Becoming Mature http://www.becomingmature.org The show dedicated to helping us interpret, from a biblical perspective, the events that shape our lives. Each week we delve deep into something new, from religion to technology, from the entertainment industry to politics and everything in between. If you're thinking about the world in a new way, well, then you've probably just listened to another episode of "Becoming Mature." Feeder 2.0.8(1206) http://reinventedsoftware.com/feeder/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss en 2009 Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:07:45 -0500 Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:07:45 -0500 http://libsyn.com/podcasts/brucebaker/images/becoming-mature-eggs-icon-600.jpg Becoming Mature http://www.becomingmature.org 144 144 Bruce Baker Training ourselves to distinguish good from evil. Heb 5:14 The show dedicated to helping us interpret, from a biblical perspective, the events that shape our lives. Each week we delve deep into something new, from religion to technology, from the entertainment industry to politics and everything in between. If you're thinking about the world in a new way, then you've probably just listened to another episode of "Becoming Mature." Spiritual Maturity, Current Events, Christian Living, Worldview clean Bruce Baker podcast@becomingmature.org no #8 Say It Ain't So, Mark http://becomingmature.squarespace.com/podcast/2010/2/9/8-say-it-aint-so-mark.html This episode Joel and I are talking baseball and celery. Mostly baseball but there is some celery thrown in just for good measure. Now if you don’t like baseball or know little about it, I hope you’ll keep listening because the subject really isn’t baseball per se, but is just the background for the larger topics of honesty, broken promises, hero worship, confection, and much more.

So keep listening for a discussion that is applicable to games in particular and life in general.

]]> Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:07:34 -0500 8-say-it-aint-so-mark Bruce Baker This episode Joel and I are talking baseball and celery. Mostly baseball but there is some celery thrown in just for good measure. Now if you don’t like baseball or know little about it, I hope you’ll keep listening because the subject really isn’t baseball per se, but is just the background for the larger topics of honesty, broken promises, hero worship, confection, and much more. So keep listening for a discussion that is applicable to games in particular and life in general. clean 52:53 #7 Where was God? http://becomingmature.squarespace.com/podcast/2010/2/1/7-where-was-god.html Today Joel and I address the unhappy topic of the disaster in Haiti. As with any natural disaster, there has been much public speculation trying to answer the question, "Why?" We as humans have an inherent need to understand our world. In many ways, this is positive. But what do we do when the unexplainable comes along. Oh certainly, geologists can provide technical, materialistic answers as to the physical causes of the earthquake. But ultimately that leaves us empty. Because God has created us as both material and immaterial beings, a simple materialistic answer only satisfies part of us. Ultimately we want to know, "Where was God in all this?" Was this really the wrath of Gaia or a result of a pact with the Devil?

Stay tuned as Joel and I disuse the biblical evidence about what can and can't be known.

]]> Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:21:57 -0500 7-where-was-god Bruce Baker Today Joel and I address the unhappy topic of the disaster in Haiti. As with any natural disaster, there has been much public speculation trying to answer the question, "Why?" We as humans have an inherent need to understand our world. In many ways, this is positive. But what do we do when the unexplainable comes along. Oh certainly, geologists can provide technical, materialistic answers as to the physical causes of the earthquake. But ultimately that leaves us empty. Because God has created us as both material and immaterial beings, a simple materialistic answer only satisfies part of us. Ultimately we want to know, "Where was God in all this?" Was this really the wrath of Gaia or a result of a pact with the Devil? Stay tuned as Joel and I disuse the biblical evidence about what can and can't be known. clean 1:01:25 #4 The Great De-Commission http://becomingmature.squarespace.com/podcast/2009/12/11/4-the-great-de-commision.html The Good News of Jesus Christ has been the foundation of the church since its inception. This foundation, however, has constantly been attacked for the same amount of time. In this episode, two different distortions of the Gospel are examined. While the two movements discussed are completely different, they have this in common: they move the center of the Gospel from eternity to this world.

The first is the Nazareth Manifesto. There is an excellent article on this movement listed in the reference section of this post by Mark Newell. In fact, I'm borrowing the title for this podcast from Newell. In our conversation Joel and I call this the Nazareth Movement since this really is a theological movement based on this "Manifesto."

The second is the prosperity gospel. You can find more information about this movement including the video to which Joel and I refer in this blog post: Stealing in the Name of the Lord: Our National Export.

As in previous episodes, my conversation today is with Joel Williamson, Prof of OT at Calvary Theological Seminary.

]]> Fri, 11 Dec 2009 21:00:42 -0500 4-the-great-decommission The Good News of Jesus Christ has been the foundation of the church since its inception. This foundation, however, has constantly been attacked for the same amount of time. In this episode, two different distortions of the Gospel are examined. While the two movements discussed are completely different, they have this in common: they move the center of the Gospel from eternity to this world. The first is the Nazareth Manifesto. There is an excellent article on this movement listed in the reference section of this post by Mark Newell. In fact, I'm borrowing the title for this podcast from Newell. In our conversation Joel and I call this the Nazareth Movement since this really is a theological movement based on this "Manifesto." The second is the prosperity gospel. You can find more information about this movement including the video to which Joel and I refer in this blog post: Stealing in the Name of the Lord: Our National Export. As in previous episodes, my conversation today is with Joel Williamson, Prof of OT at Calvary Theological Seminary. no 56:16 #3 T'was the Season Before Christmas http://becomingmature.squarespace.com/podcast/2009/12/5/3-twas-the-season-before-christmas.html Sat, 05 Dec 2009 19:43:06 -0500 3-twas-the-season-before-christmas The popular understanding of Christmas took a dramatic turn in the 1800's. In this episode we look at the evolving popular understanding of Christmas, how the biblical understanding is different, and how we can celebrate this Christian feast "before the LORD" (without becoming a grinch!). no 50:17 #5 Unalienable Responsibilities http://main.becomingmature.org/podcast/2009/12/18/5-unalienable-responsibilities.html The Finns have declared high speed Internet to be a legal right. The French have declared Internet access (any speed) to be a basic human right.

