This election cycle has arguably been the strangest in history. In one corner, we have a career politician whose legacy is riddled with scandals and lies. In the other, a hot-headed businessman with no filter or ethics to speak of, business or otherwise.
And while I could, like the rest of the country, wonder how we got here; how our choices have devolved to such a degree, there is another question that has been a pebble in my shoe: Why have many Christians stood by Donald Trump as their standard bearer?
So rather than trying to figure it out behind the scenes, I decided to ask that question early and often. A great many of my friends are conservative, and Christian, and a part of the Evangelical or Charismatic traditions. The result of my poll was consistent; the answers have all maintained a common rationale: Trump is the Republican candidate, and as such is "Pro-life", and will appoint several Supreme Court Justices over the next 4 years who will oppose abortion. All of Trump's other indescretions, both past and present, are justified, rationalized, minimalized or completely ignored for this fact.
I have my doubts about the legitimacy of Trump's "pro-life" stance, but that's beside the point. What has me perplexed is this one question: is abortion the only thing Christians care about? And is the Church by and large actually just anti-abortion, rather than pro-life? While that last statement may seem like a comparison of synonyms, it is anything but. Simply put, which lives are conservatives "Pro", I mean, beside unborn children?
The homeless?
Children born into poverty?
Single parents taking care of those children?
Female victims of sexual assault?
Orphans?
Refugees?
Which lives matter to conservatives? All of the above? Any of the above? Is the liberal accusation true, that conservatives only care about life prior to birth?
So to answer this question, I did what I always do. I did research. Here is what I discovered:
615 thousand - The number of US abortions in 2015
12% - the percentage which abortions in America have declined during the Obama administration.
1982 - the year when the abortion rate peaked post-Roe v Wade
5,647 - The number of US adoptions in 2015
12 million - the number of single parents in America
9.6 million - the number of single mothers in America
13.1 million - the number of malnourished children in America
564,708 - the number of homeless in America
15,000 - the number of women and children being sold into sexual slavery and exploitation in the US
4.5 million - the number of women and children being sold into sexual slavery globally, annually
85 thousand - The number of refugees settled in the United States in 2015
3 million - The number of refugees settled in the United States since 1975
1 million - Number of new immigrants in 2014
81 million - Number of immigrants and immigrants' children living in the United States
And my favorite take-away: If all of the aborted babies from 2015 were born to families that could not support them or did not want them, it would take 109 years to adopt them all.
The
Now you may be asking to yourself, "What do those numbers have to do with abortion?". I'll answer, but first, a resolute statement: I am opposed to abortion. I believe what was intended during Roe v Wade to be a last-resort action to protect victims of rape, incest, and life-threatening conditions has become a procedure often used for convenience. I believe abortions are a heartbreaking loss of life, and look forward to the day when they are no longer necessary.
Now back to the question: Why do the above numbers matter? Because they all represent American lives, but these groups seem to get a great deal less press from the conservative right than abortion. Case in Point: Donald Trump.
Here we have a man who is on his third marriage, representing the party of traditional family values. We have someone who has bragged about his own sexual assaults representing the party of propriety and discretion in the bedroom. We have a man who has, as a businessman, has used bankruptcy and loopholes to avoid paying debts ant taxes representing the party of fiscal responsibility. We have someone who is comfortable insulting POWs and Gold Star families representing the party who claims to stand for the military and their families.
And yet, with all of his ineptitude, Christians still support him because he said he is pro-life.
But let's forget about Trump, if only temporarily, to ask the real question which MUST be addressed by the American Church if they have any hope of keeping a voice in our culture: Are you pro-life, or merely anti-abortion? I ask, because it seems clear enough that if you hate and are afraid of refugees, you aren't pro-life. If you believe that adoption is someone else's responsibility, you aren't pro-life. If you believe that single parents and the homeless just need to stop being lazy, you aren't pro-life. If you support the death sentence, you aren't pro-life. If you tithe to a church without any concern about how much of their budget goes to helping widows, orphans, and the hungry, you aren't pro-life. If you don't concern yourself with the sex trade that is driven by our favorite pastimes, you aren't pro-life. And above all these other things, if you don't take time to consider what will happen to all these other groups when 600 thousand new lives are added to our population annually, you aren't pro-life. You may be anti-abortion, but that simply isn't enough anymore. The unborn are not the only ones in our society that are voiceless. It's time to advocate for more than the unborn.
We need to be the voting bloc that stands for all life, unborn included. We need to love more. We need to do more. And we need to insist that those who would desire to lead us be committed to the same. Think about it. Pray about it. Then vote for the candidate whose policies and past track record advocate for the lives of every American, and beyond that, every human soul. Given his words, deeds and reputation, though, I can assure you ... It isn't Donald Trump.
Showing posts with label Christianity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christianity. Show all posts
Monday, October 10, 2016
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
#GreekLivesMatter
Racism is as old as humankind itself. The Bible is completely littered with accounts of racism, whether it be the misdeeds of the “heroes” of Biblical accounts, or else racist actions taken against them. That anyone denies racism as an actual part of the human experience blows my mind. For someone to sincerely believe that, they not only have to be completely blind to the world around them, but they also have to completely ignore the whole collection of our historic literature. If you’re someone who has been tempted to say that, stop and read a book. And after doing that, if you still need proof, I have a truckload of data. Make me use it. “Go ahead punk, make my day.”
For those of you who recognize the reality of racism, but are having a hard time grappling with the #BlackLivesMatter movement specifically or the validity of racism against minorities in America in general, this blog is for you.
But more specifically, I’m writing to fellow Christians, because I am compelled beyond restraint to do so. We read the Bible. We love Jesus. We worship and participate in sacraments, we pray and we fast. In our time doing all those things, it has become very clear to us that God is all about reaching the marginalized. He loves the outcast. He welcomes the foreigner. He chases after the discarded members of society. We know these things because He commanded His Church to behave this way. We know these things because the Son of God Himself behaved this way. In light of those things, I want to draw attention to two different challenges faced by the early church which I sincerely believe give us a clear course of action to take in this current cultural war.
In Acts 6, we find the first challenge. Verses 1-6 paint the picture: Greek Jews were upset because their widows weren’t being given their portion of daily food. Widows were provided for, because they had no way to provide for themselves, and had no family members to provide for them. The church took care of them. But in a very short period of time, preference was shown to Native Hebrews. When the Greek Jews came for their portion, they were told “Sorry, we’re fresh out.”
Now, let’s stop right there to clarify a few things: was this discrimination? Yes. Was it based on ethnic background? Yes. Was it therefore racist by our modern definition? Yes. We're believers in Christ the ones doing it? Yes. Christians were discriminating against other Christians because of their ethnicity. But as is often the case, this story doesn’t endorse the behavior. The Apostles’ response to this conflict is so good we should unpack it:
“Administrate it.”
