matthew henry john bartlett

On Wrightsaid Mike Sangrey said:

Ask yourself if you’ve properly instructed your audience regarding the original cognitive environment (I’ll explain cognitive environment in a moment). If you have, then it’s not eisogesis. If you haven’t, then either you have introduced something the original audience did NOT necessarily have, in which case it IS eisogesis; or, you have a little more work to do in bringing your modern audience up to speed on what the original audience used when THEY interpreted the text.

The problem today is that Christians have been taught: if it is not in the text, it’s eisegetical. That’s unfortunately not really true.

Communication doesn’t work that way.

To explain a little further, the issue is that all communication relies on a cognitive context within the heads of the members of the intended audience. This is so much true that linguists today use the word `context’ in a specific, technical way. It now refers to the whole cognitive environment. They now use the word `co-text’ (or simply cotext) to refer to the text surrounding the text (and even a little further afield). That is, not only the text itself, but also the STUFF by which a hearer/reader interprets the text is now considered the context. Both are needed for communication to take place. This is not to imply being adrift in a sea of relativism. The text still dictates the content; however, the symbols the text uses are signals which trigger various semantic relations in the mind. If those relations aren’t there in the mind, then wrong interpretation will result. A text without a context is too difficult to understand accurately. (This fact was extremely surprising to computational linguists 40 years ago and still hasn’t filtered down to the hoi polloi. If the meaning of a text was solely derivable FROM a text, then we could have had computers interpreting texts a long time ago. And machine translation would be a piece of cake. It’s not! No where even close!)

Without getting into examples of how very thoroughly the context idea permeates all communication, I think what you need to make sure you do is to bring your modern audience to a place where they have a rather similar understanding of what was going through the minds of the people back then. In other words, you need to build a cognitive environment in the minds of your modern audience which is nearly identical (at least relative to the key semantic associations) to the one the original audience had.

Welcome to the new blog. It’s ugly at this stage but it’ll get better. Old stuff is all still at mhjb.netfirms.com. I’ll try and move it all here at some juncture. Am using WordPress which seems pretty mint so far, though i’m not sure about all that Georgia .

O yeah, and i’m in the process of getting a new domain too. Maybe mhjb.com, or mhjb.co.nz, or what-a-poser-hes-got-his-own-domain-name.com.

A Slide-show essay about the kind of architecture i’d like to see prevail [via Dan W]

Walking on Water is the penultimate novel in Orson Scott Card’s Alvin Maker series. He’s serialising it on his website. You can read Part One. Mint.

Cruciformity on ‘Righteousness’

close your eyes go to sleep
close your eyes get so dizzy
world is spinning in your bed

I know where the sun goes
gone to wake up the sparrows
in England it’s morning

in time you’ll see that some things
travel faster than light
in time you’ll recognise
that love is larger than life

now you know what you’re missing
now you’ve seen that I’m willing

if you look for the message
close your eyes

do you hear what I’m thinking?
is it how you imagined?

in time you’ll see that some things
travel faster than light
in time you’ll recognise
that love is larger than life

and praise will come to those whose kindness
leaves you without debt
and bends the shape of things to come
that haven’t happened yet

close your eyes
colours changing like a lizard

I know where the sun goes
I have seen the world turning

in time you’ll see that some things
travel faster than light
in time you’ll recongnise
that love is larger than life

and praise will come to those whose kindess
leaves you without debt
and bends the shape of things to come
that haven’t happened yet

I shaved my head this evening. This is about resolve, direction, fearlessness, a kind of purity, and not pressing ’snooze’. It removes today’s-hair-style from the list of variables upon which what-people-think-of-me depends, and puts a little more emphasis on how-i-treat-people instead.

NZers – do buy Staple Magazine as soon as you can. $8.95 is a good price for the best magazine i’ve ever read. Ever. I will save this and show it to my kids to give them a glimpse of New Zealand, 2003.

How do I know how to use my lungs?
How do I know where my fingers are when my eyes are closed?
Why do bananas come gift-wrapped?
Why does a mandarin taste like a revelation?
Why can I look at you and see a face like an epic poem 1200 lines long?

Sren Kierkegaard – Against the Crowd

If you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday. The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your souls in drought, and strengthen your bones; you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. Those from among you shall build the old waste places; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, the Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.

Jakob Nielson on Information Pollution

I’m heading to Auckland this afternoon. Spending time with the famous Flinn (homiss) family. Especially looking forward to seeing Richie.

