New Hot Sauce Review

Go check out my Hot Sauce review video blog.  We just put up this months posting.  I hope you enjoy it.  I'd really appreciate it if you'd subscribe to that one as well as the Empty Pantry. 

Blog of Burn

Free Will vs. Divine Foreknowledge

I've had this discussion so many times in the last few months that I've hesitated refused to post it here.  But here goes. 

The word choice means "an act of selecting or making a decision when faced with two or more possibilities" (oxford).  The important part is "2 or more possibilities".  If God knows what we are going to choose then is that really a choice?  Many people say that just because God knows what you are going to choose doesn't mean that you don't have a choice.  I would disagree.  If God knows what we are going to choose then wouldn't we only have 1 option?  And for something to be a choice you have to have 2 or more possibilities.  I know that the immediate reaction is that this steps all over the definition of "omniscient".  But maybe it doesn't.  Maybe God really does know all our choices in perfect detail and we really don't have any.  Now this doesn't mean that God necessarily had a hand in deciding our paths.  Maybe things just are a certain way.  That would keep the "omniscient" title in tact.

Another possibility for God "omniscient" label to remain true would be to look at the definition of "omniscient"..."knowing everything." (oxford)  I'd like to put a little tag on this.  Let's be more specific and re-define it as "knowing everything that is knowable".  What if God sees the future as a realm of possibility that is greatly limited by our past decisions and is also limited by everyone else's realm of possibilities?  God knows the past in perfect detail.  God also knows the present in perfect detail.  God also perfectly knows all of us.  All these factors combine to limit each person's "realm of possibilities" as God may see it. 

Let me refute some common arguments about this.

1.  I know this goes completely against traditional Christian teaching so quoting scripture to me won't help.  I didn't come up with this question through some deep study of scripture.  I'm simply asking questions.

2.  "What about prophesy?  That stuff came out to be true.  If God doesn't know the future then how could that work?"  It works because God is also omnipotent, meaning He is all-powerful and He also has free-will.  Even I can say that next week on Wednesday at 12:10pm I am going to 7-11 to buy a slurpee.  That doesn't infringe on anyone else's freewill...and I am definitely not God.

3.  "Just because God knows what you are going to choose doesn't mean you don't have a choice."  I would disagree.  If God knows what I am going to choose then I have no ability to choose something different.  Which, I would say, means I have no choice.

Ok...here it is.  My "big" theological problem that I have been turning around in my head for months.  I always said I'd never post this, but here goes.  I'd like to conclude with a few thoughts...I do not know the answer to this question.  I am asking these questions because I feel they are valid questions.  But in reality they may not even be the right questions.  "I know nothing except that I know nothing."  When I die, if I find the answer, I may not even be in the ball park with the actual truth.  But that doesn't mean that I shouldn't ask.  If you don't ask then you don't get an answer.  So I look forward to your responses.   

If your responses are rude I will delete them.  I am not posting this to get some ridiculous argument started.  Nor am I posting this to attack anyone.  I am posting this because I am searching for insight that I don't have, which I am hoping you may have.

So...thoughts? 

First Attempt: French Bread

After watching a few episodes of Andrew Zimmerman and Anthony Bourdain, I decided to make French bread last night.  It was my first venture into "from scratch" baking.  I got the recipe from allrecipes.com and followed the instructions as closely as possible.  I was mostly happy with the outcome. I'd probably give it a 3 out of 5 stars.  Next time I'm going to add a little more salt and cook it for about 5 minutes less.  I'll probably give it another go sometime soon.  I was really enjoyable releasing my inner baker.  I'd also like to try Italian bread sometime soon as well.

My Review: The Catcher in the Rye

I finished Catcher about a week ago and have been sitting on it letting my mind wander over it again...and again...and again.  I loved it.  But I didn't know that I loved it until i had finished it.  I know this book was published a long time ago but I'll say it anyways...SPOILER ALERT!



 Here are my thoughts.



Holden was one of the most divisive characters I have ever experienced. Through the first 3/5 of the book I was going back and forth between feeling sorry for him and wishing someone would put him in his place.


But I loved how nonchalantly Salinger fills you in on some of the horrible things that happened to Holden. Things such as, seeing the kid kill himself at school.  Also, how a lot of men have tried to get "friendly" with him.  Not to mention the death of his younger brother.  These things would have been very damaging, but they are brought up in much the same way a 17 year old kid would deal with them. By burying their feelings and not dealing with them. I think these moments are the biggest insight into why Holden is the way he is (cynical and disenfranchised are understatements).

There is plenty of cursing throughout the book.  However, I noticed that there was no "f-bomb" being dropped.  Then towards the end Holden started seeing "F#@k You" written everywhere as a way to raising the tension and to show his deepening depression.  When this started happening I just wanted to save Holden...I wanted to run in, grab him and take him somewhere safe and happy.  It was amazingly effective.

Finally...the (almost) ending scene where he is watching his sister on the Merry Go Round...was one of the most beautiful scenes. I don't think it could be captured on film. It was like this beautiful Sun shining through the darkness of the rest of the book.

So yes, I highly recommend it.  I'm not sure how I would have felt about this book in High School, but as a quasi-adult it was awesome.






Currently I'm reading Bill Bryson's "Neither Here Nor There: travels in europe".  I'll let you know what I think.

Books

About 5 months ago I started a journey that would last much longer than I ever thought or hoped it would.  I started reading Karen Armstrong's "The Case for God".  It's an abbreviated history of man's belief in God and how it has changed over time.  Overall the book was interesting but it did seem that Karen (I feel that I can call her that after reading this) can sometimes write a bit long...thus why it took me 5 months to finish it.  I wanted to read this book after hearing Karen on an NPR show.  She was very well spoken and what she had to say sucked me in.  She is an ex-nun who left the nunnery after she "didn't find God there".  After leaving she went on a search to find God.  Whether she found Him/Her/It (depending on your persuasion) we'll never know...well...maybe never know.  Anyways, if you have an interest in this kind of thing you may enjoy it.

I always feel a sense of accomplishment when I finish a book because, obviously, I'm no speed reader.  However, I do love books.  I love that they aren't quick and they aren't easy.  It's something you have to take time for.  

So what's next on my reading list?  J.D. Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye". It seems that I'm the only person who didn't have to read this in High School so it's time to get on board and see why this book it so loved. 

Hot Sauce Blog

My friend Dave and I have started a monthly Hot Sauce blog.  You should check it out.


http://blogofburn.blogspot.com


See you soon.

-scott

Let There Be Noise

We all react to the aspects of every day life in different ways.  I react by playing loud noise music.  My band Moving Giants just posted four new songs last night.  Go check it out and let us know what you think

Let There Be Noise