ACTS 17:19-20
VOLUME 19, ISSUE 3
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PROTESTS FOR DEMOCRACY
OCTOBER 22, 2014
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MY FEAR GOES LIKE THIS
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OCTOBER 22, 2014
FROM THE EDITOR
MARS’ HILL
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7600 Glover Rd. Langley, BC V2Y 1Y1 604 513 2109
THE TEAM
MARS’ HILL
Mars’ Hill is a student publication of Trinity Western University, floated with funds raised by the Student Association. Mars’ Hill seeks to be a professional and relevant student publication, reflecting and challenging the TWU community, while intentionally addressing local, national and international issues.
PETER WOEKEL
MISSION TO MARS
managing editor
The mission of Mars’ Hill, as the official student newspaper of Trinity Western University, is to inform and entertain its readers, cultivate awareness of issues concerning the TWU community and provide a forum for purposeful, constructive discussion among its members in accordance with the Community Covenant, Statement of Faith, and Core Values of the University.
AMY GOERTZEN
visual editor
EDITORIAL POLICY
STEPHANIE REDEKOP
chief copy editor
MEGAN RAVERTY
COLTON MARTIN
layout editor
SIDSEL RICHMOND
illustration editor
JUNHO KIM
photo editor
ERIK DELANGE
web presence
REESE MARTIN
advertising & finance manager
OFFICE watches Gilly SNL Dance Best of Stefon “EW” by Jimmy Fallon Let It Go All About That {Upright} Bass
Whom then shall I fear?
Finding the courage to face eternity
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tara GORMAN
As I sit in my dark apartment writing this article, I feel afraid. I am afraid that people won’t read this article at all. I am afraid that people won’t like it and will throw it away. I am afraid that people will be disappointed. I am afraid that I won’t get my homework done and that I will fail all my classes and that I will be considered a failure by all my friends and family, rejected by society, and live the rest of my life an outcast in the harsh terrain of some desolate location (my mind gets away from me sometimes). Some people like being scared, which leads to thrillseeking ventures like haunted houses and horror movies, but I do not think that this an accurate representation of the true nature of fear. These people know that they will be scared; they know
that something is going to jump out at them, that something is going to gruesome or disturbing. I don’t think that this is a genuine manifestation of fear, nor it is the thing that often leaves us crippled (although maybe a bit jelly-legged). But although insecuritues and haunted houses seem mundance, they also exemplify two major ways in which fear can manifest: the fear of the unknown and the fear of eternity. For instance, a common fear that fits into both categories is fear of the future. The future is scary. It is not a corporeal thing that we can ever grasp. In the blink of an eye, the future becomes the present and just as quickly, the past. Yet it is always looming in our horizons like a dark and inescapable cloud, mostly intensified by our own imagination. Our fearful minds let us conjure abstract horrors like imagining our older selves looking back on the life that we have lived, the life that we are living now, and being disappointed in what we see.
The future is full of ‘what ifs’, and although that is cliché, it is true. When we students witness our school being placed under a microscope as the fate of our law school – and possibly the school as a whole – is in question, it is easy to be afraid. What if the law school is rejected? What if this issue tailspins into the world questioning TWU as an institution? What if they challenge the nursing school, the business department, the school of education? In this case, we fear for our future. Humans are fearful creatures – but how, then, do we deal with it? The answer is simple, and again, cliché: courage. Courage is often portrayed as fighting against fear, as conquering it, but I believe that courage simply the act of accepting it. Stay with me here. Fear is unknown and eternal; and the one Thing that is truly unknown is God, and the one Person that determines eternity is Jesus. As Christians, we are in the challenging position of accepting that fear – the fear of God – and having faith that it will ultimately protect us. I am not saying that God actively wishes to make us fearful, but rather, that our fear is encompassed by the Person who ultimately vies for our happiness. Therefore, in a sense, Christianity is a religion that is largely based on courage, because we are stepping into the arms of fear and having faith that it has our best interests. The only thing that can conquer fear is fear itself, and our courage, as Christians, is displayed in accepting that we have a small part to play.
What do you fear? “Sea World.” -Matthew Wigmore
Mars’ Hill encourages submissions and letters to the Editor. These must be signed and are due one week prior to publication. Mars’ Hill reserves the right to edit submissions for style, brevity and compatibility with the Mission, Statement of Faith, the Community Community Covenant, and the Core Values of the University. Anonymous authorship of any material may be granted at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief. Opinions expressed in Mars’ Hill belong to the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial board, Trinity Western University, its officials or its Student Association.
SENIOR EDITORS Tara Gorman Editor-in-Chief
Peter Woekel
Managing Editor
Amy Goertzen Visual Editor
SECTION EDITORS Sarah Grochowski News
Ellen Graham Academy
Mackenzie Cameron Arts & Culture
Connor Ewert Sports
Trevor McMahan Humour
PRODUCTION STAFF Junho Kim
Photo Editor
Sidsel Richmond Illustration Editor
Colton Martin Layout Editor
Stephanie Redekop Chief Copy Editor
OPERATIONS Reese Martin
Advertising & Finance Manager
Erik deLange Web Presence
CONTRIBUTORS Erik deLange Nathan Doyle Casie Gano Hannah Marazzi Lindsey Mayhew Juju Milay Chris Nash Devyn Plett Stephanie Redekop Rachel Selinger Diana Squires Shauna Supeene Cam Thiessen Ben Waswa Leanne Witten
SPECIAL THANKS
Kat Grabowski for the team photos.
STUDENT MEDIA ADVISOR Loranne Brown
www.marshillonline.com This issue is brought to you by geometry.
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OCTOBER 22, 2014
NEWS
SARAH GROCHOWSKI
sarah.grochowski@mytwu.ca
Reclaiming women’s bodies ASA bans American Apparel’s advertisements
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sarah
GROCHOWSKI
A distressing on-line clothing campaign entitled “School Days” was launched by UK’s American Apparel early September, but it didn’t take long for it to be banned by the Advertising Standards Authority. One of its ads featured an upthe-skirt photo of a schoolgirl model with her buttocks and white underwear on display, normalizing images that the general public would assume to have been taken without a woman’s consent. Critics labeled these ads “overtly sexual” and the ASA themselves concluded that the images objectified young women and were sexist. American Apparel responded by doing their best to adhere to the ASA’s media standards whilst aiming to create “authentic, honest, and memorable images relevant to their customer base.” The perplexing differences between what was said and what was
portrayed in their Back-toSchool advertisements exemplifies the nature of the mixed messages that women face in society, and specifically from the media. A more in-depth look at the rationale behind the ASA’s decision opens up a larger discussion for women of all ages in regards to women’s appearance: how can we, societally and otherwise, reestablish women to be the center of their own lives and not just the objects of others’? How can we be human beings with sexual capability but not sexualized in every day life? A 2005 Task Force report addressing the impact that objectification has on women, girls, and the rest of society reveals that a very narrow standard of beauty is heavily emphasized for young women to emulate. In the magazine advertisements that these professionals observed, women were depicted sexually 85% more than men were. What most may understand as the extreme results of objectification – such as human trafficking, sexual abuse, and the outright harassment that women
face – reveal that women in our society have normalized being assessed by appearance to the point of internalization, and objectify even themselves on a consistent basis. The ASA states, “if girls purchase products and clothes designed to make them look physically appealing and sexy, they are, in effect, sexualizing themselves.” Girls have now learned to relate to their bodies as the objects of others’ desires, looking at themselves with the sole purpose of evaluation. The emotional and cognitive consequences of the objectification of women are widespread and debilitating; research shows that it has led to three of the most common mental health problems for women: eating disorders, low self-esteem, and depression. It seems even collegeaged women are spending much more time restricting their food intake rather than calculating how they might effectively change the world around them. There is a large chasm between a woman’s true self and the feminine cultural prescription that has been set in front of each of us.
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What could possibly offer a solution to sexist media and an overarching culture that so often poisons girls? Awareness is our greatest tool to combat deep-seated societal injustice. Educating women from a young age that there are alternatives to their physical purpose and value in this world, a more critical approach to media and advertisements, and involvement in groups that empower women positively are a few tangible options. It is within every woman’s power to face body image problems head-on and without having to resort to any harmful means, just as it is in every human’s power to relate more to women’s humanity and less to their sexual possibilities. Mary Pipher (PhD) writes from her own experience as a counselor to a broad spectrum of women battling the internal pressure of society’s limitations: “What do women want? Women want something different yet particular, and yet each woman wants the same thing – to be who she truly is and to become who she can become.”
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What do you fear? “Dark study rooms.” -Will Tippery MarsHill_Smart_1014_Final.indd 1
2014-10-16 3:24 PM
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OCTOBER 22, 2014
Protests for democracy Hong Kong’s Umbrella Revolution
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nathan DOYLE
Snapshot of Hong Kong’s History Hong Kong, a former British colony founded among a series of fishing villages situated along the Pearl River Delta, is now a critical economic zone for trade and manufacturing. For 150 years leading up to the handover of British Hong Kong to communist China in June 1997, Hong Kong was run like a democracy whose residents possessed all the same rights and freedoms that we benefit from today. Despite China’s takeover, what differentiates Hong Kong from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is that its residents
are still guaranteed a high degree of economic and civil liberties, as stated within their Basic Law (Hong Kong’s constitution). Today specifically, under the terms and conditions of the 1984 British-Sino Joint Declaration, China is obligated to allow Hong Kong a “high degree of autonomy, except in foreign and defence affairs.” What does this mean for Hong Kong? It means that the Chinese government cannot interfere with the British legislative and economic system until the year 2047. Why Are They Protesting? Since 1997, Hong Kong’s Chief Executive is to be elected by a 1,200 person committee called the National People’s Congress (NPC) based out of Beijing. This representative body is responsible for electing a Chief Executive for the Hong Kong
Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) who can serve for up to two five-year terms, similar to the United States’ two four-year Presidential terms. The current Chief Executive, CY Leung, is extremely unpopular due to his lack of representing the region’s interests. On August 31, the Chinese government announced plans for a democratic election to take place in Hong Kong on the condition that candidates are approved by the NPC. Preapproval of candidates for Chief Executive, however, breaches Hong Kong’s Basic Law. Article 45 under the Basic Law states that, “the ultimate aim is the selection of the Chief Executive by universal suffrage upon nomination by a broadly representative nominating committee in accordance with democratic procedures.” The Riots Begin The riots began on the evening of September 27 when the student activist group “Scholarism,” led by 17-year-old Joshua Wong, stormed government headquarters. It was then that police issued the first-round of pepper spray and tear gas upon peaceful protesters in an attempt to disperse their crowding. Since the police clash, areas throughout Hong Kong Island as well as in Mong Kok have been shut down due to the protestors’ occupation. Throughout the past few weeks, numbers have ranged from 100 to 100,000. Among the protest-
ers, civil disobedience groups like Occupy Central have joined the movement. The term “Umbrella Movement” was coined after unarmed protesters used their umbrellas and face masks to defend themselves from the police’s deterrent efforts. In addition, protesters and supporters wear yellow ribbons to signify their cause. On Hong Kong Island and in Central districts, the police have shut down streets as protesters rally and even sleep in the streets. During this time, protesters have demanded free democratic elections and for CY Leung to resign. So far, the Beijing government has refused to acknowledge the protesters, labelling their movement the “Umbrella Revolution” to evoke extremism and violence. Beijing has also supported CY Leung and condemned the protests as “illegal and revolutionary.” To prevent any further momentum, state authorities have censored any news regarding the “Umbrella Revolution” and also warned other countries to avoid involvement in internal Chinese affairs. Crossroads The protests are now in their third week and continue to occupy high traffic areas in the Admiralty, Wan Chai, Central, and Mong Kok districts. On October 2, Chief Executive CY Leung refused to step down but instead offered to meet with student leaders for talks with Chief
Secretary Carrie Lam. Unfortunately, negotiations have since been cancelled and Lam commented that they will not take place under the threat of disruption. After talks broke down last week, there was a resurgence in the number of supporters. This demonstration has become one of the largest solidarity movements to take place since the 1989 Tiananmen Square incident, wherein thousands participated in a protest that ended abruptly as hundreds of students were killed. In the early hours of October 15, Hong Kong police broke down the barricades and assaulted students with batons, riot shields, and pepper spray. This violent occurrence from police may foreshadow the measures that the Beijing administration are willing to take to salvage the dream of a united China. TWU’s Involvement Last week at TWU, students from Hong Kong including Chris Tang and Renee Lun held a solidarity demonstration in support of universal suffrage in Hong Kong. When asked why they are supporting the protesters, Renee and Chris expressed, “We want to protect our rights and personal property. In China, there is a lack of accountability in the justice system and the financial sector. We want free elections for a leader, not someone who is telling us who we have to be.”
