Robin Williams and the Millenial Generation

Robin Williams.

He died yesterday.

It hits me as uniquely strange that he would die at this time. Why now? Think a little more about that.

The world, it seems, is spiraling out of control. Children are reportedly being cut in half in Iraq, Ebola has claimed over 1000 lives, the US has border issues and Gaza still be isn't at peace.

Then my millennial generation’s childhood escape and laughter dies. There is a collective sadness and a profundity to this particular death which, for some odd reason strikes a different heart string. Thousands are dying today. All deaths seem so terribly needless, but this one, this poor fellow seems so despairingly sad. “He was deeply depressed.”

It seems this sadness is simply and expression of the combined sadness my generation is feeling at the state of the world - we just have a place to express it now. We - us millennials - are learning what it is to be grown ups and it’s not what it was in the movies.

His death is pointing to our lack. That though even he's our beloved actor he still, as a friend tweeted, “couldn’t climb out of the darkness.” Now that the world is morning for Robin Williams it still didn’t nor couldn't save him. The need is for something not of this world.

Teaching Hypocrites

"... Through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared..." 1 Tim 4:2

"If these words refer to 'demons' then this word will mean men deceiving through th instigation of th devil. But we may also supply the words, 'of men speaking.' He now descends to a particular instance, when he says that they 'speak lies in hypocrisy,' and have their consicences seard with a hot iron. And indeed, it ought to be known that these two are so closely joined together that the former springs from the latter; for consciences, that are bad and seared with the hot iron of their crimes, always flee to hypocrisy as a ready refuge; that is, they contrive hypocritical pretences, in order to dazzle th eyes of God; and what else is done by those who endeavor to appease God by the mask of outward observances."

"The word hypocrisy must therefore be explained agreeable to the passage in which it now occurs; for, first, it must relate to doctrine, and next it denotes that kind of doctrine which adulterates the spiritual worship of God by exchanging its genuine purity for bodily exercises; and thus it includes all methods contrived by men for appeasing God or obtaining his favor. The meaning may be thus summed up; first, that all who assume a pretended sanctimoniousness are lead by the instigation of the devil; because God is never worshipped aright by outward ceremonies; for true worshippers, 'worship in spirit and truth,' (John 4:24) and, secondly, that this is a useless medicine, by which hypocrites mitigate their pains, or rather a plaster by which bad consciences conceal their wounds, without any advantage, and to their utter destruction."

John Calvin.

4th of July

This nation, indivisible

will perish from the Earth
as surely as the leaves must change and fall

and the band will end the anthem
to dust she will return
so the sun must set on all things, great and small

but the first star of the evening
will outlive them all.