One Thousand Gifts—A Book Review

Posted on August 15, 2011 by Amy Spiegel

At one time or another, all of us have randomly opened our Bibles, blindly pointed our finger and eagerly read whatever verse we had landed on. Maybe we were searching for a sign. Maybe we didn’t have any more structured plan for our devotions that morning. Maybe we were just bored. Sometimes this experiment ends with some meaningless message like “They left Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor, on the border of Edom” (Numbers 33:37). More often than not, in a display of just how rich and diverse the scriptures are, as you can find some way to apply what you find, even if it takes some creative interpretation. But every now and then, you can open the Bible in desperate need of God’s voice and He will speak so clearly, you are tempted to look over your shoulder in order to verify that He isn’t standing behind you.

I wouldn’t put Ann Voskamp’s book One Thousand Gifts on par with scripture, but this summer she has certainly been a voice of Truth in my life. I can’t remember when I first became aware of the book, but it came to my attention enough times that I finally got the hint and decided to read it. It was the perfect companion as I worked through writing my own book this summer.

Mrs. Voskamp’s unique mix of poetry, theological insight and soul-bearing honesty work together to create a book that informs and encourages. The basic assertion of One Thousand Gifts is that gratitude is at the heart of Christian life. The title refers to a challenge issued to Voskamp to list a thousand things for which she was thankful. This may seem like an easy task, but as someone who is currently in the midst of responding to this challenge, let me assure you it isn’t. Once you get past your family, material possessions and cheese, it suddenly dawns on you that practicing the discipline of gratitude is not for the faint at heart. Life is filled with blessings from the hand of God if we will only open our eyes to see them. By blessings, Voskamp doesn’t just mean the sunny day at the beach or the unexpected check in the mail. She reminds us that since all events are under God’s control, there is good to be found even in the deepest earthly sorrows. Having experienced several tragedies herself, including the accidental death of her younger sister, these words don’t come cheaply for Voskamp.

This book has greatly inspired me to look for God’s hand working in the big and small moments of my life. As Voskamp shares her own transformative journey in such intimate detail, without oversharing, I felt pulled along by her energetic reflections on joy and gratitude. Not pressured to comply with some unobtainable “law” but swept up by the current of the Spirit. I can’t recommend this book enough!

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You Say You Want a Revolution?

Posted on August 9, 2011 by Jim Spiegel

A new Rasmussen Reports poll found that just 17% of Americans say our government has “consent of the governed.”  Only 8% believe their representatives on Capitol Hill listen to their constituents more than their own party leaders, and a mere 6% give Congress a “good” or “excellent” rating.  These are historic lows.  Meanwhile, President Obama’s approval index rating stands at -21, and another Rasmussen poll found that fewer voters than ever believe U.S. elections are fair.

Note the phrase “consent of the governed” used by the Rasmussen pollsters.  It is borrowed from John Locke, the early modern social contract theorist who most influenced the American founding fathers.  It was also Locke who effectively argued for the people’s “right of revolution” when the government violates the basic rights of those it is supposed to represent.  The Lockean notion of the right to revolt held sway among our forefathers, as it was asserted in the Declaration of Independence and, to many, justified the American Revolution.

Might another revolution be coming?  In a recent Fox News interview, Pat Caddell called our current condition “pre-revolutionary.”  It’s a frightening prospect and one that not long ago seemed unthinkable.  But such talk is increasingly common on the Internet, among people (on both the left and right) who favor it as the key to progress as well as those, like me, who believe it would be devastating and a sure path to extreme oppression.

Bloggers everywhere have picked up on Caddell’s remarks, and it will be interesting to see where the discussion goes from here.  Will the effect on most people be politically sobering or intoxicating?  Let us pray for the former.

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Snapshots

Posted on August 3, 2011 by Amy Spiegel

Brief comments on film by Amy.
Some old, some new.  Domestic films and foreign too.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two — This movie was definitely the highlight of my film-viewing experience this summer. Bailey and I went to see it at 12:07 a.m. on opening day. The energy in the theater was amazing despite the fact that we weren’t in costume. The film itself, however, was amazing. Rare is the adaptation which only adds to your appreciate for the book, but I walked out with one phrase resounding in my head “J.K. Rowling is a freakin’ genius!” The filmmakers did a wonderful job changing things enough as to keep it interesting without losing the heart of the story. Brilliant!

