The 180 Blog

Contents
1. 180 News
2. Something for Your Heart
3. Surf Report
4. Birthdays
5. Video of The Week
6. Forgettable Fact
7. Potent Quotables
8. Parting Shot

1. 180 NEWS

Christmas Gifts For Our Neighbors


Christmas is coming! We have an opportunity to be a light to the world this Christmas by sharing presents with those who can't afford them. We have two great ways you can give gifts this year. Consider giving to children both in Portland (through Bridgetown Ministries) and Ensenada, Mexico (through missionaries Tim & Kathy Johnston).


Portland
Bring new toys for children from newborns through 12 years of age.

Mexico
Items you can give:
•Small toys
•Crayons
•School supplies
•Candy
•Fun soap or shampoo

Please make sure that toys are for children from newborns through 14 years of age.

All gifts need to be delivered unwrapped to the Youth Center by Wednesday. December 12.

2. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART

DEFINE TRUTH

Before we begin, I want you to do something first. Right here in the space provided--and without looking ahead--write down your definition of truth. Don't worry; you won't be graded. It's a definition just for you, to help you compare your understanding of truth now and what you will have at the end of this chapter. You may be surprised.

So what is truth? Define it.

____________________________________________________

Okay, let's go.

In an episode of The Simpsons entitled "She of Little Faith," Lisa embarks on a spiritual quest. While talking to Bart, Lisa says she's seeking "a religion that is right for me." She eventually discovers Buddhism and learns she can worship with any kind of religion as long as it promotes love. Satisfied, Lisa returns home to celebrate Christmas with her family. And as long as Lisa still participates in the family's Christian rituals, Homer is satisfied as well.

I usually enjoy watching The Simpsons because it holds up a mirror to our culture and asks us to reflect on who we are and what we've become. And I'm afraid the writers are correct in their assessments of how Christianity is perceived in our culture.

When Lisa says, "To find a religion that is right for me," the scriptwriters have made religion into something that can be dropped into a shopping cart. Religion here isn't a belief system that could be true or false--it's an accessory, like looking for the hat that's "just right for me." In trying to compliment all religions by saying they're basically the same, The Simpsons insulted every religion by implying none of them are unique.

Yet, I think I may agree with Lisa--just in a different way. I believe we do need to find the religion that's right for us, just like I need to find the medicine that's right for my bronchitis. I'm not looking for a religion that merely sounds pretty or makes me look better. Nor am I looking for the cough syrup that tastes like roasted almonds but can't clear up the congestion in my lungs. I'm looking for the religion (and the cough syrup) that deals with truth--right down to the core.

If we find this religion, this true religion, then it will be right for everyone, including Lisa Simpson. On the other hand, a false religion is right for no one, just like bad medicine is right for no one.

No one benefits in the long term by ignoring the way life is and the design of the universe. No one benefits by praying to gods who don't exist. No matter how much we might believe in the Easter Bunny, hoping and praying won't make it come hopping into our lives.

We need a religion that, as one writer put it, is "right where we are right" and "right where we are wrong."

Today, truth is in need of a friend. In politics, truth is what the voters vote for. In Hollywood, truth is what moviegoers pay for. In fashion, truth is whatever the trend is. In food, truth is whatever suits your tastes.

But what about truth itself?

In mathematics, some school curriculums are telling us we can no longer depend on the "truth" about numbers--2 + 2 may now equal 7.

In morality, "truth" becomes whatever an individual or group decides is right for them. In other words, truth isn't discovered--it's invented.

People then confuse the laws in our society with morality. Since laws are created, they believe morality is created. They forget that people start with morality and make laws to guard that morality.

They forget things can be immoral but legal--such as the way slavery was immoral but legal many years ago. Or the way some view abortion as immoral but legal.

Things can also be illegal but not immoral, too, such as jaywalking.

WHERE HAS TRUTH GONE?

A famous journalist of the 20th century once reported how truth was ignored in the Russian Kremlin when it was run by communist leaders. As the proposals were shared, one man raised his hand and said, "But if we tell the people this, it wouldn't be true."

