Iris DeMent: 'He Reached Down' (Music Video)

You can follow the lyrics below.

Update on Thursday, June 26, 2008 by Jan McKenzie

Here are the lyrics for those whose ear isn’t tuned to the southern drawl:

He Reached Down
by Iris Dement

(Verse 1)
A certain man one day did go down to Jericho
Fallin’ among thieves along the way
Well they stripped him then they fled
Leaving him for dead
Lying on the side of the road

And then the priest came passing by
He crossed over to the other side
Then the Levite came and he did just the same

When the Samaritan heard his cry
He just could not pass on by
He dressed his wounds and he carried to the nearest inn

(Chorus)
Well he reached down, he reached down
He got right there on the ground
He reached down, he reached down
And he touched the pain

He paid the keeper the amount that was due
If you need more he said I’m good for that too
He reached down, he reached down
And he touched the pain

(Verse 2)
And then the Scribes in the Pharicese
Brought the adultress in for Jesus to see
Lord, she’s sinned, now the law says she must be stoned
If there’s a one of you that’s without sin
Said you can cast the first stone in
One by one they left, leaving Jesus and the woman alone

< Sing Chorus >

Well no accusers are left that I see
And Woman, neither do I condemn thee
He reached down, he reached down
And he touched the pain

< Guitar Solo >

(Verse 3)
In the (Bible??) a story is told
About a traveler at the end of life’s road
He’s at the gates of the Kingdom and the Master says “Come on in”
For I was hungry and you gave me meat
I was cold you put shoes on my feet
When I was in prison there was you who come to see about me

(Chorus – Modified)
Well you reached down, you reached down
You got right there on the ground
You reached down, you reached down
And you touched my pain

When you’re debted to the least of these
He said you were doin’ it unto me
You reached down, you reached down
And you touched my pain

Well he reached down, he reached down
And he touched the pain

 

Asian Stock Woes and the End of Days

The continuing global economic crisis should be raising questions of faith and what the Scriptures say about the turmoil preceding the second coming of Christ. A current article in Bloomberg offers little to assuage market fears. It speaks of a One Trillion dollar short fall, covering many sectors. Below is a Reuters video Asian market woes, more of the same.

Julius Nam: Notes on the Existence of God

Dr. Julius Nam, a theology professor, has posted his lecture outline for first year philosophy students regarding the phiosophical arguments for or against the existence of God. You can find it here. Maybe I’ll see you in the comments section.

Why We Bloggers Bother..Or Do We?

Recently, I joined in on a blog conversation in the comment section of Dr. Jon Pauliens ‘blog’, Revelation-Armageddon.

When one of the commentators, Frank, posted that he wanted to continue our discussion privately so as not to misuse his privileges, I was surprised to read this reply from Dr. Paulien’s spokesman:

Frank,
I can speak for Dr Paulien when I say this… that the blog was set up for this type of open ended discussion.  It was Dr Paulien’s opinion when we set up the blog that it would be open-ended discussion… without approval or disapproval of the comments.  No one edits out any comments… other than things that are obvious spam.  In other words… I was reading what you said too… with interest.  I was disappointed to see you go to a private discussion.
Regards,
John Miller (system admin)

Being the ironic and spasmodically irascible writer that I’m, I replied: 

John,

That a ‘blogger’ who has only posted 18 times since Nov. 2006 would expect his ‘administrator’…I am laughing now…to comment in his behalf betrays a certain and ironic ignorance of the online community.

I respect you (tell him for me, John) as a theologian and to be fair, blogging is…well…it’s blogging.

They are as common as grass and share the same fate. My own has never reached more than 6,000 readers a month, not counting the linkoverse, and is presently much less; I am sure all of those, apart from my mother, would get along just fine if I died tomorrow.

Really, Jon, (or is it John) if your too busy to blog or your just wanting to post a few hooks to hang your other ventures on, call it something else. But it ain’t bloggin’.

Sometime ago I had considered removing your link from my blogroll for being inactive. I thought I would wait a little longer, hoping, hoping, for a post.

Now, I’ll have to delete for mere pretentiousness. Sorry. Bloggers rules.

P.S. Frank, I’ll be waiting on that email. Of course, being a busy pastor with two churches…someone else may reply in my behalf. Nothing personal.

