ACTS 17:19-20
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VOLUME 18, ISSUE 10
Culture Week
MARCH 12, 2014
10
Normal is A Notion
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Lego Movie
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October March2,12,2013 2014
FROM THE EDITOR. MARS’ HILL
|THE TEAM
7600 Glover Rd. Langley, BC V2Y 1Y1 604 513 2109
MARS’ HILL
Mars’ Hill is a student publication of
MIKAELA FUQUA
visual editor
Mars’ Hill seeks to be a professional and
MISSION TO MARS
BRYCE PERRY
managing editor -
HANNA WASWA
chief copy editor
EDITORIAL POLICY MICHELLE KARST
You Have No Absolutes?
MICHELLE KARST
photo editor
Society has done three things: it has become secularized,
one path to God, or that one creed is greater than another—if you do make such an exclusive claim, like that of
West has become staunchly secular
use of some sort of absolute, a truth claim, that one can say that a thing
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andrew PARKER
NICK ZATOR
layout editor
relativist thought (thereby showing
think, towards a sort of fervent to separate religion from all public
NANCY TIMMERMANS
illustration/layout editor
ways are right undermines the ability to even make such a claim, as is to use an absolute to say that there are
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does not know God, because God is
Opinions expressed in Mars’ Hill
states that we must “treat all persons with respect and dignity, and uphold their God-given worth from
torial board, Trinity Western University,
partake in “communication that is
SENIOR EDITORS
and inter–personal relationships, including gossip, slander, vulgar/
Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Visual Editor
or “harassment or any form of
relativistic culture, preaching no
SECTION EDITORS
cannot limit one’s thoughts to what
News
clearly tell us to love and respect all it states that no man or woman should be allowed to transcend the socially outlined boundaries—any who diverge from the new norm are
NATALIE ANTTURI
advertising manager
cannot, as a relativist, make any sort of truth claim or absolute, because to do so would be to contradict your own
Arts & Culture
seems to be equality against religious
LIAM ABBOTT
finance manager
opposition wishes to stop the school
Y L P P A
L L I H ’ RS
F E I H -C
MA
N I R ITO
ED
the t a e r Inqui
T
ffice o A S WU
PRODUCTION STAFF Nick Zator
that we can truly make any moral included—we are in serious danger of falling prey to social pressures,
religious freedom is being infringed By denying religious freedom,
Layout Editor
Photo Editor Chief Copy Editor
OPERATIONS
“The Prayer-agraph”
Finance Manager Advertising Manager
you cannot say that there is only
: R O F
Humour
Illustration/Layout Editor
Aside from the conformity, it also strips us of any real ability to rely on, that all ways must be accepted, then it is impossible to say what is or is not a moral deed—what is right or
Sports
We must hold onto our concept of the Divine, the truth of the existence
make a claim of one truth, say, are relativism are inseparable; the forced conformity is the by-product of the
Academy
believe that God created all people in
how a group that fears another will be discriminatory—without any real understanding of the community here—can stand up and discriminate against them, based upon religious contradiction should they deny us the
group stands against the new societal understand the fear of those who are draws a pretty clear line about the
A new start: in the last prayeragraph featuring Ben Waswa and the B272 team, they were struggling to this position, they have undergone
you, that you love one another: just as
it says, “Anyone who does not love
CONTRIBUTORS Travis Heide Jessica Hurd
but a new name, in a new town, and with Nights Alive in Langley, a welloiled kids ministry that serves a broad cross-section of youth in the Langley team gives children a safe, fun, and healthy environment and allow them to have a good time in the big group,
read as discriminatory when taken attack this school fail to take into account are many other points of the
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Prayer Request
Nicolas Noble
Leanna Witten
marshill@gmail.com www.marshillonline.com @marshillonline
Please pray that God will provide for future growth with Nights Alive in general, that Ben and the team will end the year on a high note, and that the future leader and team can build on what this year’s team has
Describe your personality using an actor singing a song: “Samuel L. Jackson singing ‘Get Low’” - Andrew Cotter
March 12, 2014
NEWS.
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LOGAN PAULGAARD logan.paulgaard@gmail.com
Human Rights Violations in North Korea A seven-month long United Nations inveslexi tigation into VANKEVICH the human rights violations in North Korea concluded in February. The results revealed the “unimaginable suffering� of the peoples of North Korea. The national community to deny or disparage the extensive harm caused by the all-pervasive totalitarian regime. The investigation was commissioned by the UN Human Rights Council in July 2013, and sought to ascertain the extent of human rights abuses. The North Korean government did not allow the Commission to enter their country. Therefore, exploratory conclusions relied upon testimonials and interviews from over three hundred
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witnesses, experts, and survivors. The report says, “There is an almost complete denial of the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, as well as of the rights to freedom of opinion, expression, information, and association.� Elucidated in the report is the prevalence of rape, murder, torture, forced abortions, and targeted persecution on the grounds of politics and gender. Discrimination and maltreatment of women, Christians, and anyone else who might be suspected of disagreeing with the North Korean government is commonplace, many landing in the concentration-like prison camps common throughout the country. While North Korea’s prison camps hold primarily political dissenters, as opposed to the systematic racial targeting of the con-
centration camps of Nazi Germany, Michael Kirby of the UN commission recollects one witness’ account: “So [those killed in political prison camps] were burned in a vat, and the ashes and the unburned body parts were then taken and used in nearby as good fertilizer. And I thought then of the images I saw in my childhood, of the opening up of the concentration camps at the end of the Second World War, and how we had thought we had gone beyond that and moved away from that ever being repeated.� Representatives from Amnesty International, a global human rights organization, assert that the UN Security Council and the Human Rights Council should employ their power
Kuhn Speaks to Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society On March 7, students, faculty, and logan staff of TrinPAULGAARD ity Western University alike received an email dating members of the TWU community with the development of the Law School. Since the program for the Law School was initially approved in December, there has been a public outcry in parts of Canada to prevent future TWU law graduates from practicing law. The TWU Community Covenant, which asks students to refrain from “sexual intimacy that violates the sacredness of marriage
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between a man and a woman,� is perceived by many as being discriminatory against homosexuals. Three provinces in particular— Ontario, Nova Scotia, and British Columbia—are thought to be most likely to “disapprove� of TWU’s law program by rejecting future grads through their public inquiry processes. The Federation of Law Societies allows each of the provinces the power to make such a decision. On March 4, Kuhn, accompanied by the TWU legal team, spoke to the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society (NSBS) Executive Committee. In TWU’s formal submission to the NSBS, they said that opposi-
and remedied. “The people of North Korea deserve no less,� claims Roseann Rife, East Asia Research Director at Amnesty. However, North Korean President Kim Jong-Un seems indifferent to all criticism, and will have no incentive to make any positive changes as long as North Korea has the political and economic support of China. Some maintain that North Korea’s abuse of human rights has been marginalized for too long due to international concern about the country’s growing nuclear program.
tion stemmed from “prejudicial caricatures� about the University and people of its faith community. Kuhn spoke to the NSBS for two hours, followed by an hour and a half question period. The NSBS will make their decision in light of TWU’s submission April 25. Kuhn says in his email to TWU members that, in spite of this mentally and physically demanding situation, “I have been buoyed up by the prayers of God’s people, energized by the letters of support I have received, and encouraged by the passionate and courageous voices of those who have spoken out on this critical issue of religious freedom.�
indictment of the current dehumanizing practices of North Korea, the sage rings true: “Injustice that is invisible inevitably becomes tolerable; injustice that is visible inevitably becomes intolerable.�
April Important Dates:
10th
Ontario public submission deadline
th BC Bencher meeting & vote
11
th Ontario Bencher meeting & decision
24
25th
NSBS reports decision
Upcoming Threads of Life Walk-A-Thon Organization that supports families affected by workplace tragedies hosts walking fundraiser
Quick Facts: t 4VOEBZ .BZ UI t #VSOBCZ -BLF 3FHJPOBM 1BSL t B N 3FHJTUSBUJPO t B N 8BML #FHJOT t 3FHJTUSBUJPO 'FF $10-prior to April 15th $15-after April 15th
About a year and a half ago, the TWU student body and countless othriley ers experienced the REIMER devastating effects of a workplace tragedy with the passing of recent graduate Jordan Thiessen. The issue of workplace tragedies is very prevalent in Canada, as there are more than 1000 work related deaths each year. Just over 11 years ago, a small group of empowered individuals from Ontario came together in order to form an organization that would act as a support system for families dealing with the devastating effects of workplace tragedies or life-altering injuries. Today,
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Threads of Life is unique in that it is the only organization in the world that works to support families who have experienced workplace tragedies and continues to serve over 1,500 families every year across Canada. Threads of Life provides support to families in a variety of ways, including one-on-one peer support programs, regional forums that address coping and healing, providing links to professional support services, support services regarding the investigation and inquest process, and opportunities for family members to speak out and raise awareness on workplace tragedies and how to prevent them. In addition to these services, since 2004 Threads of Life has hosted a 5km walk-a-thon
called Steps for Life in more than 30 locations within nine provinces. Each May, people come together to walk in order to raise awareness, fundraise, and show support for the families who have experienced the effects of workplace tragedies. All proceeds of the Steps for Life walk go towards Threads of Life and the support they show to countless family members every year. Threads of Life will hold its 11th annual Steps for Life 5km walk-a-thon at the local Burnaby Lake Regional Park on Sunday, May 4. Come and show your support for families like the Thiessens and help to educate the Vancouver area on the reality of workplace tragedies and the importance of preventing them. You can register for the walk by going to stepsforlife.ca
Describe your personality using an actor singing a song: “Anne Hathaway singing ‘Sunshine’� - Dara DeJong
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March 12, 2014
NEWS.
Launch of the Art + Design Honours Program Last month, SAMC announced the charissa launch of HURT a new program: the Art and Design Honours program. This exciting new addition to SAMC allows students to demonstrate commitment to their 4 craft and increases their potential of entering MFA programs. The idea for the program was brought forth by students, and as a result of their advocacy, Diana Hiebert will be the
Ravi Zacharias and John Lennox to Speak in Langley
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program in the spring of 2015. The program culminates in an honours thesis where, “students plan, produce and install a solo exhibition, major paper or major design project, and are mentored through the process by a faculty member. The mentoring can be continued through two or more semesters,” according to the SAMC website. Erica Grimm, the head of the program and the chair of the Art and Design Department, describes our the incredible commitment of our emerging artists, and to recognize the level of mentorship offered
their own personal voice.” Like all of SAMC’s programs, the Art and Design program “is uniquely positioned as a community receptive to the intersections between faith and art.” The faculty of the Art and Design department are committed to creating a BFA in Art and Design in the future.
