Redeploy Take Two

Last night's deployment went okay...if everyone in the world used Internet Explorer as their browser. Turns out, a couple of the pages didn't look so great in Firefox, so a few more tweaks later and...hopefully Firefox users (like myself, at home anyway) will be pleased. I believe Safari users will also be pleased. Any other browser, you're on your own. Well, if it looks ugly in Opera, or whatever else people are using nowadays, please let me know and I will make adjustments. What would REALLY make sense is if all browsers rendered CSS the same, then I wouldn't HAVE this problem. But really, the nuances between browsers just makes coding CSS that much more fun. If you have an endless supply of free time on your hands, that is.

New Blog and Other Site Changes

My site will be down this evening for "maintenance". Actually, the maintenance is already completed, I just need to redeploy.

I've made many changes to my site. First of all, I've started another blog. I intended to shut down The Play Yard, but then decided I would continue this blog, adhering more closely to its original intent.

My new blog is titled "Where Faith Meets Science Fiction" and will focus primarily on Christ-based science fiction as opposed to atheistic/humanistic science fiction. Another interesting note (if you are a techie type): my new blog is hosted on my URL via WordPress. I spent several hours over the weekend tinkering so that it matches the look and feel of my website. (I'm slightly OCD when it comes to the GUI.)

Other changes to my site include a reorganized menu structure, an "Overview of The Exception" page, and an "In the Queue" page which lists my pending projects. I've also added another short story to my jdog-ink/fiction page called "Moon Dust Castles". This is a short story in progress that I would like to finish this month.

That's all for now!

The Lost Genre Guild Promotes a “New” Genre in Fiction

Though I am a newbie blogger and had never heard of the term “blog tour” prior to a few months ago, I am happy to lend my blog to the Lost Genre Guild for a moment. If you head over to the Christian Science Fiction & Fantasy Blog Tour, you will see they just completed a three day blog tour for the Lost Genre Guild. I have been following the tour this week with interest.

According to the Guild’s website their mission is to:

“. . . raise the awareness and respect for Biblical speculative fiction, and to encourage, educate and support the writers of such fiction.”

The following blurb from their website explains their mission in more detail:

“Welcome to the literary home for artists, editors, agents, promoters, and fans of Christian sci-fi, fantasy, and supernatural thrillers. Spec-fic is the best selling secular genre, but few Christian authors have been connecting with fans. Demographics show that many Christian genre fans are online. The Lost Genre Guild's been laying infrastructure for Viral Marketing, or, word-of-mouth buzz to promote our lost genre.”

I’m a fan of science fiction. I can’t tell you how many times my husband and I have gone into Blockbuster and said, “I’m in the mood for a sci-fi movie” only to leave empty handed. In my opinion, there can never be too many science fiction stories. However, I’ve noticed something. Mainstream science fiction is usually built upon the philosophy of humanism. As a former humanist and current follower of Christ, that’s kind of a bummer.

Here’s something else that’s a bummer. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone into a Christian bookstore or perused the Christian fiction titles at Barnes & Noble and Borders and thought, “I’m in the mood for something sci-fi” only to leave empty handed. No offense to Christian women’s historical fiction, but when I was little, I cried when my mom tried to dress me in ruffles.

What to do?

As a writer and a Christian, I thought to myself, why not write a Christian science fiction novel? So I did. It’s called The Exception, and I am in the beginning stages of looking for its home. Lo and behold, my search led me to the Lost Genre Guild's website, and I immediately thought to myself, “Shew, I’m not the only one!”

At this time, I have ceased calling my novel Christian science fiction in favor of the more general categorization Christian speculative fiction, which includes science fiction, fantasy, and all applicable sub-genres.

You might be asking, “Is every novel categorized as Christian speculative fiction about the apocalypse and that crazy thing you all call ‘the rapture’?” No! Christian speculative fiction differs from mainstream speculative fiction in that it is constructed atop Biblical principles. Other than that, all bets are off!

I hope you will hop over to the Lost Genre Guild's website and learn more about this emerging genre!

Somewhat Random Philosophical Thoughts

For some reason, this "relative truth versus absolute truth" debate is still intriguing me. The other day, I had a little epiphany concerning this verse: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. (John 1:1 NIV) Afterwards, I jotted down the following thoughts. They all fit together (at least in my brain) even tho they may seem a bit random. Most of them are in the form of questions. (Because I know how postmodern thinkers prefer to ask question rather than declare answers. Heh heh.) Here goes . . .

In the postmodern age, why is scientific truth absolute and moral truth relative? Some might argue that even in science, truth is not absolute. They may say scientific facts are merely ideas for which we have confirmation, but no ultimate proof; therefore, since the ideas are open to re-evaluation, they do not represent absolute truths. But, why would scientists seek to understand the physical world if they thought its laws were ever-changing, mutable, impossible to pin down? If gravity exists today, and tomorrow it does not, what’s the point of scientific inquiry?

Doesn’t science exist because the universe is governed by predictable laws? Today, water boils at a certain temperature based on altitude. Tomorrow, water will still boil at the same temperature based on altitude. The fact that scientists modify their theories based on newly acquired observations, does not mean absolute physical laws do not exist, it just means they are not yet fully understood.

