Archive for the ‘Videos’ Category

The Moment of Disgust

2 Comments
Posted 26 Feb 2008 — by nick
Category Darkness, Jesus, Television, Videos

I hesitate to post this video. I found it painful and appalling.

Apparently The Moment of Truth is a current hit show on Fox. Arriving at work this morning some of my co-workers were talking about this episode from last night, I checked it out. After this clip Lauren goes on to answer that she has cheated on Frank, her husband of two years. The pain comes from imagining how cutting these revelations much be to Frank and how much he must be hurting, and also how trapped Lauren must have felt with the weight of her thoughts and actions. My eyes welled over as I saw this for the first time, I waited for Frank’s do the same.

Is this entertainment? Why is this on TV?

Maybe seeing other people’s pain and problems makes us feel better about the mess of our own lives, or maybe as a society we’ve gone the way of the Romans and the Colosseum and are completely desensitized to the violence and horror of our brokenness and extreme self-centeredness.

It bothers me that this is on TV. It disgusts me that this is considered entertainment. I think that’s a good thing.

Can it be more obvious that we and our world needs putting back together? This pulls my heart to follow Jesus all the more and strive to join Him in making things right.

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Now playing: Derek Webb – This Too Shall Be Made Right
via FoxyTunes

Dost thou Pisseth Against the Wall?

6 Comments
Posted 10 Feb 2008 — by nick
Category Blogs, Fun, Jesus, Scripture, Videos

I usually avoid posting twice in one day since it can tend to cause posts to get lost as the noise floor of your daily input raises. This post will be brief:

I first saw this video on Walk The Razor, one of Noel Heikkinen‘s blogs and then later on Tall Skinny Kiwi. Can you say viral video?

I laugh when I watch this but later I find it just sad.

Scientology Protest

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Posted 10 Feb 2008 — by nick
Category Friends, News, Photos, Spirituality, Videos

Longtime friends of the Dawg Haus will remember we are located next-door to the Champaign branch of the Church of Scientology – a fact several folks have found humorous. Recently this group has found it’s way into the news and not on such great terms. There is the Tom Cruise viral video, the Anonymous response video, DDoS on Scientology’s website, and today a worldwide organized protest.

Camped out on our front couches, some of us dawgs grabbed our morning coffee and breakfast and became spectators of the event unfolding next-door.


We have a civil and cordial relationship with our neighbors – none of us would agree with their beliefs but we see them as human beings deserving of love and respect regardless of how misguided they may be. It’s this fact that makes me uneasy about the protest. I’ve been thinking a lot this year about how effective protesting is (part in reference to the call of Christians to boycott The Golden Compass and further with this protest though it’s not officially religiously affiliated).


Do signs, shouting, and name calling do more than cause the targeted group to bunker down and solidify further in their beliefs?

I’m not saying these protesters are hoping to persuade the scientologist, I’m just questioning if it’s affective at persuading those passing by. My hunch is not and thus I conclude they’re just creating a stand-off between themselves and those inside the “church” each side growing in their belief in the other being wrong and growing in dislike.

What do you think?

(PS: A very few more photo’s can be found on my picasa account. I didn’t take many.)

Sigur Rós – ‘Heima’

1 Comment
Posted 31 Jan 2008 — by nick
Category Friends, music, Videos

It never fails. Just after finishing that last post Chris calls me into the other room to show me a trailer for this new Sigur Rós DVD/Documentary thing. I’m pretty interested in checking it out. Here is the trailer for your viewing pleasure.

New Nooma – 018 Name

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Posted 31 Oct 2007 — by nick
Category Jesus, Light, Ministry, Spirituality, Technology, Videos

A new Nooma was released today, the eighteenth in the series. Those of you that heard me speak at Illini Life Summer Church or at the Fall Retreat might find some of the material familiar. This Nooma is a bit of a summary of a couple of life changing teachings I’ve listened to frequently by Rob Bell.

For the next 48 hours you can watch the NOOMA for free on their MySpace page.

It was good to be reminded of these truths today.

A World in Disorder

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Posted 21 Sep 2007 — by nick
Category Blogs, Darkness, Jesus, Light, News, Podcasts, Social Justice, Videos

I arrived at work this morning like usual and browsed my podcasts. NPR story of the day, The New from Lake Wobegon, Pandora podcast, This American Life, etc. “‘Jena Six’ Case Prompts Mass Demonstrations” – the NPR headline seemed to leap out. Clicking ‘play’ I found my heart beating faster, an anger welling up and sadness deepening.

