Specialization is for Insects

Back in June 2007, I posted a quote from science fiction author, Robert Heinlein from Time Enough For Love. Basically, it argues that humans are made to be generalists. I’ve since thought of it now and then and now I decided I would post it again.

“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building,  write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal,  fight efficiently, die gallantly.  Specialization is for insects.”

I’d say that since 2007, at the very least, my diaper changing count has increased. I will leave it to my wife to say whether I’ve cooked a tasty meal :-)

Out And About (04/29/2012)

Theology

  • Kevin DeYoung has posted a helpful quote by D.A. Carson on the Spiritual Discipline of Sleep. So go and take a nap!
  • Josh Harris has an interesting post which shows how much David: Man of Prayer, Man Of War by Walter Chantry has impacted him and his mother. It is encouraging to see some of those who might be classified as YRR (Young Restless and Reformed) drinking at the wells of older Reformed Baptists such as Chantry, Martin, etc.  I haven’t yet read this book by Chantry, but it sounds excellent and its certainly one of the books I would like to read before long. By the way, a good place to get Chantry’s sermons and writings is this website.
  • Ray Van Neste has a helpful post for proding church members to think about their duties to each other.
  • Michael McKinley has some helpful exhortations for young men who are complementarians.

Curious Parallels Between Jesus and Sherlock Holmes

These are extracted (with some minor revisions) from a list given in GOD and Sherlock Holmes by Dr. Wayne Wall.
Both Jesus and Sherlock Holmes:
  • had a “biographer” that was a close companion (Matthew, John Watson)
  • had a “biographer” that was named John (John, John Watson)
  • had a “biographer” that was a physician (Luke, John Watson)
  • were bachelors
  • were sought out by both rich and common people
  • had somewhat of an adversion to publicity at various times
  • amazed their contemporaries
  • stayed with a woman named named Martha (Mrs. Hudson, Martha)
  • are likened to hounds (Watson compared Holmes to a hound, Jesus is sometimes called The Hound of Heaven)
  • each chose a band of helpers to assist in the mission (the street urchins, the disciples)
  • each had a reptilian nemesis (Moriarty is described as having reptilian facial movements,  Genesis 3-the serpent-the dragon-Revelations 12:9)
  • dramatic confrontations with the nemesis
  • had premonitions of death (though Holmes’ were somewhat uncertain)
  • forsaken by friends (Holmes complained Watson forsook him for a wife, disciples forsook Jesus)
  • saw death as a sacrifice (Holmes was willing to die to get rid of Moriarty)
  • each climbed a mountain to meet death (Reichenbach, Golgatha)
  • they were left to die between two malefactors (Moriarty/Moran, the two theifs)
  • narrowly escaped being stoned (Holmes dodged Moran’s stones, Christ’s escaped stoning)
  • one involved in their death also died through a fall (Moriarty, Judas)
  • each was exiled in a foreign land to escape death (Hiatus in Tibet and elsewhere, exile in Egypt)
  • each had a tomb of sorts (Doyle called Reichenbach Falls a “worthy tomb” for Sherlock)
  • a search after suspected death failed to produce a body (suspected death because Holmes was only believed to have died)
  • each had a period of absence following suspected death
  • each communicated with a brother after suspected death (Mycroft, James)
  • each was brought back to life (Holmes by reappearing and not actually being dead, Jesus by resurrection)
  • Each re-appeared on an “Easter Sunday” (the murder of Robert Adair was a good Friday and Homes appeared two days later)

Confessions of a Jumpy Reader

One book at a time won’t do
to satisfy a reading itch
one needs at the very least a few
I don’t have much trouble keeping track
but I leave books everywhere
I feel like a hack.

My wife is quite patient with it all
though on this I’m sure
she can’t quite understand me on this point
and why I can’t just fly through them one-by-one.

I can’t image going through books one-by-one you see
I would admit that I take it to the extreme
and even I would admit it would be better with just two or three
ideally I’d have three, that would be the key
and only go ahead and add another one
when some other one is done.

But, I am a distracted reader jumping from book to book
and getting down to just three
is just so hard for me
and that’s the distracted reader’s hook.

Some day I will get there
and only have three ongoing books in our lair
but until that joyous day
I’ll come up with a really good reason
for my crazy book jumping treason.

~MJN