The Dilemma — I went into this one a bit skeptical but on the recommendation of a fellow church member and a love for Vince Vaughn’s hometown humor, I gave it a shot. It wasn’t great but it wasn’t bad either. Casting is huge for me and I thought Kevin James, while a funny guy, was a bit off. Winona Ryder was way off as James’ wife. I love that Vaughn attempts to mix humor with bigger issues in a way that doesn’t detract from or trivialize the issues at hand. This was a poor man’s Couples Retreat but definitely worth the Redbox rental.

Charlie St. Cloud — I have never watched High School Musical all the way through so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from Zac Efron. He seems to be the rare exception among young actors in that he can actually act. Despite knowing much of the premise going in, this movie touched me and even had the kids tearing up as I retold the G-rated version on a long car ride to the pool. I wanted to give Efron’s love interest a sandwich, as she appeared so emaciated and kept wondering where Kim Basinger (who plays his mother) had wandered off to after the opening scene of the film. Otherwise, a really good flick.

Pacific — We are back it with our seemingly unquenchable thirst for WWII films. I have only watched the first episode of this companion to Band of Brothers, but so far it reminds me a bit of the Baldwin brothers:  Sure Billy is ugly but you can’t stop yourself from comparing him to Alec (the young Alec who wasn’t overweight and in need of anger management counseling). While Band of Brothers was patient and meticulous in its character development, this feels more rushed and heavy handed. Not bad enough to keep me from watching the next episode, but I am not willing to make it through the entire series, especially with Masterpiece Theater starting up again soon.

Honorable Mentions — “What Would You Do?”:  Can’t stop watching it! Completely addicted and without any desire to kick the habit. “Masterpiece Theater Mystery: Zen”: It’s set in Italy and everyone speaks in English accents. What’s not to love? Could do without the adultery, but it is Italy after all.

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Thislethwaite, Theology, and the Norway Massacre

Posted on July 27, 2011 by Jim Spiegel

This Washington Post piece by Susan Brooks Thislethwaite has created quite stir.  Take a look, and you’ll see why.  For starters, she follows the NY Times and others in referring to the Norway mass assassin, Anders Behring Breivik, as a Christian.  Then she goes on to challenge readers to consider how Christianity may inspire violence.  Interestingly, in her article she vacillates between asserting that the supposed violence-inspiring elements in Christianity are mere theological “interpretations” of our religion, on the one hand, and actual “elements of Christianity” on the other.  If she intends to claim the latter, she gives us no evidence whatsoever to support her claim.  If she intends only to suggest the former, then her remarks are horribly misleading.  In any case, Thislethwaite’s article is inflammatory and only manages to create confusion.

Thislethwaite apparently rejects the distinction between genuine Christians and those who merely claim to be Christians.  We recognize this distinction in every other context, so why not here?  Being a Christian is not simply a matter of affirming certain propositions, as is clear from many biblical passages (e.g., Mt. 25:31-46; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; and Gal. 5:19-21).  Even if Anders Breivik did affirm the deity and resurrection of Jesus (which, by the way, he denies), this does not by itself make him any more Christian than the devil himself (who presumably would affirm these truths).

It is telling that Thislethwaite doesn’t bother to identify any biblical passages that might reasonably be construed to inspire violence, much less mass murder.  Perhaps she has in mind certain Old Testament passages where God commanded the killing of the Canaanites.  But these are not uniquely Christian texts.  Jews and Muslims also regard these as scripture.  It is the New Testament that is uniquely Christian, so it is here that we must look for “Christian elements” that might inspire violence.  And what do we find in the New Testament?  A consistent ethic of non-violence.  The ethic of “turn the other cheek” non-resistance.  The ethic of submitting to political authorities.  And, when one must disobey the governing authorities, an ethic of peaceful disobedience.  In short, we find an ethic of non-violence that has inspired numerous pacifist theological traditions.  Yet Thislethwaite insinuates that there is something about Christianity that could justify violence?  Breathtaking.

Okay, so perhaps what Thislethwaite really wants to suggest is that some madmen, most recently Anders Breivik, have warped or twisted Christian ideas to their own use in attempting to justify their violence.  Well, of course this is true—and it is so obvious it is hardly worth stating.  But if this is all she wants to say, then why does she say that it is Christianity that becomes lethal, that Christianity may be complicit in mass violence?  Perhaps Thislethwaite just wants to have it both ways—to implicate Christian theology itself in violence without having to do the biblical or theological analysis necessary to demonstrate this (which, of course, is an impossible task, as I just noted—the New Testament nowhere endorses violence but only peaceful responses, whether in resistance or non-resistance).