In the United States, we have been raised with the idea that we are endowed by our "Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

An unalienable right is a right that can't be surrendered by a citizen to the government. Unalienable rights are the result of natural law and therefore can't be transferred from one person to another, rights which cannot be given away or abandoned.

But what does the Bible say? If it is indeed all that is necessary for faith and life, one would expect an extended discussion on the topic in its pages. Surprisingly there is none. As far as I can tell, the concept of rights is an entirely fabricated human construct which is found no where directly in Scripture.

Joel Williamson (Prof of OT at Calvary Theological Seminary) and I converse about the issue of rights. Our conversation is an extension of this earlier blog post.

]]> Fri, 18 Dec 2009 22:52:28 -0500 5-the-great-decommission The Finns have declared high speed Internet to be a legal right. The French have declared Internet access (any speed) to be a basic human right. In the United States, we have been raised with the idea that we are endowed by our "Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." An unalienable right is a right that can't be surrendered by a citizen to the government. Unalienable rights are the result of natural law and therefore can't be transferred from one person to another, rights which cannot be given away or abandoned. But what does the Bible say? If it is indeed all that is necessary for faith and life, one would expect an extended discussion on the topic in its pages. Surprisingly there is none. As far as I can tell, the concept of rights is an entirely fabricated human construct which is found no where directly in Scripture. Joel Williamson (Prof of OT at Calvary Theological Seminary) and I converse about the issue of rights. Our conversation is an extension of this earlier blog post. no 54:54 #6 The Avatar Messiah http://main.becomingmature.org/podcast/2009/12/30/6-the-avatar-messiah.html Our conversation today revolves around the latest blockbuster movie by James Cameron. It's the most expensive film ever made and it's getting a lot of buzz. I'm speaking of course of Avatar, the 3d sensation that employs the latest technology to present to movie goers and entirely new experience.

But what about the message of the film? As thoughtful believers we should recognize that no film is morally neutral, but instead conveys a message whether intended or not. So in this episode, Joel and I discuss the presuppositions and plot devices of Hollywood's latest offering.

]]> Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:30:57 -0500 the-avatar-messiah Our conversation today revolves around the latest blockbuster movie by James Cameron. It's the most expensive film ever made and it's getting a lot of buzz. I'm speaking of course of Avatar, the 3d sensation that employs the latest technology to present to movie goers and entirely new experience. But what about the message of the film? As thoughtful believers we should recognize that no film is morally neutral, but instead conveys a message whether intended or not. So in this episode, Joel and I discuss the presuppositions and plot devices of Hollywood's latest offering. no 57:43 #1 Quirky or Sinful? http://becomingmature.squarespace.com/podcast/2009/11/18/1-quirky-or-sinful.html Welcome to our inaugural episode of the podcast "Becoming Mature. I'm so glad you've joined us.

The purpose of this podcast is to look at the world around us with new eyes, rejecting the conventional wisdom of the world and self-consciously reexamining everything with which we come into contact through a strictly biblical grid so that we can think more like God and then act in a way that's more pleasing to him.

In this episode, Joel Williamson (Professor of OT at Calvary Theological Seminary) discuss the photo of Steve Jobs siting in a room with no furniture. (See original blog post w picture) We analyze what this photo is really saying about his presuppositions about spiritual things and about God himself.

]]> Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:42:18 -0500 1-quirky-or-sinful Welcome to our inaugural episode of the podcast "Becoming Mature. I'm so glad you've joined us. The purpose of this podcast is to look at the world around us with new eyes, rejecting the conventional wisdom of the world and self-consciously reexamining everything with which we come into contact through a strictly biblical grid so that we can think more like God and then act in a way that's more pleasing to him. In this episode, Joel Williamson (Professor of OT at Calvary Theological Seminary) discuss the photo of Steve Jobs siting in a room with no furniture. (See original blog post w picture) We analyze what this photo is really saying about his presuppositions about spiritual things and about God himself. no #2 Thinking Seriously About Thanksgiving http://main.becomingmature.org/podcast/2009/11/25/2-thinking-seriously-about-thanksgiving.html Thanksgiving requires an object that is personal and deserving. To fail to be thankful to God is not being honest nor giving to God what he is due.

One of the qualities necessary for true praise to take place is personality. If there is no person, then there can be no praise for only persons can receive praise. That’s why, if a song is beautiful, we praise the composer. If a painting is noteworthy, we honor the painter. If a building is magnificent, we congratulate the architect. In the same way, if a rose is worthy of admiration, that praise should go to the Creator. So, if we are delighting in a sunset, if we are being honest, we are delighting in the one that made the sunset. And if we are not, then we are committing a crime of enormous proportions.

]]> Wed, 25 Nov 2009 09:03:48 -0500 2-thinking-seriously-about-thanksgiving Thanksgiving requires an object that is personal and deserving. To fail to be thankful to God is not being honest nor giving to God what he is due. One of the qualities necessary for true praise to take place is personality. If there is no person, then there can be no praise for only persons can receive praise. That’s why, if a song is beautiful, we praise the composer. If a painting is noteworthy, we honor the painter. If a building is magnificent, we congratulate the architect. In the same way, if a rose is worthy of admiration, that praise should go to the Creator. So, if we are delighting in a sunset, if we are being honest, we are delighting in the one that made the sunset. And if we are not, then we are committing a crime of enormous proportions. no