What makes jokes funny?

An interesting summary of theories about what makes for humor:

• Benign violation
• Incongruity
• Surprise

He also makes the point that humor is social. We laugh more readily when we're with other people.

More interestingly, he casts humor as a lubricant that eases the tension between collaborating and competing with each other.

If we think about that, humor can be inclusive as well as exclusive. There's the humor of making fun of others that ends up casting them out while reinforcing bonds within the group targeting others. We don't like that, and we can think of examples of bullying behavior.

On the other hand, humor can be inclusive and be a tool for drawing people in. A common example is the humor deployed by speakers when they start their speech to draw the audience in. Other times, that kind of humor can ease a tense situation. Can you think of instances you've seen where humor has drawn people in?

Government transparency through data

Via Government Technology, "municipalities across Kansas are mobilizing information to inform the citizenry and drive government performance."

Examples of initiatives:

• "In the state capital, Topeka officials just launched a new performance tool that puts government metrics online."
• "Johnson County recently kicked off a data-driven justice initiative."
• "Olathe and Wichita have open data efforts underway."
• "In Kansas City, Kan., a new data portal is pulling information out of government systems and delivering it directly to the people."

Some of this was accomplished in concert with a program  called What Works Cities, a Bloomberg Foundation initiative to use data-driven results to improve municipal government.

Why put government offices on full display? "The goal is not to shame agencies, but to promote positive action."

Transparency is part of today's workplace:

• 3 reasons for transparency.
• 4 reasons for transparency.
• Leaders need to be transparent.

Transparency can be a helpful factor for integrating faith and achievement. It removes motivation to take shortcuts and otherwise make provision to take the easy way out.

#Faith&Achievement

Sleeping on the plane

For those who sleep better when their head is forward instead of back against the seat, you can use a chin rest instead. Click the image to get the description at Amazon.


I found it very helpful during a flight from the US to the Philippines.

Grow or die?

The Washington Post ran an interesting article about the difference between mainline Protestant and conservative churches: the mainline Protestant churches are declining, and the conservative churches are growing. The Post cited a 2015 Pew Research Center report to note mainline Protestant churches are losing 1 million members each year.

The conventional wisdom said "congregations would grow if they abandoned their literal interpretation of the Bible and transformed along with changing times."

• The article's writer found the opposite: "Conservative Protestant theology, with its more literal view of the Bible, is a significant predictor of church growth while liberal theology leads to decline."
• The clergy who lead those growing churches were also theologically conservative.
• By conservative, the writer meant the survey respondents agreed with classical Christian doctrines like Christ's resurrection.

One reason for that difference: Liberal clergy don't make disciples and aren't interested in making disciples.

The above study took place in Canada. What about the United States? One perspective is that generational Christianity is dying in the US among white, non-Hispanics.

• One cause may be a greater willingness by younger people to reject their parents' religion.
• The decline has included conservative denominations as well. In particular, the Southern Baptist Convention has declined for 9 straight years.
• A sobering prediction: "By 2051, if current trends continue, religiously unaffiliated Americans could comprise as large a percentage of the population as all Protestants combined."
• Interestingly, the numbers of non-white Christians are growing.
• The writer also ascribed the shift to young people buying into the idea the traditional church is too judgmental on gay/lesbian issues.

Overall, the writer implied conservative denominations should adopt what seem to be progressive social/political positions.

The question to those who consider themselves conservative Christians: what will you do about it?

Today's employers and the changing job market 

 Here's a presentation by the CEO of Burning Glass Technologies:



His description makes me think of the term: T-shaped employees, employees who have hard and soft skills in the same package.

How to effect change: Alinsky versus Jesus

I came across a Wikipedia entry about Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals that summarized his teaching about social activism. Is it the way to go? It certainly seems a popular approach. Should Christians follow the same formula, or is there a distinctly Christian way to effect change? Here are some Bible verses lined up against Alinsky's rules. Does the Bible tell you to do the same thing? You decide.