“Handle it.”
“Take care of it.”
What we don’t find is any dispute. Now perhaps there was contestation, but it isn’t recorded here or anywhere else. The Native Hebrews didn’t deny the discrimination. They didn’t marginalize the claims. And if they did, that aspect was completely overlooked. Why? Because it didn’t matter. The Apostle’s direction shows that they ACKNOWLEDGED the discrimination and chose to CONFRONT IT with ACTION. Why? Because it was important that there be equality in Christ’s Church, a place where racial, social, economic, and gender distinctions were nullified as it relates to people’s inclusion and participation in God’s family. We are called to live "on earth, as it is in heaven."
In this instance, the Apostle's needed to make a statement, and they did it in short order:
#GreekLivesMatter
It’s really important to note here that affirming the fact that #GreekLivesMatter in no way rejected or prevented the Church’s practice of providing for non-Greek widows. It only motivated them to ensure that they were included and that the discrimination, whether intentional or unintentional, stopped from that point forward.
Why then is this so hard for us to acknowledge now? If we see that racism exists, and if we see that a particular segment of our population is on the receiving end of that discrimination frequently, why do we hesitate to speak up and act on their behalf?
Because the media twists it? Because they’re speaking for themselves? Because some of them are violent? Because they’re angry? Because it’s not as bad as it used to be?
What a despicable bouquet of excuses! Jesus would behave differently, because Jesus behaved differently (and had his own experiences being on the receiving end of racism). The Apostle's would behave differently, because they behaved differently when given the same opportunity that the Church is being given now.
THAT is why saying #AllLivesMatter is so damaging; so beneath God’s family. It’s not for us to generalize all of humanity as if that somehow makes racism a myth, as if closing our eyes to it somehow makes the storm around us go away. It’s not for us to spout off self-help platitudes as some kind of cheap substitute for our PARTICIPATION in the PROCESS OF RECONCILIATION. And it’s certainly not for us to laugh at, mock or tear down those who are doing what they can with what they have to try and DO OUR JOB FOR US.
I’ve decided to tackle Acts 11 in my next post. But for now, I’ll leave you with this question: If the Church was behaving as the agent of change in the world that God intended it to be, would there need to be a #BlackLivesMatter movement at all? Food for thought.
For those of you who recognize the reality of racism, but are having a hard time grappling with the #BlackLivesMatter movement specifically or the validity of racism against minorities in America in general, this blog is for you.
But more specifically, I’m writing to fellow Christians, because I am compelled beyond restraint to do so. We read the Bible. We love Jesus. We worship and participate in sacraments, we pray and we fast. In our time doing all those things, it has become very clear to us that God is all about reaching the marginalized. He loves the outcast. He welcomes the foreigner. He chases after the discarded members of society. We know these things because He commanded His Church to behave this way. We know these things because the Son of God Himself behaved this way. In light of those things, I want to draw attention to two different challenges faced by the early church which I sincerely believe give us a clear course of action to take in this current cultural war.
In Acts 6, we find the first challenge. Verses 1-6 paint the picture: Greek Jews were upset because their widows weren’t being given their portion of daily food. Widows were provided for, because they had no way to provide for themselves, and had no family members to provide for them. The church took care of them. But in a very short period of time, preference was shown to Native Hebrews. When the Greek Jews came for their portion, they were told “Sorry, we’re fresh out.”
Now, let’s stop right there to clarify a few things: was this discrimination? Yes. Was it based on ethnic background? Yes. Was it therefore racist by our modern definition? Yes. We're believers in Christ the ones doing it? Yes. Christians were discriminating against other Christians because of their ethnicity. But as is often the case, this story doesn’t endorse the behavior. The Apostles’ response to this conflict is so good we should unpack it:
“Administrate it.”
“Handle it.”
“Take care of it.”
What we don’t find is any dispute. Now perhaps there was contestation, but it isn’t recorded here or anywhere else. The Native Hebrews didn’t deny the discrimination. They didn’t marginalize the claims. And if they did, that aspect was completely overlooked. Why? Because it didn’t matter. The Apostle’s direction shows that they ACKNOWLEDGED the discrimination and chose to CONFRONT IT with ACTION. Why? Because it was important that there be equality in Christ’s Church, a place where racial, social, economic, and gender distinctions were nullified as it relates to people’s inclusion and participation in God’s family. We are called to live "on earth, as it is in heaven."
In this instance, the Apostle's needed to make a statement, and they did it in short order:
#GreekLivesMatter
It’s really important to note here that affirming the fact that #GreekLivesMatter in no way rejected or prevented the Church’s practice of providing for non-Greek widows. It only motivated them to ensure that they were included and that the discrimination, whether intentional or unintentional, stopped from that point forward.
Why then is this so hard for us to acknowledge now? If we see that racism exists, and if we see that a particular segment of our population is on the receiving end of that discrimination frequently, why do we hesitate to speak up and act on their behalf?
Because the media twists it? Because they’re speaking for themselves? Because some of them are violent? Because they’re angry? Because it’s not as bad as it used to be?
What a despicable bouquet of excuses! Jesus would behave differently, because Jesus behaved differently (and had his own experiences being on the receiving end of racism). The Apostle's would behave differently, because they behaved differently when given the same opportunity that the Church is being given now.
THAT is why saying #AllLivesMatter is so damaging; so beneath God’s family. It’s not for us to generalize all of humanity as if that somehow makes racism a myth, as if closing our eyes to it somehow makes the storm around us go away. It’s not for us to spout off self-help platitudes as some kind of cheap substitute for our PARTICIPATION in the PROCESS OF RECONCILIATION. And it’s certainly not for us to laugh at, mock or tear down those who are doing what they can with what they have to try and DO OUR JOB FOR US.
I’ve decided to tackle Acts 11 in my next post. But for now, I’ll leave you with this question: If the Church was behaving as the agent of change in the world that God intended it to be, would there need to be a #BlackLivesMatter movement at all? Food for thought.
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Christian Men and Christian Grey
Unless you're just coming out of winter hibernation, you will
have noticed that the Internet has been abuzz this week leading up to the
cinematic premier of 50 Shades of Grey on Valentine's Day. In particular, the
entire Christian blogosphere has dusted off its collective megaphone on the
subject; Matt Walsh, adam4d, and a host of others have spoken out in vehement
opposition to the movie, while others still have called for a boycott. (This frenzy is only surpassed by the stampede of women from all walks of life eager to see this book series come to life on the silver screen.)
I will not be adding to that rallying cry.
Instead, I want to post a response to a blog posted by Becky on
scissortailsilk.com called Christian Women and Christian Grey. I posted it to
my Facebook profile because I feel it eloquently communicates the root
issue behind the allure this movie has, even among Christian women: marital monotony
and loneliness. If you haven't yet read her blog, please do. I benefitted a
great deal from it.
