Dr. Mark Eckel, Director, Mahseh Center

It happens to every teacher: my materials for a class did not come on time.  I explained to the students that I would make adjustments to the course schedule.  We would use other methods than the backordered computer disks from the educational company for the next week or two.  One young college student interjected, “Dr. Eckel, just give me the CD and I’ll make copies for everyone.”

I turned to the board and wrote one word: “ethics.”  Looking back at the class I asked how they might respond if someone took their property without paying for it.  “But when it comes to electronic data, it’s so easy to reproduce, and . . .” is as much as the young man got out of his mouth.  “Does that matter,” was my serious reply, “If property belongs to another, no matter in what form it is transmitted, isn’t stealing, stealing?”  My freshmen students, new to a Christian college, did not believe copying CDs without paying for them was a problem.  I had my work cut out for me.

Is stealing wrong?  How do we know?  By what standard will we assess the question?  Where is the measure found?  In essence, “Who says?” I should do this or that?  Genesis begins by answering that query.  Based on the first seven installments in the Genesis series I would like to offer a four-fold standard for wisely addressing ethical issues from a Christian point of view.[1] I call it “The S.P.U.D. Test.”

ONE: Is the belief sensible to what is?  Is it prudent and logical?  Or is the worldview based on emotion, experience, or the desire of the moment?  Is the thinking true to life or do you respond, “Oh, come on!”?

TWO: Is the belief practical and workable in everyday life?  Can people live this way?  Or when applied to reality is the worldview useless and unbeneficial?

THREE: Is the belief universal-for all people in all places at all times?  Does the worldview produce a helpful impact for people today and throughout history?  Or are people hurt by the ethics of the viewpoint?

FOUR: Is the belief dependable and consistent?  Are the ideas based on a changeless set of standards?  Or are they based on the whim of human decision?

Sensibility maintains that standards are embedded in God’s world.  The new Chris Atkins film “Starsuckers” takes aim at celebrity journalism.  Atkins believes that society’s obsession with fame – gaining it and being near it – has distorted everything from the way news is reported to our children’s aspirations.  “It’s the same journalists who write about celebrity hairstyles who write about weapons of mass destruction.”[2] Does it make sense to subscribe to celebrities’ beliefs from global warming to health care simply because they are celebrities?  Does “reality TV” do anything other than distract us from real life?  Do talk show hosts carry any moral weight for human problems outside of their own voices?  Sensibility teaches that “in the multitude of counselors there is safety”[3] when these counselors speak true Truth.

Practicality mandates that life should be intertwined with God’s Truth.  Steven Pinker, an evolutionary biologist, admits that believing right and wrong is nothing more than an impersonal computer program is hard to practice with his family when he gets home at night.[4] Pinker’s impracticality shows itself when he rejects God as the source of Truth, trusting instead in the goodness of human nature.[5] Leon Kass gets closer to workable ethics when he says “In this age in which everything is held to be permissible so long as it is freely done . . . repugnance may be the only voice left that speaks up to defend the central core of our humanity.  Shallow are the souls that have forgotten how to shudder.”[6] Practicality teaches that Jesus’ comment “what comes out of a person makes him unclean”[7] gets to the Center of Truth.

Universality moves all humans because we are all made in God’s image.  Why are all cultures obsessed by other-world creatures invading our world?  What do haunted houses suggest about peoples’ beliefs in spirits and ghosts?  Why is the movie Paranormal Activity sweeping the country as an instant cult-classic?  Every supernatural thriller film, every scary Halloween costume, every ghost story is evidence of a world-wide belief that there is another world.  Guillermo del Toro, creator of the bizarrely horrific Pan’s Labyrinth, believes fairy tales from every culture add to one’s “spiritual formation.”[8] Universality teaches that “we wrestle against . . . the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places.”[9] Truth in this world comes from Another World.

Dependability motivates people toward God’s changelessness.  When we watch an athletic contest all we ask of referees is to treat both teams equally.  When students turn in essays all they ask is that teachers be consistent in their grading.  When the public listens to a news broadcast all they ask is that all points of view are heard.  When MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann refers to Michelle Malkin-a conservative commentator, a Christian, mother of two children-as a “mashed up bag of meat with lipstick,” hateful comments display that his point of view is unreliable.[10] Dependability teaches that we need “God who does not lie,”[11] an Immovable Standard Outside of ourselves.