The threat of ISIS escalates
Canadian involvement in Iraq
Master Sgt. Andy Dunaway
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ben WASWA
The Canadian government has stepped up operational capacity in the Middle East. According to news sources, an advance team of around 120 military personnel will be deployed to Kuwait in the coming days. Following an assessment and operations prep, the bulk of the 600 additional troops approved for deployment should be arriving in the coming weeks. After setting up shop, an airbase will be receiving CF-18s and support craft. The plan is for Canadian aircraft to begin a bombing campaign against ISIS. The country is also pouring millions of dollars into military
equipment for Iraqi and Kurdish forces to enter into the use of targeted airstrikes. Canada is escalating into a new level of engagement; for months now, Canadian Special Forces have been acting as advisors to the Kurdish Peshmerga forces of northern Iraq. The surprising fact is that ISIS has only stepped out as a major faction within the past few years. The group was once affiliated with Al-Qaeda. This relationship ended as Al-Qaeda deemed ISIS too sporadically violent and uncontrollable to be useful. There was little expectation for the terrorist organization to ever step forth into a major power role. Yet, unintended consequences being what they may, as Western countries helped fracture the Syrian regime through the support of “moderate” rebels,
a power vacuum was created that was primed to be filled. Through this crumbling, ISIS (or ISIL, or the Islamic State) was able to sweep aside smaller factions and capture huge swaths of territory. Coupled with highly aggressive campaigning strategies, ISIS is able to bolster recruitment levels and resources available for their disposal. ISIS has thus pushed into land controlled by Syrian factions, the Kurdish, the Iraqi army, and Iraqi tribal groups. And they are not stopping; one of their primary goals is the reestablishment of the Caliphate, or religious rule. This ideological aim means that an expansion of territory is an expansion of rule by radical Islam. Therein lies the need for containment. By supporting the collapse of the Assad regime,
the US has created the prefect conditions for a radical organization to make a power play for control in the region. Will NATOs, or US-led coalition forces, targeting ISIS allow for another radical group to step to the fore? By stomping out one fire, will airstrikes and military aid to rival groups allow another hotspot to start years down the road? These are important questions that need due consideration. Yet something must be done. To curtail this expansion, the US spearheaded the implementation of airstrikes to mixed results. On one hand, aerial strikes can and have eliminated key targets; on the other, the explosions caused by missile strikes have also increased the levels of civilian casualties. One example of the US strikes
What do you fear? “Bryan Sandberg’s facial hair” -Shelby Duomolin
is the aid that was given to embattled Kurds holding on the to the Northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk. With all these factors in mind, Canada is set to take on missions that involve bombing of ISIS positions and movements. The Middle East continues to represent a quagmire of issues that make predicting future outcomes a very difficult venture. Stephen Harper has made it clear that, with the exception of Special Forces, Canadian boots on the ground of Iraq or Syria) are not an option; however, the question stills stands as to whether or not this will be the high water mark for Canadian involvement. What Canadian involvement will truly come to entail as political demands shift is hard to say.
OCTOBER 22, 2014
ACADEMY
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ELLEN GRAHAM
ellen.graham@mytwu.ca
The Ottawa journal
On moving, a new home, and the unfolding of the city
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hannah MARAZZI
When you move to a new place, curious things happen. You find yourself in that in-between phase, retaining the lingering images of how things first appeared when they were completely new
and unknown, while slowly allowing them to be replaced with a film of familiarity. When I first arrived in Ottawa – after having missed my first flight, being made to witness the arrest of a passenger on my connector, and ending the day by exerting all of my body’s strength to keep both me and my luggage from catapulting into a stranger who then glared at me for the rest of the bus ride - I saw everything with new, albeit bleary eyes. It’s amaz-
ing how quickly a new place can become well known. I am no longer scared of Centre Block, home to the House of Commons, to which I occasionally run messages; 252 Metcalfe Street has become a place that I’ve caught myself referring to as home. It’s also funny how you tend to reach out in seasons of newness to those that are even the least bit familiar in order to find your footing. And by way of grasping, you find that certain people, who
Wristwatch worship
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ellen GRAHAM
When I was little, I was afraid of heaven. I was also afraid of hell, of course – what child wouldn’t be afraid of eternal damnation to a fiery pit? However, I was afraid of heaven in a very different sense; the idea of eternity terrified me. When I would try to imagine heaven, my mind would stutter on the magnitude of a limitless afterlife where time essentially wouldn’t matter. I kept reasoning, trying to figure out a way in
which there would be a beginning and an end to this promised paradise. I think as humans, we do this a lot. Constantly, in fact. We’re always waiting for something to end, and we’re always looking onward to the next thing. In class, we count the minutes until it’s over. At home, we count the minutes until class. At any given time, in any given place, we anticipate and hover around the idea of time. This obsession with time doesn’t just apply to short-term situations either. It seems that so often in life, we are just following a societally induced checklist of life goals that moves us along from kindergarten to retirement. The pressure from the world
around us to follow this checklist is astonishing. There will always be that old lady in the front pew who wiggles her eyebrows and asks you when you’re going to get married, or have babies, or buy a house. To be perfectly honest, and perhaps a bit dramatic, the only escape from such queries is death. But the nice church lady has no idea she’s driving you insane with her incessant curiosity; she is the product of a world in which humans are instilled with an innate and overpowering devotion to time. It is the most powerful force on earth because it governs everything. As a child, I struggled to wrap my head around the notion of an eternal heaven because my world
may not have otherwise played a large role in your life, suddenly move to the front and center of it all. In this way, the city of Ottawa is slowly becoming a village: a connected map of church groups, work acquaintances, housemates, and TWU alumni. Hesitant greetings evolve into familiar laughter. Office friends threaten to unplug your computer if you do not head home and rest. The small out-posting of 20-something faith followers that is the
LLC has forced me to take the plunge into accountable, honest, and delightful community; and this is just the beginning. The city has started speaking to me, and I am just beginning to truly listen.
was and is unconsciously controlled by the all-powerful force of time. Eternity can be a terrifying idea, and now that I’m older, I’m beginning to find that time is equally – if not even more – terrifying. Often, we don’t even realize the amount of authority it holds over us. We also forget how very tired, worn-out, and in need of respite we are as we march to the constrained beat of a ticking clock. It is because of this that I now see the true appeal of Heaven. When I was a child, I thought like one; I was afraid of eternity. Now I am an adult and have put those thoughts behind me. Now I look forward to an eternity free from the shackles of time.
Am I an escapist?
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leanne WITTON
Reality: there are some days we feel like we just don’t want to face it. My guess is we’ve all felt this way at one point or another. Whatever our tool of choice, be it fantasy novel, action movie, or song that soothes the soul, we all
have our tricks for keeping reality out of sight when it gets too uncomfortable. Some days facing reality is easy, others we are forced to confront things beyond our control, things we are afraid of or dreading. Though tempting, avoiding reality can quickly become a bad habit that holds us back in fear and can keep us from living our lives to their fullest potential. Often when we attempt to evade reality, it’s through a healthy,
harmless, or entertaining pastime. Yet this tendency to avoid the unpleasant can sometimes cause us to miss out on some part of our lives that we should be fully engaged in. Becoming engrossed in a novel or enjoying a relatable song is a great way to spend your time; however, you have to be careful not to neglect the real relationships that you need to be pouring into. Many of the challenges that we strongly desire to escape need
to be addressed before they can be solved. If we want to express something, we can listen to a musician who expresses it perfectly; however, in doing so, we may avoid talking to a friend and actually getting to the heart of the problem. Listening to a song may be easier, but talking to the friend will actually do something about your situation. The trouble with escapism is that, although we might manage to escape reality for a while,
What do you fear? “Debt. Spiders. Divorce. Emotions. Midterms.” -Douglas North Upper
it always has a way of sneaking back into our world and blazing its way through our denial. When reality calls, the deadlines still exist, the conflicts still need resolving, and the problems are still there. Consider this article a challenge not to spend your whole life hiding instead of facing reality. With all of its pain and delight, the present is precisely where we need to be.
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OCTOBER 22, 2014
I AM CAM
Fear of being me
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cam THIESSEN
The concept of identity is a terrifying thing. It is how I, as an individual, am summed up. It’s how I am defined. It’s how people interact with me and how people understand me. Because of this, it worries me that identity is something that Christians often don’t understand very well. Within Evangelical Christianity, we have an understanding that we have shed our old identity, the sinful one separated from Christ, and we have found a new one wholly in Christ. In one way, this conception is valuable, but in another, I find that we risk missing the point. When I think about identity, I find it far too complex to be summed up simply by my Christianity. The fact of the matter is that there is more to who I am than my relationship with Christ – not to belittle my faith, but simply to acknowledge that other aspects contribute to my identity. In order to avoid etymological complications, the MirriamWebster Dictionary defines identity as “the qualities, beliefs, etc., that make a particular person or group different from others.” My arguments regarding identity will be based on this definition. Essentially, my identity is what makes me different, setting me apart from other people. The collection of different aspects of my identity are what make me unique. One might associate and identify with different cultures, ideologies, and perspectives for different reasons, but the unique combination of these associations is what makes each individual unique. The dichotomy that I believe we fail to acknowledge as Christians is that between individual identity and collective identity. The collective identity I associate within Christianity does not nullify the individual identity that I find in other things. As a Christian, I am part of a broad collective identity that includes a vast array of denominations, cultures, age demographics, and doctrines. I associate myself with this collective, but it is not the only group which defines my identity. I am a straight, white, Canadian, 20-year-old male. I love music, I love film, and I love philosophy. I love to learn and I love to teach. I am a beer enthusiast and a food enthusiast, and I love trying new things. Not only
do these things affect how I act, what makes me happy, and what I believe, but they all hold importance in my life to the degree that I significantly care about them. Yet all of these only make up a fraction of my entire individual identity. Yes, I still find part of my identity in my religion, and a significant part at that. My faith in God and my understanding of Christianity affect my values and my actions. But Christianity is not the only thing which contributes to my identity, and not the only thing in the world that matters to me. My beliefs are a significant part of my identity, and not all of my beliefs are necessarily based wholly on my religion. I have beliefs which I hold because of my philosophy or my own comprehension of morality which is not informed only by the Bible, but which I do believe comes from God who gives humans the ability to obtain wisdom. But as Christians, we often act as though
the only things that matters are our faith and salvation, since the things of this world—and thus the things that we might find our identity in—will soon pass and we will be in heaven with Christ.