So, if absolute laws exist to maintain physical order in the universe, might absolute moral laws exist also? What if they exist not only to maintain social order in this physical realm, but also to maintain order in the spiritual realm as well? What if absolute moral laws exist primarily for the spiritual realm—to keep it orderly, just as physical laws keep our universe orderly?

For the sake of argument, lets say there are absolute moral truths. These are truths with a capital “T”. And, also for the sake of argument, let’s say there is a spiritual realm, and these Truths are the laws that keep it orderly.

What if we were holding a camera and Truth was our subject? How would we focus in on it, bring clarity to it, observe its details? What if we placed each of man’s religious texts as a lens between our camera and the Truth. Would each text allow us to see Truth with equal clarity?

If a man translated Truth to words 6,000 years ago, might it read differently than the same Truth translated to word today, due to the author’s cultural influences and historical perspective? But wouldn’t Truth still be Truth?

To be continued?

YouWriteOn: A Review of My Reviews

I’m no genius. My day job as a computer programmer reminds me of this often. Ask me to explain code I wrote a month ago. “I dunno, I don’t remember how it works, it just works.” There’s also the time I took one of those online IQ tests, which measured my IQ at 90. I don’t think that number is right. Besides, who cares how many rectangles there are in the dumb picture! Anyway . . .

Despite my inability to claim the title “genius”, I have been writing poetry, short stories, and fiction for a long time, and in the process, I have learned every word, every sentence counts. If it doesn’t strengthen the piece, it doesn’t belong. So, when I submitted my short story, "Steve", for review on www.YouWriteOn.com, I was pretty happy with each and every word, and I was also confident the story would be lifted up by my peers like a wide receiver who just scored the winning touch down. Turns out, I was wrong.

To give you some background, "Steve", is a satirical story about a dreng from the planet Drengle whose mouth is in his stomach and whose stomach is in his right thigh. He’s faxed himself to earth so he can study for his Largu (a dreng version of a master’s thesis) titled, "Human’s and Space Travel: So Close Yet So Far Away". Please click here if you would like to read the entire story.

Here are some of the reviews I received, along with my commentary:

Reviewer 1: I did think that maybe it is a bit too simplistic for the typical, jaded SF reader, but mainstream readers would probably like it more. I don’t know if you read a lot of science fiction or not, but it is quite a sophisticated genre, and really to write SF well, you need to have read a lot of it!

Me: Ah, good point. Simplistic, yes. My science fiction is for the “normal” reader who likes scifi without all the techie whizbangs.

Reviewer 2: I found this lively, amusing at times, and well written and told. I wasn't sure that Steve's reason to visit was very convincing. Found myself asking whether that is all there is to your story.

Me: Lively, well-written. Okay. Amusing “at times”? What does that mean? I thought it was amusing—period. And yes, that’s all there is!

Reviewer 3: . . . it is a pleasant and mildly amusing read.

Me: Again. “Mildly” amusing? Amusing “at times”?!

Reviewer 4: The overwhelming problem with this story is that it is totally implausible . . . because Steve—by your bodily description of him—is so grossly different in appearance and anatomy from any human being that it would be impossible for him to be accepted by any human being . . . You need, somehow, to make his differences from human beings very subtle.

Me: What what whaaaat?! The differences aren’t subtle, that’s the whole point! The humans are so dense they don’t even— Oh, never mind.

Reviewer 5: I really enjoyed this story. Right from the beginning it drew me in and I thought it was a really original idea. I thought it was funny, especially Steve's dialogue and the words and terminology used for Steve's world were very creative. I would have liked the story to be longer though and to see more of Steve's study, as his interaction with the humans was hilarious.

Me: Woo hoo!!!

Reviewer 6: I think this is all right. It just needs to be polished a bit.

Me: Pop! (My bubble bursting.)

In all seriousness, I enjoyed the exchange at YouWriteOn, and I appreciate all the people who took the time to review my work. It was interesting to see how people reacted to it. But was the process helpful? I don’t really know. I mean, how much time do I want to spend tinkering with "Steve"? It’s just a short story after all, and a silly one at that. Its silliness is why I like it, and also why I plan to leave it as is. At least for now. (If you can think of a better title, though, I’m all ears.)

I Want to Be a Sheep (Part 5 of 5)

Eventually, the servers at Google North American Division International Coop, Inc., LLC, Corporation started throwing smoke and emitting high frequency noises so I had to stop googling. Drats. I was forced to stop and think.

People fainting over a man because they think he’s going to transform the country—maybe even the world. Man says “I’m confident we can create a Kingdom right here.”

New Agers, based on the teachings of “Jesus” and various other spirits, say humanity is on the brink of a spiritual awakening.

Emergent church leader says, “(What if Jesus came) to start a political, social, religious, artistic, economic, intellectual, and spiritual revolution that would give birth to a new world?”