How Mr. Miller missed the irony of “speaking for” the blogger is just too funny! Why…Oh why…do we bother….?

Update on Monday, March 24, 2008 by Jan McKenzie

Should anyone, in response, accuse me of infrequent posting in this journal, remember, it is one of three on the same site. Busy little bee, I am.

Journeys In Between: A Christian Art Blog Worth Seeing

I’ve found a great blog for Christian art links, among other things. Below is a sample of an African artwork link. The blog is Journeys In Between. Whether or not you like the theology, it is worth a look. Check it out.

Who is the Muslim Jesus?

I can’t write long today. Just a note to tell you where my head is at. I was disturbed, a good thing I suppose, by a program on the tele last night. I can’t remember the title but it was on ITV and was something like “The Muslim Jesus” or “Islam’s Jesus”. I don’t have time to look the link up on the ITV site. Google it if your interested. [See update below].

What disturbed me, and I already knew this, was the virulent opposition by outspoken Muslims, white Muslim converts, or Muslim wannabes toward the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, the divinity of Jesus Christ, and what those doctrines mean for an interpretation of his atoning work. I was reminded of just where I stand in this culture and it made me feel uncomfortable. It also made me feel angry.

I don’t mind reasonable discussions. Not long ago I spent some time with a Muslim friend, a Ph.d. in sociology, and we explored a few of our mutual and not-so-mutual beliefs. But these televised, ignorant assertions made about my faith and my Lord irritate me. The twisting of Biblical passages, the willing ignorance of their context, and the producers choice of loud, marginal voices as representative of their respective faiths, Christian or Muslim, is an obvious attempt to get viewers through nonobjective polarization of opinions. And this is passed off to those not educated in the various subjects as real, substantive discussion.

Let’s call it what it is, pure entertainment on the lower scale of the entertainment food change. Like a ranting Michael Moore documentary, it is biased and sometimes overtly deceitful.  The only good I salvage from such propaganda is the belief that even this serves to awaken discussion on the greatest question confronting human beings today, the same question Jesus once asked of his disciples: “Who do men say that I am?”.

Update on Monday, March 10, 2008 by Jan McKenzie

I’ve looked it up. Apparently, it was a rebroadcast of “The Muslim Jesus”, narrated by Lord Melvin Bragg. See the blog, Cranmer, for an even more irratated response to the orginal broadcast and the comments that follow.

 Here it is if you have the time.

Dr. Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury: What did he really say about Sharia law in Britain?

Dr. Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, is presently being roasted on a spit by the British tabloid press, for remarks he made to a gathering of lawyers and judges at the Royal Courts of Justice. Dr. Williams has suggested Islam’s Sharia law may have a possible future in British society, within the Muslim community as it would apply to some civil and financial disputes. However, these remarks were made to a specific audience and within a larger context regarding the general nature of religious and civil law in modern Britain.

I believe, whether or not you agree with his position, that it is unfair, misleading, and unethical to falsely characterize his remarks, particularly when such an action will knowingly inflame already tender religious-racial tensions, not only in Britain, but on wider world stage.  That a tabloid such as the Sun does so is no surprise and doesn’t deserve further comment, but for those of a more reasonable persuasion, I would encourage you to take time to thoughtfully read the full manuscript of his remarks before offering your valued opinion, whether in print on air. You will find the full manuscript here.

For an interesting and articulate discussion of whether or not the Archbishop was wise in making his remarks, see this blog post and related comments at Faith and Theology.  

I have only had time to read part of the manuscript myself, so I’ll wait before drawing any further personal conclusions.  

The Matrix Now Loaded

Paranoid fans of the Matrix will love this, a “super-effecient chip” run on body heat. And in Matrix fashion, the vision is for war.

From Wired Magazine…here. 

[For the fortunate, uninitiated ones, the Matrix is a movie about machines ruling the world, powered by the body heat of human beings who are farmed as bio-fuel. The humans mysteriously find a way to rebel. It is a play on concepts of reality as dream and dream as reality. The powerful, delusional, subtext is the glorification of the autonomous self, i.e. man as god against God, who is vilified as the autocratic machine trying to destroy our right for absolute freedom. I nice little demonic work of half-truths. Typical for the devil.]