3-Part Ramble: Math... Church... Chris!

I have had about 3 different blog ideas today so prepare for a modge-podge. : )

The first two go hand in hand in my mind, so let's see if you can make the connection:

Sometimes I hate my math brain and biblical interpretations...

Did you figure out the connection yet? No I'm not trying to do the math of dividing 5 loaves and 2 fish to fed a multitude!

Part 1

The first statement simply leads to the second statement. Tonight I went to church [which is unusually in that I went to a Wednesday evening service] but I deciding to go because I wanted to hear the pastor candidate again. [That topic in and of itself is a can of worms. Pastors come and candidate and then members vote as if they are watching So You Think You Can Dance?! based on a single performance.] Anyways tonight Dr./Pastor Charlie talked about the inspiration and interpretation of the Bible and he began his lesson with a question about boating. He asked how many people had been on a boat for 1000 miles and a few ex-military men raised their hands. Then he proceeded to talk about how if you began your 1000-mile journey just 5 degrees off, which everyone agreed didn't sound like much, that what didn't seem like a big deal would leave you 90 miles from your destination in the end. Which is kind of a big deal. I knew where he was leading at this point... that if we are a little off with our interpretation of the Word, it can make a BIG difference in the end. 

It was at that point that I stopped listening began multi-tasking. 

Seriously?! 90 miles of track?! That doesn't sound right. Is the porportion of degrees to 360 the same as 90 to 1000?! That doesn't seem right! Is my mental math that horrible? Am I becoming calculator dependent like too many of my students?! Oh man! This is going to kill me! I've got to figure this out!?

And so I did. I began my math on the back of an old bulletin. 5 over 360 equals x over 1000.

Cross multiply. Divide. Double check my math.

[I'm teaching this right now to some of my students ironically.]

x = 13.8 miles not 90.

And so I reworked the problem the other way...

90 over 1000 = x over 360

Cross multiply. Divide. Double check my math.

x = 32.4 degrees not 5.

Then I debated if I would nonchalantly shake his hand later and inform him of his mathematical error. It wouldn't be the first time that I corrected a Bible teacher over a math-related error, but I woud likely get the same response: "Oh really? Huh, I just heard it used before so I'm using it. Come up with a new example, okay?"

Oh, brain. : )

Part 2.

Another statement that Dr./Pastor Charlie stated was that 97% of the Bible is literal and only the wee-little bit rest is figurative. [I don't think he was saying this as a fact, but rather that the overwhelming majority is literal. That would take a lot longer than 5 minutes to check his math on!] This statement got me thinking that this is probably true and furthermore, the problem is that the 3% is interpretated 97 different ways and each person or denomination chooses a different 3% to consider figurative.

His example was from Romans: "But if your enemy is hungry, feed him and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing so you will heap burning coals upon his head." [Romans 12.20] The second part of this is clearly not literal and I would venture to say that 100% of sane Christians would agree with that classification.

But what about these verses:

Do  you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own. [1 Cor. 6.19]

Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags. [Prov. 23.20-21]

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. [Matt. 5.9]

Salute one another with an holy kiss. [Romans 16.16]

Now I realize that I was able to pick and choose what verses I wanted to list here and I'm not implying that I think one way or another about any of them, but what I am saying is that Christians, pastors,

EVERYONE!

picks and chooses what they want to say is literal and what is figurative.

I could list a hundred different times that I have heard about adultery, lying, cheating, drunkenness, cussing, and drugs from the pulpit, but do you know how many times I've heard a pastor preach on gluttony or even self-discipline such as excersing?!

Zilch.

We've got to stop picking and choosing verse by verse and simply pick and choose the Bible.

Okay, soap box over.

 Part 3:

Today in our staff meeting we were talking about various ways to incorporate technology into our classrooms and we had a few students present helpful websites. One of which was wordle.net which I haven't figured out how I am going to incorporate into geometry, but this was fun to make none the less. : )