After having read Becky’s post, a question rolled around in
my heart on my drive home: “If I found out that my own wife went to see 50
Shades, how would I respond?”
Now before I launch into the answer, I feel it is important
to make a crucial distinction that is largely missing in this very public conversation:
the difference between “should” and “will/did”. Everyone in Christendom is
declaring whether they feel women should see the movie. The odd thing about the
word “should” is that it is a concept word. It denotes idealism, morality and
ethical preference. I personally hate the word, because it has simultaneous
power to both challenge and condemn, and is hard to control in that way. I would go so far as to speculate that more Christian
women live in bondage to the word “should” than to actual sexual bondages like
pornography, unhealthy fantasies or extramarital affairs. And yes, the play on
words was intended, because I guess I’m just clever like that.
The other words, “will/did” are words of action. “Will”
speaks to mental and emotional decisions. When someone says “I will do this or
that”, they are saying they've come to a decision about their future action in
light of or in spite of what they
should do. Then saying “I did or didn't do this or that”, they reveal that they
followed through on that decision. These words are infinitely more important
than “should”. Why? Because the human will is more unruly than our moral/ethical
compasses. After all, Christian men who are addicted to porn know that they
shouldn't watch it, but that doesn't stop them from doing it. Strong morals,
weak wills.
So should Christian women watch 50 Shades of Grey (or anyone
for that matter)? I personally don't think so. I think it's monumental when the feminist movement and the evangelical movements agree on ANY SUBJECT. No, I don't think anyone should see this movie, and I'm not alone in that opinion. But honestly … Who cares? Do we
really need to jump in the ring for another round of moral debate to determine
who's right and who's wrong? How does that benefit anyone? How does that help your or my marriage?
So back to the premise question: What would I do if I found
out my own wife saw 50 Shades?
Love her.
And I'm recommending and even imploring other Christian men
to do the same with their wives.
Why? Well that starts to get to the heart of the matter. As
Becky pointed out, many women are attracted to the 50 Shades fantasy because of
a lack in their own marriages. Lack of intimacy. Lack of exhilaration. Lack of
spontaneity. Lack of communication. Lack of love. And while those things aren’t
excuses to watch 50 Shades any more than it is an excuse for men to sneak away to watch
porn on their computers, it’s still an issue that must be addressed. 50 Shades
of Grey isn’t a cure for boring marriages, or rather, the inherent boringness
of marriage.
“Should she see it?” If I’m asking that question, I’m
missing the point as a husband. Better to ask “Why does she want to see it?” or
“What is she looking for from the movie that she doesn’t feel she has in our
marriage?” It’s a hard question to ask, because it assumes that I’m not giving
my wife something she needs. But what is that? Is it intimacy? Romance? Trust? Spontaneity?
Love? And once I ask myself those hard questions, do I have the courage to ask
her and really listen to the answer?
(Just to clarify, so
as not to inspire any vitriol towards my wife, we’ve talked about this. She
doesn’t want to see the movie because she knows the emotional impact it will
have on her. This isn’t airing out our issues in full view of the public. This
is a challenge to men to do what WE can to keep this movie from driving a wedge
in our marriages, whether our wives see it or not. Even if you’re repulsed by
the idea of the movie, its cultural prominence provides a great opportunity to examine our own
hearts and actions regarding our wives.)
Gentlemen, the bottom line is this: if we’re loving our wives as Christ loves the Church, they won’t want to go to this or any other movie looking to feed a fantasy. Lust doesn’t hold a candle to true love. Christian Grey pales in comparison to a Christian husband who is committed to cherishing his wife. If you’re assertive, adventurous, available and vulnerable in the bedroom, she’s not going to care what Christian Grey does in his.
So I fully agree with Becky, just from the other side of the coin. Let’s take back sex, and in so doing, take back marriage. Let’s stop focusing on this movie and start focusing on how to satisfy, love, cherish and protect our wives when they’re with us. The Apostle Paul understood this, and he wasn’t even married. Lots of sex = little temptation to stray. Little sex = lots of temptation to stray. It’s not difficult math. So if you’re wife is planning on going to see 50 Shades, rather than protesting or condemning, why not give her a reason to stay home with you instead? Surely there’s more incentive being the wife in your bedroom than there is in merely being a fly on the wall of Christian Grey’s play room. Surely you can write for her a love story with your life and time that surpasses the one that happens in ink or on the screen between Christian and Ana.
Not sure how? Try asking. Just a thought.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
The Early Church Fathers: Clement
This week, I came into possession of a book set that I've wanted ever since my first freshman year (yes, that's right, I said first; there were 3) at Bible College. The Early Church Fathers set is almost 20,000 pages, 38 volumes, and spans the first few centuries of the early Christian Church. And now, it is my own ... my love ... my precious.
Since I can't foresee many of you rushing out to buy your own set, even if you ARE jealous (and you should be), I wanted to publish some of my thoughts on their writings here.
The first tome is a letter from Clement to the church in Corinth, penned some time between 40-100 AD. Right off the bat, I was surprised how similar (yet not the same) the text was to Scripture. Paul wrote 1 and 2 Corinthians, and I thought this might read like 3 Corinthians. In prose and in structure, it does, but there is a distinct lack of authority as compared to the former texts. If anyone questions the inspiration of the Scriptures, I'd recommend reading Paul's epistles and then Clement. You'll see what I'm saying. Here are a few observations on the first reading...
Since I can't foresee many of you rushing out to buy your own set, even if you ARE jealous (and you should be), I wanted to publish some of my thoughts on their writings here.
The first tome is a letter from Clement to the church in Corinth, penned some time between 40-100 AD. Right off the bat, I was surprised how similar (yet not the same) the text was to Scripture. Paul wrote 1 and 2 Corinthians, and I thought this might read like 3 Corinthians. In prose and in structure, it does, but there is a distinct lack of authority as compared to the former texts. If anyone questions the inspiration of the Scriptures, I'd recommend reading Paul's epistles and then Clement. You'll see what I'm saying. Here are a few observations on the first reading...
- Clement knew his Bible: Clement spends a great deal of time relating the conflicts in their church to situations that happened in scripture. He quotes from the Law, the Prophets, Psalms, Proverbs, and even the New Testament BEFORE IT WAS CALLED THE NEW TESTAMENT. I was amazed and inspired to read more of my own Bible. This should serve as a direct contradiction to current undergrad Bible scholars who use Wikipedia to fill out their papers. Just sayin'.
- Church splits have ALWAYS been ugly: in 1 Corinthians, Paul writes to believers who are arguing with each other and are engaged in unbecoming immorality. In 2 Corinthians, Paul writes to give instruction as to how to restore those who were removed from the church on account of their immorality. In Clement's letter, he writes to choose hospitality and humility whenever possible, to give honor to the pastors/presbyters, and to remove themselves from fellowship if they couldn't stop being a source of contention. If I were ever to assist in a church on the verge of splitting, this would be required reading for both/all parties.