Prominent apologists Ravi Zachaandrew rias and John PARKER Lennox are scheduled to hold talks in Langley this July. Dr. Zacharias, author, apologist, and leader of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM), will be speaking at Trinity Western University on July 6. In addition to Dr. Zacharias, well-known author and Oxford Professor John Lennox is scheduled to speak July 12 at the Christian Life Assembly (CLA) in Langley. Both talks will start at 7:30 p.m. and will be followed by a question and answer period.
For more information on the Art and Design Honours program, visit: twu.ca/academics/samc
will give a talk in the Lower Mainland, and it is sure to be a popular
| in this department.” SAMC was launched in 2010 with the mission of seeking to engage culture and to mentor students in the “development of their own personal voice,” says the program website. It is a unique school that has programs in Art, Theatre, Music, Media + Communication. SAMC’s experienced faculty members are committed to and to mentoring each individual student in the development “of
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
TWU Alumni Association members are alumni who have larissa chosen to actively KROEKER participate with students, the alumni community, and the University. Meet Zach Fedora (’07), a Van-
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was more than a Bible college intrigued me. LK: What’s new in your life?:
Fedora: After graduating, I did a threemonth backpacking trip through 24 different European countries with fellow alums, travelling. Matthew Heckel (’07) and Ben Norton (’07). In May 2013, I pursued my love of the outdoors by going on a month-long backName: Zach Fedora packing trip in Nicaragua. TWU Education: ‘07 Psychology Since TWU, I’ve also been continuing my career in the Vancouver Police Department. Occupation: Vancouver Police I’m working in Downtown East Side ConLarissa Kroeker: In three words, describe your ex- trol with a goal to eventually make it into the Dog Squad. perience post-TWU:
event. John Lennox, member of RZIM’s European team, Oxford professor of Mathematics, and Oxford Fellow in Mathematics and the Philosophy of Science, will be giving a talk entitled “Has Science Buried God?” Both events are not to be missed, and will provide a thoughtful learning experience and outreach opportunity. Dr. Zacharias and Dr. Lennox will be giving intelligent Christian messages, as well as hosting open question and answer periods that can appealing to Christian and sceptic alike. Tickets go on sale online March 15. For Ravi Zacharias’ talk, please visit https:// ravitwu.eventbrite.ca, and for John Lennox, please visit https://lennox.eventbrite. ca. A limited number of tickets will also be available soon from the TWU bookstore.
than I actually think, and attending TWU made me see society through a lens that was broader than your small Bible town upbringing. I feel like my education was very balanced. With my degree, I have the ability to step back and use various worldviews to tackle the world’s issues. LK: Why did you decide to become an Association member? Fedora: Because my brother is Aaron (Alumni Association VP, External) and he loves all things Trinity. I also think it’s important as an alum to remember where you or time-wise, the community that impacted you.
Fedora: Career, church, outdoors. education?
LK: What advice do you have for all students?
Fedora: I think, ultimately, it was a time where I was able to mature by learning more about the world around us. A liberal arts education prepared me to be able to address that world. I use my degree more
Fedora: Remember that this is only a portion of your life. I know grades matter a lot while you’re in school, but remember to live life and have friends! Keep what is important in the spotlight.
LK: Why did you come to Trinity?
WES CORDICK
Fedora: I came to Trinity because…it is a Christian university that provides an accredited and well-respected education. The fact that it is a faith-based school which
Culture Week 2014: Posted! March 10-14 is Culture Week at Trinity Western travis University, a traHEIDE dition unique to the campus. The International Student Programs (ISP) team, in cooperation with friends and staff at TWU, have brought images and experiences from around the world. Partnered with the English-as-a-Second Language International (ESLI) students, the ISP team plans to make participants feel as though they are world-travellers. This year’s theme for Culture Week is “Posted.” Throughout the week, wherever events are held, students can view personal pictures
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taken by our own Internationals from the places they lived. North American students and other curious col“stamps,” personal windows into the wider world, at Expo while enriching their developing awareness that the distances that separate people are diminishing each year. Culture Expo, held on Monday, March 10, has been the largest event hosted in the Cafeteria to date. Expo is a set of booths with a market-like air. Each booth is tended by individuals from the diverse nations represented at TWU. Attendees of the Expo with cultural food and their minds opened through learning things like
the history of the Cyrus Cylinder or viewing the scenery of Indonesia. Praise Chapel, held on the Friday of Culture Week, March 14, will concession for every nation represented at Trinity Western. Students are encouraged to join in ethnic songs shared by newcomers from both well-known and obscure parts of the globe. Testimonies are often shared, and both North American and International students leave feeling they have attended the year’s most memorable Praise Chapel. The much-loved Scandinavian Dance is another feature of Culture Week, a tradition that brings live music and dance to TWU campus. All
those interested in dance, or simply in having an authentic folk experience, are invited to participate in the dance with friends. The Scandinavian dance style is casual, yet demanding, beat picks up and the moves become more intense. As most ESLI students are commuters, events such as Expo and Culture Chapel give them a chance to engage more in campus life outside of attending their challenging courses. Culture Week is one of the times throughout the year where all students can count on coming together and opening their eyes to the larger world around them. It has been a blessing to attendees of Cul-
ture Week to hear about the travel experiences that constitute reality for visiting students from around the globe, and a privilege for the students of Trinity Western to have authentic cultural experiences in the context of a North American atmosphere. Each year, culturally diverse and globally aware teams at ISP and ESLI partner to create authentic experiences, imported from countries beyond the scope of average North Americans. Culture Week provides an opportunity for TWU students to develop bonds of friendship that transcend borders, something that is integral to another international community that we are all invested in: the Church.
Describe your personality using an actor singing a song: “Ryan Gosling singing ‘Black Coffee’” - Andrew Parker
March 12, 2014
NEWS.
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Faith and Reason Lecture Series: Gender Identity and Human Sexuality
The recent Gender Identity and Sexuality forums cheri addressed a conBROWN tentious issue for TWU that has garnered much media coverage and attention. The two initial, well-attended sessions spoke to packed audiences at the Northwest Auditorium. The TWU Faith and Reason Task Force formed three years ago with the goal to facilitate helpful conversations from a Christian standpoint on topics concerning faith and reason. This year’s theme, Gender Identity and Human Sexuality, is split into four separate forums throughout the semester. Each session encompasses relevant aspects of the designated topic, including the role of nature, nurture, theology, and practice. The presentations are followed by Q&A with the audience, as well as the opportunity to e-mail questions after the fact and to view the videos on the TWU internal website.
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Nature on January 23, 2014, featured guest speakers Dr. Eve Stringham, Professor of Biology and Dr. Judy Toronchuck, Associate Professor of Psychology addressing the “nature” or biological side of the debate. Dr. Stringham began by reviewing basic sex biology. Sex is determined genetically and biologically in the early embryonic stage, when male or female ducts are formed due to the absence or presence of the Sry gene, whereas gender identity and sexual orientation can be thought of as more subjective. Hormones and glands trigger puberty. It is important to note that although XY equals male and XX equals female, androgens—the male hormone group— are always present in both males and females. Genetic mutations can alter of physical organs and can cause hermaphroditism, or the presence of both male and female genitals within one individual, as well as other conditions. Genetics alone, in the form of sequences of genes, does not completely account for sexual orientation. For example, studies indicate that homosexuality runs in families and therefore has a biological component, albeit with only 20% concordance in identical twins, which tells
Nature
Nurture
t Effects of genes & hormones
t Homosexuality: not a disorder
t Possible mutations
t “Born this way” ?
t Biological component
t Searching for a psychological cause
t Epigenetic model studies t Brain structure t Intersex conditions
us genetics alone cannot be the entire explanation. Hence, science has yet to identify a “gay gene.” Recent studies increasingly center on epigenetic models to explain same-sex orientation. Dr. Toronchuck also examined neurological differences in the brain structures of males and females. She notes that some of these differences are linked to sexual behaviour and identity, and even cognition. The hypothalamus, for example, governs hormonal and arousal functions, and is generally larger in males. Studies on animals show that manipulation of prenatal hormones alters physical sexual development of genitals, brains, and the sexual behaviour of the subjects. Ethical considerations prevent similar experiments on humans, but “intersex conditions suggest that atypical prenatal hormones effect humans’ brain and behaviour in the same way…at least in those with these particular medical conditions” says Toronchuck. By contrast, homosexuals do not tend to exhibit obvious indications such as altered genitals. Prenatal hormones can inoffer a full explanation either, since homosexuality does not manifest in all subjects. Interestingly, fraternal birth order effect, as well as right or left-handedness, can also increase statistical chance of homosexuality, for largely unexplainable reasons.
Come See Future Forums
Nurture The second forum on February 20, 2014 addressed the role of “nurture” or the psychological-social side of the equation. Dr. Chuck Macknee, Associate Professor of Psychology and Chair of Social Sciences, and Dr. Todd Martin, Professor of Sociology, were the guest presenters. Dr. Macknee outlined the nurture approach to same-sex orientation and gender identity from a psychological perspective. He noted that since the early 1970s, when the APA ity from the Diagnostics and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, any social or environmental factors related to sexual orientation have since been largely disparaged by scholars cal origin of same-sex attraction are largely politically motivated. If indeed homosexuals are genetically hard-wired toward same-sex attraction, then it would follow that sexual orientation is non-voluntary. Current nurture research utilizes gene and twin studies, but began with chological reason for homosexuality. Several studies followed by various scholars including Bieber, Nicolosi, and Frisch & Hviid, who pinpointed that homosexuals were more likely to be close with their mothers and have detached or emotionally avoidant, absent, unknown, deceased, or
t Worldview and genetic essentialism t Christian response t Direction of future research divorced fathers. Homosexuality rates are higher in urban centres, suggesting that environmental factors such as socialization and a community of like-minded individuals can increase prevalence. An important longitudinal study in cluding that opposite sex attraction was not stable over the lifetime of inthat change happens. Dr. Martin addressed the socioof nurture. Sociology as a discipline is inherently concerned with “how our beliefs and behaviours are shaped by the social setting we are immersed in.” As a society, we are of levels, including concerns about meeting social norms and cultural environment expectations. Religiosity is negatively associated with acceptance of same-sex unions. Education, religion, social media, and peer groups can all modify sexual behaviour and choices by guiding our gender views and sexual lives. Consider also that knowledge and truth claims tend to be given more value and inviewpoint. Accordingly, a well-known study looked at the effect of adverse events, such as being beaten at home, raped, or sexually assaulted, and subse-
quent increased risk of identifying as same-sex preferential. Genetic essentialism recognizes that people’s behaviours are not only biologically also mentally by the very knowledge that genes can have this very effect on them. The Q&A wrapped up with Dr. Macknee’s position that the Christian response should be “acceptance, grace, love, and understanding as opposed to an attitude of exclusion.” often-applied phrase, “love the sinner, hate the sin,” can be considered judgmental in itself. Macknee notes that future studies on the topic of the nature-nurture debate and its role in gender identity and sexual orientation will ideally involve increased collaboration between biology and social science scholars. Neuroplasticity, or the constant adaptation capabilities of the brain, indicate that behaviour can affect brain structure and other neurological functions in question remains: which causes and then affects the other, or is the interaction, in fact, mutual? We do not yet have the answer to this puzzle, but scholars continue to seek one. Upcoming sessions: March 20 and April 3 faithandreason@twu.ca www.twu.ca/video/gender-identity-sexuality-forums/ sexuality-forums/
Theology
Practice
See future forum March 20
See future forum April 3
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Describe your personality using an actor actor singing a song: “Emma Thompson singing ‘With Arms Wide Open’” - Janessa Grypma
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March 12, 2014
CREATIVE.
