The reasons to dislike Apple keep piling up…and I must vent them out again!

Reason #1 – Everything is Apple’s way or no way!

Today I moved a few videos onto my iPhone. Which ones you ask? Well, I don’t get a choice. It’s all videos, or the latest 5 videos. What if I want my wedding from 6 years ago, and a video from last week? No can do. Can’t you guys just put a darn check box on the videos page? Why does this have to be so hard?!

Need a backup battery for your MacBook or iPhone or iPod? Sorry…there no longer removable. You have to attach some bulky ugly accessory.

Reason #2 – Everything is expensive!

Today I tried to connect a video cable to my iPhone to play back video on the television…yes, the cable was made for the iPhone, but guess what, it didn’t work. Turns out Apple’s latest software update for the iPhone disables any cables not made/licensed by Apple. Can’t buy a $3 cable off of ebay…gotta pay $50 for an official Apple accessory.

Hate hate hate hate hate.

Does anyone else feel the way I do?

Those who know me, have probably heard some of my sentiments on Mac computers. To make it short and sweet–I’m not a fan. This picture shares some of the feelings I have on the subject:

My advice to anyone purchasing one is the following: A basic MacBook costs $900-1000. Go spend $900-1000 on a Windows laptop, and you will be just as thrilled. Just don’t spend $300 at Walmart on some off brand machine and then complain that Macs are better. No, their not better. They just don’t allow people to sell Mac’s OS on cheap machines.

It is no secret that Christians often choose to live in their own world. We have made it easy for Christians to isolate themselves from the world. We have Christian books, Christian movies, Christian music, Christian restaurants, Christian workplaces, and Christian dating services.

These things are both good and bad. There are times where we need isolation, and times when we need to avoid isolation for the sake of reaching others. We should not expect to maintain a holy lifestyle if we are constantly bombarded by secular culture’s praise of sin…but we should also not expect unbelievers to come outside of their culture to hear the gospel.

It is no surprise that our culture becomes full of insider clichés and outdated extremes…however, it may be offensive or surprising when someone points them out. I remember my reaction as a teenager to restrictions on dancing, smoking, and R-rated movies, along with requirements for skirts, ties, and short hair.

Finally someone has found a way to discuss these things in a hilarious way! If you haven’t read his blog or seen his book in stores, then please, enjoy Jonathan Acuff’s Stuff Christians Like. I’ve been laughing at him …or rather, he’s been making me laugh at myself, for over a year!

Blog: http://stuffchristianslike.net/

Book: http://www.amazon.com/Stuff-Christians-Like-Jonathan-Acuff/dp/0310319943/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1270431521&sr=8-1

The Bible daily becomes more and more accessible to the world through increased literacy, cheap printing methods, and online downloads…the problem, however, is that the people now reading the Word of God do not know how to find it’s true meaning.

I, myself, have struggled with this very problem for most of my own life. My affection for sermons and books comes from a dependence upon other people, whom I trust to interpret the Word of God accurately in my ignorance.

In my previous small group, it was requested that we take time apart from study guides to study a book of the Bible directly, and I specifically avoided doing so because of my fear of misinterpreting the text.

In my time here, I have spent time specifically learning how to study the Bible on an academic level, and in a small group setting, thanks both to my school and my church. I am grateful for the opportunity to sit under men who have spent time learning to facilitate group discussion. I am elated to be listening to the instruction of men who have spent their entire careers studying the Word of God and translating many of the English Bibles we use today, including the newly released Lexham English Bible.

Unfortunately, the proper tools for proper Bible interpretation are still largely inaccessible. The most used English Bible interpretations are not free electronically (NIV, NASB, NKJV, MSG, NCV, NLT) and the only commentaries and lexical aids available are those that are so old they are outside copyright protection. These commentaries, like the one by Matthew Henry, are not helpful in understanding the text, since they mainly rely upon a limited understanding of Greek and the context of first century Israel. Dictionaries and Commentaries (IVP Bible Background Commentary and the TDNT) and Lexical Aids like BDAG and HALOT are $100+ a copy, in print or electronically. Bible Software with relatively helpful and accurate commentaries cost from $200 up to $2,000.

Scholars and teachers in the Christian circles get paid poorly enough, so I do no wish to downplay what little royalties they receive, however, I dearly hope that we can make these resources cheaper and cheaper in the future. In this respect, I do recommend to the computer user, The Word Bible Software, which is available freely and includes some original language tools, and iLumina Software, which is the best commentary-type resource I can find for the price.

I am also extremely hopeful that we can start teaching our church members, especially our small group leaders, to lead Bible studies with a accurate understanding of the text. I think the Bible is a book that needs to be experienced in a group setting apart from listening to the pastor lecture from the pulpit. I think it is powerful and life changing to discuss the text at every level, and I hope to help men and women feel more confident in leading those discussions in the future.

Genius is the ability to reduce the complicated to the simple.
~ C. W. Ceran

Excellence is to do a common thing
in an uncommon way.
~ Booker T. Washington

Be sure to put your feet in the right place,
then stand firm.
~ Abraham Lincoln

Be the change you wish to see in the world.
~ Ghandi

A person who doubts himself
is like a man who would enlist in the ranks of his enemies
and bear arms against himself.
He makes his failure certain
by himself being the first person to be convinced of it.
~ Alexander Dumas

A difficult time can be more readily endured
if we retain the conviction that our existence holds a purpose—
a cause to pursue, a person to love, a goal to achieve.
~ John Maxwell, Scottish Noble

One’s dignity may be assaulted, vandalized, and cruelly mocked,
but it cannot be taken away unless it is surrendered.
~ Michael J. Fox