I am in an internet cafe in Queen Street, Auckland. [La-la-la-li-Lola is on Radio Hauraki]. I’m not the world’s most passionate man.

Yesterday’s drive up was most pleasant. I set off by myself after coffee with Simon, Rachel & Richie. My stereo has packed up, so i recorded a few compilation CDs to listen to on the way. I listened to a really worthwhile talk from one Brian McLaren (mp3, RA) on Habbakuk. [With or without you/U2] My favourite aunt works at Subway in Bulls. I stopped there for lunch and said hello. She gave me a staff discount and extra olives, and i gave her one of my compilation CDs.

I continued North. I picked up a hitchhiker named Paul, and took him to Hamilton. He had no money and was a bit hungry so i bought him lunch and gave him some cash for somewhere to stay tonight (and probably a little flutter on the horses).

I got to the Flinn’s place at about 11pm, and watched yesterday’s The Office again with Tim, Jackson & Richie. This morning Sarah-K took us all into town. Richie took me to a Torts lecture. He has a moot this afternoon, so i’m pottering around town for a few hours. I’d like to buy a belt and a beanie. [Sultans of Swing/Dire Straits]

I left a wee sticker at my station in this dimly lit internet cafe – ‘if the people on MSN are boring today you could talk to the people next to you’.

I didn’t buy a belt or a beanie, there seem to be a shortage of those items up here. I did buy a really nice Lonsdale bag though, for toting my carp around.

Mrs Flinn made a super lovely dinner yesterday evening. Afterwards, Richie and I drove into town and met up with some friends. They have the use of an apartment in the Heritage Hotel for a week or so. We had a bit of Lion Red and went for a spa and swim on the roof.

We are planning to go to Goldenhorse on Saturday evening, which is exciting.

on christiandiscuss list:

I’m as muddled as they come about the homosexual issue, not so much in that I condone it (I don’t), but with what to do with it pastorally and evangelistically when I confront it. Jesus seems not to have been in the business of throwing stones at people, but then there is the fact that it does not seem to be the God-designed normal use of created bodies. Homosexual behavior definitely has a negative and unnatural essence to it. Maybe I should reflect on it more. Right now we have a young woman temporarily living with us. She works locally at the nearby Wallmart and has become good friends with a girl named Val, who prefers women to men. Val is shy, polite, nice looking and bright. We have not known her enough to get into anything deep, but just keep trying to always make her feel welcome at our house. I think we need lots of patience, time, and understanding with such people and not confrontational belligerence. Actually, if Christianity has a poor track record in its treatment of homosexuals, I think we all know it isn’t alone. Naziism was mad crazy in persecuting homosexuals. Perhaps other groups have done similar things, I don’t know.

Sounds like this girl at the mission just really wants to know that you are truly human and compassionate toward her and others, more than having all her intellectual doubts resolved. Funny thing, when people begin to experience God’s love in the presence of a loving group of Christians, their intellectual doubts and objections often just evaporate. I would recommend spending quality time with her and her friends when you can to talk about anything they want. More importantly is to not allow it to be all intellectual, but to be honest about your feelings on all subjects. Let them discover how fascinating you (Christian) are, let them discover how real, how genuine, how compassionate and even how you don’t feel that you have all the answers. As they see God’s new humanity in you, they will be drawn toward that. I also recommend just introducing them to other male and female Christians who aren’t wierd and condeming, but winsome and welcoming. Hopefully, there are many in your fellowship of Christian friends to introduce them to. And by all means, include them in your social activities, informal parties, movies, soccer game, anything good and wholesome. Jesus was a party-goer and he described the kingdom of God in the form of a huge banquet party. Bring the world to the biggest party of all, the most meaningful, the most welcoming! Bring them to Christians who celebrate and worship the true God.

And if she is a person who truly wants to learn about your views on Christianity, then tell her about them! I think I deeply can appreciate why persons would not want to believe in a god who is sending people to hell like traditional Christianity has taught. Hell is a concept that has to properly be understood. I think it has everything to do with seeing that God loves his creation and will punish and oppose everything that stands in his way of his plan to bless his world. That takes many forms and assures that evil will ultimately be defeated and the world put to rights.