It was 10 p.m., two hours before bass season opened.  A young boy and his dad were practice-casting in anticipation of the next day.  The lure flashed in the full moon light as the child learned under his father’s tutelage.  Without warning, the next cast hooked a fish.  Reeling it in, two generations gazed on a beautiful bass, the largest either had ever seen.  “Can we keep it Dad?” came the plaintiff cry.  The father lit a match and noted the time on his wristwatch.  “No son.  The season begins tomorrow.”  The boy glanced around the lake.  They were alone.  “But, Dad!  No one will know!  The season begins in two hours!  Please, can we keep it?!”  The father’s insistence was resolute.  Lowering the big bass into the lake the two watched as the animal swam away.  Neither saw a fish that size ever again.  But the boy now sees that same fish every time he is asked to cut corners, fudge numbers, or submit half-truths in his job as an architect.  Adhering to a standard outside of ourselves suggests a Heavenly origin.  Right and wrong is a result of Genesis law: whether we obey fishing rules or property rights.  The S.P.U.D. Test keeps our earthly eyes on Heaven.

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[1] See Genesis: Lost in the Forest, Part 5.

[2] Jill Lawless, “New Movie Takes Aims At Celebrity Journalism.” 27 October 09 retrieved from http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gSlGatp55XanTtYu0m-30MVUcfOQD9BJDON81

[3] Proverbs 11:14; 24:6.

[4] Discussed in some detail by Nancy Pearcey in The Total Truth (Crossway, 2004), pp. 107-09.

[5] http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/13/magazine/13Psychology-t.html?_r=2&pagewanted=print

[6] Leon Kass and James Q. Wilson. 1998. The Ethics of Human Cloning. (AEI Press): 19.

[7] Mark 7:21-23.

[8] http://movies.about.com/od/panslabyrinth/a/pansgt122206.htm

[9] Ephesians 6:12 (ESV).

[10] http://newsbusters.org/blogs/brad-wilmouth/2009/10/13/olbermann-without-fascistic-hatred-malkin-just-mashed-bag-meat-lipsti

[11] Titus 1:2; see the whole of chapter one which shows the difference between trustworthiness and liars.

Dr. Mark Eckel, Director, Mahseh Center

Bright, shiny copper pots: I have never seen anyone so excited about cooking utensils!  Jon was explaining his historical finds that coincide with his love of preparing gourmet foods.  One of the cooking pots had actually been “resurrected” from an underwater shipwreck.  Jon’s love of cooking is displayed as decoration in his home.

One expedition for book boxes prior to a move found me in a bar.[1] While there, the manager showed me his latest technique for dispensing drinks: a gravity system that worked from the room above.  Exact specifications created the beverage ordered by patrons below.  I’ll never forget the excitement of the owner.  He was so pleased to offer exceptional service.  Loving his vocation meant enjoyment of his life within the world.

I received a text from a former student the other day while he was in a tree stand hunting deer.  Back and forth electrons flew as I expressed amazement that he could hunt and text at the same time!  Guy told me that when you spend 200 days a year in the wild you learn to do many things at the same time.  Visiting his website I saw the pure joy in Guy’s eyes as he taught people lessons about life through hunting.

When God created “the heavens and the earth” He had such human enthusiasms in mind.  God’s assessment of His work speaks for itself: “And He saw that it was good.”[2] The word means “beautiful”[3] setting the standard for human excitement in creativity and aesthetics.  The material world is good.  We are not Gnostics, legalistically binding ourselves to human-centered regulations.[4] To enjoy God’s good gifts of life is a sign of gratitude; thankfulness to One outside of ourselves.  The Psalmist is blessed by astronomy, agriculture, biology, law codes, wildlife and human life.[5]

Delight in this God-given life is one of the reasons why I distain certain gospel songs.  Growing up, one of the little ditties we sang in church was “This World Is Not My Home, I’m Just A Passin’ Through.”  I have been teaching a seminar for some time with the title “This World IS My Home!  I’m NOT Just Passin’ Through!”  I love the smell of crisp fall air.  I love the smell of the air just before it rains.  I love the smell of wood fires in the night air.  I love the smell of a bakery, sautéed onion-pepper mixture on the stove, and Kentucky Fried Chicken®!  And that’s just a few smells!  The list is endless of what I enjoy in this life!

So it is with great admiration that I mention a hymn which perfectly explains my joy:

For the beauty of the earth, For the glory of the skies,

For the love which from our birth, Over and around us lies.

Lord of all, to Thee we raise, This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the beauty of each hour, Of the day and of the night,

Hill and vale, and tree and flower, Sun and moon, and stars of light.

Lord of all, to Thee we raise, This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the joy of ear and eye, For the heart and mind’s delight,

For the mystic harmony, Linking sense to sound and sight.

Lord of all, to Thee we raise, This our hymn of grateful praise.