Or, more cynically, perhaps Thislethwaite’s only real aim in this piece is political.  Maybe she just wants to create a negative association with conservative Christianity by suggesting that Breivik is a “right wing” Christian extremist.  This would certainly help to demonize the political views of conservative Christians—views that, as a “left wing” political thinker, Thislethwaite personally despises.

In the end, I’m not sure what Thislethwaite’s aims or real claims are in this piece.  What I am sure of is that her article is confused, inflammatory, and irresponsible.

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Oxford Study on Religious Belief

Posted on July 21, 2011 by Jim Spiegel

A three-year long Oxford University research project has recently concluded that religious belief “comes naturally, even instinctively.”  The study, led by Oxford University Professor Roger Trigg, was a transcultural mega-project that actually incorporated data from forty different studies around the world.  Trigg notes that the findings reveal that children and adults alike naturally think in religious terms, demonstrating a readiness to believe in an afterlife and divine purpose in life and the cosmos.

This study appears to confirm John Calvin’s notion of the sensus divinitatis—the idea that there is an innate awareness of God hard-wired into human beings.  As Calvin puts it, “to prevent anyone from taking refuge in the pretense of ignorance, God himself has implanted in all men a certain understanding of his divine majesty” (Institutes, I.III.1).  If Calvin is correct, and I think he is, then atheistic dreams of eliminating religious belief in society could never be realized.  In Roger Trigg’s words, the “secularization thesis…[is] hopeless.”

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Observations on the Casey Anthony Case—Part 2

Posted on July 15, 2011 by Amy Spiegel

Here are my responses to Jim’s three points in the previous post:

1. A Point About Logic — While I’m not sure I understand Jim’s first point, here’s my point of logic: Though I am willing to concede that it is unclear what the exact circumstances of Caylee Anthony’s death were, she is still dead and her mom still played some role in either her death or the coverup that followed. She was not the one to report it to the police and was out partying just days after the supposed accident. That amounts at minimum to child neglect. I can understand jurors who say the state didn’t prove her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt but can’t get how some of them seem to be saying they think she is completely innocent.

2. Racism and Classism — I don’t know why some abduction stories grab the national attention and others do not, but I am not as convinced of it being based on racism. This is one of those stories where all the factors come together like a perfect storm to create the “perfect,” however tragic, story. Yes, the little girl being super cute and the mom being young and pretty play into that but there are other factors that build on one another. First, the child went missing, then there was the crazy story about a runaway nanny, the grandfather attempted suicide, the mother was suspected and then charged, etc. I don’t understand all the people driving from across the country to witness the trial or all of the picketing. Maybe I am just being naive but I do think to say it is racism that increases our interest amounts to some kind of reverse racism.  Somehow it demeans the sorrow we should feel that a little girl is dead, as if we shouldn’t feel as sorry for her because she is white.

3. Erosion of Trust in the Legal System — As to consequences, I have thought about them in reverse, as in how do we get to this point where mothers (and there are plenty of proven cases of infanticide out there) kill their own children. I think that instead of worrying about the consequences of this case, we should consider that this is the legal system which gave permission for women to kill their unborn children. Why should we be surprised when it allows them to walk free when the children are outside of the womb? And what are we doing to stop it? Maybe instead of spending so much time thinking about Casey Anthony and her little girl, we should concentrate on putting an end to the countless murders which go on everyday with the consent our legal system. Then maybe it would be a system worth trusting again.

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Observations on the Casey Anthony Case—Part 1

Posted on July 11, 2011 by Jim Spiegel

In the wake of last week’s verdicts concerning Casey Anthony, there have been some interesting conversations in the Spiegel household, as I’m sure has been the case all over the country.  Amy and I both believe Casey Anthony is responsible for her daughter’s death, and therefore at least guilty of aggravated child abuse, if not manslaughter or murder.  However, we disagree over whether the jury’s decision in the case was warranted.  Amy believes the jury’s decision was irrational, while I think that, given the standard of proof (“beyond reasonable doubt”) AND the actual evidence available for the jury to review, the decision was justified.