brought to you by
[spaces]
Your Grace Your grace is like a river; streams of life Abound as from Your life You freely give. For though my soul is rocked by storms of strife And shame, You call me still to live As one unbound by sin. Forgiveness reigns! In freedom, I can look to you and smile Before despair creeps back and slowly drains And at my lowest point I look to You, By grace, to make my iron heart contrite. Eloi, Eloi, come show me that the true Authority of grace can reach down right To deepest depths of sin. For grace, I see, No stream, but bloody ocean shed for me.
Ryan Sclater
Here and There
Nick Zator
If I was there and not here I would throw away my time And pretend that nothing mattered And hold tight to what is mine If I was there and not here I’d dull what pain I had In hopes to trade my sullen pride For silent, pious nothing But I’m here. I’m not there I’m in this room, I’m in this bed My hunger gone, I’m scared instead The fear and anger hit the same I think my pieces left the game. If I was there and not here I know who I would be In here I’m now a stranger Giving up who I call “me”
Brandon Bate
Describe your personality using an actor singing a song: “ Leonardo DiCaprio singing ‘I Was a Fool’” - Hanna Waswa
March 12, 2014
ACADEMY.
PETER WOEKEL peterwoekel@gmail.com
The Banality of Heaven
It is a curious reality that no artist has ever articulated a vision of nicolas Heaven that anybody NOBLE could tolerate for longer than seven minutes. One cringes at the notion of actually ascending the ordered spheres of Dante’s Paradiso to the Primum Mobile; one
Perfection and Perfection cannot improve or change; therefore Milton’s God, like Dante’s, is stagnant. In His presence, as we become increasingly Christ-like, we too become more ic Satan far preferable to a stagnant Perfection. Swedenborg and Lewis try to escape this conclusion by portraying God, or at least our -
heaven; one becomes nauseous at the prospect of chubby dimple-faced orphan-babies dancing with their adoptive celestial-mothers in the dreams of Swedenborg. Even the Patron Saint of Trinity Western University himself, C.S. Lewis, balked at a direct portrayal of Heaven in The Great Divorce, probably because such a portrayal would only make the Grey City look desirable. Instead, Lewis conceives of Heaven as an endless journey towards mountains that the journeyers never seem to reach—or never even seem so concerned about reaching. Swedenborg similarly perceives Heaven as an endless process of spiri-
only another far more terrible kind of stasis: it is a Heaven without hope. So we realize why Heaven, or at least Heaven as humans typically imagine it, is banal. Humans cannot tolerate the prospect of achieving a state from hence they can continue to no improvement; contradictory to this, they also cannot tolerate improvement with-
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and enlightenment though never reaching an ultimate state where one achieves the ultimate joy and enlightenment that we associate with Heaven. Swedenborg was actually troubled by his Heaven as an endless and therefore futile process without resolution; only his faith that the journey would be joyful in itself gave him consolation. Both Swedenborg and Lewis’ syphus condemned to pushing a boulder up a hill only for it to roll back down, forcing him It seems that we all dream of Heaven, a realm of perfect joy in close relationship to God—though we are simultaneously reacknowledge sort of way, by its very notion. A good Christian may propose that this is due to our fallen natures: as sinful creatures, we are comfortable in our sinful selves, and there-
that we shall lose some part of ourselves, or perhaps we have grown so deluded with ourselves that we mistake our sins for virtues and are unwilling to vanquish them. Lewis would certainly agree. However, I don’t think that the prospect of shedding our sinful selves is what makes Heaven seem undesirable—to me that aspect is the most appealing. If Heaven is ultimate in any way—ultimate in its beauty, its goodness, its joyfulness—if Heaven is completely devoid of all that is not a part of God’s Perfection, then how could Heaven be anything but static? This is the “error” that Milton made in his portrayal of God: for Milton, God is
that we are far more comfortable in a fallen cosmos that has room for Evil, from which or the Good challenges it. We need our fallenness so that we have some aspects of ourselves that we may strive to improve; we need evil, so that we may score a victory over it and continually overcome it. Ultimately, we need a Heaven at the end of it all, to signify that this sion. The Romantic poet William Blake understood this, and wrote The Marriage of Heaven and Hell which, incidentally, is a refutation of Swedenborg. Lewis did not understand this, and for that reason wrote The Great Divorce to answer Blake. I believe this is why the Chronicles of Narnia end with only the promise of another story in which “every chapter is better than the one before,” though the story is never actually told. In this sentence Lewis is really tell-
only between Good and Evil; there is no room for the other essential side to the equation in Lewis’ Heaven. No stories, much less “better” stories, could ever take place in Aslan’s terridemands a White Witch. None of this is to suggest, however, that the theological concept of Heaven is deluded, or that Heaven, against its very nature, contains elements of fallenness so that its inhabitants can exist in a dynamic way. If the real Heaven is anything like the visions provided to us by our most esteemed authors—Dante, Milton, Swedenborg, or Lewis—then we have reason to sigh. However, we still need the idea of it, so I offer the reader an out: the only reason that Heaven may seem baneful to us is that we cannot comprehend its true nature. Heaven, in all of its beauty, glory, and indescribable greatness, is simply beyond the limits of the human imagination.
Describe your personality using an actor singing a song: “Erin Brockovich singing ‘Safe and Sound’” - Monique Gutjahr
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March 12, 2014
ACADEMY.
From St. Augustine of Hippo to Dante Alighieri; from C.S. Lewis lexi Rob Bell; for milVANKEVICH to lennia Christians have grappled with the notion of the afterlife, God’s divine judgment, and eternal damnation. The community of Trinity Western University is no exception. Last month a panel discussion took place in the Northwest Building auditorium entitled “Hell and Damnation.” President Bob Kuhn expressed his appreciation for the open dialogue on such a contentious issue. The discussion highlighted papers written by Kevin Miller and Myron A. Penner. Miller—a proponent of Universalism—is the writer, director, and producer of the feature-length documentary Hellbound, and author of The Best of All Possible Stories—Can it be True? Penner—who is not a Universalist—is a professor of Philosophy at Trinity Western and author of “How to be a Universalist.” In the Christian historic tradition, there have been three dominant understandings of hell: eternal torment, Annihilationism, and Universalism. Eternal torment—epitomized in Italian Renaissance writer Dante Alighieri’s epic poem Inferno—asserts that the unsaved and wicked are separated and tormented for all of eternity. Annihilationsaved human beings is their total destruction of body and spirit. Universalism is the understanding that in the end, all people everywhere will be reconciled to God and to one another. For the Universalist, hell may or may not exist—but if it does, nobody goes there. Miller’s paper addressed the two strongest arguments against Universalism: the argument from human freedom, and the argument from justice. The argument against Universalism from human freedom asserts that all people cannot be reconciled to God because not everyone wants to be reconciled as such; clearly there are those that outright reject God. Is there anything
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that we know about God that indicates that He might force salvation upon us? The argument from justice states that it would be unjust for God to reconcile someone to him who is evil, suggesting that perhaps there is a way we can sin to such a degree to move ourselves beyond redemption. Miller addresses each of these points. On the topic of human freedom, Miller implores us to consider the nature of the freedom of the will. If free choice is that which is fully informed—made in a frame of mind not bound by fear, emotional wound, or delusion or compulsion—does such a thing even exist? At what point can you say that by the actions of individuals around you? If not, is it God that intervenes to activate our freedom, as he did the Apostle Paul? If God did that for some people, why not others? Why not all? Miller acknowledges that some might assert that many individuals are beyond help and are not deserving of divine intervention and activation of their freedom. Miller recalls the notion of proportionality as we understand it in our society. If you do the crime, you do the time—if you don’t work, you don’t eat. We live in a world of just dessert. However, divine grace runs counter to proportionality. Romans 6:23 tells us, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” None of us are deserving of salvation, yet it is a gift freely given, and freely received. In addressing the argument from justice, Miller beseeches one to consider what one understands justice to be. In our contemporary society, justice includes retribution, public protection, deterrents, rehabilitation, restoration, and restitution. Our judicial system doesn’t seek justice at the expense of the offender or community, it seeks restoration. Why would God’s justice seek anything less than that? Why would His justice carry less grace than ours? Is not the best possible story we can imagine where the sinner comes to a full awareness of sin, repents, and makes restitution? If
this is consistent with our views of divine love, why can it not be true? Miller challenges us to consider how best to bring our notions of justice and liberty into congruency with our concept of divine love. The work of American philosopher and theologian Marilyn McCord Adams was mentioned in the debate in terms of her understanding of proportionality. If we as nite punishment? In light of this argument, the crime was committed that must be considered, but we must also weigh the gravity of an offence which merits a longer sentence. If you sin against God—who is an Myron Penner’s words on his paper “How to be a Universalist” addressed how Christians should approach contentious issues of our faith. While not a Universalist himself, he is critical of those who dismiss an idea without engaging its strongest elements. So as to avoid this common mistake of refuting straw man arguments, Penner acknowledges that Universalism is not as incompatible with Christianity or as heretical as many claim it to be. It is consistent with salvation through Christ, with huand concepts of restorative and retributive justice. Those who reject Universalism armeaningless. However, Universalism is consistent with needing and having to bear witness to the gospel. An important aspect to this discussion concerns the role of scripture in formulating doctrine. Eighteenth century preacher John Wesley called us to lean not only on scripture, but also on our reason, church tradition, and our own experiences to form doctrine. Does maintaining the Lutheran mentality of Sola Scriptura pose danger to de-contextualizing its contents, or make one susceptible to idolatry of the Bible? Another important question to con-
sider as we continue to explore this issue is precisely what is essential to our faith as Christians? It is only through a constant reestablishment of our identity in Christ that tention and division within the faith. Lurking behind questions of hell is the nature of God—we must constantly be striving to understand who Christ was, what he stood for, what he came here to do, and who we are in light of that. It is only then that we can partake in the spirit of enquiry and honest exchange of ideas amongst our friends and fellow Christians. It is only then that we will have the discernment to understand what aspects of our religion are adiaphora—or the “non-essentials” of our faith. tians extend beyond a belief in Jesus Christ’s incarnation, life, teaching, death, resurrection, and ascension? Do we deem a person’s view on infant baptism, transubstantiation, a literal or allegorical Adam and Eve, or Hell and the afterlife as issues worth ending friendships, leaving churches and institutions, and dividing over? Incidentally, Kevin Miller was not allowed to join the faculty at Trinity Western University because of his outspoken and controversial view of hell and support for Universalism. If you can’t think through these issues at a Christian university, where can you ruminate about them? Remembering the humbling reality that there will always be aspects of our faith that we will never understand, just as we will never fully understand God, is a sound premise upon which to continue pursuing the types of discussion that occurred during the panel. While it may not always be enjoyable to be challenged in our belief systems, and while challenge may not always be welcomed in different circles in our faith, we have much to be thankful for in Trinity Western University for providing a venue where we have the opportunity to embark upon this lifelong endeavour together as a Christian community.