Rules for Radicals (Wikipedia summary)	Bible (Bible.org)
“Power is not only what you have, but what the enemy thinks you have.” Power is derived from 2 main sources – money and people. “Have-Nots” must build power from flesh and blood.	The Lord says, “Wise people should not boast that they are wise. Powerful people should not boast that they are powerful. Rich people should not boast that they are rich. If people want to boast, they should boast about this: They should boast that they understand and know me. They should boast that they know and understand that I, the Lord, act out of faithfulness, fairness, and justice in the earth and that I desire people to do these things” (Jeremiah 9:23-24).
“Never go outside the expertise of your people.” It results in confusion, fear and retreat. Feeling secure adds to the backbone of anyone.	As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon (called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishermen). He said to them, “Follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people!” They left their nets immediately and followed him (Matthew 4:18-20).
“Whenever possible, go outside the expertise of the enemy.” Look for ways to increase insecurity, anxiety and uncertainty.	Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy (Matthew 5:7).
“Make the enemy live up to its own book of rules.” If the rule is that every letter gets a reply, send 30,000 letters. You can kill them with this because no one can possibly obey all of their own rules.	For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be saved through him (John 3:16-17).
“Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon.” There is no defense. It’s irrational. It’s infuriating. It also works as a key pressure point to force the enemy into concessions.	“You have heard that it was said to an older generation, ‘Do not murder,’ and ‘whoever murders will be subjected to judgment.’ But I say to you that anyone who is angry with a brother will be subjected to judgment. And whoever insults a brother will be brought before the council, and whoever says ‘Fool’ will be sent to fiery hell (Matthew 5:21-22).
“A good tactic is one your people enjoy.” They’ll keep doing it without urging and come back to do more. They’re doing their thing, and will even suggest better ones.	Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them (Matthew 5:10).
“A tactic that drags on too long becomes a drag.” Don’t become old news.	So we must not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9).
“Keep the pressure on. Never let up.” Keep trying new things to keep the opposition off balance. As the opposition masters one approach, hit them from the flank with something new.	Always rejoice, constantly pray, in everything give thanks. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (I Thessalonians 5:16-18).
“The threat is usually more terrifying than the thing itself.” Imagination and ego can dream up many more consequences than any activist.	“Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For by the standard you judge you will be judged, and the measure you use will be the measure you receive" (Matthew 7:1-2).
"The major premise for tactics is the development of operations that will maintain a constant pressure upon the opposition." It is this unceasing pressure that results in the reactions from the opposition that are essential for the success of the campaign.	…make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you (Matthew 28:19-20).
“If you push a negative hard enough, it will push through and become a positive.” Violence from the other side can win the public to your side because the public sympathizes with the underdog.	See that no one pays back evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all (I Thessalonians 5:15).
“The price of a successful attack is a constructive alternative.” Never let the enemy score points because you’re caught without a solution to the problem.	Now when they heard this, they were acutely distressed and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “What should we do, brothers?” Peter said to them, “Repent, and each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:37-38).
“Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.” Cut off the support network and isolate the target from sympathy. Go after people and not institutions; people hurt faster than institutions.	In everything, treat others as you would want them to treat you, for this fulfills the law and the prophets (Matthew 7:12).

A fruitful post in the future will be a comparison of Rules for Radicals with the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s ideas.

Ideology and religion

I came across an interesting set of responses to the question "What are the main differences between religion and ideology?"

Some of responses included:

• "…religions focus on answering the world-view including afterlife and other things that are not in the materialistic world, whereas most ideologies focus on providing a world-view about the materialistic world."
• "…ideology may mean any kind of action-oriented theory or any attempt to approach politics in the light of a system of ideas…[Religion] is also commonly regarded as consisting of the way people deal with ultimate concerns about their lives and their fate after death."
• "Ideologies are active belief-systems. They need not be religious."

There were more responses, but they seemed to revolve around one general theme: the difference between ideology and religion is where we direct our faith. Both are based on assumptions we accept.

We know examples of religions, what are some examples of ideologies? Most -isms tend to be ideologies. One writer shared this statement that "There is good scientific evidence that political reasoning is based on innate, non-rational principles."

Why do we need to understand this? Those wishing to have an impact on this world must make a study of what motivates the people they seek to persuade. Not everyone will be convinced with a rational decision-making approach. Instead, those wishing to have an impact must account for the non-rational motivations that drive attitudes and decisions.