Rise of the Phoenix and LA LA land

Los Angeles

Thanks for reading. This will be a progressive post and this is part one this morning. Please check for more later.

Part One:

I am back from Irvine/Los Angeles. I am in Phoenix. Thanks so much Phil for driving me around, buying me lunch and helping me find the eye clinic and a hotel. I hope next time we shall have more time to associate. God bless.

Dr. Johnson destroyed all the floaters he could see and his laser could reach.

I recommend his services for those with floaters, especially large ones. Thank you Dr. Johnson.

I may pursue a vitrectomy in the future and appreciate very much the advice given to me by Dr. Johnson.

Dr. Johnson

Okay, here is some stereotypical LA LA land. I get on the plane from Phoenix to Los Angeles and my two seatmates are seemingly gay and share a few kisses. I see a blonde woman on the plane that dresses like she is 25 years old, but 25 years old in the 1980s. I think she was at least over 45 years old. I get to an office for an appointment and the receptionist is quite attractive and with breast enlargements. I have dinner and the people beside me are discussing scripts. The building next to my hotel was an office building and not a restaurant, but it had Taco Bell written on it. I reason after research it is the Taco Bell headquarters.

I can only remember eating at Taco Bell once in my life.

I like the Los Angeles area in general terms.

I have also been in three theology/philosophy discussions so far and have mentioned 'vicious regress' twice, which is a regress that does not solve its own problem such as a regress of gods or time (see thekingpin68 blog). Yea it is one of my 'pets' and I gathered much of it from a secular humanist. So you will have difficult time proving I am closed-minded. I live and learn. ;)

In my case, I would assume my blog post has not been read, but I try to get readers.;)

Part Two:

Tonight it was suggested by someone that the New Testament writers were not lying but the oral tradition of these writers was corrupted by exaggeration.

But they meant well, but Jesus was just a man.

My reply:

With thousands of New Testament manuscripts stating the same essential message, there is no evidence of a significant theological corruption from the original historically based message. This presentation took place through oral and then written tradition.

The New Testament martyrs would not seemingly sanely die for a lie unless it was because of a stance of trying to maintain the benefits of things such as money, sex and power. This could be the case with a cult that emphasized such, but Christianity did not. As they were persecuted and sometimes executed by the state, it would make far more sense for many of the Christian leaders to go back to Judaism or other, rather than live the difficult life of a New Testament Christian.

I remain unconvinced, and Christianity remains historically reasonable and not a work of fiction.

Part Three:

As with in 2002, the Phoenix area interests me with its many churches. I see quite a few Lutheran and LDS buildings. There seems to be a relatively strong religious presence, much stronger than in the Vancouver area. I reason that I could potentially move here and find a job teaching theology/philosophy of religion. If not in Arizona then with one of the other States not too far away, or in the South. My Mom now has American citizenship and I will see if this can assist me at all.

Well, today is another day of moving with and for my brother and then I will dress up in my black 'PhD viva' suit again and go to a business meeting with my brother and Mom tonight, once again.

A lot more ladies talk to me in the US than in Canada or the UK...hmmm. This has always been the case seems to me over the years.

By the way, when I come back to BC, I will post on Facebook and Blogger photos of me in my black suit...

I have also been watching a bit of BYU Television.:(

Part Four

I went on a four wheeler for the first time Saturday and rubbed up against a Cactus with my bare arm. Welcome to Arizona. I also got stuck for a short time with another machine (four wheeler) and was shown how to deal with it.

I would need quite a bit of practice to be good at that sport/hobby.

The theology discussions continue. I hope and pray I am doing well.

Part Five: Finale

I am leaving back for BC Wednesday. I have contacted four institutions so far in Arizona concerning work as a professor (Associate/Assistant). I am also willing to work in a surrounding or close state and so that would leave California, Nevada, Utah (Would that not be funny?), Colorado, New Mexico and Texas to consider if I wish to move reasonably close to my family and remain able to assist my Mom that will move down here also. Biola University was suggested to me by a local institution that had no work for me presently and seemingly liked my CV. My Mom, brother, sister-in-law and one niece have all urged me to try and relocate here.

I am not ruling out moving elsewhere, but I will start seeking in this area. I am willing to move away from family as I did in 1999-2001 and my brother and family can therefore take over assisting my Mom.

I can send out CVs in the Greater Vancouver are but here are my thoughts.

The western United States is far more Christianized than the Lower Mainland of BC. I reason there are more career opportunities by far for me in the western USA and the South, if need be.

To be blunt, I am single, and there would be more Christian women to meet here. God willing, I would like to have a family one day. I realize that being a full-time very serious PhD student has very much limited my social life in BC, but my PhD is almost done for good. One time a theologian/pastor spoke at our church and compared a roughly 2% Vancouver church attendance with a roughly 15% American one...telling. Even with the cults and questionable Christian churches it still leaves a lot more Christians here than in Greater Vancouver. I need to face reality. Having lived in the UK, I doubt there are many more Christians there than in Greater Vancouver in regard to average church attendance.

I invite my blogging friends to pass along any potential job opportunities in their area, for example. I also look forward to meeting with some of my blog links/commenters in person, at their church, for example.

I remain committed to visiting friends in the UK even though it is unlikely I will work there. This does not mean I will not apply there as after all, I do have a British passport and almost two earned UK theses degrees. There is also the good possibility of me teaching at two places, in other words relocating temporarily for a summer.

Anyway, these are my hopefully progressive thoughts. God please lead me in Christ.

Russ:) (PHX)