Reformation Polka Music Video

Tomorrow will be the 498th anniversary of when Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to a door in Wittenberg, starting a snowball that rolled into the Reformation. Sola Scriptura. Sola fide. Sola gratia.

I know I've posted about this song before. Twice. But I think you'll enjoy this animated music video of the Reformation Polka. Have a happy All Saints Eve!

Halloween and All Saints Eve

In some parts of the world Christians go to graveyards to pray
and place flowers and candles on their loved one’s graves
on All Hallow’s Eve. This picture depicts
the holy day (holiday) in Sweden.

HT: Nathan Rinne

What does Halloween mean? It is “Hallowe’en”, which mean’s “All Hallows’ Eve”, or “All Saint’s Eve”. Analogous to Christmas Eve, it is the beginning of All Saints’ Day and starts at sundown on October 31^st.

The old English “hallowed” means holy, sanctified, “set apart” (as for service).  Martin Luther’s 95 theses were meant for all Christians, or all “holy ones” – “saints”. He posted them in 1517 on “All Hallow’s Eve”, or “All Saint’s Eve”, at the All Saints’ Church (the University of Wittenberg campus church) in Wittenberg, Germany.

Martin Luther’s core message?: All Saints are saved by grace, through faith, revealed by God’s Word in Christ. Thesis 11 of his 95 theses read: “Every true Christian, whether living or dead, has part in all the blessings of Christ and the Church; and this is granted him by God, even without letters of pardon” [i.e. “indulgences”].

So where did the day originally come from? In the first 300 years of the church, so many were martyred for their faith that throughout the church days were set aside to remember all Saints.

You can read the rest.

Four Myths About Religious Freedom

HT: Russell Moore

Myth #1: Religious freedom is about ending the separation of church and state.

Myth #2: Religious freedom is about discriminating against those with whom we disagree.

Myth #3: Religious freedom allows people to ignore the law.

Myth #4: Religious freedom is just about protecting Christians.

You can read the explanations. Thoughts?

Wanting to Have Been Born Disabled

HT: Gene Veith

I’ve blogged about the “transabled,” people who feel that they should have been born into a body that is disabled.  After the jump is a story about a woman who felt that the way she “was supposed to be born” was to be blind.  So the psychologist working with her blinded her.  He “gave her eye-numbing drops before sprinkling a few droplets of drain cleaner into each pupil.”

You can read the rest. Thoughts? It raises some serious questions.

Learning to Love Difference

HT: Dan Patterson of TGC Australia

It is ironic that in a culture obsessed with the quest for individual identity, the solution given to deal with the clash of difference is to ‘erase’ the difference that forms the very basis of identity. The church must be wise to this radical relativising of human identity in order to justify a particular conception of love.

You can read the rest.

Star Wars: The Ponies Awaken

I'll just let the video speak for itself.

Death Is Not 'Okay'

HT: Trillia Newbell

It was a Wednesday morning. I packed up the kids and headed to my mom’s house to pick up my niece, a sweet young girl in that preteen stage. She and I were going to spend the entire day together. When I arrived, I asked what she wanted to do. “Go to Applebee’s,” she said. I hadn’t been to Applebee’s in ages.

At the restaurant I asked how she was. She said she was great but was tired of one thing. “I’m just tired of people telling me it’s going to be okay. I just want to know what’s going to happen next.”

You can read the rest.