CULTURE AS A PRODUCT Hall and Neitz (1993) provide an inclusive definition of culture that describes it as 1) ideas, knowledge (correct, wrong, or unverifiable belief), and recipes for doing things; 2) humanly fabricated tools (shovels, sewing machines, and computers); and 3) products of social action that can be drawn upon in the conduct of… Continue reading Culture as Both Product and Practice
Tag: society
Pleasant Words
“Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, Sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.”Proverbs 16:24 1 Corinthians 15:33 tells us, “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.” Communication is vital to any relationship. Studies show that communication is one of the top measures for the success or failure of a marriage. There are… Continue reading Pleasant Words
Things Not Seen
“While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18 Contemporary Americans are inundated with “things” which are seen. We concern ourselves with houses (and their furnishing),… Continue reading Things Not Seen
Racing for the Crown
“Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.”1 Corinthians 9:24-25 The Olympic Games recently… Continue reading Racing for the Crown
Altering the Availability Heuristic
A heuristic is “a mental shortcut that allows an individual to make a decision, pass judgment, or solve a problem quickly and with minimal mental effort.” We use heuristics all the time. In any given situation, we are armed with data about the situation — usually sensory — and use heuristics to fill in the… Continue reading Altering the Availability Heuristic
Do Christians Still Empathize?
Empathy should be a Christian ideal. Romans 12:15 reads, Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.Ephesians 4:32 says, And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. These verses epitomize empathy. Someone quote shared a Facebook post I made… Continue reading Do Christians Still Empathize?
The Christian Cancel Culture
John Cooper, lead singer of the Christian rock band Skillet, has been in the news over the past couple of years for his critique of “Christian” pastors who use their pulpit for money and popularity rather than preaching the Gospel. He composed a lengthy Facebook post about making “pastors uncool again.” Most of us agree… Continue reading The Christian Cancel Culture
Rethinking the Unrest
Something to think about with all the chaos and civil unrest happening right now. Those who are pulling down statues believe as strongly and passionately about their cause as you do about keeping those statues to remember history. They believe in their cause as much - and possibly more - than you do about evangelizing… Continue reading Rethinking the Unrest
Are You a Skeptic or Cynic?
A skeptic is someone who questions things; someone who desires to look beyond the surface. A cynic is someone who attributes negative motivation to a person. I fear that we have moved well beyond the former toward a society so overcome by cynicism that we can no longer trust each other. This used to play… Continue reading Are You a Skeptic or Cynic?
It is Time to Disobey Man
Acts 5:29 "Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men." This ties in well with yesterday's verse (John 19:15). Christians who capitulate to man's laws (this includes rules, norms, and mores as well) that violate God's laws are in violation of the Bible. We see far… Continue reading It is Time to Disobey Man
Simmons' Opinions 