“
The collective identity I associate with in Christianity does not nullify the individual identity that I find in other things.
”
We shouldn’t worry or care about anything other than that, because the things of this life are temporary and insignificant. In subscribing to this view, we can
become Evangelical Gnostics, for whom it is needless to care about this world or the people on it. The fact that many Christians hold this view makes embracing my identity a horrifying concept. I am fairly liberal when it comes to my views on social issues such as LGBT rights, feminism, pacifism, the environment, and capitalism, because I have a specific hermeneutic which determines how I understand the words and authority of the Bible, and I therefore apply it to my beliefs in a specific way. This hermeneutic is based on a less literal understanding of scripture because I consider it important to understand the text within its broader contexts, recognizing that its contents were written in diverse cultures, by diverse authors, to diverse audiences, and within diverse contexts. All of these cultures and contexts are vastly different from the cultures in which modern Christianity now lives and thrives. Because of
What do you fear? “Erik deLange.” -Nicholas Lee
this, the words of the Bible do not necessarily inform my social values any more than sound secular philosophy, because I recognize that the social realities of the cultures within which the Bible was written were not necessarily ideal. For example, although women were viewed and treated as subordinate to men, or slavery was permitted and accepted in the time that the text was written, my views do not have to be based on the views that the Biblical authors may have held. The bases of my hermeneutic are far more complicated than simply accepting the literal words of the Bible as authoritative. Instead, I recognize that the Bible contains human flaws due to its human authorship, and its authority is found in the divine narrative which permeates the text. It is inspired by God, who is perfect, but its words are limited to its human authors’ shortcomings. Because my hermeneutic differs from more common hermeneutics, my views are often contrary to traditional Christian values. I am not afraid to admit that; however, sometimes I am terrified of the stigma that goes along with identifying as a liberal Christian: that I respect the Bible less, that I am a lukewarm Christian, and that I do not care enough about my faith to let it affect my beliefs. In my case, I can do no more than simply assure you that this isn’t true. If we truly view Christianity as an intellectual faith, people who are unique and different should not be judged or shamed for who they are or what they think. Instead, expression of individual identities should be encouraged. Yes, we are all one in Christ Jesus, and because of that, nobody is lesser because of their race, their social status, or their sex. The separation which was once created by these distinctions is now obsolete in the kingdom of heaven. Regardless of our differences and individual identities, we are all collectively accepted into the grace of God that came through Jesus Christ. But this collective identity which we have stepped into does not erase or wipe away our individual identities, and our status in the kingdom of heaven does not make our lives and the things that we love on this earth insignificant. The kingdom is being established here, and creation is being restored. As we obey God in pursuing restoration, let us learn from one another with open minds, seeing the beauty in our differences and the beauty in the One who keeps us unified.
OCTOBER 22, 2014
7
The problem with biblical manhood
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lindsey MAYHEW
I remember growing up in the church, and I have a vague recollection of my mother giggling with her friends, excited to go on a ladies retreat. It wasn’t until I was in high school that the stereotypical nature of gendered retreats and general gender stereotypes in the church began to really bother me. My step-dad would go on men’s retreats to cabins in the woods to “act like men,” while the women would stay in the church to swap clothes and get their nails done, or so the posters with swirling, flowery script told me. Once it occurred to me that the church had a problem with gender stereotypes, I couldn’t stop seeing them everywhere. Every single event at my church seemed to have some sort of gendered connotation attached to it. Women’s Bible study events always had tea, childcare, and an emphasis on passive activities like baking or painting nails, while the men’s events would always involve going outside, being active and having an adventure. Now, there’s nothing wrong with men going out and having adventures, but why is it that in
the church, women are never invited on the adventures too? As I grew up in the church it was drilled into me over and over again that as a girl, my place was not in the midst of the adventure, but rather waiting patiently at home for my adventurer to return, and that he could do as many reckless and dangerous things as he wanted because “boys will be boys” and that’s just what being a man is all about. There is a certain breed of man, especially in the church, that likes to puff out his chest and proclaim the gospel of Biblical manhood. How being a leader means crushing your feelings, running around shouting, “WE ARE MEN SO LET US BE MEN!” This is the man who reads Wild at Heart by John Eldredge and resolves to be “a lover and a warrior, not a Really Nice Guy.” And being a lover and a warrior means fishing trips and bonfires while the wife stays at home with the kids and gets her hair done. Is this really the standard we want to set for the men and women in our church? That one group gets to go out and have all the fun while the other one stays at home and has muffins ready for when they get back? And why is this kind of thought so prevalent in our churches? Why do even our pastors - who haven’t studied the psychology or the sociology of gender - tell us about what men
are like and how they should act? I think the problem with biblical manhood is when it ceases to be biblical, and becomes contemporary Christian manhood instead. I am tired of the stereotypes. I’m tired of how men in the church are urged to be rugged and “manly men,” and how many pastors perpetuate this notion. There are many sermons that glorify 1 Corinthians 16: 13-14, which says, “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong,” yet neglect the following verse that says, “Let all that you do be done in love.” I think a lot of people would be surprised by what a portrait of biblical manhood really is. As Christians, we are to hold Jesus as the ultimate example of how we’re to live; after all, He is God in the flesh. So it makes sense we would take cues from Him on what it means to be a man. In contemporary Christian manhood, men like to fight. They wrestle and kick and scratch, not just with each other, but with their enemies too. Certain hateful comments from Mark Driscoll that recently resurfaced moaned that “hell looks like a good place because at least a man is in charge, has a bit of order and lets men spit and scratch as needed” (sic). However, in Biblical manhood, Jesus didn’t lift a finger when his attackers came to him. He described the importance of
turning the other cheek to your enemies and he didn’t resist when they came and put him on a cross to die. In contemporary Christian manhood, men don’t have feelings. They are strong, emotionless leaders for their wives, the “weaker vessels,” and they would rather have sex than cuddle on the couch. In Biblical manhood, Jesus wept many times. He wept for the struggles he faced, he wept for the pain he felt, and he wept for us, because love isn’t just strength, it is caring and compassion. In Matthew 26, Jesus fell to his knees and begged God to take the burden of the Cross away from him. This is in stark contrast to the heroes of the Old Testament, like David who faces off against the giant Goliath. In contemporary Christian manhood, men are the leaders without question. In Biblical manhood, Jesus was a servant. He washed feet, he worked miracles, and he gave his life for us. How many men in our churches make sure to embrace not just leadership but servanthood? And I mean, maybe Jesus liked to drink a bottle of craft beer and jump over a bonfire, but in portraits of what true Biblical manhood is, I see a lot less of this warped view of manhood as being beastly and stubborn and immature, and I see a lot more gentleness, compassion and generosity.
Jesus definitely did “manly” things, such as flipping tables in the temples of Jerusalem à la Jack Bauer, but this was merely one facet of his character, and not the complete picture of Godly masculinity. People like Mark Driscoll and John Eldredge certainly have valid points in some of their sermons, points about being strong and being brave, but when men are told that they need “a battle to fight, an adventure to live, and a beauty to rescue,” that not only undermines the men who don’t necessarily feel called to the life of a warrior, but also the women who have the strength and courage to rescue themselves. So next time you see the church men’s retreat advertised or your pastor decides to give a sermon about Biblical manhood, take a look at the wording and the tone. Is it a portrait of contemporary Christian manhood, or is it a portrait of the way Jesus lived and loved? Masculinity and manhood is cool and all, but in many ways, the best example of Biblical manhood was a very gentle and tender Christ. There is nothing wrong with being a stereotypical “manly” man, but there is also nothing wrong with being an effeminate man or a masculine woman. There is no right or wrong way to be a man, so long as you prioritize being like Christ.
a paper which articulated and assessed G.K. Chesterton’s severe critiques of Freud. The evening’s final presentation was a powerful dramatic reading by actor Damon Calderwood who starred as C.S. Lewis in a recent production of Freud’s Last Session, a play which imagines a dialogue and debate between Freud and Lewis. Calderwood presented a scene wherein Freud
speaks to Lewis about his father, as well as Lewis’s monologue explaining his conversion to Christianity. The podcast of the evening presentation is available on Inklings Institute of Canada website, where you will also be able find more information about the IIC and its future events.