- Clement speaks of an Egyptian fable, the Pheonix, as though it is a veritable fact, and uses it to illustrate that nature reminds us of the coming resurrection. While reading, I had what I could only describe as a "one of these things is not like the others" moment. I can see why this one didn't make the cut for canonization.
20 pages down, 1000 times that to go. Bring it on.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Now That the Polls Are Closed...
Well congratulations! You've done your civic duty ... you've voted in this year's NC Primary. Either you REALLY LOVE the democratic process, or you came out because you have strong feelings about Amendment 1. If you voted FOR Amendment 1, to you it signifies that you are willing to take a stand for the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman. Well since you stood in line, put your name on the line, and filled in the circle, you made it official that you're willing to do what it takes to ensure that the institution of marriage be protected, come liberals, hell, or high water.
I'm so glad you took a stand! Are you ready to stay standing? You see, marriage isn't something that is protected by a single law, or even a series of laws. It isn't kept sacred by just it's definition being included on the state constitution. It is kept sacred by those to whom it has been given, as a sacred trust from the One who gave it in the first place, and Who therefore asks that it be stewarded in a manner that is worthy of His Name. So here are 5 tangible things you can do to do EVEN MORE for marriage than simply voting.
1) Drop the "D" Word
The divorce rate is as high in the church as it is anywhere else. The absolute first step toward safeguarding the institution of marriage is to stay married. It seems there is a plethora of acceptable reasons to get a divorce these days, and very few are grounds to actually proceed. This isn't a slam against those who have been divorced. It is a call to remember that the same Bible which identifies marriage as being between one man and one woman also vehemently states that marriage is a permanent covenant, and should only be abandoned as the exception and not the rule.
2) Keep it Clean
I'm mostly talking to the menfolk reading this. Dude, seriously, drop the porn. It's a distortion of what sex is, it messes up your brain function, and ruins your ability to take joy in the things that make marriage awesome. You shouldn't want your wife to act like a pornstar, you should pray for pornstars to be loved as much as you love your wife. Addiction is a bear. Help is available.
3) Keep it Close
If you haven't yet realized that extra-marital affairs are a bigger threat to the institution and sanctity of marriage than homosexuality, you aren't paying attention. To seek sex outside of marriage is to vote "AGAINST" Marriage in the arena of everyday life, and people take notice. Don't just try to make your mark in an election year. Make your mark in all of your circles, showing that husbands and wives can, with grace and discipline, keep from straying.
4) Scrap the Tabloids
HOLLYWOOD (for the most part) HAS ABSOLUTELY NO CLUE WHAT MARRIAGE IS SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE. I'm really sorry, but it's a valid claim ... why can Kim K get married, make a mockery of what marriage should be, and then get divorced only to do it all over again? Imagine you are a member of the gay community, wanting to be married, and watching that. Seem a bit inconsistent with our standard of marriage? I think so. $50 to the Congressman that first introduces a Kardashian Marriage Ban. Who cares which actress married which producer? Stop paying attention to the attention mongers.
5) Stand for Others
You are surrounded by friends and family that need help in their marriage. They need encouragement. They need a cheering section. They need someone to tell them they're wrong when they're wrong. Marriage does not exist in a vacuum, and isn't something that everyone should be expected to learn 100% by experience. If your marriage is successful, AWESOME. Share the wealth. Help other people be successful in their marriages. It doesn't take Dr. Phil to fix some issues. Some people simply need advice, and someone to point them in the right direction. If you really believe the Bible is the instruction manual on Marriage, whip out out more often than elections.
I'm committed to each and every one of these things. My wife is also. If you voted FOR NC Amendment 1, shouldn't you?
I'm so glad you took a stand! Are you ready to stay standing? You see, marriage isn't something that is protected by a single law, or even a series of laws. It isn't kept sacred by just it's definition being included on the state constitution. It is kept sacred by those to whom it has been given, as a sacred trust from the One who gave it in the first place, and Who therefore asks that it be stewarded in a manner that is worthy of His Name. So here are 5 tangible things you can do to do EVEN MORE for marriage than simply voting.
1) Drop the "D" Word
The divorce rate is as high in the church as it is anywhere else. The absolute first step toward safeguarding the institution of marriage is to stay married. It seems there is a plethora of acceptable reasons to get a divorce these days, and very few are grounds to actually proceed. This isn't a slam against those who have been divorced. It is a call to remember that the same Bible which identifies marriage as being between one man and one woman also vehemently states that marriage is a permanent covenant, and should only be abandoned as the exception and not the rule.
2) Keep it Clean
I'm mostly talking to the menfolk reading this. Dude, seriously, drop the porn. It's a distortion of what sex is, it messes up your brain function, and ruins your ability to take joy in the things that make marriage awesome. You shouldn't want your wife to act like a pornstar, you should pray for pornstars to be loved as much as you love your wife. Addiction is a bear. Help is available.
3) Keep it Close
If you haven't yet realized that extra-marital affairs are a bigger threat to the institution and sanctity of marriage than homosexuality, you aren't paying attention. To seek sex outside of marriage is to vote "AGAINST" Marriage in the arena of everyday life, and people take notice. Don't just try to make your mark in an election year. Make your mark in all of your circles, showing that husbands and wives can, with grace and discipline, keep from straying.
4) Scrap the Tabloids
HOLLYWOOD (for the most part) HAS ABSOLUTELY NO CLUE WHAT MARRIAGE IS SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE. I'm really sorry, but it's a valid claim ... why can Kim K get married, make a mockery of what marriage should be, and then get divorced only to do it all over again? Imagine you are a member of the gay community, wanting to be married, and watching that. Seem a bit inconsistent with our standard of marriage? I think so. $50 to the Congressman that first introduces a Kardashian Marriage Ban. Who cares which actress married which producer? Stop paying attention to the attention mongers.
5) Stand for Others
You are surrounded by friends and family that need help in their marriage. They need encouragement. They need a cheering section. They need someone to tell them they're wrong when they're wrong. Marriage does not exist in a vacuum, and isn't something that everyone should be expected to learn 100% by experience. If your marriage is successful, AWESOME. Share the wealth. Help other people be successful in their marriages. It doesn't take Dr. Phil to fix some issues. Some people simply need advice, and someone to point them in the right direction. If you really believe the Bible is the instruction manual on Marriage, whip out out more often than elections.
I'm committed to each and every one of these things. My wife is also. If you voted FOR NC Amendment 1, shouldn't you?
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
What Disc Golf Taught Me About Christianity this Week...
I play disc golf. Yes, it's a sport. No, you may not judge me.
