy the week, and I’ll see you on Thursday~

Toss-Up Thursday #3 – Hacktavists Hacked?!

Rise and shine, ladies and gentlemen, this is 12-hour-late Toss-Up Thursday with yours truly. I’m terribly sorry that I missed yesterday (I seriously just forgot that I was supposed to write this, go figure), so hopefully this will make it up to you all. Let’s go!

 

E3 Came Early [May Contain Content Inappropriate For Children]

Now, I’ve never been to E3, even though I’d love to go. But it seems like Christmas for every nerd/gamer everywhere, and this year it’s here early. There are two games that I’d like to confine to this section, so let’s start with some Halo.

 

The untainted Halo bloodline (that doesn’t include ODST and Halo Wars) is bringing back Master Chief in Halo 4. The game is being made by 343 Industries as opposed to Bungee, so with the change comes some changes. The Spartan now has lighter, more flexible armor with which to pummel foes. New multiplayer maps, built from the ground up, will be included. There are certainly many more changes to be revealed, but until then, stay tuned with 343.

 

Next up is Assassin’s Creed III, whose trailer had me sprawling on the floor in anticipation. The game will have play set in the American Revolution, featuring a new assassin of Mohawk and British blood fighting for the Colonists. And yes, he has a tomahawk. And yes, it’s awesome. YouTube is your friend; the trailer was uploaded by “assassinscreeduk” as “Assassin’s Creed III Reveal Trailer – [HD]” or something like that. Some features I’d like to see? George Washington as a playable character and can eject wooden teeth projectiles from his mouth, and hidden bayonets. Oh yes.

 

The Final Frontier: Coming To You!

Asteroids of the apocalypse will consume us all! An asteroid labeled 2012D814 is currently hurtling towards Earth and is speculated to reach our atmosphere by February 2013. We have 11 months to live OH MY GOODNESS.

 

But not so, says NASA expert David Denum: “The Earth’s gravitational field will alter the asteroid’s path significantly… the asteroid may break into dozens of small pieces, or several large lumps may split from it and burn up in the atmosphere.” Seems like we’re all chill then, right? Well, we should still feel a bit worried. The asteroid is expected to come within 16,700 miles of the actual solid earth upon which we live, which may seem like a comfortable distance, but you can never tell with speculations. Plus, 16,700 miles above earth is lower than most satellites, so we’re all going to die. But astronomer Phil Plank comforts us by saying, “Let’s be very clear: It will miss. In astronomical terms, 27,000 km (16,700 mi) is pretty close, but to humans, it’s a clean miss.”

 

We’ll just have to wait and see, I guess. But at least we’ll get an extra year to live… right?

 

The Least-Original iPad ever?!

Might as well call is Tech Thursday, because on Wednesday the new iPad was unveiled! No, seriously, it’s “the new iPad”. Like, they really called it “the new iPad”. No joke.

 

However unoriginal the name, it has some pretty cool upgrades. It has a retina display with a 2048×1536 resolution, 44% improved color saturation, and 3.1 million pixels. And that’s just the display; the camera is one step up from the iPhone 4S camera, being a 5.0 megapixel that can capture full 1080p HD. This looks incredible, and along with facial recognition, this could turn the iPad into a viable camera, but it looks kind of silly when you take pictures on the beach with a large rectangular device. But that’s just my opinion.

 

The new iPad will be available in stores on March 16^th, but pre-orders are already a viable option. The prices have remained roughly the same with the upgrade (that is, relative to the iPad 2), but the prices on the Wi-Fi-only iPad 2 model have gone down by a Benjamin or so. It looks like Apple is sitting pretty on a financial success, and with as many Apple fans as there are in the world, it’s a win-win.

 

Benedict Anonymous the Cyber Turncoat

Our final story of the day is about Anonymous the hacktavist organization, but more specifically, their branch LulzSec. Last summer, the FBI arrested the head of LulzSec, username “Sabu”. They took him into custody, proving that Anonymous is no longer the untouchable cyber ghost haven we once thought it to be. With his spirits crushed, and his movement without a leader, he quickly Benedict Arnold-ed and worked with his captors to bring his former partners-in-crime to justice.

 

How did he keep this a secret, you may ask? Well, he still promoted Anonymous and LulzSec through his Twitter, announcing new hacks as soon as possible, and making clear his contempt for the U.S. government. But this was all done at the offices of the FBI as a ploy. This fooled many people, but some members already suspected that he defected (that rhymed) when members of Anonymous where arrested and he was comfortably “in custody” in New York. His turncoat move was finally revealed when the final members of LulzSec, responsible for hacking Stratfor and countless government websites, were arrested and charged with respect to their online crimes. At this success, an unnamed FBI agent enthusiastically stated, “This is devastating to the organization. We’re chopping the head off of LulzSec.”

 

So as we end Toss-Up Thursday/Early Friday, I leave you with a question: Has the FBI finally dealt a blow to the once-invincible monster of Anonymous? Have they made the right decision in detaining Sabu and using him against his fellow hackers? Leave a comment down below, and have a good weekend!