The Inklings and psychoanalysis
An Inklings Institute of Canada event
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stephanie REDEKOP
On October 2, 2014, The Inklings Institute of Canada hosted one of its first academic events: an evening on The Inklings and Psychoanalysis. The Inklings Institute of Canada is a TWU-based gathering of local, national, and international scholars committed to researching the Inklings: an influential, 20th-century literary group whose members include C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Charles Williams, and Owen Barfield; as well as their mentors, G.K. Chesterton and George MacDonald. As the only research institute in Canada – and, indeed, one of the few in North America – dedi-
cated to Inklings study, the IIC’s work bears great significance to Canadian Christian academia. Moreover, an investigation of these Christian writers’ engagement with their own culture may help us to respond to our own cultural context. One of the primary goals of the Inklings Institute is to make their research accessible to the general public. Thus, this interdisciplinary event hosted at Trinity Western University provided an opportunity to share several academic presentations rooted in the cultural commentary of some of the most esteemed spiritual minds of the 20th century. The evening featured presentations by distinguished scholars about various Inklings writers and their views on Freud and psychoanalysis, as well as a dramatic reading from the play Freud’s Last Session. The first speaker of the evening
was the co-director of the IIC, Dr. Monika Hilder, who spoke about C.S. Lewis’s views on psychoanalysis, addressing two main questions: whether psychoanalysis is compatible with Christianity, and how it influences literary interpretation. Next, attendees heard from psychology professor Dr. Chuck Macknee about Sigmund Freud’s biographical background and writing, with particular focus on his views of religion. Paula Dunning then spoke on behalf of Dr. Stephen Dunning, IIC co-director, examining Owen Barfield’s literary representation of a Freudian psychoanalyst in Worlds Apart: A Dialogue of the 1960s. English professor Dr. Holly Nelson explored George MacDonald’s views of psychoanalysis by situating him within the broader tradition of Scottish psychospiritual literature. MAIH student Nicolas Noble presented
What do you fear? “Nicholas Lee.” -Erik deLange
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OCTOBER 22, 2014
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What do you fear? “Being single.” -June Na
RELS 102 RP Intro to the New Testament, Sr. Gabriella Yi
RELS 224 RP New Testament Theology, Dr. Christophe Potworowski
RELS 388 RP Christian Church and Sacraments, Dr. Brook Herbert
LATIN 212 RP Medieval Ecclesiastical Latin, Dr. C.S. Morrissey
RELS 399 RP Catholic Spirituality, Sr. Gabriella Yi
PHIL 304 RP Philosophy of Thomas Aquinas, Dr. C.S. Morrissey
RELS 375 RP Christian Apologetics of C.S. Lewis, Sr. Gabriella Yi
RELS 366 RP Theology of the Body, Dr. Brook Herbert
HIST 302 RP Greece & Rome: Leadership in the Ancient World, Dr. C.S. Morrissey
EDUC 203 RP Foundations of Education, Dr. C.S. Morrissey
Christian Theology in Ecumenical Dialogue, Dr. Christophe Potworowski & Dr. Archie Spencer
ENGLISH 104 RP Intro to Poetry & Drama, Vic Cavalli
RELS 387 RP
ART 215 RP Beauty and the Sacred Arts, Dr. Brook Herbert
COMM 120 RP Intro to Interpersonal Communications, Loranne Brown
Spring 2015 Courses ● redeemerpacific.ca Who was/is your imaginary friend? “I never had one. I just talked to myself.” -Mikaila Hamilton
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OCTOBER 22, 2014
Theology Lost by devyn plett I want you to imagine a university that specializes in business. The country’s aspiring businessmen and businesswomen attend this school and many are already involved in business projects of their own on the side. Those who have achieved great success in business teach the courses. Some would even call this school the center of business in Canada. And yet, with such a great atmosphere, there is one fundamental problem at the core of this school: they never actually teach business in the classroom. It would be ridiculous for a university to neglect teaching about the core component to its identity, wouldn’t it? I say this with great love for TWU, but I think that we’re doing the exact same thing and we’re doing it with Christianity. Trinity Western University is the largest Evangelical institution in Canada, known for its thriving Christian community. While we may have a rich faith-centered atmosphere, you cannot find Christian belief – known as theology – as the main focus of any TWU major. Just as you would expect the university with the best professionals in the business world to teach their students business, you would expect the largest Evangelical institution in Canada to teach Christian belief. But we don’t. Theology is glaringly absent from the list of all of the academic programs available at TWU, even in light of our excellent Religious Studies department. At our Christian university one can major in the sciences, humanities, business, and nursing, yet one cannot major in the study of God. I think that this is a problem, and it is one that needs to be fixed. Before I go any further, we need a working understanding of what theology is. Simply put, theology is the study of God. It saddens me that many misunderstand theology and view it as dry and boring. If we want to follow and to love God, we must know who he is. Knowing God must not stop at the bare minimum, but must enter into the depths of collective Christian
thought and experience. Theology is incredibly important for the Christian life. In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis gives the example of the Christian life as a journey on the ocean. A sailor’s eyesight and intuition can only take him so far until he finds himself lost in the middle of the vast and mysterious ocean with no direction. No sailor today would ever think of going out on the water without any navigational equipment. With even a simple map of the ocean and a compass to go with it, a sailor is able to reach his destination. This analogy carries over to the Christian life; our experience can only take us so far into the vast mysteries of the Christian faith. Theology is the discipline that draws upon the past two millennia of Christian thought to provide a sort of spiritual map. By studying theology, we equip ourselves with a Christian mind that seeks not to replace Christian experience, but to guide it. Theology is the 2000-yearlong dialogue about the identity of God, the Church, humanity, and what it means to live the Christian life. For centuries, Christian universities have allowed young men and women to enter into this eternal dialogue. Centered upon the study of theology, a Christian education seeks to equip students with the tools to live a thoughtful Christian life while studying whatever discipline they choose. This brings us back to TWU. We do not study theology at our university. Though we may engage deep theological questions in the community and in other disciplines indirectly, this is not enough without an actual theology program. It is not enough that we take courses taught by Christian professors; we must have courses that teach Christian theology itself by those professionally trained in the discipline of theology. At this point, one may ask about the Biblical Studies or Christianity and Culture departments. As a major in both, I can tell you that although they
are excellent programs, neither are adequate replacements for a theology program. Our Biblical Studies department conducts some of the greatest historical critical work on scripture in North America; however, it is primarily a historical study of the Biblical text. In this respect, Christianity and Culture is not much different. From an interdisciplinary perspective, Christianity and Culture seeks to study the historical relationship between Christianity and Western culture. While both of these programs do include theological questions and a few theological classes, neither constitutes a robust program of Theology. I will provide one example that highlights the lack of theology here: the doctrine of the Trinity. The first four centuries of Christianity saw the Church work out this doctrine and confess it in the Nicene Creed that we have today. At “Trinity” Western University, we currently have no course that seeks to study this foundational doctrine of the Christian faith. If the Canadian Christian University will not study the profound doctrine of the Trinity, who will? In this secular age we cannot expect that everyone has grown up with an understanding of Christian theology. We must continue to study these foundational doctrines of the Christian faith here at TWU. While I write this article to expose this major need for a Theology program, I also want to inform the student body of what is currently being done to bring Theology to TWU. Last spring, I became a member of the TWUSA-led group known as the “Strategic Theology Task Force.” Equipped with this badass name, our mandate was to compel the TWU administration to create a defined theological studies program that responds to the needs that I have highlighted in this article. We produced a document, entitled “Resolution concerning Strategic Theology Task Force – April 1st 2014,” that outlined our desire and demand for a theology program on campus. This
What do you fear? “‘Can we talk’ texts.” -Lauren Dresselhuis
document was passed by the entire TWUSA council and is still available to read on the TWUSA website. We then organized a meeting with a group that included the Provost, the Dean of Humanities, the Chair of the Religious Studies department, and the Chair of the Core Review Task Force. We presented the document to this group and hope to have communicated and to continue to communicate the following three things. First, we hope to see a continued presence of RELS courses in the TWU core curriculum. Even further, we would be thrilled to see RELS 160: Intro to Theology become a core requirement. Second, we want to see the eventual development of both a major and a minor in theology. This would allow students of all disciplines to complete a theology minor to enhance the study of their main discipline. Third, we want the TWU administration to embrace theology as a core component of TWU’s identity, a reality that is becoming increasingly important in today’s hostile secular climate. It is our hope that this is a resolution that the student body can continue to support and we hope that administration continues to take our requests seriously. It is a scandal that we, the largest Canadian Christian university, do not have a theology program. Theology has been central to the Christian university since Christians created the university itself. Our mission statement outlines the desire to create “thoroughly Christian minds.” In light of this, it is time that we establish a theology program at TWU. To read the “Resolution concerning Strategic Theology Task Force – April 1st, 2014” visit: www. twusa.ca/services/documents
OCTOBER 22, 2014
What do you fear? “Relativity.” -Brittany Klassen
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OCTOBER 22, 2014
CREATIVE
inspired by
[spaces]
A cruel angel’s thesis
Norman’s Journal Entry Dated: September 26 This morning I met up with Chris for breakfast. Chris is only a freshman, but we attended the same high school together, separated by a few years. His father is a professor at Trinity and therefore Chris doesn’t pay tuition (damn Torch!), for which reason I resent him. Chris is smart, liberal in his views, a theistic evolutionist—your typical, sophisticated modern Christian, at any rate. Chris thinks I am brilliant. He knows from back in high school that I am an atheist, but in his presence I am always very sympathetic towards the faith. I have his word that he will never divulge my lack of faith to anyone, and I think he will keep my secret, for he knows the prejudice that a known-atheist might suffer here. He has never evangelized to me, which is a relief but also a disappointment, for it is the fantasy of all atheists to have a Christian trying to convert him or her. Actually, my atheism probably draws him to me. It is the secret fantasy of all Christians to have a best friend who is an atheist—or who is gay. Christians think that such relationships expand their worldviews. Most importantly, Chris is in Olivia’s student orientation group. One week ago I asked him, without betraying my motives, to find out everything he could about her.
“She lives in the nunnery,” he said between mouthfuls of Sodexo. “Psychology major, third year. She’s Anglican. She’s really involved in the pro-life movement. She also does missions,” he added as an afterthought. “Alright. What else?” “She always attends chapel, but I’m not sure if she likes it or if she’s just trying to set an example.” Like me, Chris does not enjoy chapel. “She wants to be a Christian counsellor. And,” he said, pausing as if he was about to divulge a detail that I was holding my breath over, “She is single. She’s not looking for a relationship right now, because she’s trying to improve her grades for grad school. But she did say that if the right person comes along, she’d reconsider.” I almost sniggered. How typical, I thought. In other words, she is fed up with dating Trinity guys but is still lying in agonizing wait for God’s match for Olivia to come along. “Thanks, Chris,” I said, even though I had already discovered those things myself just by asking around. “But what is she like as a person?” “Uhh . . . Chris scowled. “Well, she’s . . . nice. She’s pretty. And she’s not a dumb person.” “I know she’s nice,” I said, losing patience. “All Trinity girls are pretty and nice. But what are her interests, besides the obvious?” I demanded. “What are her spiritual goals?”