There are some pretty amazing courses here in Charlotte, so I get to play without having to travel too far. This year, I decided I wanted to get more distance out of my drives, so I practiced a different grip. Yes, there are different grips. Shut up.
Ever since I started playing, I have used a control grip for everything ... drives, mid-range and putts. That resulted in more control, but less distance. So this year, I'm changing to a power grip. As the name implies, there is more power, but less control.
So I went out to Killborne Park here in Charlotte, and I made the decision to switch to the power grip. And something odd happened...
The third time I went to drive off the tee, mid throw, MY HAND switched from a power grip to the control grip. At first I was surprised, then confused, and then angry. How dare my own hand disobey ME! It's MY hand!
The problem is, that's what I trained it to do. Out of sheer muscle memory, my hand simply did what it has always done. Regardless what I wanted it to do, it was going to try to go on auto-pilot and throw the way I learned to throw. Unlearning is a frustrating process.
I'm convinced the soul has a "muscle memory" too. It's in this place that Christian disciplines like prayer, personal worship and devotional time become essential. If you teach your soul to live with them, eventually they will become auto-pilot. But if you teach your soul to live without them, don't be surprised when your soul argues with you to do something different. And the thing of it is, you can't even really get mad, because it's just doing what you trained it to do...
There are some pretty amazing courses here in Charlotte, so I get to play without having to travel too far. This year, I decided I wanted to get more distance out of my drives, so I practiced a different grip. Yes, there are different grips. Shut up.
Ever since I started playing, I have used a control grip for everything ... drives, mid-range and putts. That resulted in more control, but less distance. So this year, I'm changing to a power grip. As the name implies, there is more power, but less control.
So I went out to Killborne Park here in Charlotte, and I made the decision to switch to the power grip. And something odd happened...
The third time I went to drive off the tee, mid throw, MY HAND switched from a power grip to the control grip. At first I was surprised, then confused, and then angry. How dare my own hand disobey ME! It's MY hand!
The problem is, that's what I trained it to do. Out of sheer muscle memory, my hand simply did what it has always done. Regardless what I wanted it to do, it was going to try to go on auto-pilot and throw the way I learned to throw. Unlearning is a frustrating process.
I'm convinced the soul has a "muscle memory" too. It's in this place that Christian disciplines like prayer, personal worship and devotional time become essential. If you teach your soul to live with them, eventually they will become auto-pilot. But if you teach your soul to live without them, don't be surprised when your soul argues with you to do something different. And the thing of it is, you can't even really get mad, because it's just doing what you trained it to do...
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Love may Win, but "Love Wins" does not...
I know it's been a while since I chimed in about Rob Bell's most recent book, "Love Wins." Well I've read it, and it's already been passed around to people who were also curious and wanted to see for themselves what it was all about.
I've also had plenty of time to talk to friends, family and mentors about it, and it's comforting to know that after reading the book, we're coming to a lot of the same conclusions.
I went into reading the book with a high degree of optimism, because I remember just how much controversy surrounded "Velvet Elvis" when it came out, and how disappointed I was with the fundamentalists' grasp of what Mr. Bell was actually saying with that book. It seemed to me that so much of what he said was taken out of context that I gained a level of respect for his musings.
Final Conclusion: I both recommend "Love Wins" and warn against it. I recommend the first 2 chapters, and I caution the reader to be careful with everything following. Here's why...
The first two chapters are like an inoculation for the Church to remember that we believe in a more Biblical understanding of the kingdom and the people of God as both present and future. We're not supposed to simply occupy our time with churchy things until we get to really let loose after death. We're supposed to be, as a church, a bastion of God's love here on the earth, reaching out to people, because that's what God cares about above everything else: reaching hurting people. The first two chapters inspire a refreshing amount of hope, regardless of the background of the reader.
Beyond those two wonderful chapters, proceed with caution. First of all, because the method of Mr Bell's writing is very ambiguous and asks a great many more questions than he dares to answer or even attempt to lead the reader to answers. Socrates was a master at this ... he asked questions that led his students to answers. Mr Bell's questions seem to only lead to an agnostic void ...
Yes, ask questions; Yes feverishly pursue answers as well.
My second and most important caution has been echoed by every single Bible scholar and pastor whose opinion I've solicited: Rob Bell's logic, reasoning and exegetical conclusions take ENORMOUS leaps from question "A" to his own conclusion "B" that simply can't be made without a great deal more support. This is manageable for someone who is mature, but for someone who is perhaps more impressionable, it's just downright dangerous.
I've also had plenty of time to talk to friends, family and mentors about it, and it's comforting to know that after reading the book, we're coming to a lot of the same conclusions.
I went into reading the book with a high degree of optimism, because I remember just how much controversy surrounded "Velvet Elvis" when it came out, and how disappointed I was with the fundamentalists' grasp of what Mr. Bell was actually saying with that book. It seemed to me that so much of what he said was taken out of context that I gained a level of respect for his musings.
Final Conclusion: I both recommend "Love Wins" and warn against it. I recommend the first 2 chapters, and I caution the reader to be careful with everything following. Here's why...
The first two chapters are like an inoculation for the Church to remember that we believe in a more Biblical understanding of the kingdom and the people of God as both present and future. We're not supposed to simply occupy our time with churchy things until we get to really let loose after death. We're supposed to be, as a church, a bastion of God's love here on the earth, reaching out to people, because that's what God cares about above everything else: reaching hurting people. The first two chapters inspire a refreshing amount of hope, regardless of the background of the reader.
Beyond those two wonderful chapters, proceed with caution. First of all, because the method of Mr Bell's writing is very ambiguous and asks a great many more questions than he dares to answer or even attempt to lead the reader to answers. Socrates was a master at this ... he asked questions that led his students to answers. Mr Bell's questions seem to only lead to an agnostic void ...
Yes, ask questions; Yes feverishly pursue answers as well.
My second and most important caution has been echoed by every single Bible scholar and pastor whose opinion I've solicited: Rob Bell's logic, reasoning and exegetical conclusions take ENORMOUS leaps from question "A" to his own conclusion "B" that simply can't be made without a great deal more support. This is manageable for someone who is mature, but for someone who is perhaps more impressionable, it's just downright dangerous.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
"Love Wins" by Rob Bell, First Impression
Yes, I know, it's been a while since I posted a blog. Please forgive me for springing this new post on you so suddenly.
If you follow me on twitter or are a friend on Facebook, you know that I've been trying to get my hands on a copy of "Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived" by Rob Bell. It took me a few days and a few trips, but Barnes & Noble came through today.
I sat down to start reading, and I stopped 20 minutes later. But it wasn't because I was offended or offput by anything that was said. I was so astounded at the preface to this very controversial book that I had to stop. I'll read it 2 or 3 more times before I make my way through the remaining 190 pages, because it's worthy of the attention.