Cruciformity on ‘Righteousness’ (part 2)

exerpt:

The purpose of Jesus’ coming to redeem the world was to set the world back on course, we could argue that it is even better because of who Jesus is, but suffice to say, that at the very least Jesus came to overturn what Adam did restoring and refashioning (My imagination thinks of the image of God being broken in pieces and Jesus coming into that broken world and broken image and refashioning and remaking it from the inside out … Jesus does not come to the place where Adam started in the Garden of Eden but where Adam finished, cast into exile from the Garden, thus the body that Jesus receives is a broken body that is in the likeness of sinful flesh that he might destroy the fracturedness of this world from the inside out) humanity back to their rightplace as God’s image bearers in the world.

To have started a new book (David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest). To have watched a good film (Russian Ark). To have enjoyed the company of fantastic people. To have slept in a loft/mezzanine floor. To have talked to the members of Goldenhorse briefly. To have met some of Richie’s friends. To be home.

I was wrong about the month’s theme, and the theme thing in general. It turns out there are two themes to each month – one inward-facing, one outward facing. Inward one this month is “self-actualisation”, outward one is “humans as God’s representatives”.

I bought a beanie for $2.50 in a wacky Asian shop in Old Papatoetoe. The shop had a wee room at the back with ‘SEXUAL HEALTH PROTECION UTENSILS’ written above the door.

It occured to me this afternoon that I am in love with all creation. What’s more, I just won a ticket (or two) off the radio to the ITF (Sminternational Turntablist Foundation) competition on at Coyotes on Thursday. Lush.

Be, B-Boys and girls, listen up
You can be anything in the world, in God we trust
An architect, doctor, maybe an actress
But nothing comes easy it takes much practice
Like, I met a woman who’s becoming a star
She was very beautiful, leaving people in awe
Singing songs, Lina Horn, but the younger version
Hung with the wrong person
Gotta astrung when I heard when
Cocaine, sniffing up drugs, all in her nose
Coulda died, so young, no looks ugly and old
No fun cause when she reaches for hugs people hold they breath
Cause she smells of corrosion and death
Watch the company you keep and the crowd you bring
Cause they came to do drugs and you came to sing
So if you gonna be the best, I’ma tell you how

I know I can
Be what I wanna be
If I work hard at it
I’ll be where I wanna be

Be, B-Boys and girls, listen again
This is for grown looking girls who’s only ten
The ones who watch videos and do what they see
As cute as can be, up in the club with fake ID
Careful, ‘fore you meet a man with HIV
You can host the TV like Oprah Winfrey
Whatever you decide, be careful, some men be
Rapists, so act your age, don’t pretend to be
Older than you are, give yourself time to grow
You thinking he can give you wealth, but so
Young boys, you can use a lot of help, you know
You thinkin life’s all about smokin weed and ice
You don’t wanna be my age and can’t read and right
Begging different women for a place to sleep at night
Smart boys turn to men and do whatever they wish
If you believe you can achieve, then say it like this

Be, be, ‘fore we came to this country
We were kings and queens, never porch monkeys
It was empires in Africa called Kush
Timbuktu, where every race came to get books
To learn from black teachers who taught Greeks and Romans
Asian Arabs and gave them gold when
Gold was converted to money it all changed
Money then became empowerment for Europeans
The Persian military invaded
They learned about the gold, the teachings and everything sacred
Africa was almost robbed naked
Slavery was money, so they began making slave ships
Egypt was the place that Alexander the Great went
He was so shocked at the mountains with black faces
Shot up they nose to impose what basically
Still goes on today, you see?
If the truth is told, the youth can grow
They learn to survive until they gain control
Nobody says you have to be gangstas, hoes
Read more learn more, change the globe
Ghetto children, do your thing
Hold your head up, little man, you’re a king
Young Prince thats when you get your wedding ring
Your man is saying “She’s my queen”

I know I can
Be what I wanna be
If I work hard at it
I’ll be where I wanna be

Brian McLaren – Seeing God in the Chaos of Life: A Study in the Minor Prophets: Jonah.
We think of Jonah as a Sunday School story for children. But for adults, Jonah is a complex and sophisticated story that shakes our preconceptions and changes the way we think of ourselves, others, and God.
RealAudio
mp3

ITF DJ Battle Southern Region 21/08/03
DJ battle featuring A-Trak, Mareko & Manchoo @ Coyote Bar in Wellington.
Worth $20+booking fee. R18 show.
Trademe Auction

Sex is fire & deep participation in the cosmic story of God and the world; two bodies separate but totally intimate & committed. So, pre-commitment sex is cheating on the universe.

Perhaps that wee digital camera isn’t so bad after all.