Philosophy and the Diagnosis of Culture Philosophy is the key to cultural understanding and one of the primary aspeter pects of a liberal arts eduWOEKEL cation. When I switched my major two years ago, I had a lot of reasons for doing it, but I had one major goal: to be able to base the major decisions in my life on an indepth knowledge of the culture I live in and the tradition it came from. One of the main things that the study of philosophy offers is a ground-
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in. It’s like psychology, but the subject is civilization itself. We live in a time where the ability to understand culture is needed more than ever. The intellectual foundations of current society are introduced by modernity and the ethical subjectivity of the postmodern era. On the one hand, idea that true knowledge is that which can be proven, by which we mean that which stands foundation of contemporary culture is ethical subjectivity, which is the idea that there aren’t any real enduring ethical facts in the universe, and that morality changes with the times, the culture, and the context of the situation.
The study of philosophy gives us the ability to see how deeply these two streams of thought
Christianity. As students, it’s vitally important that we look towards our culture to see what’s going right and what’s going wrong. We need to be able to see what aspects are a part of God’s Renewed Kingdom, and which parts are destroying it. Most importantly, we need to be able to see where some of the negative aspects are subtly creeping into our own lives and how we can guard against those things. For instance, when we look at contemporary apologetics, we need to be able to see the
know at times the subject can be boring, but it is deeply important. If we want to be effective agents of Christ, we need to be aware that the enemy is a deceiver, and that many of the cultural beliefs and behaviours that we adopt are
not God honouring. I’d encourage everyone, as they approach philosophy, to do so with the intention of gaining a clearer vision of the aspects of society that we need to keep, and those which we need to be battling against.
we think about apologetics today, we primarily think about how to prove our faith through logical argumentation, historical accounts, and empirical data. What isn’t thought of is the more traditional idea that our faith is simply proven by our actions. We show our beliefs to be true by showing that the meaning which we have found in our own lives is completely incoherent if Christianity isn’t true. Ideally, these two things should be working together. As you move forward with your education, give some thought to the philosophy course you’ll be required to take at some point. I
Describe your personality using an actor singing a song: “Emma Watson singing ‘Brave’” - Marissa Wagner
NICK ZATOR
March 12, 2014
ACADEMY.
INDIA
What’s In A Prayer Dear Lord, I ask that you would bless so damien and so, help with KUREK this and that, and watch over me. Amen. The above is a pretty good representation of how most people pray. Before going any
a good start, there is so much more to a healthy prayer life. The problem is often that Christians simply don’t tical things that a Christian can do to help their prayer life grow:
not a bad thing; the fact that people are praying is a GOOD thing. However, I would suggest that there is much more to a prayer life than a few reminders to make sure that God knows what we need in our life. If you talk to virtually anyone and ask them what the most important aspects of a healthy relationship are, they would likely say things like: spending time together, effective and honest communication, and learning about each
habit of spending it in prayer, and actually do it. It will help your relation-
treat our relationship with Christ any differently? One of my favourite stories from
3. Pray the Scriptures: Don’t worry if you don’t know what to pray. Open your Bible and simply pray some of the prayers that have already been written for us (some include the
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sisters from the village of Bethany. sus, the disciples, and the crowd who tha was busy making preparations at Jesus’ feet listening to him teach. typically responsible and independent older sibling, would have been
2. Don’t Do All the Talking: If a relationship consists of only one side doing the talking, it probably isn’t healthy. Try to listen in prayer as much as you talk; you’d be surprised at what God will share with you (by the way, it probably won’t be a booming voice, but rather a still small one).
the Psalms, and many others). 4. Visit the Prayer Room: Sometimes we need to get away from it all in order to pray. I didn’t even know that TWU had a prayer room until my second year. Check it out and try spending some time there (It’s in in
“Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself ? This is only the natural response. Jesus and needed some help, yet Jesus’ response was astounding: “You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.
INTS/RELS STUDIES · DEC 2014-JAN 2015
CONTACT Paul Rowe e: paul.rowe@twu.ca office: Robert N. Thompson bldg
“I love the way this country smells. I’ll never forget it. It’s kind of spicy.” Those words spoken in The Darjeeling Limited, a favorite movie of mine, always stir up my desire to catch the next plane to Delhi. The movie tells the story of a haddie trio of brothers, who have little in common, taking a train ride of self-discovery SMITH through India, a place they have little in common with. I also have little in common with India. It’s a place where people board trains instead of waiting
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synchronized to rush hour madness, but are a result of stray cows, the occasional elephant, or even colours, strange noises, and foreign people who dress, act, and think completely different from me. These differences are exactly why I am drawn to India. Traveling to India provides the extraorimportantly, traveling to India holds the opportunity to put Jesus’ commandment to love your neighbours into practice by learning to love the people of India with all their differences, their values, and even the way their air smells a little spicy, and that’s something I hope I’ll never forget.
5. Keep a Journal: Write down what you pray for and periodically look back to see the prayers that God has answered. So often we pray but we don’t take the time to think about and ultimately thank him for how he has answered our prayers.
it will not be taken away from her” on spending time with his followers. I believe this is a lesson that needs to be heeded today. If one expects their relationship to grow with a friend, they will spend time with them. Likewise, for a relationship to grow with Christ, his followers need to spend time with him. Although the prayer mentioned in the opening of this article is
It is an incredible thing that the Creator of the Universe has invited us into relationship with him, and that he desires to spend time with all of us. Being at a Christian university provides an awesome opportunity for all of us to cultivate prayer into our everyday lives and to ultimately be transformed by Christ. I hope that we are all encouraged to take some time and simply pray.
Describe your personality using an actor singing a song: “Meryl Streep singing ‘It’s Always a Good Time’” - Emily Palmer
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normal is Normal is a subjective word. In Canada, norrebecca mal is going to SELVIG university and starting a career, owning a car and a home, having a family and retiring. Almost everyone in our collective goes through life this way. That’s what normal is, because since the beginning of our existence as a nation, that’s what has gradually, progressively became our reality. We explore, experiment, discover, and slowly navigate our way into the future of things. Each generation experiences a different kind of upbringing, but regardless of the differences between them, these ways
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What is not at the forefront of our consciousness is that we live in a curated culture. Like a store-front window, life is delicately presented to us ready-made, brimming with
and preconceived notions that con-
Although we try to discern one from the next, these ideas permeate deeply, and as much as they are commonplace, they are both engineered and highly transient. In the 1950’s and 60’s, advertisements for weight-gain supplement Wate-On targeted thin women with captions like, “Men wouldn’t look at me when I was skinny,” and, “Good news for thousands of women who have no sex appeal.” Yet now the diet industry is thriv-
ing on women believing they aren’t Albert Einstein said that “common skinny enough. A study done in 2000 sense is the collection of prejudices by the Journal of the American Dietet- acquired by age eighteen,” and in my vulnerable adolescence, I was condi- tioned. Like my very own real life Insociated a diet with food restriction, ception story, life was displayed to me weight-loss and thinness.” in a way that appeared to be truthful, This is a testament to the tran- factual, absolute, concrete. I was told siency of societal ideals; the majority that this is the way life is and I must of this transition happened during a seek a life within its bounds. time when most people didn’t have I pursued the Westernized Chriscell phones or computers. Now, me- tian way of life. I aspired to be a thrivdia is knit into the very fabric of our ing fashion editor where I would get beings and its overwhelming viral to look at and talk about clothes all power and the power in the ideas day, live in a red-brick loft in Yorkville about life that advertising projects in Toronto, to live a beautiful, comfortable life, all while being skinny, wither away as quickly as they came pretty, and the perfect Christ-followwith no concern for how we are af- er, serving the community and doing fected by them. short-term missions here and there. Advertising continually pushes I pursued it with tenacity bethe limits, uses our weaknesses cause I had freedom of choice and I against us, repetitively and methodi- thought it was a life I had chosen for cally inundating with messages that myself. What I didn’t realize was that slowly manipulate and devalue us, the decisions I made and the dreams and solidify their place in our psyche. I had were silently delegated by this Images with implicit promises belief system that had been instilled we now associate with what is good in me. I was simply a product of my or needed in order to be happy, which environment. instills and perpetuates a desire in us I had free will and the perception to consume products with the sub- of being free, but it had been limited conscious belief that x, y, and z will by the deceit that I was caged within. I tore myself apart in an attempt to It’s in this inorganic ordinary that live up to everything I thought I had good looks are sold like merchandise to be because my value depended on and things like wealth, notoriety, and it, but even that I was not conscious accomplishment reign as the mo- of at the time. There were simply mentary be-all, end-all. The unfor- these intense feelings of dissatisfactunate implication of this paradigm is that if we don’t measure up to the We have some control over the distatus quo, then we and our lives do rection of our lives, but it is not posnot have value. sible to make ultimately informed, I grew up believing in the way North American society functions. -
Describe your personality using an actor singing a song: “Emily Blunt singing ‘I Love My Cheeseburger’” - Mikaela Fuqua
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a notion tive experiences and opinions and the collection of things we have no will over that make up our foundation: the religion we’re born into, our country’s political and socioeconomic status, societal culture, our genes, parents, siblings and relatives, and to choose from for friends, romantic partners, teachers, and colleagues. Who you are is shaped greatly by these factors. cial desires stem from our primal, inherent biological nature. Like the Superb Bird of Paradise morphs itself in an attempt to impress a potential mate, we too have that same instinctive drive to embellish ourselves with bells and whistles in hopes of attaining the most favourable mate and passing on our genes. This part in us will never change, has taken it to such a detrimental place that in the past two decades alone the use of antidepressants has skyrocketed to one in 10 among Americans, a statistic reported by the New York Times last August. I can’t help but wonder if people struggle with depression because they really believe that they don’t have value, that they are worthless, or that their lives are meaningless because they’re not living up to these irrelevant standards. But whether it’s the education system or the nine to that we’ve been born into. Even still, it seems as though the ones that do happen to manage their way through and excel in this mould are continu-
ally disappointed by the lack of return that have been promised to them. The culture surrounding these ideals, the value system by which we measure our worth, can be changed, but this is not easily achieved. We are creatures who hold on to our habitual biases, our customs, manners and beliefs so rigidly for what something in us, chemically or otherwise, recognizes as safety, comfort, and norour behaviour is unhealthy. We seek complacency in the conventional and pursue security in routine. Even with the desire to be different or live differently, the familiar overbears any discordance we may feel. It’s made growing up a lot more a generality that applies to everyone because I don’t know what everyone else has experienced. So for me, path to disillusionment for me was long, slow, and painful. I was unhappy and I didn’t know why. Society, media, and advertising all indirectly told me that they had the solution to my problem of discontent, and so I fell under their spell. Reality came in waves. Through my experiences, I learned truths about our way of life, things like planned obsolescence and false notions of beauty. I learned more and more while I continued to pursue what I set out to until I was as close as ever to my aspirations. It was there, at the precipice, that I realized that I was as unhappy as ever. It didn’t matter how pretty I looked, how nice my clothes were,
how accomplished I was—it was never enough and it certainly didn’t bring me the happiness I thought it would. I came to realize that our society, media and advertising were actually the reason why I was discontent I can’t even describe the amount of internal turmoil I experienced when I realized that all I’d ever known, everything I’d placed my hopes and motivation in, what I’d spent the majority of my time planning, fantasizing, and dreaming about turned out to be a simple manmade construct and that their message, in short, was that I had to earn, achieve, or buy my worth and value. It was devastating, but it brought me to discover that life is literally whatever you make of it. When you think about our existence, even just the idea of our living on “Spaceship Earth,” everything seems to fall into perspective—this is the true reality of life. I’ve never watched anything more sobering than The Pale Blue Dot with the voice of Carl Sagan narrating over images of Earth in space— “a mote of dust suspended in a light beam” in a universe that spreads 47 billion light years in every direction. This is still new for me. There are no longer any limits or boundaries on my life. I don’t feel that I have to prove myself anymore, but I’ve made a conscious effort to strip myself of any notion I once considered “normal” and rediscover the world with childlike curiosity and appreciation. We have been given the opportunity to experience life, to exist, and we are valuable simply because we have a breath and a heart beat.