Rather than quoting text or citing specific examples, I'll leave you with a brief first impression, in the form of a series of statements. Guess what that means... you're going to have to read it your darn self (that is, if you want to agree or argue with me).
I believe that Rob Bell has a greater grasp of the complexity of scripture than his most skeptical theologians and/or scholars.
I think that the reason this book has so enraged the Evangelical community is that the author asks questions that have been largely tossed aside by others. The preface is 80% questions and 20% research or statements. The danger with tossing aside questions about Jesus and the nature of salvation is that we can also toss aside the people sincerely asking them as well.
Most of the quotations that I've read in blogs, tweets and articles that are in opposition to the orthodoxy of this book are found in the first 10 pages. I wonder how many of those critics didn't actually make it throught the rest of the book...
If you follow me on twitter or are a friend on Facebook, you know that I've been trying to get my hands on a copy of "Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived" by Rob Bell. It took me a few days and a few trips, but Barnes & Noble came through today.
I sat down to start reading, and I stopped 20 minutes later. But it wasn't because I was offended or offput by anything that was said. I was so astounded at the preface to this very controversial book that I had to stop. I'll read it 2 or 3 more times before I make my way through the remaining 190 pages, because it's worthy of the attention.
Rather than quoting text or citing specific examples, I'll leave you with a brief first impression, in the form of a series of statements. Guess what that means... you're going to have to read it your darn self (that is, if you want to agree or argue with me).
I believe that Rob Bell has a greater grasp of the complexity of scripture than his most skeptical theologians and/or scholars.
I think that the reason this book has so enraged the Evangelical community is that the author asks questions that have been largely tossed aside by others. The preface is 80% questions and 20% research or statements. The danger with tossing aside questions about Jesus and the nature of salvation is that we can also toss aside the people sincerely asking them as well.
Most of the quotations that I've read in blogs, tweets and articles that are in opposition to the orthodoxy of this book are found in the first 10 pages. I wonder how many of those critics didn't actually make it throught the rest of the book...
Monday, July 26, 2010
Christians are the Worst...
It's been a while folks. Good to see you again. Yes, I'm loosing weight. Thank you for noticing and speaking up. Encouraging bunch of people...
Now for the matter at hand.
Imagine that you work at Chili's. (Ok, I'll give you a few seconds to think about those Fajitas ... soooo good) Sunday afternoon, you go in to work. You make between $3-$4 per hour plus tips. Now imagine 12:43 in the afternoon rolls around. A well dressed, seemingly happy group of 7 walk in, and are seated in your section. Everyone gets soft-drinks, except for the one guy who asks for water, 2 slices of lemons and splenda stirred in. They get appetizers, entrees, but no dessert, because let's face it ... nap time is coming. Throughout the meal, they talk about the church service they all just attended, the message, the worship, and maybe a little gossip about that one family. You know the one.
Then you hand them their single check an hour later. It totals up to $78.75 pre tax, and $84.45 after tax. While you wait on other tables, they greet you as they walk out the door. You make your way back to the table, and discover something interesting. They have left $.55 as a tip to round up to $85, and a gospel tract for you to read.
That hour of your service, combined, was worth $3.55.
Do you read the tract?
If you think this is a baseless hypothetical situation, I DARE YOU to ask anyone who is a server in a restaurant. You'll hear stories that miror this. Even better, ask them what day they dread working the most. They will almost unanimously tell you Sunday. Why? Because Christians are the worst people to serve. They're demanding, condescending and cheap.
We're demanding, condescending and cheap. Right after service, where hearts are uplifted, lives are changed and people encounter the Living God, we let ourselves get away with being demanding, condescending and cheap. For a people who serve the best God, why do we let ourselves get away with being the worst?
For the servers out there, please know this: When Christians treat you this way, it's shameful. It is not behavior endorsed by the Bible we read, the God we serve or the values we strive to uphold. God's love for you is greater than that Bible tract. Your time is worth more than we've made it. We appreciate your service, because believe it or not, YOU are an example to US of how to serve others. Sometimes we just forget that as a people, we represent the God who didn't come to be served, but to serve and to give His life for many. Forgive us for forgetting.
To the Christians out there: don't you think it's time we changed the tides? After all, we are a people who once were lost, but now are found! We serve the God who formed the heavens and the earth, and the Savior who bore the sins of all mankind. Do you realize that we're known by our actions, not our intentions? No one cares about our theological disposition; rather, they care about and are impacted by the practice of our religion. Isn't it time that we let Sunday be a day that others look forward to also? Imagine how great it would be if Sundays were the day that servers looked forward to working, because of how generous those Christians are.
We serve a generous God, let's allow ourselves to be generous to the world He's called US to serve. We are a people overwhelmed by God's mercy, so let's pass that on, even if they spill your drinks or get your order wrong. Twice. We are a people transformed by nothing less than an encounter with God Himself. Let's give people more than tracts to believe in. Let's be a transformed people, no matter where we go.
As a complete aside, the mathematician won't let me conclude this blog post without a tipping lesson. Do you know how to tip 15% on $84.45? Yes, I said 15%. Think of it as a minimum, because traditionally, it was. If you can't afford to tip, then you can't afford to go out to eat. Buy groceries, go home and have a great afternoon with your family & friends.
If you have a smartphone, just use that calculator and multiply $84.45 x 1.15. Pay that amount. If you prefer to do the mental math, then do, but get it right: Add 10% and 5%. 10% is easy to come by ... $8.45. Now round it up to $9 (you big spender you). Then cut that number in half to find the 5%, and add it on. $9 + $4.50 = $13.50
If your server is average, just tip 15%. If they're above average, go ahead and tip 20% ($18). If they're really amazing, tip 30% ($27) or more and let their manager know ... compliments go a long way.
We serve the best God. Let's be the best at serving the world around us, even while they're serving us lunch.
Now for the matter at hand.
Imagine that you work at Chili's. (Ok, I'll give you a few seconds to think about those Fajitas ... soooo good) Sunday afternoon, you go in to work. You make between $3-$4 per hour plus tips. Now imagine 12:43 in the afternoon rolls around. A well dressed, seemingly happy group of 7 walk in, and are seated in your section. Everyone gets soft-drinks, except for the one guy who asks for water, 2 slices of lemons and splenda stirred in. They get appetizers, entrees, but no dessert, because let's face it ... nap time is coming. Throughout the meal, they talk about the church service they all just attended, the message, the worship, and maybe a little gossip about that one family. You know the one.
Then you hand them their single check an hour later. It totals up to $78.75 pre tax, and $84.45 after tax. While you wait on other tables, they greet you as they walk out the door. You make your way back to the table, and discover something interesting. They have left $.55 as a tip to round up to $85, and a gospel tract for you to read.
That hour of your service, combined, was worth $3.55.
Do you read the tract?