We thought it might be interesting to air some of our observations about the case.  Though I’m sure that, like us, you have suffered a bit of news fatigue from all of the coverage already, perhaps you’ll find some of our comments helpful.  Here are my (Jim’s) observations:

1. A Point About Logic — The jurors agreed that the available evidence was insufficient to prove Anthony’s guilt of a felony “beyond reasonable doubt.”  Note that this standard for proof requires either a deductive argument or an overwhelmingly strong inductive argument (from probability).  Since, among other things, there were no eyewitness accounts and there was no ascertainable cause of death, the causal link between Caylee’s death and her mother’s actions could not be established either deductively or inductively.  Of course, most of us are confident that Casey Anthony is indeed guilty of a horrible crime (i.e., murder, manslaughter or aggravated child abuse), but the method we use is what is commonly called abduction, where one reasons to the best explanatory hypothesis, given the available data.  However, showing that manslaughter or severe neglect by Casey Anthony is the best explanation of Caylee’s death does not meet the more stringent requirement of “beyond reasonable doubt.”

2. Racism and Classism — The media frenzy over this case is yet one more example of how news networks are socially and ethnically selective when it comes to the stories they follow and pump up to the level of a national phenomenon.  Would this story have been so widely reported if the people involved were not white, attractive, or upper middle class?  Perhaps this point is so obvious that it shouldn’t need to be made.  And yet, sadly, it does need to be made.

3. Erosion of Trust in the Legal System — As writers and public figures have been commenting on the Anthony case, we’ve repeatedly heard them lament the lack of justice for little Caylee.  Indeed, this is something to grieve.  But there is something else to grieve here, whether warranted or not (and I don’t think it is), and that is how this case will affect public trust in the American legal system.  Add this one to the acquittals of O.J. Simpson and Michael Jackson as a landmark trial whose outcome undermines that trust.

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Augustine, the Roman Empire, and an American Cultural Deity

Posted on July 5, 2011 by Jim Spiegel

This summer I have been reading through Augustine’s City of God (unabridged version—nearly 900 pages).  It has been fascinating to see how deftly he moves from history to theology to philosophy to cultural analysis.  And his insights and wisdom in each of these topical spheres is impressive (though, of course, he shows his fallibility on many issues along the way as well).

In the first few hundred pages of the book Augustine discusses various aspects of the collapse of the Roman Empire.  And several times he mentions how Christians were blamed for this, specifically because of their critique and rejection of making sacrifices to the gods.  Many people thought this failure to appease the gods angered them and that the problems throughout the empire were a consequence of the gods’ vengeance or spiteful refusal to provide assistance.  So now the Roman Empire was crumbling, and it was all the Christians’ fault.  We are tempted to smile at such a silly and misguided accusation, but of course it was no laughing matter, as many Christians were seriously persecuted as a result of this accusation.

The situation in 21st century American culture bears some similarities to that in Augustine’s time.  All around us we see signs of cultural decay and social breakdown.  And our political system, too, is vulnerable to eventual collapse.  It is also interesting to note that Christians today, as in Augustine’s day, are often blamed for our social troubles, such as because of our pro-life advocacy and promotion of monogamy and traditional marriage (of course, not all Christians take these views, but most do).  It is also interesting to note how our stance on these issues constitutes a certain refusal to sacrifice to one of the most prominent deities of American culture, namely the god of sexual autonomy.  Americans make daily sacrifices to this deity in the form of promiscuity and the termination of unborn lives.  And Christians who oppose these sacrifices are often vilified and blamed for opposing social goods, even undermining the American way of life.

This is just one of the ways in which Augustine’s 1500-year-old analysis of ancient Rome is still relevant today.  While I hope our country doesn’t go the way of Rome any time soon (though, like all nations, it will eventually), the lessons we can glean from their history may be a source of cultural insight and practical wisdom.

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Announcing…Amy’s Upcoming Book

Posted on June 25, 2011 by Amy Spiegel

Being a stay-at-home mom for more than a decade, you can develop some fairly strong and unexpected addictions. Some I have conquered, like my Pringles addiction, through self-denial and the painful realization that no amount of time on the treadmill can overcome the fat content of an entire can of potato chips eaten in one sitting. Some I have replaced, like my Diet Coke addiction, which I have swapped for Sparkling Flavored Water. Some, however, I have resigned myself to, like my shameful addiction to postal deliveries. It is shameful mostly because on average, nothing very interesting is ever delivered to our mailbox. If I’m lucky it’s a Kohl’s discount card or an encouraging note from a friend. An Amazon delivery is heaven on earth. But usually it is a combination of bills and junk.

But not today, sister! Today I received the first installment of my book advance from B&H/Lifeway Publishing. That’s right, Amy’s writing a book. Actually Amy has been writing a book for a while now but now someone is going to pay me for it. Not only pay me for it, but publish it and try to convince other people to read it! I have been a bit bashful about sharing the news but as you are taking time to read our blog, I hope I can assume some interest in Spiegel projects outside of Wisdom and Folly.