MIKAELA FUQUA
Describe your personality using an actor singing a song: “Sean Connery singing anything.” - Bryce Perry
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FALL 2014 COURSES
Get the whole story at Describe your personality using an actor singing a song: “Ellen Page singing ‘I Kissed A Girl and I Liked It’” - Nick Zator
March 12, 2014
A&C.
ARTS & CULTURE.
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ERIK DELANGE erik.delange@mytwu.ca
Culture Clash: Socially Constructed Identity |
leanne WITTEN
Two years ago, I took a trip to India that opened my eyes -
constructed identity. A stark contrast to North American society, which has replaced traditional conventions with progress, the Indian culture, rooted in deep-set traditions, leaves a deep impression. From my experience in a more traditional, role-centered culture, I saw a challenge for us as North Americans to remember that who we
With the freedom derived from being North American comes options. In our society we have the freedom to choose our fate, and that is the “American Dream.” The choice is all ours to make. However, our choices are often unoriginal. We are non-conformity) to the latest trends, which are constantly progressing and changing. Behaviour is shaped by trends set by our peers rather than cultural traditions. I can’t help but feel that this “freedom” is in itself resuspect.
character, and deepest beliefs, things that will last longer than the latest fashion trend. Deeply engrained in the Indian belief system is the idea that you are born into your position in life, and you must accept your lot in life. The caste system is a social hierarchy: the Brahmins, or priests, are at the top, and the Untouchables are at the bottom. There is no place in the caste system for climbing a social or economic ladder. In this kind of traditional culture, everything is all set out for you: what kind of education and job you you to dress, and there are set rules within a family for who is appropriate to marry, and how the family will practice religion. From a North American perspective, these pre-organized social structures place huge restrictions on personal freedom, as everyone conforms to the rules, and those rules apply for your entire life.
ened at the unearthly hour of six a.m. by the ringing of a bell: the Muslim call to prayer. You don’t have to spend a long time in the country to realize that religion is not a secondary aspect of Indians’ lives, but a central component that the entire day is organized around. Religion is one of many aspects of Indian culture that does not change due to passing trends or changing traditions. Instead of a single homogenous culture, North America is host to a melting pot of numerous mixed cultures. In his sermon “The Sickness unto Death,” Timothy Keller addresses the issue of living in a fragmented culture versus a homogenous culture. He says, “In a fragmented culture there are no prescribed roles. You have to decide who you want to be, you have decide your goals, you have to decide your standards, and you get your identity, your sense of value and worth from whether or not you can achieve them.” Living
in a fragmented culture, individuals are faced with the looming questions of how to form their beliefs and identity based on personal opinion. North American culture comes with personal freedom, and that is a huge blessing, but also an enormous choice, involving a great deal of uncertainty. In a homogenous or traditional culture, there are set roles, a set way that people are expected to live their lives, and people feel they are doing a fragmented culture, people naturalby who they perceive themselves to be based on what society says, rather than on their own beliefs and convictions. That doesn’t feel free at all. I’m not saying I agree with every aspect of a traditional society. The caste system locks people into poverty with no hope of escape. Traditions involving family pride and shame can be harsh and restrictive, and religious beliefs can be followed for the sake of tradition, even if they are wrong. What I’m saying is that the danger in a multicultural society is that we forget what we stand for. Thinking becomes postmodern and truth becomes irrelevant. As humans we cannot escape culture—we are born into it. Yet as you experience other cultures you become aware of the differences between societies. Allow yourself to take this knowledge a step further. cially constructed norms, and accept the challenge it invokes.
Introverts in a Church That Can’t Stop Talking Exposing the “Extrovert Ideal” Society is dominated by extroverts—and it makes sense. The most emma charismatic, friendly, SPANJER outgoing, go-getting personalities are likely to be the ones who make it to the top. Because our society places success on a pedestal, we’ve come to value these extraverted qualities as indicators of the only kind of success and have inferred from it that extroversion is the right personality type. Introverts, therefore, are considered to have a defective personality—quiet, reserved natures are valued not for their innate qualities, but for their potential to become outgoing and charismatic. And that is the problem: we’ve begun to consider one kind of person to be better than another and it has created a dangerous cultural understanding of the individual. North America has accepted the “extrovert ideal” and this misconception has bled into Evangelical Christian culture.
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Before I begin an apology for introversion, I must make it clear that I will not propose the idea that extroversion is a bad quality. I certainly do not promote replacing the “extravert ideal” with the “introvert ideal.” More simply, I hope to expose the dangers of regarding one personality trait as more vital than another. Susan Cain, author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, explains that archetypal extroverts prefer action to contemplation, risk-taking to heed-taking, and certainty to doubt. Subconsciously, North American culture deems talkative people more intelligent and likeable; quietness is a secondrate personality trait. This has serious implications for the Evangelical community. Christianity has succumbed to the “extrovert ideal.” It is apparent in any place of worship. The trendy pastors are outgoing and talkative; raising hands, closing eyes, even dancing has become the norm in worship; interludes in a sermon are set aside for min-
gling; and small prayer groups have become a common way to end a Sunday service. Adam McHugh, author of Introverts in the Church, describes the Evangelical church service as a non-alcoholic cocktail party, which can be a who feel overwhelmed by large amounts of social interaction. The Evangelical environment isn’t bad by nature, but it does take on inherently extroverted qualities. Catering to one personality type fosters a sense of alienation for those who do not conform or feel comfortable with this style of worship. Studies have shown that introverted Christians often have feelings of guilt associated with their faith. They feel that because they are uncomfortable sharing the gospel with strangers or praying aloud that they must be bad Christians, or not fully there. Likewise, the unwillingness to do these activities is viewed negatively in the church. Take a step back and consider this. If the
Evangelical community favors personalities that prefer action over contemplation, risktaking over heed-taking, and certainty over doubt, then we have most certainly overlooked the worthiness of connecting to God through silence, private prayer, the wisdom born out of contemplation, and the growth that one experiences from questioning. Introverts and extroverts display their emotions and thoughts differently. This isn’t a bad thing, but we’ve allowed society’s label of extroversion as the correct version of expression to also dictate standards for participating in church. In reality, what an individual has to offer has little to do with whether they feel moved to raise their hands in worship. There are myriad ways that we can gain and give within the church, and no standard of personality should determine that. For further reading on this subject, check out Quiet by Susan Cain and Introverts in the Church by Adam McHugh.
