The Friday Update - Problem-Solving Primates

Happy Friday,

Though many think otherwise, we’re not promised sunshine and lollipops on this side of the grave. What we’re offered is a relationship with One who will sustain us through earth-falling-into-the-sea levels of trouble and eventually carry us into a world that works. Lord, may we learn to rest in your promises and be anchored in the hope of your coming Kingdom.

Overheard

1) Simple solutions seldom are.

2) We renamed adultery “polyamory” and thought that was progress. 

3) The discourse at the psych unit I work at is calmer, more reality-based, and an order of magnitude less unhinged than what I see on social media.

4) We’re not instructed to go and “be discipled.” We’re instructed to go and “make disciples.”

5) I really thought communism was the answer to all of society's problems until I tried to run a community garden.

Without Comment

1) KPop Demon Hunters – Netflix’s cartoon fantasy about a Korean boy band that fights demons to protect its fans — had 325M viewers in its initial 3-month run, surpassing previous records.

2) This year’s reading scores for U.S. 12th graders are the worst in more than 30 years. 

3) According to this USA Today article, 66% of 18-34 year olds think drinking in moderation is bad for their health, the largest percentage of any age demographic.

4) Half of Americans don’t get their news from print or online news organizations, preferring social media instead.

All Things AI

1) While architects of AI are landing big salaries, ethicists trying to shape it can’t find work.

2) There’s a spike among those arguing that AI has been oversold and that the “AI bubble” will soon pop.

3) Among the new AI terms I saw this week were workslop (shoddy reports generated by AI because of minimal human effort) and prompt goblin (those feeding AI bizarre questions to elicit comical replies).

Latin

Just as everyone needs a bit of Spanish — i.e., mañana, fiesta and baño — everyone needs a bit of Latin. I’m not thinking bumper sticker fodder – e.g., Semper Fi and Carpe Diem. I’m thinking theological Latin — e.g., Finitum non capax infiniti, sola fide, creatio ex nihilo, imago Dei, coram Deo, Simul justus et peccator and memento mori. 

FWIW

My recent study of Revelation has me reading old sermons on the book. Many claimed their moment — be it the 16^th century or the 21^st — was horrible and implied the world would soon end. Also, first-century Roman overlords seldom required Christians to renounce Jesus. They “only” demanded that they also worship Caesar.

Updated

To my collection of terms used to describe human beings — i.e., carbon-based bipeds, hairless apes, meat machines, thinking reeds, political animals and image bearers — I’m adding: tool makers, the storytelling animal, the measure of all things, problem-solving primates and ugly bags of mostly water.

Questions of the Week

How did we get out of the 60s? Would that plan help today?

CK

Responses to Charlie Kirk’s death fall into four camps: 1) he deserved it; 2) he was wrong but didn’t deserve it; 3) he was not perfect but often right; 4) he was a generational talent. I’m not only deeply concerned with those in camp one; I’m also concerned that few people are able (or willing) to talk with those who hold views more than one number removed from their own.

WOTW

Honorable mention goes to meliorism (the belief that the world can be made better by human effort) and conflict entrepreneurs (a term describing those making money fomenting anger and channeling Chicken Little on social media). Full honors go to sus. When it ends with a single s, it means suspect – as in, “Grandma, did you really get a 2 in Wordle today? That seems a bit sus. The double ss version can be a verb (he sussed it = he grasped it), a noun (his lack of business suss = his lack of awareness) or an adj. (he is too suss to fall into that trap = he is too shrewd). BTW, I’m too suss to need a primer on suss and sus.

Quotes Worth Requoting

1) “Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength." — Eric Hoffer

2) "Empty souls tend toward extreme opinions" — W.B. Yeats

3) "Live slowly enough to think deeply about God." — J.I. Packer

Resources

Click here for my latest sermon from Revelation. It explores the surprising – and unsettling — feedback Jesus offers a church that is doing church right.

Closing Prayer

"Let your mighty hand and outstretched arm, O Lord, still be our defense; your mercy and loving kindness in Jesus Christ your dear son, our salvation; your true and holy word, our instruction; your grace and Holy Spirit, our comfort and consolation unto the end, and in the end. Amen." (John Bradford - 1510-1555)

Referral Rewards System: Our referral rewards system is up and running. Share TFU with your friends and you will get free resources in your inbox.