Friday, October 30, 2009
I'm Baaack!
Sorry for lying the first time. I tried blogging, but it ends up I was not very good about keeping up. I'll try more. Hopefull this new subject format will be good for being more conducive for writing more.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Ok...I lied
It's my bad. Sorry for not keeping my promise to update more consistently. The last month has just been a total whirlwind with school and life. But I'm baaack!
Currently reading "Ministries of Mercy: The Call of the Jericho Road" by Tim Keller. I'll probably review that soon enough.
Other than that, I've been trying to chill out a bit and get out of the wind of law school. I won't be totally idle from law though this summer. I'll be interning at the District Attorney's Office in Chino and doing some early bar-prep for when I take the bar next summer. In addition, I'll be having to do research and writing on my law review article.
It's going to be a busy, but good summer!
Currently reading "Ministries of Mercy: The Call of the Jericho Road" by Tim Keller. I'll probably review that soon enough.
Other than that, I've been trying to chill out a bit and get out of the wind of law school. I won't be totally idle from law though this summer. I'll be interning at the District Attorney's Office in Chino and doing some early bar-prep for when I take the bar next summer. In addition, I'll be having to do research and writing on my law review article.
It's going to be a busy, but good summer!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Some Food for Thought....
Is there a difference between living "morally" and living "ethically"?
If so, what is the difference?
If not, how are they the same?
If so, what is the difference?
If not, how are they the same?
Monday, March 9, 2009
A Bit of a Peeve
You know what I'm not really a big fan of? The use of the term "people." Not that I don't like "people" in of itself, but I don't like the usage of that term in a specific context.
One thing that always gets me is when "people" say the word "people" when describing a general tendency, behavior, or attitude. For example, "people say that they don't like spaghetti because its too noodlely." "People are not happy with the way things are going." "People have not have had a good response to the speech."
Here's a question? Who are these "PEOPLE"?!?!
I say it with a bit of light-heartedness, but genuinely trying to make a point, that term always gets me. I posit that usually when one says the word "people" they are asserting their own personal opinion, rather than a true general observation about how everyone is. One uses that term to add some more legitimacy to their assertion or generalization. After all, if someone said, "I'm not happy about ____," that would seem to carry less weight than "People are not happy about ______." When one says the world "people," perhaps that would be something that needs to be addressed, thereby advancing the position without ever really having to lay oneself out there on the "idea island."
Something else that the word "people" is used to achieve is to create the appearance of "consensus" when there really isn't any. For example, sitting in a business meeting of upper level staff, one staff member says, "people want to move in this direction" when in fact, only he and a couple of others want that policy change. The rhetorical fluff is the way for a minority to impose its views on a majority.
It's an intellectually dishonest way of supporting one's position. I'd much rather make an assertion, support that with evidence and a well thought out position. Sure, it takes a little more courage and accountability for what one has to say, but isn't that a good that can be achieved? Not to hide behind rhetorical fluff, but to have a statement parsed and proposition analyzed for truthfulness is not a bad thing. It's good for those who share an opinion with AND good for you. There's no harm in having an observation critically analyzed. If one's opinion is correct, then a deep introspective observation will help that to be taken into account in a more effective way. If one's observation has no basis, it can be corrected. It's not "bad" to be told you're wrong sometimes.
My advice. You have an opinion? That's great! It's awesome! It's good to think critically, objectively, and express that! But when you do, make sure you're being straightforward about how you go about expressing that. Have a general observation? Just say, "I have an observation, it seems like..." That way, we all can learn to think and express ourselves in a much more effective and productive way.
One thing that always gets me is when "people" say the word "people" when describing a general tendency, behavior, or attitude. For example, "people say that they don't like spaghetti because its too noodlely." "People are not happy with the way things are going." "People have not have had a good response to the speech."
Here's a question? Who are these "PEOPLE"?!?!
I say it with a bit of light-heartedness, but genuinely trying to make a point, that term always gets me. I posit that usually when one says the word "people" they are asserting their own personal opinion, rather than a true general observation about how everyone is. One uses that term to add some more legitimacy to their assertion or generalization. After all, if someone said, "I'm not happy about ____," that would seem to carry less weight than "People are not happy about ______." When one says the world "people," perhaps that would be something that needs to be addressed, thereby advancing the position without ever really having to lay oneself out there on the "idea island."