Describe your personality using an actor singing a song: “Christopher Walken singing ‘Ironic’ by Alanis Morissette” - Amy Dauer
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A Platonic, Existential, and Christological Reading of the LEGO Movie If you haven’t seen The LEGO Movie, do yourerik self a favour DELANGE and go see it now. What can easily be described as the greatest animated movie since Wall-E, The LEGO Movie has come to the world courtesy of the brilliant minds behind the cult TV classic Clone High and the movie Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. The movie is built around Emmet, an everyday, instruction-following construction worker. He discovers the “piece of resistance” and seeks to live up to the prophecy that proclaims him to be “The Special.” Featuring voice work by Morgan Freeman, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, Chris Pratt, Will Arnett, Alison Brie, and many more, The LEGO Movie the witty and the sentimental, the profound and the silly, the nostalgic and the brilliant. The LEGO Movie will delight the kids, challenge the parents, and blow the minds of the university students. This is not just a great kid’s movie; it’s a biting social satire and a heartfelt story about how to be a good parent, all at once. The dialogue is intentionally written with the vocabulary of a 12-year-old, but the story and themes are brilliant enough to challenge the largest mind. Borrowing many rich philosophical concepts from Plato, existentialism and Christology, The LEGO Movie deserves more than a second viewing; it deserves a deeper reading. *spoilers ahead* Let’s be honest, the narrative of the everyday guy who discovers that there is a major calling on his life
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there’s not a lot new with that narra-
But I Don’t Like Shakespeare... When I was on a Grade 9 band trip, the chapmatthew erone, thinking WIGMORE we were all artistic connoisseurs, took us to a production of Shakespeare’s As You Like It. All of us small-town band geeks believed we’d have three days at the mall to ourselves—oh how wrong we were. I’m not sure what was worse: the fact that the director had set the show in a dictatorship or that the people behind me had a case of nose laughing. There’s nothing that bands a group of young musicians together like having to sit through being mucus-blasted from behind. It didn’t help that we didn’t have the slightest clue about what was going on onstage either. This was the beginning of my tumultuous relationship with William Shakespeare. The most traumatic experience of
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all was Grade 11 English. My teacher thought that, despite traditional educational methods, we would learn best by doing an in-class dramatic reading of Macbeth: and wouldn’t you know it, all of the students who were in the musical that year were given roles. I had never in my life desired so much to be an athlete. I was not only graciously given the role of Macbeth, but also Lady Macbeth. In between shouting at myself and shouting at invisible spots on the wall, I vowed never to encounter the dreaded Shakespeare again. And yet, here I am, with all of you, in the dilemma of whether or not to buy tickets for SAMC Theatre’s Much Ado About Nothing. A complicated story you can’t understand? Not really. From working with director Angela Konrad in class and hearing cast testimonials, their homework is NOT lacking on this show… unlike my
high school attempts. Even so, you say, a show set in 17th century England, dazzled with crowns, capes, and men in tight pants (yikes), is not your thing. Well have no fear, this show has none of that. With upbeat jazz, swing dancing and vintage fashion, Konrad has adapted this piece for the 1930s. Scored with original music by alumnus Julie Casselman and choreography by alumnus Kaylee Harwood, even I’m banking on this show! Much Ado About Nothing runs March 11-22 at 7:30pm with Saturday matinees at 2pm. Get tickets from $8 at twu.ca/ theatre.
shattering of reality that happens in a brilliant awakening for Emmet of the universe only to discover there is a whole other world out there, and that the goings on in his world are merely a creation by the people of the “real world.” Existentialist author Albert Camus talks about awakening to the absurdity of existence, and realizing the arbitrariness of the world that you live in. Camus talks about waking up bitrary nature structures we erect for ourselves in order to give our lives meaning. This is very apparent in the city where Emmet lives. Everyone follows the instruction manual for life: breathe, say hi to everyone, buy overpriced coffee, and always cheer for the local sports team. Camus would likely refer to these “instructions” as the arbitrary mechanisms we use in order to give meaning to our otherwise meaningless existences. And so when Emmet jumps off the edge of the universe, he discovers what many existentialist philosophers discover: life has no meaning. It’s just some twelve-year-old kid messing around. The Man Upstairs (the actual name given to Will Ferrell’s character in the movie) is just a grumpy middle-aged man with control issues. Welcome to existentialism, ladies and gentlemen. The world is absurd; deal with it. A more hopeful reading of The LEGO Movie came to me on second viewing using a Platonic lens. Plato believed that the world we live in is like a cave, and that everything we experience in the world is just a shadow of the real world, the world of forms where true reality existed with the
Twelve artists. One year. One grand year end jessica show. HURD Tw e l v e feisty fourth year artists are about to run the show of all shows. What show, you ask? Menagerie. The path to this exhibit has not been easy. Blood, sweat and tears have gone into their work, as well as
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Their journey over the past four years has taught them the value of perseverance despite obstacles, fears, and anxieties. They have prevailed unscathed, like a phoenix that has risen from the ashes. Through adversity, the students have drawn upon one another’s strengths to be-
gods and the divine. The goal of the philosopher, for Plato, is to come out of the cave and realize the world of forms. This is exactly what Emmet was able to do. By throwing himself off the edge of the universe, Emmet woke up to the world of forms, to the real world, and gained perspective on his temporal existence in the shadow world made of LEGO. For Plato, gods weren’t perfect, but they were good and had good intentions most of the time. The Man Upstairs, while making some mistakes, was able to reconcile with his son, and this brings more meaning to Emmet’s existence. The LEGO Movie could be interpreted as a Platonic tale about the importance of transcending the world of shadows and discovering the world of forms, which brings more meaning, purpose, and transcendence to everyday life. Lastly, there is the Christological reading. The story of Christ and selfa classic Disney movie that does not borrow from Christology at all. This self off the edge of the universe as the lives of all of his friends. After defeating evil in the world beyond, he returns triumphant, telling everyone to “believe,” just like that cat poster said to. Now, there’s a big difference between believing you’re special because God, through Christ, has redeemed you and is calling you to live justly and walk with him, and simply believing in yourself because it’s better than not believing in yourself. But as far as big budget Hollywood movies go, this one gives an above-average amount of themes to think about.
come a tightly knit clan. While art majors are often perceived as brooding introverted miswill surprise and inspire you. With work varying from video installations to ballpoint pen illustrations to contemporary portraiture, this cohort presents thoughtful dialogues centered on the encompassing question: how do you speak your piece? How do you tell your story with integrity? Menagerie runs March 25–April 27 at the Langley Centennial Museum, 9135 King Street, Fort Langley. Opening Reception is March 25 from 6:30–9:00 pm. Presented as part of TWU’s Festival of the Arts, Media and Culture. For more information, visit twu.ca/samc or langleymuseum.org.
AND the winner of 2 tickets to see Much Ado About Nothing: Rachael Norman!! Come by the MH office to receive your tickets to the show.
Describe your personality using an actor singing a song: “Julie Andrews singing ‘Story of My Life’” - William Tippery
March 12, 2014
A & C.
A&C. 15
: MARS’ HILL MELODIES : St. Vincent – St. Vincent Off stage she’s known as the demure Annie Clark, but plugged in and in front of hundreds, the reserve of Clark is violently transformed into the cutthroat St. Vincent. This valkyrie’s fourth LP is laden with gritty electronic fuzz that hits the listener with brash jabs, yet slipped in between and laced on top of the industrial tracks is Clark’s alluring attitude. Carried over from 2011’s Strange Mercy,
with: Bryce Perry and Peter Woekel
An essence of sincerity emanates from each track. This is especially evident in the alwhere Clark reportedly told Pitchfork she sang the song in one take, bawled her eyes out, and was done with it. As crazy as her new direction may look, and for some, sound, St. Vincent delivers her latest album in the same, strangely hypnotizing fashion that put her in a league of her own.
Phantogram – Voices The New York indie-pop duo Phantogram released their sophomore album Voices a few weeks ago, showing us that they’re capable of producing not only the full, driving, cerebut also of a level of adaptation and maturity that many groups never achieve. “Black Out Days” is a perfect example of what the band is capable of, providing a simple, single-synth backed melody that nicely transitions into an echoing chorus that just asks to be turned up. The rythm-driven “Howling at the Moon” did an excellent job of incorporating some Eastern and R&B styles, showcasing an experimental side without abandoning any of what the number of new electronic acts producing material, I always wonder when I hear a great debut album if I’ll ever hear about the band again. With Voices, Phantogram proved that they’re here to say.
Find Yourself in Books with Emma Spanjer Jack Kerouac – On the Road Kerouac’s On the Road is the iconic novel of the Beat Generation. The Beats were a group of writers who wrote in reaction to the materialistic, gray, mainstream, 1950s culture that tionalized account of Jack Kerouac’s real life adventures hitch-hiking across America, the story takes the reader from New York to San Francisco; from New Orleans to Denver and back to New York; from New York to Mexico to anywhere-but-here. Kerouac captures the frantic, emotive spirit of the time through his “action writing,” a wild and spontaneous form of writing free from literary and syntactical convenSal Paradise, lives his long youth in a whirlwind of anti-academic intellectuals, drugs, sexual and spiritual experimentation, and the constant fear of what might happen when one stands still. A note of caution to those who venture to open the cover of this book —you will hungrily turn every
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9.0 page until you begin to wonder why you are here reading instead of seeking the road. Did you like this? Then you should try: Howl – Allen Ginsberg, Dharma Bums – Jack Kerouac, Naked Lunch – William Burroughs
David Guterson – The Other David Guterson’s The Other is reminiscent of Chris McCandless’ tale of social renouncement immortalized in Into the Wild. Guterson’s novel is narrated by the character of Neil Countryman, a Seattle native and sole friend of the trustafarian protagonist, John William. John William faces a life crisis: society reeks of hypocrisy; human interaction of futility; loneliness prevails. In order to live a pure life, he happiness. Narrator Neil Countryman understands John William and at times empathizes with him, yet he recognizes the necessity of living in
Beck – Morning Phase Seasoned music veteran Beck has returned once more to take us on his twelfth musical excursion, Morning Phase. This time around Beck has put the brakes on his sound, moving away from the eccentric funk he’s been know to delve into. The album opens with a stirring orchestra that elevates into the clouds before melting back down into the acoustic mel-
ancholy of “Morning.” Apart from the orchestral breaks, “Wave” and “Phase,” the album is tied up in folk
David Foster Wallace – The Broom of the System Written as his university thesis, David Foster Wallace’s The Broom of the System tells the story of Lenore Beadsman, a mysophobic college graduate facing three simultaneous crises, which she struggles to overcome whilst feeling that those around her control her life. losopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, whose potent philosophy of language is a prominent theme of the novel. Lenore’s cleanliness disorder is framed by Wallace as something that was learned through the carefully pre-planned conversations she has with her vile psychologist. All the while, the psychologist is a pawn in the hands of Lenore’s grandmother, who controls Lenore by
convincing other people to tell Lenore certain things in order to make her do certain things, culminating in the climax of the novel, in which the chaotic dispersal of Lenore’s life occurs. Phew. The heavy philosophic concepts are subtle, however, acting as foundational text, rather than a heavy-handed for a poignant satire of American culture and mainstream society. The Broom of the System is not David Foster Wallace’s best work, though it is a perfect gateway book that will foster (no pun intended) appreciation for this giant of postmodern literature. Read away. Readers who liked this might also like: – David Foster Wallace, A Hologram for the King – Dave Eggers, The Crying of Lot 49 – Thomas Pynchon
culture in order to survive, thus offering a cautionary tale. The Other makes up for its lack of poeticism and complexity found so profoundly in Guterson’s Snow Falling on Cedars by presenting a story which appeals to today’s disillusioned masses and actually gives an alternative discourse, perhaps clearing the cloud of romanticism attached to the idealistic lifestyles of the Chris McCandless’ and John Williams’ of our time. Suggested Readings: Snow Falling on Cedars – David Guterson, Into the Wild – John Krakauer, The Catcher in the Rye – J.D. Salinger, A Separate Peace – John Knowles
with eloquence, as his smoked voice Morning Phase projects the sage musings of a man who is nearing the end of his journey, but is this pilgrim really riding off into the sunset? Let’s hope not.