“You’re really curious about her, aren’t you?” Purposefully I fell silent and gazed out the window. Chris grinned. “When she speaks to our group, she talks a lot about making time for God in our busy schedules. I think,” Chris began with a note of hesitance, “that God plays a very active role in her life. She talks about how she really feels that God wants her to be at Trinity, and that God means for her to go into counselling.” I nodded slowly. It really looks like I will need to become God’s Match for Olivia. I started thinking about those Christian Mingle commercials. “Thanks, Chris,” I said, turning my attention to the food-tray in front of me. “Umm . . . So, are you going to ask her out?” he asked with a note of hesitance in his voice. “I don’t know,” I said. “Well, it’s just that . . . Well, I asked her about Trinity dating culture, and what Trinity girls generally look for in guys. So I could tell you,” Chris emphasized. I peered at him. I had not expected such initiative from Chris. “What’d she say?” Chris swallowed. “She said they need to have Christ in their heart. That it’s non-negotiable.” I stopped eating. Nonnegotiable. For some reason, that word sent cringes up along my hands. “You know that most Christian
girls won’t go out with a nonChristian guy, right?” he asked with a hint of regret. “Is that so?” I hissed. “It’s like . . .” Chris paused, fully aware that he was explaining a concept that is self-evident to Christians but requires delicate handling to convey to an uninitiated heathen such as myself. “Christ is in Olivia’s heart, right? So if I guy does not believe in Christ, then how can he truly get to know and eventually love her for who she is?” “There are ways,” I said in a hollow voice. This was not a conversation I wanted to have with Chris, of all people. “You know SecondCorinthians Six-Fourteen in the Bible?” Reluctantly I obliged him: “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” For a moment, Chris gazed at me with almost tender adoration. Indeed, an atheist who can recite scripture. “Well, you know, a lot of Christians believe that forbids them from marrying, or even dating non-Christians.” I said nothing. Suddenly Chris looked a bit nervous. “Like, personally, I don’t really know if it could actually work between a Christian and a nonChristian. I suppose that it could, if they were really tolerant and
communicated to one another and tried hard to work it out. But that’s not ideal, is it? Wouldn’t it be hard living with an unsaved spouse?” he asked, scrutinizing my face for even a sliver of agreement. “Imagine—how would you raise kids? Most church-leaders say that Christians shouldn’t date non-Christians. It says so in scripture. What else could that verse mean?” I didn’t answer him. He continued: “Like, if she refuses to go out with you because of it, it’s not like its personal or anything, right? It’s just theology. Besides, she’s not really dating right now, anyway.” “Of course it’s personal,” I mumbled. A pained expression spoiled his face. “You’re not going to lie and tell her you’re a Christian, are you?” I looked at him straight in the eyes and glared. “I believe that love can conquer all things,” I said in a strained but empty tone. Chris could find no reply to this. We finished our breakfasts in silence. I could tell that he felt guilty, even though he had committed no wrong. But such is the way with Christians. They are beasts of burden for guilt, over all the crimes committed in the name of their faith—especially the crimes for which they bear no responsibility at all.
Visit www.marshillonline.com/sections/creative/ to read the previous chapters of A Cruel Angel’s Thesis to get caught up in this tale of faith, romance, and heresy!
What do you fear? “Falling asleep at the wheel on the Sea-to-Sky highway.” -Nicodemus Jancewicz
ARTS & CULTURE |
judith MILAY
An interview with Jennifer Dyble, a 4th Year Psychology student with a Human Services Certificate. Judith Milay: Do you have a fashion motto? Jennifer Dyble: There are no fashion rules. Rock what you wear and be confident; your clothing doesn’t define you. JM: What kinds of things are you drawn to when picking out clothing? JD: Statement pieces are what I usually go for. I’m generally drawn to clothing that’s different and fun. When I’m not lazy and in sweats, I like to play around with different looks and wear a bit of everything. I’m influenced by my close friends and family who are all over the map with their different styles, from my heavy metal hippie best friend to my floral and lace loving sister. JM: What’s one of your favourite pieces of clothing?
casie GANO
Long before the ecological collapse there was the psycho collapse – the dissociation of sanity and life. The head did not consult the chest about the belly. Our emotions and minds were scraped
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MACKENZIE CAMERON
mackenzie.cameron@mytwu.ca
JD: I love leggings, especially my Black Milk ones. People are often curious about them and they are great conversation starters. Leggings are super comfortable, but they can also be stylish or dressed up. I also like the convenience of being able to go straight from classes to yoga or dance. JM: What kind of role do you think clothing can play in identity? JD: Clothing can establish or declare your identification with a group or ideology, and make statements about who you are – your religious and personal beliefs. Clothing can impact the way we think, cause controversies, and create challenges. However, although clothing can compliment your identity, it doesn’t define who you are. JM: What does your clothing say about you and your identity? JD: I love to try everything and I think that often comes through in my style. I like being different and standing out from the crowd, so my clothing choices tend to be unique and a bit edgy. What I wear may contribute to my sense of confidence, although I don’t believe confidence is determined by clothing. Confidence comes from the person I am in Christ.
My fear goes like this:
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OCTOBER 22, 2014
clean; cultivation took too long. Metal on metal was followed by a deafening moral silence. We all became walking corpses and when the Dark Age finally began, the spiritual quiet was louder than the atomic bomb. Looking in the mirror all we had was contempt for being born into a schizophrenic wasteland. Survivors reminded themselves: first came the shock, then separation, then the terror of complete disconnection. And finally
a world where no thought was safe from depressive solipsism. So what if the oceans are acidifying, the reefs bleaching, the species disappearing, the mountaintops shearing, the bombs dropping, the epidemic spreading? Just give me WiFi. I’ve got too much to think about already. It happened to all of us. Addictions consumed everyone. Asylums couldn’t heal us. 3D printers couldn’t patch us up. The basics of what it means to
be human were lost. All of us so desperately wanted to break free that we could no longer see what we wanted to break free from. It was so big that we could not see around it. Finally someone said it out loud: “freedom from ourselves.” But this only made us hate what we saw in the mirror even more. Round-the-clock capitalism and the blurred line between technology and truth finally fried our minds. Then the Earth’s life systems simultane-
ously went offline for good. It is finally clear that our inventiveness cannot answer that yearning question, “What is reality?” Instead, our beautiful creations encourage us to sit back, put in our ear buds and enjoy the scenery; the question no longer matters. Now we’re here. We’d pick up the pieces if we could just remember how to look, how to think, how to know one another, how to be in a natural world any-
that the best way to get over your fears is to face them. A month celebrated for its spookiness seems like the best time to look those fears dead in the eye. From the perspective of a freshman, with four years to go and then fifteen to pay it all back, there’s a lot to look at. Here’s the top 10:
think it will look better in comparison to the rest of the assignments?”
exam; what language are these questions written in?”
7) “I forgot that I had signed up for yesterday’s crew call. I hope it’s okay that I skipped.”
10 fears of a SAMC student
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shauna SUPEENE
October is a scary month with midterms, cold weather, and the sinking reality that you’re entering into a lot of debt. They say
1) “Maybe I’m just a bad artist. If I cry on this drawing, do you
2) “This script? I probably memorized it. I’m sure it’s ready to be performed for real people.” 3) “What do you mean, starving artist? I eat regularly!” 4) “I thought this was an English
5) “I really hope I’m being extroverted enough for these people to like me. I mean, we’re all the same major, so it’s unlikely I’ll ever talk to anyone else on campus for the next four years.” 6) “Maybe I’m just not funny.”
What do you fear? “The thought of a papercut on your eye.” -Dalen Ewald
8) HKIN 190 9) “Are you sure this decimal is in the right place on my tuition bill?” 10) “I don’t drink tea.”
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OCTOBER 22, 2014
Quiet is violent
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trevor MCMAHAN
The band Twenty One Pilots hit the stage at the Rio Theatre
on Thanksgiving cloaked in all black. Though the two-man band pulsated with energy, the fact that their faces were shrouded made them appear frightening. After their opening song, a HauntedMansion-esque narrator with a British accent came over the speakers and began to set the scene for the concert. “Under
clothes, under skin; underneath, we’re all the same,” the disembodied voice explained, “For when you remove the tricky-tricks, only skeleton-bones remain.” Then two gunshots were heard, and the two band members fell down, only to reappear moments later clad in skeleton hoodies zipped up past their faces. The band, hailing from Columbus, Ohio, recognizes that sometimes the scariest part of our world is ourselves. A majority of their songs deal with depression and mental illness from a first person perspective. The lyrics speak deeply to a dark and terrifying place that lurks in the human heart. It’s there we wonder if we’re good enough, if we can really be forgiven, if anybody really loves us, if this life is truly worth living. In the band’s hit song, “Car Radio,” frontman Tyler Joseph explains, “I find over the course of our human existence / one thing consists of consistence / and it’s that we’re all battling fear / oh dear, I don’t know if we know why we’re here.” In an age where suicide is the second most common cause of death in people age 10 to 24, the youth generation desperately needs a message of hope. And that’s what I think is so beautiful about this band – that’s exactly what they offer. They strive to reveal to the listener that no matter how messed up they feel, they are not alone. They acknowledge to the listener that yes, everything sucks, and no, you’re not
wrong for feeling that way. It’s as if they’re saying, “Hey, I know you’ve got a lot of broken pieces. Let’s see if we can make something from them.” Both band members are Christian, and when you listen to their lyrics, it’s profoundly evident that these songs are raw, honest cries to God. Because the band is signed on a secular label, their message of hope can permeate their audience without being obstructed by negative perceptions of Christianity. And though it might not look like
it to most, I think the frantic singing of Tyler Joseph and the passionate percussion of Josh Dun is a profound act of worship. Though we can trick ourselves into believing otherwise, we’re all just skeleton bones inside. Yes, it’s frightening, but it’s one thing that connects us all. After the encore, the band took a bow and said into the mic, “We are Twenty One Pilots, and so are you. Good night.”
Haunted by Beauty by Erik deLange Sometimes beauty haunts better than horror. Let this playlist shine light into the darkened corners of yourself. “The Sound of Silence” – Simon & Garfunkel “Weightless” – Washed Out “Friends Hurt” – We Are The City “Hot Dreams” – Timber Timbre “Justice Delivers Its Death” – Sufjan Stevens “Ezra’s Interlude” – Chromeo “The Suburbs” – Mr. Little Jeans “Buzzcut Season” – Lorde “Scared or Selfish” – Kye Kye “Dear God” – Monsters of Folk
The presence of fear The push, pull, and pursuit of courage
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rachel SELINGER
I was the kind of kid who drew a box and stayed in it. It’s been said that I had more adventure in me early on, but I must have lost it along the way. I’m not really sure exactly what I was so afraid of, but the list was long enough to keep me drawing within the lines. Young me was
shy, over-calculated, and fearful – attributes that I hope perhaps would fail to describe me now. I used to think that fear was something I needed to get rid of, an emotion I needed to stop feeling. After all, isn’t that what the Bible tells us over and over again? “Do not be afraid.” So I set out to fix it by pushing myself. I participated in theatre, despite my stage fright and public speaking anxiety. I signed up for events where I didn’t know anyone. I practiced stumbling over awkward phone calls with strangers. I pushed and stretched and pulled on my fears
to try to work them out of me. Yet despite all of my throwmyself-into-scary-situations attempts, jumping out of planes, and success stories (I survived!), I haven’t found the cure. Sure, my fears have grown, shrunk, and cropped up as life has changed and shifted, but fear still lingers. I can’t stuff them all in an envelope and mail them off to Timbuktu, and I can’t coax them out of me by force or reason, particularity the ones that grow deep roots. But I’m not really sure that would really be all that helpful anyways, even if my superhero power ability was fearlessness. Because I think being unafraid has more to do with our actions than our emotion. Courage is measured by action in the presence of fear, not in the absence of it. And I think sometimes when we try and fix our fear by eliminating it, we’re missing what God is saying: trust me. I’m no Biblical scholar, but when Gabriel was talking to Mary about becoming pregnant with Jesus– I really don’t think God’s message was “Hey Mary, I know you’re feeling a lot of emotion right now, but that fear one, you should just stop feeling it and you’ll be just fine.” I think he was acknowledging her fear, but ask-
ing her to trust him in spite of it. He was reminding her that her actions didn’t have to flow out of a place of fear, but one of trust. I can only imagine that the peace that passes all understanding followed. And I also imagine it wasn’t a one time decision. I bet fear cropped up a few times for Mary too. While a lot of my push and pull on my fears has paid off, and in many ways I’ve shed my social butterfly cocoon, I wonder sometimes if there were times that I was pouring my energy into the wrong thing: worrying and fixing instead of trusting and pursing God. My fears look different now, or perhaps there are some that have always been there, yet they’ve only just come into light. But I am certain my mindset is different. I no longer try to shut down fear – I listen to it. Because my fear can tell me a lot about the state of my heart and desires. My fear of being known and loved tells me of my need for community; my fear of not being known and loved tells me of my insecurities. My fear of not living my life to my full success story potential tells me of my pride; my fear of succeeding at the things that don’t matter tells me that God is renewing my heart and mind.