Satisfaction, Appreciation, and Thankfulness is the most important SAT test we will ever take.[6] To be ungrateful for the gifts given to us is to reject The One Who has given those gifts to us.[7] We ought to give thanks for the reality of this life since He has given everything for us to enjoy.[8]

E. M. Forster would cringe when people would tell him to “face reality.”  Turning round in a circle he would ask, “Which way should I face since reality is all around me?”[9] In a similar vein, Cornelius Plantinga rightly takes to task those who think paying bills, going to a 9-5 job, and balancing work with leisure is “the real world.”  He says, “Someone who lives in the ‘real world’ lives with an awareness of the whole world, because the whole world is part of the kingdom of God.”[10]

“The whole” compels me to contend “the real world” includes the seen and the unseen.  The five senses do not make sense apart from the sixth sense.  There is another world to which I must give an account.  The supernatural creates the natural.  The invisible God made the visible creation.  To neglect our responsibility to live under Heaven’s authority creates a disjointed view of life.  We succumb to naturalism, materialism, and pragmatism.  We begin to think that success is based on production.  “The bottom line” becomes our “finish line.”

God draws “a line in the sand.”  Unless we are careful, Deuteronomy 4:15-19 declares we are prone to worship, honor, and subscribe to the standards of this world.  I would encourage us all to ask ourselves this question: Is our Christian distinctiveness informed by “the real world’s” accountability to Another World?  As much as I enjoy this God-given life, I am constantly reminded that the creation has a Creator.  I will continue to revel in sights, smells, tastes, and human ingenuity as I remember that earth depends on Heaven.

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[1] Everyone with a library knows that the transportation of books demands sturdy boxes.  The best boxes are those that transport alcohol because of their small, strong size for bottles.

[2] Genesis 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31.

[3] A. Bowling. 1980. Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. (Moody): 1:345-46.

[4] Colossians 2:16-24.  The Gnostics have a long history.  One key belief considered the physical world a nuisance to supernatural connections with “the spiritual.”

[5] Psalms 147 and 148.

[6] Deuteronomy 8:10-20.

[7] Romans 1:21.

[8] Ephesians 5:20; 1 Thessalonians 5:18; 1 Timothy 6:17.

[9] Richard John Neuhaus. 1992. Freedom for Ministry. (Eerdmans):134.

[10] Cornelius Plantinga. 2001. Engaging God’s World. (Eerdmans): 139-142.

GENESIS: LOL[1] (Part 6)

Dr. Mark Eckel, Director, Mahseh Center

“I know the crap out of women!”  Michael Scott, boss of The Office, defends himself against misogynist statements.  Of course those who watch the show know Michael knows absolutely nothing about women!  I revel in humor from The Office. Actor Steve Carell inverts the normal making his every utterance as Michael a laugh line in waiting.

Jay Leno’s nightly skewering of people dislodges belly laughs from his audience.  Stand up comics find humor observing humanity-the origin of Seinfeld laughs.  “The funny papers” point out our foibles spreading smiles as we sip our morning coffee.  Political cartoons lampoon politicians, taking them to task on their recent public gaffes.  Comedy points and laughs at us.

The most laughter I received while recently speaking on film at Moody Bible Institute’s chapel was from my comments about The Devil Wears Prada. I celebrated the truthfulness of Meryl Streep’s and Anne Hathaway’s performance while taking a shot at the phrase “chick flicks.”  “Everyone wants to be loved,” I intoned, “so why is it that romantic comedies are gender specific?!”  The women in the audience laughed out loud.  My point is simple: comedy teaches lessons another medium cannot.

Thursday nights have become comedy central for me.  Each week I engage a group of older students teaching Old Testament Survey.  Invariably, the classroom will explode in laughter over some side comment.  One night I made a “crack” about women.  Oh, you would have thought the world had ended!  Mine almost did!  The ladies in my class became playfully indignant responding with their own barbs poking fun at my gender.  Laughter sometimes comes out of situations where we take ourselves too seriously.

Watch people do dumb things.  Read the punch line from a comic strip.  Listen to a joke poking fun at our idiosyncrasies.  Every single instance of humor is dependent upon one important idea: order.  We humans rely on normal, day-to-day experiences.  We expect that people will act in a usual, accepted fashion.  We believe that there is a customary way life should be lived.  We accept certain standards which become habits.  When what has become “typical,” “routine,” “regular,” or “come-to-be-expected” is turned on its head, we laugh.[2] The inversion of order makes comedy possible.

The words “cosmic” and “comedic” have similar roots.  “Comedy” comes from the Greek meaning “village” while “cosmos” in the same language focuses on order.[3] Humor is “cosmopolitan” (an ordered city).  Revelry or comedy is born of universal order in the cosmos.  Cosmic comedy: in order to be funny there must be order.  There is an

Intrinsic playfulness of the cosmos. . . . While this, indeed, is a rule bound universe, within the rules, as within any game, the play ensues.  If the rules and order become too restrictive trickster chaos stirs things up, disrupting the status quo . . . Play requires both boundaries (order) and the impulse to cross them (chaos).[4]

And Robert Fagen has said, “”The most irritating feature of play is not the perceptual incoherence, as such, but rather, that play taunts us with its inaccessibility. We feel that something is behind it all, but we do not know, or have forgotten how to see it.”[5]

So “a link to religious impulses” is necessary to understand laughter says F. H. Buckley in The Morality of Laughter.[6] “Our laughter contains the hope of redemption.”[7] A comic society cannot lose its moral sense.[8] A standard, a rightness, an ought, forms the foundation for laughter.  Without order, without a standard, laughter dies.

