A fun little Bible Quiz!

Think you've got more brains than Homer!? I was sent the little Bible Quiz below by my good wife Megan!

It is a tiny little Java application, so simply click on the link below, it will open in a new page, follow the instructions, then come back to let us all know how well you know the Bible!

If you ask REALLY nicely I'll tell you how I scored (let's just say for the more Theologically astute among us, my Marcionite leanings were exposed).

Click HERE to start the Quiz.

Blessings,

D

So, how do you rate!?

According to the intraweb (available soon on a stiffy disk at a store near you) I am this clever:

AND worth this much:

Any offers!? I wonder how many people actually base their true worth, or rate their intellect, by such tests? Scary!

I found these tests when I saw a project movie of a guy who took a photograph of himself every day for 6 years! You can check out his site here: http://www.c71123.com/

Here's the Video from Youtube:

Check out your scores and let me know... perhaps we could trade a few brain cells to pay towards my motorcycle fund!?

Me on my the 'Orange bomber', my 1968 Orange VLB Vespa Sprint

Here is a picture of me on my 1968 Vespa VLB 150cc. I think she is looking great, and she sure is running great! (Click on the image to enlarge it).

The photo was taken by Professor Jan van der Watt, a very famous New Testament scholar with a speciality in Johannine literature (particularly John's Gospel). I edit all of his manuscripts for publication. We also share in a radio program on 'Radio Pulpit', a Christian radio station that broadcasts in South Africa.

He is the REAL scholar on the show - I think they asked me to come on because I am English speaking (whilst Prof van der Watt is Afrikaans speaking), and I have a doctorate.... Sure, I know a few things about the Bible. However, I always have to take my laptop with me and access the Libronix software (Logos) for the finer etymology of the Greek and Hebrew words, and some of the socio-cultural, socio-historical, and syntactical intricacies of the text.

Our program is intended to help people read and use the bible responsibly (i.e., to avoid fundamentalism and literalism that often causes religious bigotary, abuse, and struggle). The program is called 'Do you understand what you're reading?' (Verstaan jy wat jy lees?) People get to phone in and ask questions about the socio-cultural background to texts, the original Hebrew or Greek translations, and some of the theological issues that are presented and dealt with in different books and texts.

Anyway, back to the Vespa, I ride her just about everywhere in Pretoria! I ride between my seminary campus and the two other Universities where I teach (the University of Pretoria, where I teach New Testament, and the University of South Africa, where I teach Systematic Theology and Ethics). She (that is my Vespa, fondly known as the 'Orange bomber') is SUCH A STUNNER! She always starts on the first kick (when it is cold) and NEVER starts with the kick start when she is warm - I'm not sure why... These, my friends, are the mysteries of the faith.... ;-) Hey, but it is always fun watching this doctor pushing her down the tarmac to get her up and running! Truly dignified... It is so great to drive her through the city, there are no traffic worries, and parking on campus is also never a problem.

The things that dreams are made of! Family, Vespa's and WAB.

Yesterday was a national holiday in South Africa (Heritage day). It was a warm spring day, the kind that I have only ever experienced in Africa. It was about 30 degrees celcius, with a very slight breeze, and not a cloud in sight! A perfect day to take my 1968 Vespa VLB 150cc Sprint for a ride.

My daughter and I 'suited up' (which in our terms simply means shoes that can tie and long pants), and off we went to visit my wife's parents. They live on the shores of an expanse of water (not quite a lake. In South Africa English we call that is not quite the ocean, a 'dam') called the Hartebees Poort dam. It is about 50km's away from our home.

It was a wonderful ride. My little scooter did so well for a machine that was made in 1968 and already has 34 000 miles on the clock! We cruised at 50 miles/hour for most of the way. My wife Megan, who is now 5 months pregnant with our son 'BJ' Forster [BJ stands for 'Bliksem John' - the South African readers will understand this one.... see more at the end of this message], followed in her car and took the photos.

All in all it was a wonderful day, spending time with the family and not doing much else. I had some writing and marking to do. However, I left it for the day and rather woke up early this morning to catch up on my work. By the time our visit was over and it was time to come home, an ordinary day had become a memory that will sustain me for months to come.

I guess I had better add some theological reflection to this just to please the clergy. Over the years activities such as these have had various names. The scholastic monks called it otium sanctum, (Latin for "holy leisure"). When I was a student at University we called it WAB, (which is student speak (a vernacular all of its own!) for Work Avoidance Behavior)....

Who cares what it is called? It was great!

By the way. My son will NOT really be called BJ Forster! Could you imagine!? That would be an insurmountable handicap in South Africa! The joke started when our 7 year old daughter suggested that her brother should be named John at which my wife and I both packed up laughing. I thought, if he is going to be John, then why not go the whole hog? So, Bliksem John Forster it was! (If you still don't get it leave a comment - I'm sure someone from South Africa will tell you why it is funny). Anyway, his name will be Liam, and possibly he will bear his dad's second name - Angus (no NOT this Gus - MY second name is Angus!), this takes care of my mother's Irish heritage, and my father's Scottish heritage. Plus, it is SO much better than BJ Forster in the New South Africa!