Billy Rhythm

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Judge Not!

Month: May 2009

Judge Not!

May 6, 2009 by brhythm 2 Comments

Today, the Governor of Maine signed a bill that changes Maine law to read that marriage is between two persons, not just a man and a woman. It’s certainly a hot button issue, and not really one that I want to get into with this post. In the discussions I’ve seen online and had with people, I’ve run into the “Judge not, lest you be judged” argument. Specifically, that’s what I’d like to talk about.

First, let’s look a the passage of scripture specifically. It comes from Matthew 7. This is Jesus speaking.

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.”

Seems simple enough. The problem is, no one goes any further. They stop there. Let’s go on to verse 2.

“For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Here’s how I read that. “Be careful how you judge someone, because that very same yardstick you use on someone else will also be used by you.”

Jesus continues in verse three:

3“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (Italics mine.)

Jesus isn’t telling us to not judge at all. If he were, he would of said something like “Don’t worry about the speck in your brother’s eye, for you have no right to judge him anyway.” No, instead he warns us again to make sure we ourselves have our own house in order before we go about passing judgment. It’s not right for us to condemn something if we ourselves are doing the very same thing! So before we judge someone’s actions, we’d better be sure we’re not guilty of the very same thing upon which we’re about to pass judgment. (See also Romans 2.)

And besides, whose judgment are we passing, anyways? Are we allowed to say murder is wrong? If we’re not supposed to judge, then who are we to say murder is wrong? Here’s the good part: we don’t have to say it. God did. God’s word already tells us murder is wrong. We’re not passing judgment, really, as much as we’re agreeing with the standard already set up by God himself. He’s already judged murder as wrong. We’re merely agreeing with him.

Someone on Facebook posted this one: “You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother?” That’s from Romans 14. And it’s taken WAY out of context. Look at the passage. The passage is concerning 1) believers, and 2) “disputable matters.” The Apostle Paul is talking to two different sets of believers: one set doesn’t eat meat, another group does. What Paul is saying is “Don’t get worked up over something that isn’t a big deal. Decide for yourself if a ‘questionable matter’ is right or wrong. Then stick with that. And if another Christian doesn’t subscribe to that teaching, so be it. Don’t get bent out of shape about it. Love your fellow Christian just the same.”

People are not going to agree about this topic. I understand that. My hope today is that people will become a little more informed, and not just throw out the “Don’t judge” argument. It’s not really valid.

Posted in: Crazy Dreams, Uncategorized Tagged: Chrisitanity

Trick My (Fire ) Truck

May 5, 2009 by brhythm 5 Comments

For those of you who aren’t aware, I have a love of fire trucks. (Or, if you want to be technical, fire engines.) I like them so much, I have a wish list in my Tivo. I can go in, and tell it to search for programs with the words “fire truck” or “fire engine” in the description. The other day, I was noticing I didn’t have much material to watch on the Tivo. I decided to do a search and see what came up. Usually, there aren’t too many shows featuring fire engines. I was delighted when one was found. Some show called “Trick My Truck” was coming on, and it featured a Pastor who was using a fire engine as a mobile wedding platform. I thought this was a dream come true! Christianity, love, and fire trucks, all in one show! The only thing that could make it better for me would be if the Pastor were playing drums while making pasta! How could I not record it?!

The show starts. There are about eight guys who are going to transform the engine for the Pastor. The acting is very bad, but I figure “Hey, it’s worth it.” They show the fire engine: it’s a 1942 open cab American Lafrance! It’s used, but not abused. I’d buy it (if I had the money!) in an instant! It’s got beautiful lines. I’m in love.

Then they take it back to their shop.

First, they start tearing the truck apart. And, as they are want to do on these car rebuild shows, they just throw the parts they don’t want into a pile. I couldn’t believe it when they threw the original wood roof ladder! Just heaved it! Those things sell for several hundreds of dollars! There’s a wooden roof ladder and a wooden extension ladder set on ebay right now going for $750! And they’re just throwing it onto a shop floor! Then, they did the same thing with the mechanical siren. Again, another highly collectable part worth several hundred dollars, thrown like a football into a heap. I was saddend.

In order to make this thing more like a rolling chapel, they installed a small church structure in the back. I’m ok with that. The hose bed of the truck was just open storage for whatever, so they didn’t really make any significant modifications there. OK. Up next was paint. I don’t have a problem with white fire trucks; it was a tradtional fire truck color, and still is. (In fact, I have a soft spot in my heart for yellow engines.) But this old Lafrance was in such nice shape to begin with, and looked so good in red, that I didn’t think the white paint with roses and tribal pinstriping was all that attractive. Just me.

Which do you prefer? The original, or the new tricked-out white? See all the photos here.

Posted in: Uncategorized Tagged: fire trucks

Friday Fill In #122

May 1, 2009 by brhythm 2 Comments

1. The first rule of working in an office and getting along is make sure the boss has coffee before you say anthing.

2. The strips come from what part of the clams. (?)

3. When I think of carnivals I think of that time the clown asked my father-in-law to come out into the ring, and then did this crazy dance routine to Whitney Houston’s “Run to You” with him and a treadmill.

4. Daffodils my favorite spring flower.

5. Things on my desk include a iPod touch, a picture of my wife, a clock, and a 1958 Western Electric phone.

6. Chinese food makes me wanna sleep.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to a gig in Rockland, tomorrow my plans include a gig in Brooklin, and Sunday, I want to play a gig in New Hampshire!

Posted in: Friday Fill-Ins Tagged: drums and drumming
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