What do you fear? “Dark forests.” -Ryan Wan
And all of these fears tell me what God has been saying all along, that in spite of what I feel, to act with courage and trust him.
Rachel is a creative with a mad case of wanderlust. A graduate of TWU’s Art + Design program, and a lover of architecture, her creativity comes out in expected and unexpected ways – often in spurts. She is inspired by good books, wise people, and the awe and wonder of the ocean. Whether it is writing, design, architecture, or community, she plans to always keep creating and to never stop asking good questions.
Find her at: rachelselinger.wix. com/writing
OCTOBER 22, 2014
15
GERGORY REESE
a conversation on Art and Faith with Holly Nelson
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mackenzie CAMERON
Mars’ Hill: What is your involvement with the arts? Holly Nelson: I’m a literary critic so my profession requires me to read, appreciate, revel in, react to, and be disturbed by works of literature, and then to translate and interpret them for a wider audience of both scholars and lovers of literature. We’re like biblical interpreters in some ways, in that we are trained to interpret a valued text through different interpretive lenses, and English professors inherited some exegetical methods from biblical scholars. We delve into the language of literature to draw out its deeper meanings and to discover profounder truths. MH: Why do you do what you do? As a professor and a literary critic? HN: I do it for two reasons. On the one hand, I love literature in its own right. For me, literature allows us to enter another world. There’s new scientific research showing that our brains actually experience what is described in, say, novels. For example, if the smells and the sounds are described figuratively in a work of fiction, it’s as if we were really experiencing them in real life. So when we read a work of literature, in some respects we are actually entering another world created by the likes of William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, or George Eliot. So I chose to work in this artistic area in part to participate in these other worlds and to experience them with others who love literature. While this account of choosing my field is more affective—transcending mundane reality to en-
ter into alternative universes—I also choose to work as an English professor for cognitive reasons. It is the intellectually-challenging interpretive aspect of finding and discovering higher truths that also motivates me. In my field, we often look for truth(s), goodness, and beauty expressed in and through the literary medium, and that involves understanding the complexity of how humans communicate, especially in artistic media. MH: How has working in a creative capacity impacted your faith? HN: A lot of the literature that I study, read, and enjoy is spiritual in nature. I have studied literature from the Anglo-Saxon period up until the early nineteenth century. Much of the literature that I read and teach is by Christian authors, and these authors are often trying to put their spiritual reality into words and are grappling with their faith. They’re not just blindly accepting their faith; they’re interrogating and negotiating with it. This gives me that sense that I’m not alone: I’m part of this larger body of believers who embrace but also examine the faith. I also read and teach the medieval mystics; these are Catholic writers whose spiritual experiences have been called a form o f “a f fective
devotion,” a deeply emotional connection with God. They would imagine themselves in scenes from Scripture and, for example, weep with Mary as she watched her son Christ crucified on the cross. I particularly love one mystic, Julian of Norwich, who describes her visions in her Showings and they are extraordinary. She asks God a lot of questions about her visions, and his answers are almost always “love.” What is his meaning in showing her visions, she asks; his answer is love. What is his purpose in creating the world; his answer is love. And so on. Near the end of her writings, Julian tells us that God told her that “all things shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.” Many of these mystics describe entering God’s presence and experiencing the divine first hand; they say they can’t properly explain their encounter in language. They are writ-
ing about it, but it’s beyond language—it’s numinous! Reading about these mystical encounters has touched me very deeply. Writings by mystics and others with a deep connection to a higher truth have strengthened and deepened my faith, which doesn’t need to be linked to a specific religious institution, since our encounters with the sacred can happen anywhere. MH: What has art taught you about God? HN: I think what art has taught me about God is that we have a psycho-spiritual drive within us that wants to speak the divine into being. Verbal art becomes an excellent means to accomplish this end because it allows us to describe the sacred through figurative language, which does, I believe, bring us closer to the numinous than can plain, literal language. MH: When do you feel closest to God? HN: I feel closest to God when I am suffering. I tend to find that when life is comfortable and relaxed, it’s far easier for me to forget my faith. For example, my mother is dying; she’s been suffering from Alzheimer’s for 12 years and she has lived with my family for all of that time. She is now in the final stage of Alzheimer’s and she still lives with us full time. We hope she will continue to do so until the end. She
What do you fear? “Sodexo Chicken.” -Zach Friesen
hasn’t recognized me for many years, she can’t communicate much, and there’s a lot of physical labour involved in caring for her. Some parts of my experience have been agonizing. My very surreal conversations with her and the anger and frustration she has felt because of the disease’s progression have been emotionally and spiritually wrenching for me. It is the kind of excruciating agony that leaves your mind and soul raw and bare. But it’s during these times that I have felt the greatest connection to God and have grown the most emotionally and spiritually. MH: What kind of a role do you think arts can play, or are currently playing, in our culture? HN: I think the arts play two major roles. One is to expose people to truth(s), beauty, and goodness. All the arts reveal aspects of the self, society, and the sacred that need to be communicated to others. There are many people living in the (post)modern world who have given up on the notions of transcendent truth(s), beauty and goodness, either in whole or in part. The arts can offer great hope in this regard. Then I think the arts have a second goal that might seem to run counter to the previous one, which is to grapple with the horrors of reality. They reveal the pain and suffering associated with, for example, sexual assault, child abuse, domestic violence, ‘honour’ killings, sex trafficking, racism, suicide, homicide, ethnic ‘cleansing,’ and war. We’re forced to see humanity at its basest and I believe artists have to bring this reality to light, especially in terms of telling the stories of the victimized, silenced, and marginalized. This seems to oppose the other purpose of art that I first mentioned, but both serve the same end: to move us toward a greater nobility of character and spirit, while not hiding us from
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OCTOBER 22, 2014
SPORTS
CONNOR EWERT
connor.ewert1@mytwu.ca
Surprise! It’s not a rollercoaster Where the gym fees go, and what to do in the meantime
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colleen LITTLE
For those of you who haven’t noticed, the gym has been closed for the past month and a half. Oh wait, you did notice? Well, let me break down how and what is going on. For those of you who didn’t know, there is a Recreation Fee as a part of the student’s annual Handing-Money-Over-ToTrinity. Before you get flustered thinking that you’re just supplying the Rec Services Team with jobs, I am going to break down the numbers for you... Since the fee was put in place in 2009, funds have gone to several things, including: the bouldering wall in the gym, refurbishing the tennis courts, equipment for the Fitness Centre, equipment for Intramural Teams (Titans Soccer, Basketball, Volleyball, and Hockey), Laurentian Leadership Centre bikes for commuting, and ongoing maintenance to the sand volleyball courts and Rec Fields. How much could those things cost, though? Well, we’ve been holding on to a lot of it. Saving it for a big project, in fact. In response to a TWUSA student survey in 2009 and a Rec Service survey in 2012, most of the fee was being saved for the massive construction party happening right outside our gym: expanding TWU’s Fitness Centre. As anyone could tell, we aren’t just patching up a few holes and
buying new weights. This is a big overhaul. An 8,103 sq. ft. overhaul to be exact. Upgrades will include a new entrance and lobby to the gym, an expansion to the fitness centre that will be open even when fitness classes are in session, a second floor for group fit and multi-purpose space, and required upgrading for fire suppression due to the gym’s multipurpose use for classes, sports, outside groups, chapel, and special events. While construction may be inconvenient, the wait will be worth it. The Fitness Centre will be bigger, better, and more accommodating to our entire student body. Meanwhile, we wanted to help you out by giving you some options to get your sweat on: Go Outside! Whether you want to go toward Fort Langley, Willowbrook or Walnut Grove, there are trails in every direction, including Derby Reach Regional Park (West of Fort Langley along the Fraser river with access to the Fort to Fort Trail and Houston Trail). For more options, go to The Township of Langley online (www.tol.ca/Parks-Recreation/ Parks-and-Amenities) to find the neighbourhood you want and the amenities you need. Want to stay on campus? While the weight room set-up may not be here, there are simple ways to work out without equipment! Calisthenics can be done inside and outside, whenever and wherever. Rec Services also has a lot of clubs to help keep you active, like
GYM BUDGET BREAKDOWN
Group Fitness, Running Club, Badminton, Cycling, Golf, and Outdoors Club! Need those dumbbells? We knew that the Fitness Centre would be missed, so we found you an offer that is too good to miss out on. All TWU students are eligible (with student card) for the TOL CorpFit rate for using the township recreation facilities. The pass must be purchased as a 3-month pass ($81.53 plus tax) or a year pass ($318.51). Dropin rates are $3.55 per visit. After 23 visits over 3 months (8 visits a month), you start saving money with a 3-month pass! Want to sign up? Go to the Willoughby Community Centre (on the south side of the Langley Events Centre opposite the fields) and show your student or staff card. The pass includes access to 5 different weight rooms, dropin fitness at 5 different facilities, and access to two different pools: o Aldergrove Kinsmen Community Centre – Weight Room o WC Blair Rec Centre – WR and pool o Walnut Grove Community Centre – WR and pool o Willoughby Community Centre (Langley Events Centre) WR o Willowbrook Rec Centre – WR
FEES SAVED VS. SPENT
17%
1% 7%
21% 7%
33%
15%
Rec Equipment repairs and Maintenance
Rec Field Improvements
Fitness Centre Equipment
Bouldering Wall
Tennis Courts Upgrades
RecServices Intramurals Equipment
LLC Commuter/Rec Bicycles 81% 19% Saved for Fitness Center expansion
Spent towards other initiatives
STUDS
DUDS
Mississippi State bulldogs football team is ranked #1 in the NCAA for the first time in school history. In the last 3 weeks, they have beaten 3 top 10 teams including #8 LSU, #6 Texas A&M, and recently #2 Auburn.
The Los Angeles Angels were swept by the Royals in the ALDS last week. After finishing the season in top spot in the league, the Angels batted .170 for the series and had a combined ERA of 4.20.
The New York Islanders are off to a red-hot start, starting the season 4-0, while outscoring their opponents 19-12 in the first four games.
The Edmonton Oilers have entered another disastrous season, starting with 4 straight losses and allowing 22 goals in those 4 games.
The Kansas City Royals are once again a stud for their impressive and surprising performance in the postseason so far. They will be taking on the San Francisco Giants in the World Series this week.
