Opinions

Where are the green Christians?

Dr. Glen Robinson

I love Texas. I will, however, admit that it took me a while to get to that point. Texas grows on you, which is saying a lot when you take a look at my lawn this time of year. I took a teaching job here in 1998 and moved here with my family from Idaho. My wife was happy to leave snow far behind us and welcome (relatively) warm winters. Of course, we moved here in June, and it was 105 degrees at 10 p.m. the night we arrived. So the change in climate was pretty much the first difference we noticed.

No time for procrastination

As a college senior, it’s tough staying on top of the college life. Along with classes come extracurricular activities, socializing opportunities, and the occasional late-night trip in search of fast food. One thing that it’s really affecting me is that nasty p-word. Procrastination. Procrastination is defined by Merriam-Webster as “to put off intentionally and habitually; to put off intentionally the doing of something that should be done.” Though this may not seem to be so bad, it can easily get out of hand, even to the point of overwhelming you and your daily routine. I’ve compiled a list five of things to do to alleviate procrastinating, because we can all use a little less procrastination and a little more effort in getting things done. With these tips, you’ll stay on top!

Are we hearing all the T.R.U.T.H.?

Edward Cheever II

On March 11, Southwestern Adventist University was host to a special guest group called T.R.U.T.H. (To Render Unconditionally To Him) who came to talk about the “evils” of secular music at assembly. The group consists largely of individuals who used to work within the music industry as musicians, producers, songwriters, etc. All of this is information you can find out at their website, Truth4Him777.com. I don’t doubt their sincerity. Besides which, there are certainly truths that can be gleaned from their message. However, after hearing their presentation, I have a number of issues that I have with their message and the way it was presented. Before I get to that, though, let me reinforce the portions I appreciated. You see, I’ve been party to the music debate for a long time, and I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve heard people condemn different kinds of music based solely on their sound. The syncopated rhythm debate, the electric guitar flame wars, etc.; I’ve heard them far too much. These guys did not do that. They did not spout nonsense about style, volume or instrumentation. I appreciated that.

Turn your eyes

Have you been watching the news lately? You probably have. You are probably even watching it right now. What do you see? Disaster. Calamity. Chaos. Over the past couple of months, there have been a number of natural disasters that have shaken the earth, literally and emotionally. With the recent earthquakes in Chile, Haiti, and Japan, among the other numerous events, it is quite sad, albeit it, depressing, to hear of the losses that many have occurred because of these disasters.

Be a flower

It was a cold afternoon, the wind whipping at my t-shirt, shorts, and flip-flop donned feet. I gave myself the opportunity to take a stroll around the pond this last weekend, despite being inadequately dressed for the occasion. As I was walking, taking in the cool breeze, the fresh air, and the scent of the pond, I noticed something that I didn’t expect to see at this time and place where I was.

How to choose the right major

“So what's your major?” Tania asked. “Nursing,” I answered. “Nursing? I thought you were going to study theology. Are you sure you want to be a nurse?” “Of course, I wouldn’t study anything else,” I answered confidently. Yet, behind my astounding confidence there remained a silent whispering uncertainty questioning whether I should be majoring in nursing. My freshman and sophomore years I enrolled at Southwestern as a nursing major, planning on going to medical school right after obtaining my nursing degree. When people heard that I was a nursing major, they often asked: “So why nursing?” And I replied, “As as a nurse I can help hundreds of people while earning a good salary.” Yet, I knew that the fact that nurses help thousands of people while earning a good salary didn’t necessarily mean that I should be studying nursing.

Attending church in pajamas

Let’s face it. Sometimes we wake up Saturday morning, feeling tired from the previous day. Perhaps we’ve stayed up too long. Perhaps there was an intense vespers the night before that seemed to drain you from going to church. Perhaps we’re too comfortable in our pajamas to leave the house, or even, the bed. Well, thanks to the internet and television, going to church can be easy, just with the click of a button. Fast, convenient, and easy to do. However, can worshipping through the computer or television offer real spiritual fulfillment? I think it’s possible to attend an online church to hear a message, learn and incorporate a life lesson from it, and receive a blessing overall. However, you lose an essential element that makes a church a “church.”

Don't forget: A does not equal B

Dr. Glen Robinson

While visiting Facebook the other day, I stumbled across a message from my good friend Celeste perrino Walker, who had recently written an article for Liberty magazine. In it, she makes reference to the continuing sentiment by some well-intentioned Christians who get upset because the Ten Commandments are removed from city halls or because prayer is removed from a public event. Here’s an excerpt of what she says about it: “Regardless, at the heart of all such disagreements is the issue of separation of church and state, an issue that some do not seem to fully grasp and some do not agree with. But the most obvious question, surely, is: Why do we want the government’s fingers in our religious pie? And the answer, quite simply, is that we are far enough removed to forget what the government does to religious pie. We have forgotten the terrible sacrifices many people have made in the name of religious freedom. And we would do well to remember.”

What this place needs...

Conna Bond

When I arrived in Keene a year ago and checked out the Southwestern campus, I took in the pond, the tennis courts, the new buildings, and the row of flags in the center of campus. Everything looked great. But something was missing—and still is. Part of my summer was spent in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Every day or so, I’d put on my running gear and head to the track at one of the local high schools. Plenty of other people were there, too, regardless of the weather. It was a great place for runners and athletes of all types to train and keep in shape at just about any time of the day. Even the cheerleading and football teams had already started pre-season training there. It was an especially good location for female runners to train, since it’s not always safe to run through town, in parks, and down busy roads (like Old Betsy).

Five things to do when you're sick

You wake up feeling congested. Heavy. Tired. Uh oh, it looks like you’re sick. What used to be a walk in the park has turned into what seems to be like a death march. Here is a compiled a list of things that I do, that you can do, while you’re sick. It isn’t easy being sick, but it’s easy to make being sick fun! 5 Things to Do When Sick 1. Think Positive – Yes, you’re sick. Yes, you’re not feeling well. Yes, you feel like the world is going to end. Well, the world isn’t going to end (at least not anytime soon during your duration of sickness). Thinking positive keeps you in better spirits, as well as making you see the better side to the not-so-fine things, such as a sickness. Some studies have also suggested that thinking positive can also lead to a faster recovery! Turn that frown upside down, and think positive!