“Thence we came forth to rebehold the stars”

If you were wondering, that is the final line of “Inferno” by Dante Alighieri. And you know what that means…

 

What’s up fellow CC students and other, this is RB back for another installment of the Tuesday Biblical Theology blog. Today, we’re going to be talking about the Lake of Fire, the Abyss, the Pit… that is to say, Hell (yes Mom, this was a mandatory topic). It’s something that has puzzled believers since the time of the Kings, but today, with Jesus’ teaching and research at our fingertips, we have a greater insight to the teachings on baptism by fire. Let’s do this.

 

To understand the Christian Hell (that is, the Hell we know to be true), we must first understand to Jewish Hell. And to understand this, we must know that the Jews actually didn’t have a concrete afterlife doctrine. Instead, Jews thought that upon death, they would go to Abraham’s side and basically live it out in Paradise. Others who weren’t so fortunate, and didn’t believe in the almighty creator of the universe, would be sent to Gehanna. Now, we talked about Gehanna in class, but I think it’s necessary to put a very large asterisk next to Gehanna(*) for one reason: it’s the Jewish idea of purgatory. The Kabbalah, a traditional source of Jewish esoteric teaching, calls it a “waiting room” or “entry way”, and the majority of rabbis say that the maximum time in Gehanna is a mere 12 months. There are exceptions to this time limit, as five people must stay in Gehanna and burn for all eternity. However, for all those other sinners, they will be atoned by the end of their purging, and they go to Paradise like everyone else.

 

Now, Gehanna is by no means a happy place, but let’s not confuse it with Hell or Sheol. Imagine Hell with a timer, and when the timer goes off, the sinners are taken out of the literal hell-oven and stuck on a heavenly silver platter. I just mentioned Sheol, so let’s talk about that. Sheol is literally translated as “abode of the dead”, so that means Hell, right? WRONG. Being the abode of the dead, Jews think it contains righteous and wicked alike, all in the form of “rephaim” or “shades”. To re-enforce this, remember the witch from Endor? She summoned Samuel from Sheol, and we all know how righteous Samuel was. Also, interesting fact, Sheol is where the Greeks got their idea of Hades from. In fact, “Sheol” is substituted for by “Hades” in the Septuagint for that specific reason. Even the shades inspired Homer to include them in “The Odyssey” when Odysseus travels to the Underworld. But now I’m just getting off track; point is, the Jews have a very different view of Hell than we do.

 

Now let’s transition to the traditional Christian Hell: Satan is there, some creepy dudes are brandishing pitchforks, and gnashing of teeth. Some of our Roman Catholic bros even think Satan’s chewing on Judas and Brutus down in some ice, and he’s got three heads. However, if we all turn to Revelation, we’ll know that the Beast was thrown into the pit of freaking hot fire for his lies. He’s not the overlord of Hell as we commonly think, and neither are his demons. Given, our only sources for Hell teaching is a dose in the parable of Lazarus and Dives, a sprinkle of Isaiah, a passage in Daniel, some of Paul’s Epistles, and a healthy spoonful in Revelation. So we can uncertainly debate on the mythos of Hell, but the bottom line is about the punishment. Hell is explicitly cited as a place of “eternal damnation” and “everlasting destruction”, not a timer. The beast, false prophets, and Satan will be “tormented day and night for ever and ever” as said in Revelation. You really, really don’t want to mess with God.

 

Hell is very touchy for me, but at the same time very fascinating. I’d never want to be in Hell for a second, let alone an eternity, but the bits and pieces of Hell that the Bible unveils are just amazing. That’s why I found “Inferno” so captivating, even though the theology behind it is faulty, because it’s insight into another world. Hell isn’t on the same spectrum as Heaven, it’s the anti-Heaven. So, if Heaven is so perfectly good, is Hell the perfect outlet of God’s wrath? I think so, but that’s why it’s so touchy. I have a Jewish grandmother and a Roman Catholic grandfather, and assuming everything I’ve just told you about the everlasting punishment is true (which it is, it’s right out of the New Testament), they’ll spend an eternity there. Forever, burning and crying out for relief, but it never comes.

 

The above is why I’d love to believe in annihilationism. It’s like euthanasia for the damned, but we can’t stop there, because it’s far more. It’s common to Seventh-Day Adventists, and it’s the theory that after a finite time in the Lake of Fire, unbelievers will be annihilated. They will simply cease to exist (that sounds like a Doctor Who concept… anyway), and their souls are destroyed, leaving the believers to immortality. Now, at first glance, I thought it was just about as cruel as suffering forever. I mean, not existing is pretty tough luck. But then again, would you rather have your unbelieving friends or family suffer eternally or be cut out of the Hell picture and drift away in peace?

 

Unfortunately, we cannot succumb to this idea, because it is in direct contradiction to Scripture. But as I let you go, reader, know that after Judgement Day, you will be in Heaven with the Lord and Savior that we so adore. The damned are the damned, but Christ has a plan for redemption. Predestination is one thing, but the saving grace of God is another.