The New York Jets lost again to the New England Patriots last Thursday when, on the last play of the game, the Patriots blocked the Jets’ last-second field goal attempt. This is their 6th straight loss.
What do you fear? “The pumpkins on top of Fraser.” -Gurleen Gill
OCTOBER 22, 2014
Where are they now? Alumni interview with Rudy Verhoeff
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connor EWERT
Mars’ Hill: What is your fondest memory of being a Spartan? Rudy Verhoeff: Winning Nationals at home in my 4th year was an amazing experience that I will never forget. Winning with all of my closest friends in front of everyone who supported us throughout the years leading up to that, it was really an amazing experience that I will always have with me. MH: What are one or two highlights you remember from being on a road trip with your team? RV: Sand dune crashing in Qatar and playing around Russia in some of the strangest gyms I have ever seen were some great memories. But just hanging around the hotel, having a good time with the guys was always fun.
MH: If you could have played another sport as a Spartan, what would it be? RV: I think it would have been soccer. I am terrible at that sport but I had some awesome friends on that team, plus being outside is awesome. MH: Do you keep in contact with any of your teammates, and if so, which one(s)? Are there any other people you still keep in contact with at TWU? RV: Of course I keep in contact with my teammates from Trinity; they are my closest friends. It’s more difficult as people start their careers and move away (like I did), but we are all still really close and I talk to most of them every week or so. I also talk with Ben often as well. When I am around TWU, I love to go see some of my old professors like Jon Dawn, Kent Clark, and Cal Townsend. MH: Where do you live now and what are you up to these days? RV: I am playing volleyball still – couldn’t give this sport up yet! I am playing for Team Canada
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connor EWERT
Name: Chelsea Tancon Birthday: January 18, 1994 Place of Birth/Where are you from? North Vancouver, BC Year of Schooling: Third Year Major/Program: BHK/Kinesiology Sport/Club/Team: Spartan Volleyball Position/Role: Leftside/Power
MH: Why Did You Choose to Come to TWU and Become a Spartan? Chelsea Tancon: Actually, it was a bit of a miscommunication. I was more of an athlete than a volleyball player; I had been approached about rowing, rugby and basketball. Almost everything I know about volleyball are things I have learned from Ryan Hofer, his staff, and my team. I was waiting on UBC, who were waiting on the decision of an outside from Ontario, who said yes. One of my TeamBC coaches mentioned Trinity and I had never heard of it, so I talked to Ryan. From my perspective, the conversation was a warning to a non-Christian thinking about Trinity, and I asked to come to a practice to
in the summers and for a professional team in France right now. My club is GFCA Volley and we are based out of Ajaccio, which is on the island of Corsica. It’s a great job. I love that I have the chance to continue to play, but it isn’t as glamorous as it sounds. Leaving family and friends to play in a high-pressure situation is much different than playing for TWU. I love playing and traveling around the world, though. To do so is pretty awesome. MH: Is there any aspect of TWU that you miss most? RV: I miss the community. Its tough to say, but I miss school too. Being in school is one of the best times in life, surrounded by your friends, learning from great profs, and playing a sport that you love – that is what I think of as an ideal life! I miss Trinity very much. MH: What advice would you give freshmen coming into their first year of university and their first year of collegiate athletics as a Spartan? RV: As a first year, I would suggest that you really spend time to
get to know people. Get to know people who aren’t like you and ask really good questions. There aren’t too many communities like Trinity where you can meet so many different people who are all growing and asking tough questions. As a Spartan, my suggestion would be the same: spend time with your team but don’t spend ALL your time with your team. Meet new people, have fun, and get involved with the community. MH: What skills did you learn when you were a Spartan that you utilize today in your daily life away from university athletics? RV: Well, almost every day I mostly use the volleyball skills I learned while at Trinity. But I would also say time management and prioritization are big ones. When I need to get things done, I don’t get distracted by foolish things like I did before, and I try to prioritize my time on things that are important compared to things that are not as important.
check out the team and challenge this notion that I was not a good fit as a non-believer. In actuality, he was saying that he was finished his recruiting class and not interested in a very nice way. He was impressed with my “persistence,” which was in fact “ignorance.” I came to a practice and checked out the campus, and luckily they decided to actually recruit me because I was already in love with this place and these people! MH: What are some accomplishments you had in high school or prior to becoming a Spartan? CT: I was awarded Senior Athlete of the year for my high school in grades 11 and 12, the Volleyball Gold medal in Western Canada Games (2011), and Silver at Canada Games (2013) representing Team BC. MH: If you could play any other sport other than your Spartan sport, what would it be? Why? CT: I would have loved to play Rugby. There’s just nothing like breaking a tackle and running
with the ball, knowing that you’re going to score. My dad wanted me to play basketball for a while and still jokes about it. MH: What excites or excited you about being a Spartan? CT: I’m very excited this year to have my “little” brother at Trinity as a Spartan. Nick is one of the rookies on MBB. We are very close and I am so happy to have him here. MH Who is one person in your life that has been a mentor to you? CT: Ashley Shannik. Four years ago, I played on a provincial team for the first time. In that summer, I fell in love with volleyball. Most coaches wouldn’t have taken me on the team because I was terrible at volleyball, but Ashley saw something in me that others did not. Three years later, I was playing in the finals of Canada Games and as a TWU Spartan. She had faith in me when most people did not and my life would be very different without that faith. MH: Where do you see yourself
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Name: Rudy Verhoeff Birthday: June 24, 1989 Major/Program: Religious Studies Sport: Spartan Men’s Volleyball Year of Graduation: 2012
when you are done your time here at TWU? CT: When I came to Trinity, I was skeptical. I had so many questions. That being said, I am no longer confused about the existence of God. I expect I will graduate with a few more answers and a lot more questions, and I think that’s the way it should be. As much as I’ve learned about volleyball from my coaches and teammates, I’ve learned so much more about God, life, and myself. I’ve learned about grace through receiving it, I’ve been invested in on a personal level, and I’ve developed lifelong relationships. I’d love to go play professionally for a few years in Europe after my undergrad, but wherever I go and whatever I do I know that the lessons I’m learning and the relationships I’m building at TWU will go with me and shape the course of my life.
10 Number of goals scored this season 117.6 Passer rating for Philip Rivers this by Spartans Women’s Soccer midfielder season. The number that puts him in first place Jessica King. This ties her for the top spot in Canada West and 4th in CIS. Six of the ten goals are also game winners, tying her for
in the NFL, ahead of Aaron Rodgers and Peyton Manning.
95 Number of home runs hit by the Kansas 8 Number of wins in a row by the Kansas City Royals this season, ranking them last in the City Royals to start the postseason. The first team in the history of the MLB to accomplish such a feat.
MLB. They have hit 8 in the playoffs, ranking them 2nd among the teams making the postseason.
What do you fear? “Graeme Geddes! OHHHHHHHH” -Bryan Sandberg
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OCTOBER 22, 2014
NHL Preview
A look into the various changes for the NHL this season
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connor EWERT
Prior to the start of the 20142015 NHL season, the League’s Board of Governors and NHLPA announced a series of changes for the season ahead: Goalkeeper’s Restricted Area The Martin Brodeur Rule, the rule that has limited goaltenders from playing the puck, will be relaxed a little bit this season. The trapezoid area behind the net where goaltenders can play the puck will be expanded by two feet
on both sides of the net. Goaltenders who are excellent at playing the puck will now have more of an opportunity to act as a third defenseman for their teams and help with limiting fore-checks and starting breakouts. In the first game of the season last week, Tampa Bay Lightning’s Ben Bishop exemplified this by getting the first assist on Victor Hedman’s winning goal in overtime against the Florida Panthers. Penalty Shot The “spin-o-rama” move will no longer be permitted in either penalty situations or the shootout. Goaltenders throughout the NHL rejoiced to receive this news, as they are no longer subjected to players using the
“spin-o-rama” move. This will ultimately put to rest the amount of times fans complain and argue if the puck was moving or not when this move was done. The playing field is leveled a bit, since only the players with the best skill were able to pull it off successfully. Diving and Embellishment The supplementary discipline penalties for diving and embellishment will be revised to bring attention to the players who repeatedly dive and embellish to draw a penalty. The first incident will be a warning. After that, the fines will start at $3,000 and increase by $1,000 for every incident after that. The coaches will also be fined after the fourth incident. This will prevent noth-
ing. The players are making six or seven figures in their salary, and a small $2,000-$5,000 fine will not strike fear into anyone. Once the league gains the power to give out heavier fines for diving, nothing in this department will change. Face-offs With the inability to change lines after an icing, teams have begun to place a winger in the face-off circle and get thrown out on purpose, in order to give their players an extra few minutes to catch their breath and focus. To get rid of this, the NHL has made a rule saying whoever lines up for the face-off following an icing must stay in the circle. If there is a delay tactic by the player in the circle, there will be a warn-
ing given. If there is another in the game, the team will be given a minor penalty. Overtime Teams will now switch ends prior to the start of overtime. This will give the teams a “long change” since their bench will be on the attacking side of the ice. In a penalty kill situation, the penalty killing team will have a tougher time to change and the change will provide more game winning opportunities for the attacking team. There will also be a dry scrape of the entire surface of the ice, rather than just before the shootout. Also, in the shootout, coaches will no longer be required to submit a list of the first three shooters.
Getting you ready for the 2014-15 season
NHL SEASON PREDICTIONS
It’s here! It’s finally here! It’s time to stop thinking and talking about practice, training camp, and lineups and start watching some meaningful and exciting games. Going into this year, there are many storylines that will be followed intently, from coaches to the draft class in 2015 and everything in between. The war of analytics has taken the hockey world by storm this off-season and it has led teams like the Leafs, Sabres and many others to hire bloggers to manage their analytics department. These analytic stats, like the Corsi Code and Fenwick, give the team stats on their possession and amount of shots taken in relation to what hits the net and what is blocked or missed. Keep an eye on this new trend to take off more and more throughout the season.
WEST
Randy Carlyle, the coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, is back this season after a dismal end to his season last year and the firing of all his assistant coaches. A slow start to his season behind the bench could lead to him being the first dismissed coach of the 201415 campaign. The Vancouver Canucks are coming off a summer makeover with change coming from all directions of the organization. New coach Willie Desjardins will bring a new mentality into the dressing room for the aging core of players like the Sedins, Alex Burrows and Kevin Bieksa. New GM Jim Benning brings his wealth of experience with youth and prospects to the forefront of the organization, which was evident in his first draft with the Canucks where they took forward Jake Virtanen.
Trevor Linden, now the director of hockey operations with the Canucks, has brought an amazing team mentality to the Canucks, which was missing last year after a disappointing season with GM Mike Gillis and coach John Tortorella. Next year’s draft will be one of the deepest in history, with Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel waiting in the wings to make their mark on the game. Teams like the Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames, and Winnipeg Jets will find themselves in the mix to land the first overall pick in the draft, and to hopefully draft a player who will not only be the face of their franchise for years to come, but possibly the entire game of hockey.