An awkward silence rolled through the room. Then one man began to chuckle. Then another. And another. Until soon the whole assembly was laughing until tears ran down their cheeks.

You see, when a society turns godless, some person or group of persons or even every person becomes a little god in the process, and they start making up their own rules. But as this journalist pointed out, that moment in the Kremlin revealed the bankruptcy of the people. "It is truth that has died, not God."

When truth dies, the rails on which to run our lives are removed. Without truth, we cannot know things. Without the ability to know things, we cannot use things properly. If we cannot use things properly, we cannot take care of things properly.

After I bought my Jeep, the first thing I wanted to do was remove the hard top and put on the soft top. Some of my friends came over, and we pored over the directions in the manual. A half hour later, our work was done. But first we had to take the time to understand how the top on the Jeep worked before we could make it do what it was designed to do. We needed the truth.

One philosopher said, "What you would take care of you must first understand, whether it be a petunia or a nation."

But what about taking care of ourselves? Do we believe truth exists? Let's look at a survey of students ages 13 to 18. The survey asked a wide array of questions about topics from music to religion. The questions were organized, in part, to answer a bigger question, "Do you believe in absolute truth?" What would you answer?

Knowing your friends from school, clubs, and the neighborhood, what percentage do you think would say there really is such a thing as absolute truth? When you have a percentage in your head, turn the page.

What percentage of students ages 13 to 18 would say there really is such a thing as absolute truth? Your answer:

____________________________________________________

According to the national survey, only nine percent of all young people, religious and non-religious, affirm there is such a thing as absolute truth.

Does that surprise you? Or did you expect the percentage to be that low?

Interestingly, only a small percentage of students denied there was absolute truth. Most students were in the middle, neither affirming nor denying the existence of absolute truth. There's a good chance you also fit into this middle category.

When I speak to teenagers, I hear this question, "What is truth?" These are brave students, and they encourage me. They're asking one of the great questions of our time.

Some people say today's students don't care about truth, and they just want to do whatever feels good. But I don't believe that. I don't see that on the street. When students say such things, they're either lying, or they're contradicting the way they live, or as one professor says, they're just trying to end the conversation.

I believe students care about being good friends and performing well in sports, hobbies, or music. And all of these things require truth to do them well. So why the low percentage--why only nine percent?

Could it possibly be because most students don't even know what absolute truth is?

To many, truth is an alien concept, such as stating that bibliokleptomania is a fungus.

**

Taken from "Living with Questions" by Dale Fincher, copyright 2007, Zondervan/Youth Specialties. Used by permission.

Order the book here.

3. SURF REPORT

~ C-SPAN's STUDENT CAM '08: A documentary competition for students

~ Thanksgiving Hangman: A pointless game to help you get over your turkey hangover

4. BIRTHDAYS

We've got one birthday shout out this week and it goes out to Andrew Wiseman! Happy birthday Andrew!!

5. VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Got your Christmas lights up yet? How would you like to live next to this house?



6. FORGETTABLE FACT

The heart of an astronaut actually gets smaller when in outer space.

7. POTENT QUOTABLES

"All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them."
- Galileo

"A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes."
- Mark Twain

===========our|sponsor===========

GET HELP WITH YOUR QUESTIONS

Have you ever asked one of these questions?

* Does what I think really matter?
* What is truth?
* Is God there?
* Has God spoken?
* Am I important enough?
* Am I good enough?
* What's so great about heaven?

If you've ever wondered about any of these questions, you've come to the right place. In "Living With Questions", Dale Fincher will help you look at each of these questions in such a way that you'll discover clues, helpful tools, and answers--and what they all mean for your life and your faith. The answers you find will put you on a path to dig deeper and gain confidence in your faith. As Dale addresses the big questions that he's been asked by students across the country, you'll find that you're not alone in your doubt, confusion, or questioning.

Learn more and purchase "Living with Questions" here.

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8. PARTING SHOT

There is no mistake so great as that of being always right.