If you think this is a baseless hypothetical situation, I DARE YOU to ask anyone who is a server in a restaurant. You'll hear stories that miror this. Even better, ask them what day they dread working the most. They will almost unanimously tell you Sunday. Why? Because Christians are the worst people to serve. They're demanding, condescending and cheap.
We're demanding, condescending and cheap. Right after service, where hearts are uplifted, lives are changed and people encounter the Living God, we let ourselves get away with being demanding, condescending and cheap. For a people who serve the best God, why do we let ourselves get away with being the worst?
For the servers out there, please know this: When Christians treat you this way, it's shameful. It is not behavior endorsed by the Bible we read, the God we serve or the values we strive to uphold. God's love for you is greater than that Bible tract. Your time is worth more than we've made it. We appreciate your service, because believe it or not, YOU are an example to US of how to serve others. Sometimes we just forget that as a people, we represent the God who didn't come to be served, but to serve and to give His life for many. Forgive us for forgetting.
To the Christians out there: don't you think it's time we changed the tides? After all, we are a people who once were lost, but now are found! We serve the God who formed the heavens and the earth, and the Savior who bore the sins of all mankind. Do you realize that we're known by our actions, not our intentions? No one cares about our theological disposition; rather, they care about and are impacted by the practice of our religion. Isn't it time that we let Sunday be a day that others look forward to also? Imagine how great it would be if Sundays were the day that servers looked forward to working, because of how generous those Christians are.
We serve a generous God, let's allow ourselves to be generous to the world He's called US to serve. We are a people overwhelmed by God's mercy, so let's pass that on, even if they spill your drinks or get your order wrong. Twice. We are a people transformed by nothing less than an encounter with God Himself. Let's give people more than tracts to believe in. Let's be a transformed people, no matter where we go.
As a complete aside, the mathematician won't let me conclude this blog post without a tipping lesson. Do you know how to tip 15% on $84.45? Yes, I said 15%. Think of it as a minimum, because traditionally, it was. If you can't afford to tip, then you can't afford to go out to eat. Buy groceries, go home and have a great afternoon with your family & friends.
If you have a smartphone, just use that calculator and multiply $84.45 x 1.15. Pay that amount. If you prefer to do the mental math, then do, but get it right: Add 10% and 5%. 10% is easy to come by ... $8.45. Now round it up to $9 (you big spender you). Then cut that number in half to find the 5%, and add it on. $9 + $4.50 = $13.50
If your server is average, just tip 15%. If they're above average, go ahead and tip 20% ($18). If they're really amazing, tip 30% ($27) or more and let their manager know ... compliments go a long way.
We serve the best God. Let's be the best at serving the world around us, even while they're serving us lunch.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
A Christian Perspective of Disney's "Up"
I'm just warning you, this one is going to be long...
Ok folks, it's 2010. If you haven't yet come to the realization that cartoon movies are made to be a diatribe on cultural absurdities, you clearly haven't seen enough of them. For instance:
In Wall-E, the humans have become so fat and lazy that they forfeited their planet to waste, and have to get off their robotic recliners to do something about it.
In "Over the Hedge", RJ gives a tutorial about how much of human life is centered around food, from a Raccoon's point of view, and pokes a jab about how we're "slowly losing the ability to walk." Ask my wife; every time I see a kid in heelys, I remember and quote aloud that line.
Well today I saw a movie that follows in that great tradition; the tradition of exposing and ridiculing adult culture to our children in cartoon form so that maybe, just maybe, they won't repeat our foolish ways. That movie? Disney's "Up". If you haven't seen it, I'll try not to spoil the ending, but you may just want to go out, rent it, pop some popcorn, watch it and then come back to me. Don't worry ... the blog will still be here.
There are almost too many lessons to take away from the movie to catalog, but I'll do my best. The main purpose of the movie that jumps out to me is answering the question: "What's really important in life." I'll lay the lessons out by character...
Carl Fredrickson is an elderly widower that lived a full life with his wife Ellie, and who wants to fulfill their adventure by flying his house to the place they always dreamed of; Paradise Falls. His valued possessions are a lifetime's worth of pictures of he and his wife Ellie, and most importantly their Adventure book. And while he is the classic depiction of a bitter old man, the viewer is given a glimpse as to why: he is a quiet man who has lived life, including car troubles, house repairs, a miscarriage (or the inability to have chilren) and the death of his wife. The lesson? Don't judge people too quickly, because you don't know their back-story. Well he gets his house to Paradise Falls and then realizes that life isn't about getting your dreams done, it's "What I'm going to do" when I get there. Life isn't exclusively about fulfilling your dreams, it's about coming together to dream about new adventures for the next generation to embark on.
Charles Muntz turns out to be the villian of this movie. He is an adventurer of old that was the inspiration for both Carl and Ellie as children. He makes a discovery which is contested by the scientific community, so he sets out to Paradise Falls to find and capture the bird that will clear his name, and commits that he will not return until he captures that bird. Charles and Carl's paths cross in the wilds of South America, and while he initially seems to be an ingenious pioneer of a man, he quickly flips to show his true character: a man driven by the need to show the world that he's not crazy, who will do anything to see that happen, no matter what the cost or how many people he has to hurt. His valued posessions are the bones of his past exploits. He just wants to complete his set of skeletons. He teaches us that people driven by the need to be recognized have an unlimited capacity to be terrible, because irregardless of their talents and abilities, they are incapable of putting people above their accomplishments.
Russell is a wilderness scout trying to get his last badge so that he can become a Senior wilderness scout. He isn't even doing it to be a senior scout ... he just wants his dad to come to his ceremony and be active in his life again. You learn that his dad is in at least his second marriage (or is dating after his first marriage), and Russell calls his new mom by her first name, saying "She's not my mom." Russell's prized possession is his wilderness scout sash with all of his pins. He, in a protest, lays his sash down at Carl's feet to go off and do what is needed, what is right. He characterizes what is truly courageous: to lay down our lives and interests for the welfare of others.
Alpha and Doug are two dogs, both of which need to be mentioned. Alpha is a condescendingly formal attack Doberman Pincer that Charles Muntz trains to track the giant bird of his obsession. He is the first of a pack of wild dogs trained to do this. Even before I saw Charles Muntz, I thougt to myself, "I wonder what kind of a man trains a dog to be so brutally cruel." Alpha teaches us that you can easily determine the quality of a person by examining the people closest to them, especially those that follow them. Doug on the other hand is a very typical golden retriever; playful, loyal, trusting and even gullible, with a notable distraction by and hatred of squirrels. He is the only member of "the pack" maintained by Muntz who doesn't have a greek letter for a name. He doesn't fit the attack dog mold. My wife made the observation that, "He is the only dog that doesn't have any position with the pack." He gets sent out on "special missions" intended to keep him from getting in the way. The most important thing you'll notice about Doug is that he voluntarily changes masters, from Muntz to Carl, and ends up becoming the "Alpha" of the pack by outsmarting Alpha to help Carl and Russell. His loyalty is based on what we Christians call righteousness: Doing right which is rooted in the expressed heart of God. We do what is right because He did, does, and will continue to do what is right, because He is good.