 

Enjoy the week, and I’ll see you on Thursday~

 

Toss-Up Thursday #2 – 95.7% of all Trolls search “new avengers trailer” on Big Brother Google?

Ladies and gentlemen, THIS is Toss-Up Thursday. The post you’ve all been waiting for. And by you all, I mean Josh and Ben. Let’s do this.

 

Avengers Assemble!

To kick off Toss-Up Thursday, we have some superhero action in the form of a new Avengers trailer (that is, for the new movie The Avengers, being released later this year). I’ll give you an overview in the form of a literal trailer:

 

Pan over the city in slow mo

People running from something about to blow

Nick Fury’s got no eye but he’s a cool guy

LASERS

Still running, still gunning, cars falling and things

CUT

Boring guys in a presentation room

Marv-Paramou-Captain ‘murica punching bags

Then Chris Evans rubbing his hands

Scarlett Johansson has a short haircut, unlike the Hulk

Who has no hair and is GREEN

Chris Hemsworth shoots lightning out of his hammer

Buildings and thunder, planes are asunder

 

Yep, I’ll stop now, because the rest is Robert Downey Jr. BEING A BOSS. If you want to see the whole thing, the video is “Marvel Avengers Assemble (2012) Watch the Official trailer | HD”. The movie, in short, looks great; I’m totally going to see it. The cast looks awesome too, featuring Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Black Widow (HotHotHot for those of you who understand the reference) and Hawkeye (b-b-but I was promised Ant Man and Wasp). I’ve been waiting for a long time to see Hawkeye get some screen-time, and with Jeremy Renner playing the role, business is going to get serious. Now they just need to make a movie with Green Arrow in it and all will be well with the universe.

 

Psychology Trollolol

If you have never seen the TROLLOLOL video, then do it. Do it now. I SAID DO IT NOW.

 

If you’ve been on Internet forums, videos, or social networks, then you will most likely know about trolls. Trolls, if you do not know, are haters who belittle and hurt others behind the protective wall of the Internet, and the effects of their “trolling” can be damaging. Ever heard a story in the news before about kids on Facebook or other sites who are harassed by other kids with scathing remarks and pictures of their deaths? Those accounts often lead to suicide. Well, not often, but sometimes. Haters can be REALLY mean people, who deep down like what you or someone else is doing so much that they envy you, and they sting.

 

So a study was conducted on a large group of trolls to further understand the reasons for why trolls do what they do. The test, done by cyber researcher Karen Crawford, forced the subjects to view pictures of people dying. The research showed that the longer the users were on the Internet, the less they cared about what was happening in the pictures. You must know that these test subjects all claimed to be bullied as children, and one by the name of Ben said this: “It just makes me happy when I can make someone angry. It sounds weird but I feed off their anger. The angrier I can get them, the better I feel.” Cue picture of Darth Sidious with a troll face (if you haven’t seen the troll face, either you aren’t on the Internet often or you’re lucky).

 

In all seriousness, trolling is usually for kicks and giggles. Most Internet trolls I know just do it for fun, not to make users commit suicide or do anything drastic. Many trolls just want to start debates. But some serious trolls use what experts call “de-individualizing” to eliminate any sense of remorse. De-individualizing is using the Internet as a shield that allows trolls to shed their normal identity and be complete jerks. But steps are being taken to prevent this; some Internet trolls who mock dead people, called “R.I.P trolls”, have been jailed for their crimes. Hopefully this terrible behavior will stop and the Internet will harbor less hate speech criminals and just be filled with good, old-fashioned jesters.

 

PETA = People for the Eradication of Tons of Animals?!

Next in depressing news, we have PETA killing tons and tons of animals. In fact, 95.7% of the animals PETA takes into its shelters.

 

95.7 FREAKING PERCENT

 

Some people are now advocating for PETA to become a no-kill shelter, but the organization has said, and rightly, that most no-kill shelters are run illegally and are in terrible conditions. However, opponents of PETA rebut that only some are like that and that most have the same cleanliness as pro-kill shelters. Sorry that I don’t have much more information, but this is serious, and I implore you to also do your own research. Google is your friend… or is it?

 

Big Brother Google is Watching

With as big of a service as the Internet is, someone has to set the boundaries of what is private and what is not. But now Google has changed its privacy policy to where the massive search company now tracks every single thing you have ever searched, watched, or read through their service. And it is all in one bit of information, not spanned over multiple usernames.

 

Now what will Google do to me knowing that I’ve Google’d “Barrington build-a-bear workshops”?  Sad face for me.

 

Anyway guys, that’s going to wrap up this Thursday’s blog post, and I leave you with a comment question of the day (commonly called “QotD”): should Google have all of your search information at their disposal? Do you think a hacker group like say Anonymous could leak all this information? Even though they probably won’t, because that would harm the general public.

 

Look forward to more of Toss-Up Thursday next week, when I will see you next!

 

(P.S. To all you nerds who have nerded all over the place from seeing the confirmed Assassin’s Creed III box art, don’t worry, I’ll cover that next week.)