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Describe your personality using an actor singing a song: “Adele Dazeem singing ‘Let It Go’” - Sarah Ray
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March 12, 2014
SPORTS.
ANDREW PATTERSON andrew.patterson@mytwu.ca
The Paralympics: An Inspiration I was watching TV the other day when a commercial appeared onandrew screen. The commercial PATTERSON consisted of two large black bars at the top and the bottom of the screen and a small area in the middle to show the commercial. The commercial showed athletes from hockey players to skiers performing the sport they train years to do. They showed many impressive performances, but because of
Despite being on sleds, they made huge hits like NHL players and their puck handling skills
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had spinal cord injuries, some were amputees, yet they were skilled and athletic in every way; they put on a good show. I thought to myself, “Why aren’t these athletes getting more publicity?” Not only are they talented and athletic, they are brave individuals with great personal fortitude. There is a valuable lesson to be learned from the athletes that compete in the Paralympic games. These people suffer a huge loss of ability, but they never give up. These people work hard to be the best. Just look at athletes like Zheng Tao, a Chinese swimmer who won the gold in Paralympic swimming without having arms. This man was able to beat his opponents, some of which had an arm. Tao was able to swim 100 meters in one minute and 13 seconds, faster than the average person. Another
impressive. Near the end of the commercial the bars started to move, showing more and more of the whole picture, eventually showing that the hockey players are on sleds, the skier had no arms, and the snowboarder has only one leg. The caption then read, “It’s not what’s missing, it’s what’s there.” we have an opportunity to witness what people are able to accomplish despite their disabilities. Even though it doesn’t take the same stage as the Olympics, the Paralympics are a spectacular sight to see. These athletes take on the challenge of doing what people think they cannot do. Who knew that you could snowboard with one leg? It’s hard enough with two. Who knew that you could play hockey without any legs? Yet the hockey they play on the ice is just as exciting to watch. These people, who have been involved with accident, sickness, or complications, are
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able to accomplish their goals thanks to the Paralympic games. In the Olympics, you can witness great athletic achievements, but in the Paralympics you can also witness great human achievements. You should be paying attention to the Paralympics. The Paralympic games have been around for a number of years, providing disabled athletes
Korea, and ever since it’s taken place right after the Olympic Games close. I have been blessed to be able to witness the amazing skills and talents of these athletes back in the 2010 Vancouver Paralympic Games. When I bought my sledge hockey tickets, I did not expect the spectacle that it was going to be. These players were fast and they played rough.
was the only competitor in his sport to not have arms, yet he placed second. People like of people who are disabled, yet accomplish the impossible. As a fan of sports, I am inspired by these athletes, not only because of what they can do but because they were able to get over the barriers of their disabilities. They teach us that anyone can accomplish anything.
Wheeling and Dealing: NHL Trade Deadline Who were the winners of the major deals?
NY Rangers Acquires: Who won? M. St. Louis, F
Tampa Bay Acquires: R. Callahan, F 2015 First-Round Pick 2014 Conditional SecondRound Pick
Washington Acquires:
Tampa Bay won this deal without the slightest doubt. It astonishes me that
he brings a lot more defensive skill with his better two-way game, in addition to his leadership abilities. At 28-years-old Callahan is also much younger. What sweetens the deal even more for the Lightning is the draft -
T. Vanek, F 2014 Conditional FifthRound Pick
NY Islanders Acquires: S. Collberg, F 2014 Conditional SecondRound Pick
Who won? to the Islanders that he did not want to continue his career in Long Island, and because he is about to become an unrestricted free agent this sum-
R. Miller, G S. Ott, F
Buffalo Acquires:
J. Halak, G C. Stewart, F W. Carrier, F 2015 First-Round Pick 2016 Conditional ThirdRound Pick
M. Neuvirth, G R. Klesla, D
Who won?
shots to Washington, who allows the fourth most shots in the NHL. Buffalo did not get ripped off in this trade; they received a good young goaltender in Michal Neuvirth and a well experienced blue-liner in Rostislav Klesla, who will likely help during
much. In return for Vanek, the high scoring Austrian, and the conditional HC. Collberg was a high ranked draft pick, being selected 33rd overall in
Florida Acquires: R. Luongo, G S. Anthony, F
This is a one sided deal and Montreal scored big-time.
St. Louis Acquires:
Buffalo Acquires:
Washington slightly won this trade. They have gained what seems to be a legitimate number one goalie in Jaroslav Halak. After being traded to Buffalo as part of the Ryan Miller deal, Halak was traded once again before the deadline. Halak has shown that he can be a stellar goalie; he currently sits with a 249-4 record with a 2.23 GAA. The downside for Halak, however,
obtain a skilled player who is coming close to the end of his career.
Montreal Acquires:
J. Halak, G 2015 Third-Round Pick
Vancouver Acquires:
Who won? the Blues win this trade. However, right now the winner appears to be Buffalo, as they have gained a lot for what they gave away. If you ignore the fact that they traded away Halak to Washington, Miller is not much better than Halak. In fact, an argument can be made that Halak is better than Ott. They both play a similar style of gritty hockey; however, Ott brings William Carrier is the icing on the cake for Buffalo, and will help them in
J. Markstrom, G S. Matthias, C
Who won? Ultimately, Roberto Luongo was the real winner of this deal. The veteran goaltender sought to leave Vancouver after being terribly mismanaged by the Canucks’ coaching staff and management. As a hockey deal, Florida takes the cake. They are gaining a once elite goaltender, who is capable of regaining his status, especially in a non-hockey market like Florida. On a side note, Luongo was a Panther before being traded to Vancouver and dominated on a very poor Panthers team. Vancouver, on the other hand, are gaining two unproven players in Markstrom and Matthias, and we have yet to see how they will do in a new market.
Describe yourWhat personality using anexcited actor singing a song: “Jennifer singing ‘Where Is My-Mind” - Nancy Timmermans are you most for this year? “EventsLawrence like the Banana Challenge” Jen Newman
SPORTS
SPORTS.
March 12, 2014
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We’ll Miss Luu! A look at the rise and fall of Luongo’s career as a Canuck
It was a sad day to be a Canucks fan on andrew the eve of trade PATTERSON deadline day as Roberto Luongo was traded to the Florida Panthers. This marks the end of an era for Vancouver. In his eight seasons with the Canucks, Luongo established himself as the best goaltender the franchise has ever had. Luongo’s time in Vancouver was a rollercoaster. He was held up as the most popular and valuable player on his team, only to have it all come crashing down at the end. No longer the go-to goalie of the franchise, Luongo’s relationship with Canucks management was damaged beyond repair by the mishandling of his career. It all began in 2006, when then Canucks general manager Dave Nonis announced that Vancouver had acquired Luongo from the Panthers as part of a deal involving Todd Bertuzzi. Luongo’s initial reaction was not what the Canucks faithful hoped for. In a television interview, Luongo stated that he was surprised he was not able to sign a contract extension with the Panthers and called the situation “unfortunate.” Fortunately, Luongo showed up to Canucks training camp in a brand new environment as fans looked on in excitement; the Luongo era was born. From 2006-2009, Luongo gained respect as an elite goalie for the Canucks. Fans began to believe that Vancouver was not a goalie graveyard after all as Luongo got his run with the Canucks off to a promising start. He led a then slightly above average Canucks team to the playoffs as
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the third seed in 2007. The Canucks round but suffered a second round defeat to the Anaheim Ducks. Unfortunately, Luongo was caught not paying attention to the play; the puck snuck past him in overtime against the Ducks, knocking him, and the Canucks, out of contention. The following year in 2008, the Canucks did not make the playoffs. The Luongo bandwagon wheels started to come loose in 2009 as the Canucks faced the rising Chicago Blackhawks in the second round. Luongo and the Canucks fell to the Blackhawks in six games. For Luongo, it was a sour ending when he allowed seven goals in game six. Fans became frustrated with Luongo, and gave him the new nickname “7uongo,” a simple reminder of his failure during that sixth game. Despite the negativity towards Luongo, Mike Gillis signed him to a 12-year, $64-million contract extension, which Luongo would soon regret. Fast forward to 2011. The CaChicago Blackhawks and went on to was once again beloved by the fans; he had led the team to compete for the “holy grail” of hockey. Unfortunately, he got that far only to have everything fall apart once again. After leading the series 3-2, the Canucks lost games six and seven to falling just short of hoisting the cup. During the series, Luongo was pulled much of the blame for the lost series to be put on the Nucks goalie. Not only was it a big loss for the fran-
chise, but also the beginning of what was to become one of the biggest soap operas in NHL history. Luongo started to show signs that he wanted out of Vancouver. Cory Schneider had appeared to take over the role as the starter for the Canucks during the 2012 playoff series against the Los Angeles Kings, in which they were knocked out. However, during the following offseason, Gillis was unable to move his massive contract, therefore having to keep Luongo for the following season. In 2013, attempts were made once again to move Luongo’s contract but to no avail. Luongo admitted that his “contract sucks” and that he would drop it if he could. Finally, during the 2013 NHL entry draft, Gillis decided to pull the unthinkable and move Cory Schneider to the New Jersey Devils, leaving Luongo to remain a Canuck for yet another seashowed up to every game and did his best. But the scars from his mistreatment from the Canucks management were just too much. Much to his surprise, Luongo was traded back to the Florida Panthers last week. With a look of shock and satisfaction, Luongo recounted all the positive times he had in Vancouver, including the 2011 Stanley Cup run. In Florida, Luongo feels more at home; he spends his offseason there with his family. For Canucks fans, it hurts that it didn’t end the way we wanted it to, but Canucks fans can be happy for Luongo, as his time in Vancouver was certainly mismanaged by the organization. Luongo deserves CANUCKS.COM
Describe your personality using an actor singing a song: “Angelina Jolie singing ‘Strange Condition” - Rebecca Selvig
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March 12, 2014
SPORTS.
Spartans Cool Down Heat Spartans Women’s Volleyball wins Canada West Bronze
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andrew PATTERSON
After a disappointing loss to Manitoba in the Canada West
Trinity Western University Spartans went on to play for the bronze and managed to pull out a win 3-1 against the UBC Okanagan Heat at the War Memorial Gymnasium.
it was Megan Festival leading her team with 15 kills. volleyball game. The Spartans faltered and lost their game; they were unable ran off with it to win the all-important
Casie Gano sealed the deal in the exThe Spartans then took over in the fourth and led all the way from being Wand. The Spartans showed the Heat why they were 17-5 in the season to bring the Canada West bronze home to Langley. “I thought we played with a lot of
running away with the next three sets It was none other than Sophie Carpentier leading the way offensively for
never trailed. A big kill by senior Chelsea Wand sealed the set point.
