Who I Am
I'm currently enrolled in the Deaconess Program at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Earlier in 2003, I got my Master of Arts in Historical Theology from the Sem. I'm no stranger to tedious tasks-- in fact, I graduated from Concordia University-Irvine in May 2001 (majored in Political Science/History, minored in Theology).
Amateur Radio is my hobby and I hold a Extra Class license. I do two meters mainly because of antenna regulations at the time I studied at CUI (Irvine is a planned city of sorts) and it's cheap; after all, I was a college student! :P I already got my rig and will be fiddling around with the G5RV wire antenna in an attempt to get good DX.
Besides Ham Radio, I am active with the Kiwanis club in my neighborhood. After my stint with the collegiate-level Circle K club, I want to join the Kiwanis but I was advised to wait until I finished my MA studies. And now, I have my "K" on my lapel and ready to serve spaghetti for scholarship fundraisers.
I switched from the Republican Party to the Libertarian Party in 2000 because of its voluntarist stance and I want to preserve individual freedom. Check out my section to learn more.
I rather watch Doctor Who (the British Sci-fi series) than anything else. Unfortunately, the PBS station in my area does not carry it...but the good folks at Netflix provide my fix. (By the way, my fave Doctors are Tom Baker and Jon Pertwee.) I also love cartoons like Tom and Jerry and those produced by Tex Avery-- but I do enjoy anime. Most of the time, I surf the web and listen to 80s Synthpop, early Gothic and British New Wave. A sampling of what I listen to: Bow Wow Wow, Slow Children, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Secret Chiefs 3, Fad Gadget, and Adult.
I am a Missouri Synod Lutheran who was inducted officially 26 April 1998 and glad that I am. (Semper Reformanda!) (To the evangelical/non-denominational types reading this: You can say that my spiritual gift is intercession.) I consider myself as a Confessional Lutheran who holds a "quia" subscription to our Confessions and I value the liturgy highly.
Finally, I've been married to the Rev Wayne Rutz since 2003. Some of his nicknames I used in reference are "The Prediger" and "Mr Theologian." Wayne is a wonderful man who is dedicated to serving the Lord and he stands up for what he believes. Together, we are in an age-gap marriage. Continue to pray for us as we walk together in faith and love.
POP CULTURE IS A FRAUD...
...And so are dozens of fads to-day. Whether it's Top 40, Seventeen Magazine, or any other look/thing/ideology of the month, it's a short-lived phenomenon. If you deplore being a sheep in this "buy this for happiness" culture, then think of this: the unexamined life is not worth living. That, and Britney Spears should get a better wardrobe. Already the Goths, Pagans, and other non-traditionalists are ahead of Christians in that account. To this I wonder what is the matter with us? Dare I say that today's Christianity is getting soft with its Thomas Kinkade facade? I believe that too often we do not listen to what we desire the most (truth and a purpose in life) and turn to the usual modes of escapism (sex, drugs, and consumption) for a few moments of solace. Guys, this is futile! As Solomon said in Ecclesiastes: "Vanity of vanities! All is vanity."
You are probably thinking: why does that crazy Lutheran is telling me this?! Well, the disease is attacking my misguided brethren. Take for example the WWJD craze. This is bad theology because it focused on what we do to please God instead of what God have done for us on the cross. We cannot fulfill His command to be perfect because we are not. But His Son Jesus became perfection for us. And yet, these rotten ideas were hammered into the heads of kids who will eventually grow sick and tired of jumping hoops and leave their faith behind. Bracelets with "WWJD" were sold everywhere including at Claire's (that teenybopper shrine of cheesy fads in the mall). And WWJD has some cutesy variations: F.R.O.G. ("Fully Rely on God"-- decent, but why this nugget have to made into an acronym that reminds me of Kermit?) and P.U.S.H. ("Pray Until Something Happens"-- you cannot reduce God into a Magic 8 Ball [tm] or an overgrown genie, as "no" is a valid answer.) No wonder we are the laughingstocks of society... we shoot ourselves in the foot when it comes to fads...especially the ones that make you believe that if you follow the trend, you are more super spiritual than the others (and you can get some blessings).
And another thing, now I'm on the subject of super spirituality: The most egregious type I have seen is this Prayer of Jabez craze. Jabez' prayer is a good prayer, but so is any other prayer spoken in faith. Nowhere in the Bible says that if you pray this particular prayer, you will always receive promises. Or to quote the Christianbook.com site, "release the miraculous power of God...when you put Jabez' prayer to work!" How pragmatic this word, "work". Probably if this fails, you might consider the Lord's Prayer?
It is much easier to speculate what a person get out of Christianity from a pop Christianity book than to read the Bible and learn how much Jesus has done for us while we are still sinners.
About three or four years ago I've read a rival Christian college's Student Handbook... and it proved my point. No drinking, no dancing, and no distracing hair color-- lest you "compromise your testimony." Aw, please... Jesus drank with the dregs and freaks of society when the Pharisees condemn Him. And from I've learned from Biblical Theology class, the stuff he drank is NOT Welch's grape juice. How long this BS must last? At least Concordia (Irvine and Fort Wayne) permits drinking, dancing and Monty Python. We Lutherans have a great way of celebrating liberty. It's a shame most others don't.
So, I believe that looking at the real people and serving them is much better than keeping up our fake veneers and serving ourselves. And that's my bit of opinion.