Initially I was angry that racism could still be so prevalent in this little town in the south. Then I began to admit it’s not just in the south, in this little town. I see it in my upbringing, I see it at home, I see it on this campus, I see it in my life – through my white privilege and learned behavior.

In the darkness of racism it becomes so apparent to me that Jesus is the hope of the World and that he is putting it all back together again. We simply can’t fix things apart from God.

NPR was my first exposure to this issue – the whole story feels like something out of a text book describing the 60’s. You can read more here at BBC.

One of the more interesting bits of the article to me is how the community is described as a “mixed community” about 85% White and 12% black, yet the churches are not so ‘mixed’ nor are the neighborhoods or even the barber shop.

Continuing my morning routine I noticed a blog post by JR Woodward about this topic. As usual it’s worth reading.

Here is a brief YouTube Photo Story:

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Now playing: Derek Webb – A New Law
via FoxyTunes

"Everything must change"

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Posted 17 Sep 2007 — by nick
Category Books, Jesus, Light, Spirituality, Videos

“If Jesus’ message of the kingdom of God is true, then everything must change. Everything must change.” ~ Brian McLaren Everything Must Change

As I sat at my desk today, my mind straying to thoughts about this coming weekend, I found myself more and more pulled to God. Talking to Him about anything and everything. This video quenched some of my thirst for something deeper today – something more than computers, networking and music.

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Now playing: Over The Rhine – Born
via FoxyTunes

Daft Hands

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Posted 13 Aug 2007 — by nick
Category Fun, Movies, Technology, Videos

So I haven’t posted in awhile and nothing to serious… so I’ll break part of that trend and post a cool YouTube video Ben Chase showed me awhile back. Enjoy!

Skittles Commercial

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Posted 12 Apr 2007 — by nick
Category Fun, Technology, Videos

I saw this commercial tonight and it caught me off guard – pretty sure I laughed through the entire next commercial slot.

enjoy!

Putting The World Back Together

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Posted 19 Feb 2007 — by nick
Category Jesus, Light, News, Social Justice, Spirituality, Videos

I’ve been listening to a provocatively titled teaching series by Rob Bell lately – Jesus Wants to Save Christians – given last fall at his church Mars Hill. I downloaded it then and it has since become unavailable online in order to make room for more recent teachings. While listening this weekend I heard Rob describe his Church as

“Counter cultural insurgency who actually believes the world can be put back together because we think that’s what Jesus has in mind.”

I find this description delightful – it pulled to the front of my mind the University of Illinois Board of Trustees decision last week to end the tradition of Chief Illiniwek. While the Board of Trustees doesn’t serve as a group of Jesus followers we can still celebrate the putting-back-togetherness of the world in such instances of social justice. Part of seeing the world put back together involves hearing the voice of the marginalized, fighting for equality and righting the wronged.

This decision is no doubt controversial – the debate has been raging for decades. Prior to arriving on campus in ’01 I had decided to reside on the “anti-chief” side of the issue (how we refer to those not supportive of Chief Illiniwek). I attribute the heartache and sensitivity to this issue to a work God did in my heart on a missions trip to Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in the summer of ’01. This is the location of the Oglala Sioux Nation whom the University received a set of Chief Regalia from and argues that it is in part honoring in the Chief’s Tradition. A recent quote from the Native American House at the University of Illinois in reference to the January 17, 2007 Oglala Sioux Resolution concerning Chief Illiniwek speaks to the level of “honor” these people feel:

There can be no misreading of the Oglala Sioux Resolution—those to whom the Lakota regalia belongs and whom the Board of Trustees claims to be honoring have clearly requested that the performance and charade of “chief illiniwek” end.

Just one month later they found their request granted. Further thoughts and press releases form the NAH on this issue can be found here.

Simply put I find it hard to follow Jesus and support the oppression and degradation of another people group and I believe it naive to claim the Chief an honoring symbol of a living -breathing people. I don’t believe this issue stops with Chief Illiniwek, how about the Spartans, the Fighting Irish?

Do you have thoughts on the issue, I’d love to hear them? Never seen the Chief dance: click here

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