The win allowed the Spartans to -
year outside hitter has been the domiall season long and showed no signs of
great team and we knew the two teams
Heat’s Brianna Beamish allowed the SPARTANS FACEBOOK
Silver Spartans Spartans Men’s Volleyball takes Canada West Silver tans took a painandrew ful fall against PATTERSON the third ranked ary 22 at the Langley Events Centre.
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“But when you’re losing two-point the rest of the way. The Spartans were mattered and they won those two sets. tans within two points of the Golden berta showed that they wanted it more off both the set point and the game. “They wanted it more and it looked like it meant more to them than it did sephson. “If it meant to us what it did
Creary led the team defensively with
led the Spartans. Following the Canada West Play-
SPARTANS FACEBOOK
ent if they had battled equally as hard tainly wasn’t a blowout for Alberta in
we were always digging a hole. At least they’re a great team.
Describe your personality using an actor singing a song: “Michael Cera singing ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’” - Bryan Sandberg
March 12, 2014
HUMOUR.
AMY DAUER amy.dauer@mytwu.ca
you’re allowed to laugh at this page.
NICK ZATOR
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I Like Grain, You’ve Probably Never Heard of It The Life and Times of Farming Hipsters
The other day I was riding in a car with a friend. As we drove and listened to jordan the radio, he proceeded KLASSEN to list off a plethora of band names that sounded like bad ski hills. One that caught my ear was called Half Moon Run. This raised a lot of questions for me. Like, what does that even mean? Is there some sort
I suppose to minimize the shock of my lack of knowledge about the hipster music scene, I should comment on the fact that I’m from a farm. In a very small town. Where the only radio station we get plays country music. All day. Every. Day. There are also no hipsters for miles. Imagine. I had heard murmured mentions of hipsters, casual conversation regarding what de-
the moon is in between waxing and waning? Can I participate? Do I want to? Another band, I’m pretty sure, was called The International, which, if nothing else, sends a pretty positive message to the kids. So that’s nice. My personal unknown favourite was Arcade Flame, or something like that.
with one before. I’m still recovering from the
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to the Lower Mainland. The number of Starbucks, grungy thrift store clothes, and indie rock music increased exponentially—it was like nothing I had ever experienced before. I had heard whispers of all these things but
never knew really existed. I was like a Pevensie You might be asking: “Jordan, what is the actual point of this article? Is it to reveal your own ignorance of what appears to be the heart and soul of the Lower Mainland?” Well, I admit that even though I am naïve and sadly misinformed about hipsters, I am, however, somewhat of a hipster myself. Being secluded from “the real world” out in Alberta, I was completely ignorant of the latest styles and trends anyway, so there was no need to make an actual point about how much I am a non-conformist. I was so hipster, I didn’t even know what a hipster was. Not in that “ugh, what does ‘hipster’ even mean these days?” kind of way, either. I actually literally had no idea.
I still have a ways to go before I am completely hipster though. For example, I need in my closet, thereby increasing my wardrobe and saving money, even though I may only wear some of them once. I also need to try and pass off the fact that I am a hipster like I am not, because admitting that I am hipster would defeat the purpose of being hipster entirely. I think we can all be hipsters if we really wanted to. We all can create trashy thrift store and tolerate the way everyone else thinks quite easily. Thankfully, some of us are simply too lazy to put effort into being a hipster, which is great because if everyone was hipster—no one would be.
Go With the Flow Reading the “bromance” article earlier this year in Mars’ Hill, I admit that I anony was a bit jealous of this MOUS “connection,” or “friendship” or whatever you want to call it. But it got me thinking about what kind of special relationship do girls share... in a platonic kind of way. Then I remembered that we women actually have the ultimate form of bonding. Though you all might not like the answer, the big ‘P’ is our secret weapon: PERIOD. Yes, that special time of the month. The fact that every girl on campus experiences this phenomenon creates a special bond within the female realm, and no, this bonding isn’t limited to gorging on chocolate, sharing heating pads, or delving into each other’s stash of painkillers. The fact is, our form of bonding is actually far superior to a bromance. That’s right, patriarchy is a lie. Think about it: our periods sync up. We as women were literally programmed to form the ultimate alliance. By syncing up, we strengthen the bond we share in common, understand each other, and eventually gain the power to read each other’s minds. Why else do you think we always go to bathrooms together? While you boys sit around cuddling each other, the ladies of this small campus are content knowing that within just a few weeks of bonding we would have the power to ultimately take over the world. So yes, beware of a
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woman on her period—but not for the reasons you thought. If that alone doesn’t convince you of our superior bonding, women are also amazing at lying when it comes to our time of the month. There are many times I have had to cover for a friend. My favorite line is “Oh no, you got cut! I’ll help you go get a band-aid.” But hands down the best story I have heard involves white jeans, a white couch, and a cute looking guy. Let’s just say the couch wasn’t so white at the end of the night and that hopeful date never happened! The girl version of a bromance is period bonding. For all you feminists out there, period bonding is what prompted guys to start up their own club—bromance. For all the talk about guys spooning together, ladies get to check out each other’s pants…for mishaps. I can’t count the times I have been asked by a COMPLETE stranger to check out her butt. Who does that? Ladies do! We have each other’s back, or more literally, we have each other’s butt. These weird and wacky stories create a special bond in the female world. Together we have come to the brink of social humiliation and lived to tell the tale, and eventually sync up into a supreme alliance to run the world. But honestly, if you wear white pants on a white couch, I am not sure if I can cover for you. I will, however, check out your butt if you ask.
Describe your personality using an actor singing a song: “Zooey Deschanel singing ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’” - Darby Arens
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March 12, 2014
DE-CLASSIFIEDS.
marshillonline.com/de-classified
Mars’ Hill editors reserve the right to edit or reject submissions based on content and/or length. A printed submission does not necessarily reflect an endorsement of any kind, nor does it necessarily reflect the opinions of Mars’ Hill staff, the Student Association, or that of the University. In fact, probably not. SPARTANS MEN HOCKEY vs. We all need to reconsider where peo- Everyone keeps talking about DTRs. BOMBERS TEAM. Let’s make this ple are allowed to smoke. Definitely What does that even mean? happen, people! not the entrance bridge. Q: What is worse, ignorance or apaBest way to meet the campus gals? Just found out that every girl has Aar- thy? Take the le!most urinal in the Lower on Boemer on snap chat #thoughti- A: I don’t know and I don’t care. Caf bathroom, and wave to each and wasspecial Lindsey Mayhew is a sloth of a gal. every one of them as they walk by the I’ve definitely farted in the library XOXO WGFL door. when no one was around. Sometime I wonder if people write Studious on Reading Break: is that TWU’s campus is basically a breeding their own names in the de-classifieds. even a thing? farm. I’m tired of feeling like ca"le. One of these days, when people ask The amount of Smash Bros going on in Yours truly, me how my break was, I’m gonna yell this campus is ridiculous... ly awesome! Not just another potential partner “BAAAAD” and run away 353 on flappy bird, get at me everyone. How to dubstep: One philosophy major in a group at If you beat my score I will pay you 5 1. Wait for the drop a pub is fine. But put two or more todollars and buy you an ice cream bar 2. Have a seizure. gether, and then they start throwing of your choice. Dear Morning commuter, around all these names and concepts To whatever lovely gentleman deliv- It’s called rolling up your window. And you’re welcome. ered roses to 3A. Thank you, they were beautiful! I’m glad Leo didn’t win. #controversy Love, the ladies of 3A Anyone else think it’s about time that Everyone asks, “Where’s Waldo?” But the Spartans came out with a calendar? I’d pay for that. nobody asks, “How’s Waldo?”
THE HIMNAL
Gareth hurd
which I’ve never heard of and certainly can’t comment on. The construction by the bell tower is just... I can’t even. Either you walk on the muddy grass or go through the puddles. My poor shoes.
age: 19
year: 2
I steal people’s milk from the fridge. All I think I shall run for a VP position next the time. year on the sole basis that we should Please can I have another reading have a competitive election. Two candidates, or none! break? Is shipping two professors called a How did the hipster burn his tongue? He sipped his coffee before it was cool. scholarship? That awkward moment when you just Sometimes when I get really bored in type “hot” into the search bar instead class, I sit and calculate the dollar value of “Hotmail.com” and the very next that I and my fellow classmates repremoment someone walks by your com- sent... Today’s figure: $55,650. Ouch. puter. Facepalm.
All the girls here at Trinity are just so I drove my friend’s expensive car into desperate to go out with a guy, like a tree and he found out how the Mer- grow up already and just talk to him. Tell him you like him or else he will have cedes bends. no idea. Trinity boys are clueless... Thank you to the kind stranger that brought my iPod to the lost and found Dear Canadians, at Neufeld Stop saying thank you when I walk This girl’s shirt said Guess, so I said through a door ahead of you, I really wasn’t holding it for you. “implants?” She slapped me. Sincerely, To the boys that built the massive American snow-fort-chair-glory outside of my Pick up line? You mean mustache. dorm... I love you.
height: 5’ 11”
major:
Environmental Studies MICHELLE KARST
Age limit (max/min)? I’m not sure what this question means, so if it refers to the max difference in age between me and potential datee, then probably Best place for a first kiss? Hometown: Port Coquitlam Domestic talent? 8 years.
Denomination: Mennonite Brethren Fave Bible verse? Psalm 18:29 Age limit (max/min)? 70-75, but not 76;
Over a bag o’ Chicago Mix and a “Spicy Cinnamon” Yankee candle.
Best pick-up line?
they get too clingy at that age.
So there’s this movie I wanted to see and my mom said I couldn’t go by myself.
Views on courtship? Must take place in
How long before you propose?
an actual court of some sort, whether tennis or otherwise.
Idea of a perfect date? Dig a hole and swim in it.
Approximately 84 days, 10 hours.
How would you make up after your first fight? Rage out on ‘Hungry Hippos.’
I make a mean fresh Guacamole.
How many kids do you want? 3/16 of a child named John. Weh. Weh. Weh.
How would you win her parents over? Full back tattoo portrait of the parents; detailed in every way imaginable. Tattoos, they show commitment
Love language? What are we, Viking?
Describe your personality using an actor singing a song: “Martin Short singing ‘Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile’” - Jessica Hurd