What do you fear? “Public washrooms.” -Jen Logan
Central 1) Chicago * 2) St. Louis * 3) Dallas * 4) Minnesota * 5) Colorado * 6) Nashville 7) Winnepeg Pacific 1) Los Angeles * 2) Anaheim * 3) Vancouver * 4) San Jose 5) Arizona 6) Edmonton 7) Calgary * Playoff Teams
EAST
Atlantic 1) Boston * 2) Tampa Bay * 3) Montreal * 4) Toronto 5) Detroit 6) Florida 7) Ottawa 8) Buffalo Metropolitan 1) Pittsburgh * 2) Columbus * 3) NY Rangers * 4) NY Islanders * 5) Washington * 6) Philadelphia 7) New Jersey 8) Carolina
Stanley Cup Final: Anaheim def. Tampa Bay
OCTOBER 22, 2014
HUMOUR
19
TREVOR MCMAHAN
Your bi-weekly dose of LOLs and guffaws
Lessons from The Illusion
trevor.mcmahan@mytwu.ca
10 ways to reject a guy
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diana SQUIRES
1. I cannot love you, do not love you, and want nothing more than your absence. 2. Die and decay, you garden pest. 3. I’d rather you cut my throat than kiss my forehead. 4. Foul dustball! 5. I have no more feeling for you than the dead have for anything.
Need to rid yourself 6. You’re excessive. And strange. 7. I do pity you. Your pain’s unnecessary and absurd. of an undesirable suitor? These quotes 8. I promise I will poison both your bed and your life with my hatred of you. from SAMC Theatre’s 9. Ludicrous bravado and wasted breath! current show might 10. I’m not in a laughing mood. come in handy.
Bonus Tip: if someone rejects you and you need a good Christian rebuttal, just shake your NIV in the air and shout, “You defy all of heaven’s designs if you refuse to love me!!” It didn’t work for the dude in the play, but it might work for you. For more inspiration, go see The Illusion, playing October 21 – November 1 in Freedom Hall (details at twu.ca/theatre).
Little comedians, big dreams
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chris NASH
Hi everybody! My name is Chris Nash, and I work in the IT department at TWU! I suppose you’re wondering why I’ve gathered you here today. Well, I’m producing a fundraiser comedy show! What’s it all about, you ask? Great question. I stayed up late the other night and interviewed myself to find out the answers: CHRIS: What’s your show called? NASH: Stand Up! For the Little Guy. CHRIS: Are you the little guy? NASH: Funny, but no. ‘Little guy’ is a term that– CHRIS: Because you’re a really little guy.
NASH: … yeah. Sure.. The reason we chose that name– CHRIS: What’re you, like, 5’6”? NASH: 5’5” actually. CHRIS: … NASH: So… ‘little guy’ is a term that we use to describe the group we’ll be raising money for. CHRIS: And who’s that? NASH: We don’t know yet. We want people to tell us about the ministry or mission opportunity they’re passionate about, and then we’ll pick one and split the money with them. CHRIS: That sounds great. Tell me a little about the show itself. Is it strictly stand up comedy? NASH: No, actually. Our headliner will– CHRIS: You’re really only 5’5”? What do you weigh, like, 160? NASH: No. CHRIS: 150? NASH: Higher.
CHRIS: Higher than 160?? Man, you need to eat better.
NASH: Aaanyway… our headlining act will be a stand up comedian, but we’re holding auditions for acts ranging from sketches to songs to scenes – whatever will make people laugh. CHRIS: Who can audition?
NASH: Anyone. CHRIS: Can I audition? NASH: Are you funny? CHRIS: No. NASH: Then why would you bother? CHRIS: I like being the centre of attention. NASH: Super. Any more questions? CHRIS: Yeah. What makes your show different from 11:07? Or Hootenanny? Or Open Mic Night? What’s the big whoop? NASH: We will be bringing in professional comedians and actors from all over Vancouver to come and workshop your performance piece if you get into our show. You’ll learn so much it’ll explode your brain. CHRIS: Sounds hazardous yet thrilling! How do I learn more? NASH: You can find out everything you need to know by typing StandUpLittleGuy.com
into the search bar on your web browser and pressing enter. CHRIS: Well Nash, it’s late; we should be getting to bed. NASH: Uh… you and I? CHRIS: Well, we are the same person. NASH: I might have trouble sleeping tonight.
BOX FULL OF W’S!! WHAT?! Auditions for performers for this fundraiser comedy show WHO?! You, if you so choose to accept the challenge! WHERE?! Northwest Auditorium WHEN?! Saturday, October 25th, 6 – 10 PM WHY?! Because this is your chance
What do you fear? “Pillar’s camera crew lurking everywhere” -Hannah Keith and Bronwyn McVey
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OCTOBER 22, 2014
DE-CLASSIFIEDS
marshillonline.com/de-classifieds
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. It’s my last semester and they graeme gibs....GEDDES. thats I really liked you, I might have A brilliant idea: Himnal updates. Why cant declassified’s be closed the gym. How am I supall. even had a crush on you... but How are we supposed to know inspirational... posed to find a wife now? then you shaved them... and I who is still avaible when we - You miss 100% of the shots graeme bol...GEDDES. what a can’t look at you the same way browse through old copies of you don’t take In my first year, I definitely hottie. ever again. Mars’ Hill? - 1 step in a journey isn’t much thought that a “ring by spring” Graeme Fowl....GEDDES. my but it’s enough to determine a was talking about a phone call. To the person playing the Fort Week is when commuters one and only. direction. Makes a lot more sense now... only see commuters on campus. recorder in Fraser...some things - sometimes life throws you They say that Disneyland is weren’t meant for grade 3 and Ty Hanlon’s hair is worthy of I love taking naps. I wake up lemonade...ahhh i forget the the “happiest place on earth.” grade 3 only. disney prince status. thinking “I don’t need a man!” rest.. Obviously they’ve never been And then I feel super refreshed You can call me Ariel, because in your arms Taylor Johnson. Let’s watch a movie... because I Q : What are one potato say as I check to see if I have afghan Taylor Johnson I want to be a need to do homework. other potato? textures on half of my face. *the sky darkens* part of your world. the only thing i’ve learned A : Premise ridiculous. Who *shadow covers the land* Devyn Plett no shirt hot Taylor Johnson do we have a during midterm season is the have two potato? *every student on campus class together? I could have importance of marrying rich. trembles* ...oh wait this isn’t google! first comes a declassified, then sworn we had chemistry... *the sun is blotted out* https://www.youtube.com/ comes marriage... Has Anyone Really Been Far “The end is nigh!” says one My name isn’t Sully, but Taylor watch?v=UWWLwtMLWCI Even as Decided to Use Even Shout out to the maintenance student Johnson you could be my Boo. Go Want to do Look More Like? “be brave” says another Dear TWU it’s pronounced guys who leave the nicest postSuzanne is the only reason I’m Woah-Chuk, not WOW-Chuk. it notes upon completion of a *the students run for cover* First years - the Frodo is not a alive still. Just remember it rhymes with well-done job. You are AWE*The Trinity Geese have come* place to be studying at 9pm. snowtruck or if you’re more I run the way boys fall in love SOME! At 9pm its a place to turn up To the girl who hit the guy with inclined as Peter Woekel with me.. Slowly, and then not (you know, in a christian, nonher umbrella and then was so When I think of the boys of would say... Blowchuk. Worst at all. alcoholic, “leave room for jesus” kind as to share it with him; how 7-Up ... “There’s no place I’d nickname I’ve ever had... kinda way) thats what I love about freshwould you like to forget the rather be”. Yes I have a six pack...I just men, I keep getting older but To the guy who is 7’2 - nice butt. umbrella and go for a walk in have a cooler protecting it. I wish Jesse LeBlanc was my they stay the same age. the rain? dad. It’s not that i was trying to look “Hey, can I get a ride to Mass?” When your crush texts you cute Based solely on Pillar’s at it... you just walked in front of #catholicgirlpickuplines things like “who is this” and pictures, you’d never know I Last Halloween I didn’t wear a me and, seeing how my face is #audreyherold “how did you get this number”. even went to Trinity. costume but was asked several on the same height level as your To this blonde guy named times where I purchased such You call it a restraining order, I some quality fort week videos butt, I happened to notice. Nathan that I’ve talked to like an accurate Chewbacca suit. call it a long distance relationthis year #whataconcept twice: I don’t know your last It’s funny how Regina’s top five ship. Did you know? A goldfish conWhat if humans ARE aliens?!?! name so I can’t add you on restaurants are all Tim Hortons. sists of 0% gold and 100% fish. hi jake schellenberg Facebook. I put my Grandma on speed Connor Ewert is doing a great u r a qtπ Pretty sure this incoming class Caleb Dayum Ropp. #lesigh dial.. I call that instagram. job with the sports section. ilu bbg has been the most enthusiastic Josh Bustard was sexier with #noregrets #summerlovin FYI, one of the main characters and excited about TWU ever! I eyebrows but damn I could still in the movie they’re shooting on sidenote: why is Jen Logan Anyone else miss Sodexo love ‘em first years!! single? go for some Leaf fan. campus also starred in a movie Sandy? I hate it when you get an email called “Ring by Spring.” #fate I’m gonna go out on a limb and #TrishAndSandyForDAAAYZZZ Need free entertainment!? that just says, “thanks.” It’s like, say something sacrilegious: I Why another delay in publicaSit at the back of the caf and Dear 1H, I just peed a little for nothing. like Sodexo. tion?? I look forward to these watch all the people run into Please close your blinds when editions - and I don’t even go to the glass door that doesn’t Atrium renovation idea: MORE you change. Your apples are not hi mom! this school! open. #8sofar #quietshame WINDOWS ripe enough.
THE MATAMORE HIMNAL
age: Timeless
year: 1636
height: Of Glory
major: World Conquest
Age limit (max/min)? I’m not sure what this question Love means, so if it refers to the max difference in age between me Talent? and potential datee, then probably Domestic language? Hometown: Who has time for a hometown 8 years. I know how to make kitchen scraps go a long way. Is continuous reverence and awe a love lanwhen you’re busy taking over the world?
guage?
Fave man in the bible? Solomon - I hear that
Skills that make you the one?
not only was he good with the ladies, but he too collected his pithiest sayings in a book. What a role model.
Defeating entire armies with my bare hands and swimming very, very, very long distances.
Views on courtship? Ships? I need no ships!
I would pen a witty epigram illuminating my love to them. Barring that, a duel to the death with my mask of Mars!
How do you know it’s love?
Biggest Deal-breaker?
Have you not seen my greatness? It’s always love with me.
How would you win her parents over?
Interfering with my military campaigns! Begone, wench!
Favourite action Movie? Pirates of the Caribbean
Top quality in a future mate: Having beauty and wisdom in equal measure, but really, who is like that nowadays other than myself ?
Best place for a first date? Atop a mountain I built myself using boulders from a different mountain that I stacked on top of each other. (Or, you could come and see The Illusion. That’s a great date!)
What do you fear? “Bryan Sandberg’s facial hair.” -Shelby Duomolin