Something else that the word "people" is used to achieve is to create the appearance of "consensus" when there really isn't any. For example, sitting in a business meeting of upper level staff, one staff member says, "people want to move in this direction" when in fact, only he and a couple of others want that policy change. The rhetorical fluff is the way for a minority to impose its views on a majority.
It's an intellectually dishonest way of supporting one's position. I'd much rather make an assertion, support that with evidence and a well thought out position. Sure, it takes a little more courage and accountability for what one has to say, but isn't that a good that can be achieved? Not to hide behind rhetorical fluff, but to have a statement parsed and proposition analyzed for truthfulness is not a bad thing. It's good for those who share an opinion with AND good for you. There's no harm in having an observation critically analyzed. If one's opinion is correct, then a deep introspective observation will help that to be taken into account in a more effective way. If one's observation has no basis, it can be corrected. It's not "bad" to be told you're wrong sometimes.
My advice. You have an opinion? That's great! It's awesome! It's good to think critically, objectively, and express that! But when you do, make sure you're being straightforward about how you go about expressing that. Have a general observation? Just say, "I have an observation, it seems like..." That way, we all can learn to think and express ourselves in a much more effective and productive way.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
A Time of Reckoning
I've been reading through the book of Genesis and have come upon the story of Joseph. Such an amazing fellow, he is. There are a couple of things to note.
The first comes from Joseph's run-in with Potiphar's wife. A beautiful and powerful woman, she invited him to have sexual relations with her, but he ran away lest he sin. Thinking about it, that just doesn't make much sense. Joseph - servant. Potiphar's wife - beautiful, rich. Joseph - handsome, maybe hormones raging. Yet he ran from sin.
I wonder myself how easy it is to keep sin so close and to indulge it. Maybe not even necessarilly in the area of lust/sexual sin. How easy it is to merely admire the beauty of things that we know are wrong, but like to keep around because they satisfy some desire in our life.
The second point that I really found encouraging is something that Joseph said in response to Pharaoh. Pharoah had some dreams that he did not understand and summoned Joseph to interpret them. However, in Genesis 41:16, Joseph says, "I cannot do it," Joseph replied to Pharoah, "but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires."
Wow... There are a couple of points I glean from that statemement. Joseph first recognizes his own ability to interpret divine revelation. He recognizes his own inadequacy and lack of wisdom to do so. This, despite having every reason to be self-confident. He had interpreted dreams before. Now, the Pharaoh of all of Egypt was seeking HIS counsel. Yet, he was humble throughout all of this. Second, Joseph recognizes that God is the source of revelation and the wisdom gained from it. God is the interpreter and the giver of wisdom, and Joseph merely the conduit through which God speaks.
That's pretty amazing to me, and such a good lesson. Though we may have every earthly reason to be self-confident and assured in our intelligence, that confidence is sorely misplaced. However, recognition of God first allows us to be used by Him, ultimately for HIS glory.
The first comes from Joseph's run-in with Potiphar's wife. A beautiful and powerful woman, she invited him to have sexual relations with her, but he ran away lest he sin. Thinking about it, that just doesn't make much sense. Joseph - servant. Potiphar's wife - beautiful, rich. Joseph - handsome, maybe hormones raging. Yet he ran from sin.
I wonder myself how easy it is to keep sin so close and to indulge it. Maybe not even necessarilly in the area of lust/sexual sin. How easy it is to merely admire the beauty of things that we know are wrong, but like to keep around because they satisfy some desire in our life.
The second point that I really found encouraging is something that Joseph said in response to Pharaoh. Pharoah had some dreams that he did not understand and summoned Joseph to interpret them. However, in Genesis 41:16, Joseph says, "I cannot do it," Joseph replied to Pharoah, "but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires."
Wow... There are a couple of points I glean from that statemement. Joseph first recognizes his own ability to interpret divine revelation. He recognizes his own inadequacy and lack of wisdom to do so. This, despite having every reason to be self-confident. He had interpreted dreams before. Now, the Pharaoh of all of Egypt was seeking HIS counsel. Yet, he was humble throughout all of this. Second, Joseph recognizes that God is the source of revelation and the wisdom gained from it. God is the interpreter and the giver of wisdom, and Joseph merely the conduit through which God speaks.
That's pretty amazing to me, and such a good lesson. Though we may have every earthly reason to be self-confident and assured in our intelligence, that confidence is sorely misplaced. However, recognition of God first allows us to be used by Him, ultimately for HIS glory.
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