The working title for the book is Exiled to the Promised Land, a title I had before I really understood what it meant. The basic idea is this. We are often presented with certain stereotypes of women. One is the picture-perfect superwoman who does it all. This is the woman who makes us all feel inferior and small. We might think we are doing okay until we compare ourselves and our accomplishments to Miss I-Woke-Up-At-Five-A.M.-And-Memorized-The-Entire-Book-Of-John-And-Then-Did-A-Full-Pilates-Workout-And-Then-Made-Homemade-Whole-Wheat-Cinnamon-Rolls-For-The-Fam. Comparing yourself to this woman is like discovering a piece of food in your teeth after you get home and realizing that no one told you. We want to admire her but instead we just use her excellence to beat ourselves over the head. The other stereotype is the soccer mom who drives her kids to school in her pajamas while throwing frozen waffles (which are probably still cold in the middle) at them, manages to accomplish nothing all day, and then, still wearing pajamas, picks up the kids. She is frazzled but authentic. She is the comfort food we feed on after staring at stereotype number one for too long.

Over the years I have struggled to live like Miss Perfection but believe like Miss Authentic. That is to say, I’ve been driven to achieve, though often failing, in an attempt to prove something to myself but have desired to see my worth outside of those achievements. In His infinite mercy, God has shared a truth with me over the last couple of years, and this became the seed of my book. That truth is that I am His and my worth is to be found in His work not in mine. Pretty basic Gospel stuff for a girl raised in the church, but sometimes I so long to prove my passion and my dedication that I forget for Whom I have all this passion and dedication. But if I can remember that in my relationships, in my decision-making, and in my parenting, in fact, in everything I do, that my identity is found in Christ and Christ alone, then I can find the freedom to do His work in my own unique way. If I forget this, the promised land becomes a place of burden and sorrow, a place of exile. But if I cling to this truth, any place can be a place of freedom, anyplace a place of promise.

I am writing the book this summer and it is set for publication next summer. I look forward to sharing it with you all. This blog was a major step in this journey and I thank God for the many ways you have supported and encouraged me. Through this project I hope to do the same for you.

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Hodgepodge

Posted on June 17, 2011 by Jim Spiegel

Goodbye, Congressman Weiner — The last two weeks have we’ve seen American public life sink to a new low.  Finally, with Weiner’s resignation, we have some closure.  I was astonished at how many people defended the guy when the story first broke and he hemmed and hawed his way through interviews.  Then when he finally admitted the truth, there were yet others who insisted he didn’t need to resign.  Wow.  Perhaps the most disturbing thing about this story is how it reveals that our public threshold for shock and outrage continues to rise.  Recently I heard someone remark, “Our tolerance for sin rises with our tolerance for that same sin in our own lives.”  Scary thought.

Just Deserts — There are three different theories of punishment.  Retributivists maintain that we should punish criminals because it is what they deserve.  Deterrentists say that punishment properly aims to deter crime.  And reformativists argue that punishment is justified as a means of rehabilitating the criminal.  The fate of this rapist, severe though it is, just might satisfy the aims of all three paradigms.  In any case, I’d like to see more of them meet the same fate.

Mavs Over Heat — I’m on roll with my pro sports championship predictions, as the Mavericks defeated the Heat last week.  (Well, I was on roll, as just a couple days later the Boston Bruins knocked off the Vancouver Canucks for the NHL Stanley Cup—defying my prediction.  Oh well, all streaks eventually end.)  The Mavs’ win was doubly satisfying, at least for me.  Dirk Nowitzki finally “got his ring,” as sports journalists love to put it.  I’m just glad that now they’ll shut up about his “not winning the big one” (what a crock that is, not just here but in every case that hackneyed line is used to concoct a sports “story”—blecch!)  It’s also satisfying to see how the bluster of the “Three Kings of Miami” was not rewarded.  Remember LeBron’s talk last summer about winning eight championships?  I expect the Heat will win one eventually, perhaps more.  But King James will first need to take a cue from the Mavs’ owner, Mark Cuban, who actually shut his mouth and ate some humble pie, only after which did his team win one.

Vampire Weekend — Have you discovered the world’s best Ivy League, preppie-styled, chamber rock quartet?  If not, you need to check them out.  Their two albums are deservedly highly acclaimed.  And their videos are consistently innovative and fun.  Here are two of my faves:  A-Punk and Holiday.  And check out these live performances in the KCRW studio:  Ottoman, Run, Horchata, and California English.

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