Throw out traditional Christian teachings on Satan and the end-times! Sadness, pain, suffering—these things only exist because we humans haven’t gotten it right yet. If we try harder, if we become more spiritual, if we continue to learn, study, gain more knowledge, learn more, study more, evolve more, then pain, anger, hate, murder, oppression—we can eradicate them all! So, what do we need to do? We’ve got to fix it! No. Not just “it”. We’ve go to fix everything! We’ve got to try harder. We’ve got to become better people. We must! Better, better, better, and better! We’ve got to keep getting better, and keep getting better, and keep getting better, and keep getting better, and keep getting—

Does anyone else feel a little overwhelmed?

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30 NIV

I am not divine. Satan wants me to think I am.

No matter how hard I try, I cannot perfect myself or this world. Satan wants me to think I can.

Jesus knows I am limited in my strength, power, and ability. He knows me better than I know myself. He knows which parts of me need broken and recast, which parts need polished and touched up. And he’s there to help me do just that—at any moment, any hour, any time of day, at the drop of a hat, he will help me. When I’ve made a mess, he will help me clean it up. When I’ve been knocked to my knees, He will pick me up. When I’ve been slapped in the face, He will take way the sting. He’s there. He’s there to listen to my cries, my shouts, my praises, my repentance and my grief. He’s there to forgive me, to love me, and carry me when I am weak. To smooth out my rough spots, wipe my tears and cleanse my mind with cool, clean water. What a relief.

Now, that’s what I call a spiritual awakening.

So why do I want to be a sheep? Jesus refers to his followers as sheep: "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." John 10:28 NIV. Does that mean I have to grow wool, crawl around on all fours, and eat straw? Luckily . . . no. Rather, I need to do as Peter said in Acts 2, verse 38: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.”

Yet, I think still hear some naysayers. “What about people who followed Christ’s commandments but never went to church and consciously accepted Him as their savior? What about people who love God, but follow other religions, or people who never had the opportunity to hear the gospel? What about everyone else? Are they all goats who will be sent away to eternal punishment?”

Those are tough questions, and my only response is this: I don’t know. I don’t know and it’s not my job to know. That’s God’s job. He is in control. I am not. He is divine. I am not.

But, I do know this: God is merciful, loving, just, and he hears my prayers.

I also know this: I want to know Jesus—the true Jesus.

I want to be a sheep. How about you?

I Want to Be a Sheep (Part 4 of 5)

So, feeling sufficiently satisfied that the true Jesus does in fact exist, I continued googling. Cerebral masochism perhaps? Google was happy to oblige.

Apparently there is a movement in Christianity which calls itself “emergent”. I have heard the term “emergent church” now and again, but have not given it much attention. Now that I know a little more about it . . . well . . . a hem.

As an aside, I’m not a big fan of denominations, but I do understand why they exist. We are human. As such, we are flawed. We disagree, we divide—sometimes painfully, but also sometimes peacefully, agreeing to disagree. As humans we are also diverse. Some of us like classical music. Some of us like traditional hymns. Some of us like pop music. Some of us like silence. Some like dim lighting and candles, others prefer bright lighting. Some are talkative and out-spoken, others are quiet and reserved.

Christ’s church reflects this diversity. The various denominations disagree on surface issues, like how to conduct weekly church service, but for the most part they agree on the core issue—that as fallen humans we are saved, not through works, but by God’s grace, which is gifted to us when we make the conscious choice to accept Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior. When I envision the Christian church, I do not see divided denominations, nor do I see a Catholic/Protestant divide. I see a unified group of people who have decided to follow Christ, however uneven and winding the road may be.

Now, back to the emergent movement, and more specifically, to the leaders of the emergent movement. They desire to reach postmodernists, a group of people who are not easily defined but who, for the most part, believe truth is subjective or further, that it is unknowable. The emergent leaders ask a good and valid question. Can we “send” postmodernists the gospel in a way that it reaches them rather than becoming hung up on the postmodernist’s skepticism and distrust? The emergent leaders acknowledge that this skepticism and distrust is often rooted in legitimate grievances with the church. So, they seek to deconstruct the traditional ideas of “Sunday church” and “the Christian walk”, and reconstruct them in ways that are more comfortable and welcoming to postmodern seekers. I have absolutely no problem with this.

I do have a problem with the way some emergent leaders seem to be deconstructing Jesus’ message and reconstructing it to fit harmoniously within the postmodernist’s worldview. In his book, The Secret Message of Jesus, Brian McLaren states, “What if Jesus' secret message reveals a secret plan? What if he didn't come to start a new religion—but rather came to start a political, social, religious, artistic, economic, intellectual, and spiritual revolution that would give birth to a new world?” Sound familiar? (If not, reread Parts 1 and 2. Quiz later.) Further, to make postmodernists feel comfortable, some emergent leaders seem to be teaching a kind of universalism—that is, Jesus came and died to save all of humanity regardless of whether an individual accepts His gift or not. Which means, although a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is encouraged, I guess it is not required. (My bad.) Which means, many paths DO lead to the top of the mountain. I’m OK, you’re OK. It’s all good!

Wait. What just happened?

I smell a rat.

Stay tuned.