Zombie Thoughts

true humility

2010-06-24T22:05:00.001-07:00

This is a segment where I post my thoughts on the Sunday service I attended at the beginning of the week. It’s more a self directed, personal indulgence than anything; it helps me remember the issues.

Lesson of today’s service came out of Luke 14:7-24.

7When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: 8″When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. 9If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this man your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. 10But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. 11For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
12Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
The Parable of the Great Banquet
15When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”
16Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’
18″But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’
19″Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’
20″Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’
21″The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’
22″ ‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’
23″Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. 24I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’”

This is how Jesus’ first parable played out in my mind. In society, there is a hierarchy. It can be divided up like this:

If you claim the position you think you deserve (assuming you are prone to an inflated sense of self worth, as is likely) then someone else will put you in your place. Which is humiliating. (v 8-9)

However, if you show humility you will be recognized, exalted. (v. 9-10)

During service I projected 3 dominant responses to Jesus’ first sayings based on the social groups I observed within the congregation, and how those social groups in general operate in society — world views, etc.

1. A lot of the room was thinking, “this doesn’t apply to me.”

Hence the second parable, dubbed “the Parable of the Great Banquet” (v. 15-23) This is a very (very) loose translation:

2. Another part of the people listening to this were thinking, “I’ll make sure to stay in my place. Or, better yet, I’ll work my way to the top.” (And, strangely, the pastor gave a personal example that seemed to support this thinking.)

But this view leads to a vicious cycle of chasing shadows; it is still disobedient and doesn’t take grace into account.

3. My personal view was, “I don’t believe in hierarchy. Hierarchy is dumb.”

Which is a silly approach in that it doesn’t acknowledge reality. But I really do think everyone should be able to sit next to the host as the guest of honor.

At the end of the day, however, I changed my mind about one thing. And, now, my final conclusion is different. All of this aside, I think the Good Christian would have heard Jesus out the first parable and simply said, “Okay,” and went about her day doing as she was told.

ZT Logo Sketch

2010-02-15T11:52:00.000-08:00

Taryn Trousdale

Cryonics Documentary

2010-02-03T23:46:00.001-08:00

I am digging it.

Margot's Brain Crack: Arin Crumley edition

2010-01-25T01:34:00.001-08:00

Arin Crumley is the director of Four Eyed Monsters, a really interesting film about relationships and all that. Crumley is a real pioneer when it comes to DYI filmmaking and distribution. Here are some things to check out according to AC. And, I can't agree more:

Square for iPhone : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BP5ax1qs5o

Bandcamp : http://bandcamp.com/

-MP

MLK Animation

2010-01-18T15:07:00.000-08:00

When did I fall apart?

2010-01-16T15:55:00.000-08:00

Strata

I will be selling this painting on Ebay in order to raise funds for the relief effort in Haiti! My recent unemployment means I had to get creative with some fund-raising. This painting is quite large, at 2 feet by 3 feet. It has a 2″ brown-black simple frame and has hanging wire installed.

As I was working on this piece, I wanted to create a peaceful atmosphere, but I feel like stresses in my life at the time of painting unconsciously filtered in, giving it a turbulent and tumultuous energy. I think that in spite of difficult and trying circumstances, new and beautiful things can emerge.

Edit: Although the painting didn't sell, if/when it does, all the proceeds for this painting will go to charity.

-Nells
(My Turn – Basement Jaxx)

Not to speak for Taryn but...

2010-01-14T21:23:00.001-08:00

Letter to Santa (12/24/2009)

2010-01-13T21:28:00.000-08:00

The illustration is from Grandma's Graphics.

The smartass commentary? from Yours Truly. And, that's pretty much all I have to say about the healthcare hullaballoo.

-MP

Get Franked Challenge

2010-01-13T20:05:00.000-08:00

Get Franked is that one place every town has that attracts a certain demographic of youth. The employees are fashionably dressed down and accessorize the look with a blasé attitude. The walls showcase spray painted murals and rotating exhibits by drive-by artists. Also: there's a vintage refrigerator. The collective aura of the establishment is so hip it makes you want to chew your paws off.

Oh, and, this place to Get Franked? A hot dog shop.

After discovering the veggie dog option, I could not help but be firmly resolved to channel my inner frat boy by eating every item on the exhaustive menu of franks and then sharing the story with anyone who will listen. Here are some highlights.

#24 The Mac 'N Cheese Dog

This selection is exactly what you expect it to be. It is a tasty marriage between two of the most beloved childhood foods, the hot dog and cheesy macaroni. It even made this writer weepy with nostalgia.

Recommended to: grown ups who are not averse to drinking from a juice box

Not recommended to: the lactose intolerant

#28 The "Hot" Dog

The experience was less like having a meal and more like fulfilling a dare. One thing is certain: this dog will help you get your 8 cups of water per day in one sitting. Beware the green pepper.

Recommended to: Thrill Seekers
Not recommended to: Bulimics

#11 The Nacho Dog (pictured)

This is Cinco de Mayo meets the Fourth of July in your mouth. It is three kinds of tasty -- savory, cheesy and crunchy. Which raises the question: why didn't someone think of this before?

Recommended to: all lovers of Tex Mex
Not recommended to: those unfortunate people who are against miscegenation

-MP

Margot's Brain Crack

2010-01-11T21:10:00.000-08:00

image by taryn trousdale

This blogger dude Ze Frank came up with "brain crack". He elaborates below:

If you don't wanna run out of ideas the best thing to do is not to execute them. You can tell yourself that you don't have the time or resources to do 'em right. Then they stay around in your head like brain crack. No matter how bad things get, at least you have those good ideas that you'll get to later.

Some people get addicted to that brain crack. And the longer they wait, the more they convince themselves of how perfectly that idea should be executed. And they imagine it on a beautiful platter with glitter and rose petals. And everyone's clapping for them. But the bummer is most ideas kinda suck when you do 'em. And no matter how much you plan you still have to do something for the first time. And you're almost guaranteed the first time you do something it'll blow. But somebody who does something bad three times still has three times the experience of that other person who's still dreaming of all the applause.

I'm the first to admit I am guiltier than most at justifying procrastination with perfectionism. However, I have to agree with Hank Green of the Vlogbrothers that more often than not people don't have the time or resources to execute all the really good ideas. His solution is to then let the ideas loose on the world in hopes that someone else with the means and resources will get it done.

So I decided to do that here at the ZT blog under "Margot's Brain Crack." In this segment, I'll post all ideas that I have or come across that could potentially advance DIY movements in art, music and literature in hopes that if I don't make it happen, someone else will. Fingers crossed.

-MP

Puppy Love

2010-01-11T19:36:00.000-08:00

Old comic collaboration we did - heh:

@TT: We have to make the short film for it the coming summer for sure this time!

-MP

Tobacco-Stained Mountain Goat

2010-01-11T13:50:00.001-08:00

This is Tobacco-Stained Mountain Goat, through a contemporary publishing company called Another Sky Press. (I love scott c.'s illustration for the cover, too)

-Nells

Codehunters

2010-01-10T10:36:00.001-08:00

http://www.codehunters.tv/swfs/main.htm

Codehunters: a silent digitally animated sci-fi short. awesome group of characters reminiscent of those from cowboy bebop.

The website is full of all kinds of extra goodies like a behind-the-scenes look at the creation process, character sketches and so on.

I'm really glad to see more independent projects like this around.

-MP