Genesis 1:1 establishes order.  “In the beginning” tells that matter, space, and time began together.  “God created” tells of One, Independent Supernatural Agent who brings natural agencies into existence.  “The heavens and the earth” tell of the whole of creation-top to bottom, side to side-which now depends on The Independent One.  Order is the precursor to any society.  Comics and cartoonists owe their ability to order, turned upside down.  The origins of anything dictate the ethics-the should, the ought, the standard-of everything.

For years in my office or classroom wall E. B. White’s statement has had its place: “Humor plays close to the white, hot fire of truth.”  Laughter is impossible apart from a Christian worldview.  In order for humor to exist, order must be assumed.  Order has only one origin.  Order is dependent upon a world that works in a certain way.  Steve Carell, Jay Leno, and my Thursday night class all owe their laugh lines to The One Who drew the order line.

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[1] For those unaccustomed to seeing the an acronym, LOL is short for “laugh out loud.”

[2] Or cry.  “Gallows humor”-what the Germans refer to as galgenhumor-is a topic for another article!

[3] Joseph T. Shipley. 1945. Dictionary of Word Origins. (Philosophical Library): 140, 276.

[4] Gwen Gordon. “What is Play? In Search of a Universal Definition” acquired on 7 October 2009 at http://www.gwengordonplay.com/pdf/what_is_play.pdf

[5] Robert Fagen, as quoted by Brian Sutton-Smith in The Ambiguity of Play (Harvard University Press, 1997): 2.

[6] F. H. Buckley. 2003. The Morality of Laughter. (University of Michigan Press): 198.

[7] Ibid. 14.

[8] Ibid. 197.

Dr. Mark Eckel, Director, Mahseh Center

What do we do with unseen pain?  How do we adjust to cruelties we must bear alone?  What toll does resentment take from a person’s willingness to take another step, to live another day?  Will we accept that the destination to life’s highway may take us down back roads before we come back to pavement again?  When will we learn lessons right in front of us, waiting for application?  Bearing with pain, coping with searing loss, Robert Redford’s movie explains how to live the rest of An Unfinished Life.

Director Lasse Hallstrom (whose films include What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?, Chocolat, and Cider House Rules) digs again beneath the surface, exposing the history of lives etched with fractured pain.  The story rides along sentimental rails,[1] allowing Hallstrom to bring the train to station with little effort.  Yet it is sometimes simple sentiment that lifts us.  The ending may be formulaic but which of us hopes the finale won’t apply to us?

Viewers who understand abusive relationships will identify with Jean (Jennifer Lopez) as she seeks to escape one set of harms by running back to embrace old injuries.  Einar (Robert Redford) is an unyielding flint of a man reopening past wounds daily to bath in their depressive spirits.  Moral center in the cast is Mitch (Morgan Freeman).  Freeman’s role reprises other “learned sage” credits (Robin Hood, Sum of All Fears, Seven, etc.)  Bearing physical scars which ripple through his body, Mitch is able to look beyond the pain to spiritual release.  The subtle inroads only a grandchild can manufacture are paved by child star talent Becca Gardner as Griff, Jean’s daughter.  One would flinch to call Einar’s ranch a “home” to this rag-tag crew of misfits.  Key to all relationships is that of Mitch with Einar.  The restrained, yet forceful Western code of personal involvement in another’s life slowly soothes a raging spirit.  It takes the intrusion of old hurts, however, to make the healing process complete.

Einar lives with regret.  While the town has learned to live with Einar, Einar has yet to learn how to live with himself.  Unable, unwilling to cross over his personal anger, he wallows in the memory of a past that cannot be changed.  Ritualistically, daily Einar sits by a graveside, speaking to “What if?” instead of “What is?”  Guilt crushes spirit and sinew under the Wyoming sun but forgiveness has universal healing properties.

Morgan Freeman delivers a line in another of his cinematic triumphs, The Shawshank Redemption, whose application serves well here: “Either get busy livin’ or get busy dyin’.”  Time will go on with or without us.  Human choice to overcome past pain is the only way to keep on living.  The lone question left to answer for the viewer is will we allow others to apply salve to places we cannot reach?

PG-13 for profanity, violence, suggestive dialogue, and adult situations.

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[1] Mark Spragg, author of the novel An Unfinished Life, wrote the screenplay with his wife Virginia whose therapist background invades the script.  Thankfully, seasoned actors rise above easy-answer-pop-psychology to wrest redemption from the reversals of life’s wrestling match.

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