Wired Mesh on Mel Gibson’s Jesus movie, The Passion

I always like hearing these lines in the Mutton Birds song, As Close As This:

I have no habits, as I always say
But I reached for you you like the first cigarette of the very first day

Their ‘best of’ compilation Flock is probably worth getting just for this:

A Thing Well Made
She’s wearing her don’t talk to me face as she makes the kids’ lunches
I oblige and quietly close the front door as I leave
I drive into town before the fog lifts
I sell sporting goods
Yes I’ve got a shop not far from Cathedral Square
I like to open up early so fellas can come in on their way to work
And daydream around the rods and reels
While their breakfast’s still warm inside them
Go on have yourself a look
I’m proud of my shop
Almost everything’s from overseas
You won’t find a better selection

Look at the way this gun fits the crook of your arm
To make a thing like that you’d need to know what you were about
You’d need to know where you were going and go there in a straight line
And everything else you’d have to shut right out

Can you see the man who made that?
Can you see him putting it down and standing back?
Can you see the moment when he said, “that’s it, that’s perfect”?
At a time like that you wouldn’t care about your job
Or your mortgage or the fight you had with your wife
‘Cause when a man holds a thing well made there’s connection
There’s completeness when a man holds a thing well made

It’s Wednesday so I do the mail orders
Nothing much, some oilskins and a 303 for a hunter over in Westland
And oh yes. One of those AK47’s
For some collector down the line.

Technology giveth and technology taketh away, Neil Postman says. Teenage txting is hurting low-quality blockbusters’ opening weekends [via mefi].

hey everybody in internet-land
well, my brother has forced me to start a blog by banning me from the intricaweb if i dont start one so ive compromised and joined his.
Well,to start off with , i might as well tell you a bit about me. I’m fourteen, christian, play rugby, and am extremely bored at the moment. Because of this boredom it’ll be hard to keep up with blogging but i’ll try.
Some good news from me, probably no one but me will care, but thats never stopped me talking before. My rugby team is into the grand-final and expect to win. I’ve been playing rugby for seven years and the closest i’ve come before now was second, so that’ll be exciting.
I spose that’ll do for a first blog, I’ll try to keep up with it, but won’t make any promises.
l8r.

Three wood pigeons live near our place. They spend their days sitting on the topmost branches of the Kowhai trees around our house watching over Wainuiomata.

I am going to die. Beth Gibbons (Portishead vocalist) has an album out. Snippets of it are available at http://www.bethgibbons.com/. Thanks for letting me know, Bryan!

Samurai Barber poems [verb] about food
(we) Christians are so silly

Structuralism, Deconstructionism, Post-structuralism

Pink Floyd wrote some really silly songs:

A restless eye across a weary room
A glazed look and I was on the road to ruin
The music played and played as we whirled without end
No hint, no word her honour to defend

I will, I will she sighed to my request
And then she tossed her mane while my resolve was put to the test
Then drowned in desire, our souls on fire
I lead the way to the funeral pyre
And without a thought of the consequence
I gave in to my decadence

One slip, and down the hole we fall
It seems to take no time at all
A momentary lapse of reason
That binds a life for life
A small regret, you won’t forget,
There’ll be no sleep in here tonight

Was it love, or was it the idea of being in love?
Or was it the hand of fate, that seemed to fit just like a glove?
The moment slipped by and soon the seeds were sown
The year grew late and neither one wanted to remain alone

One slip, and down the hole we fall
It seems to take no time at all
A momentary lapse of reason
That binds a life for life
A small regret, you will never forget,
There’ll be no sleep in here tonight

But on the same album (A Momentary Lapse of Reason), they have some of the greatest stuff ever:

On the turning away
From the pale and downtrodden
And the words they say
Which we won’t understand
“Don’t accept that what’s happening
Is just a case of others’ suffering
Or you’ll find that you’re joining in
The turning away”

It’s a sin that somehow
Light is changing to shadow
And casting it’s shroud
Over all we have known
Unaware how the ranks have grown
Driven on by a heart of stone
We could find that we’re all alone
In the dream of the proud

On the wings of the night
As the daytime is stirring
Where the speechless unite
In a silent accord
Using words you will find are strange
And mesmerized as they light the flame
Feel the new wind of change
On the wings of the night

No more turning away
From the weak and the weary
No more turning away
From the coldness inside
Just a world that we all must share
It’s not enough just to stand and stare
Is it only a dream that there’ll be
No more turning away?

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