As they used to say (and need to start saying again), the moral of the story is that people are all the same in that we all dream and have goals. But that isn't nearly as important as what we are willing to do with them. This movie was deeply challenging to me. It left me asking questions of myself, and I pose the same to you. Will we see our dreams fulfilled no matter what, even at the cost of the people around us? Are we willing to lay down our dreams to help those that need it most? Is the end result the most important thing to us, or is it the continued journey that we value above anything else? Is our loyalty based on position and authority or on just kindness (acts of kindness springing from a just heart). Will our lives be rated by our own achievements or by our sacrificial inspiration of others?
The greatest moment in the movie comes at the end, when Carl attends Russell's wilderness scout ceremony. Russell is the only child standing without his father present, and Carl stands to be with him, but then presents him with the pin that Ellie gave Carl as a child, bringing him in to the adventurer club. It's been said that we are a part of a fatherless generation. What Carl does is what is necessary for us to do, if we're willing. It's time to mentor the fatherless to be driven by a need for adventurous community, in place of the success society that abandoned them in the first place.
If you are a person professing the Christian faith, ask yourself this: If our Savior offered to us an abundant and full life, why aren't we taking advantage of it in the same way He did, by laying down our lives for others? Why would we expect fullness of life to look different for us than it did for Him?
Ok folks, it's 2010. If you haven't yet come to the realization that cartoon movies are made to be a diatribe on cultural absurdities, you clearly haven't seen enough of them. For instance:
In Wall-E, the humans have become so fat and lazy that they forfeited their planet to waste, and have to get off their robotic recliners to do something about it.
In "Over the Hedge", RJ gives a tutorial about how much of human life is centered around food, from a Raccoon's point of view, and pokes a jab about how we're "slowly losing the ability to walk." Ask my wife; every time I see a kid in heelys, I remember and quote aloud that line.
Well today I saw a movie that follows in that great tradition; the tradition of exposing and ridiculing adult culture to our children in cartoon form so that maybe, just maybe, they won't repeat our foolish ways. That movie? Disney's "Up". If you haven't seen it, I'll try not to spoil the ending, but you may just want to go out, rent it, pop some popcorn, watch it and then come back to me. Don't worry ... the blog will still be here.
There are almost too many lessons to take away from the movie to catalog, but I'll do my best. The main purpose of the movie that jumps out to me is answering the question: "What's really important in life." I'll lay the lessons out by character...
Carl Fredrickson is an elderly widower that lived a full life with his wife Ellie, and who wants to fulfill their adventure by flying his house to the place they always dreamed of; Paradise Falls. His valued possessions are a lifetime's worth of pictures of he and his wife Ellie, and most importantly their Adventure book. And while he is the classic depiction of a bitter old man, the viewer is given a glimpse as to why: he is a quiet man who has lived life, including car troubles, house repairs, a miscarriage (or the inability to have chilren) and the death of his wife. The lesson? Don't judge people too quickly, because you don't know their back-story. Well he gets his house to Paradise Falls and then realizes that life isn't about getting your dreams done, it's "What I'm going to do" when I get there. Life isn't exclusively about fulfilling your dreams, it's about coming together to dream about new adventures for the next generation to embark on.
Charles Muntz turns out to be the villian of this movie. He is an adventurer of old that was the inspiration for both Carl and Ellie as children. He makes a discovery which is contested by the scientific community, so he sets out to Paradise Falls to find and capture the bird that will clear his name, and commits that he will not return until he captures that bird. Charles and Carl's paths cross in the wilds of South America, and while he initially seems to be an ingenious pioneer of a man, he quickly flips to show his true character: a man driven by the need to show the world that he's not crazy, who will do anything to see that happen, no matter what the cost or how many people he has to hurt. His valued posessions are the bones of his past exploits. He just wants to complete his set of skeletons. He teaches us that people driven by the need to be recognized have an unlimited capacity to be terrible, because irregardless of their talents and abilities, they are incapable of putting people above their accomplishments.
Russell is a wilderness scout trying to get his last badge so that he can become a Senior wilderness scout. He isn't even doing it to be a senior scout ... he just wants his dad to come to his ceremony and be active in his life again. You learn that his dad is in at least his second marriage (or is dating after his first marriage), and Russell calls his new mom by her first name, saying "She's not my mom." Russell's prized possession is his wilderness scout sash with all of his pins. He, in a protest, lays his sash down at Carl's feet to go off and do what is needed, what is right. He characterizes what is truly courageous: to lay down our lives and interests for the welfare of others.
Alpha and Doug are two dogs, both of which need to be mentioned. Alpha is a condescendingly formal attack Doberman Pincer that Charles Muntz trains to track the giant bird of his obsession. He is the first of a pack of wild dogs trained to do this. Even before I saw Charles Muntz, I thougt to myself, "I wonder what kind of a man trains a dog to be so brutally cruel." Alpha teaches us that you can easily determine the quality of a person by examining the people closest to them, especially those that follow them. Doug on the other hand is a very typical golden retriever; playful, loyal, trusting and even gullible, with a notable distraction by and hatred of squirrels. He is the only member of "the pack" maintained by Muntz who doesn't have a greek letter for a name. He doesn't fit the attack dog mold. My wife made the observation that, "He is the only dog that doesn't have any position with the pack." He gets sent out on "special missions" intended to keep him from getting in the way. The most important thing you'll notice about Doug is that he voluntarily changes masters, from Muntz to Carl, and ends up becoming the "Alpha" of the pack by outsmarting Alpha to help Carl and Russell. His loyalty is based on what we Christians call righteousness: Doing right which is rooted in the expressed heart of God. We do what is right because He did, does, and will continue to do what is right, because He is good.
As they used to say (and need to start saying again), the moral of the story is that people are all the same in that we all dream and have goals. But that isn't nearly as important as what we are willing to do with them. This movie was deeply challenging to me. It left me asking questions of myself, and I pose the same to you. Will we see our dreams fulfilled no matter what, even at the cost of the people around us? Are we willing to lay down our dreams to help those that need it most? Is the end result the most important thing to us, or is it the continued journey that we value above anything else? Is our loyalty based on position and authority or on just kindness (acts of kindness springing from a just heart). Will our lives be rated by our own achievements or by our sacrificial inspiration of others?
The greatest moment in the movie comes at the end, when Carl attends Russell's wilderness scout ceremony. Russell is the only child standing without his father present, and Carl stands to be with him, but then presents him with the pin that Ellie gave Carl as a child, bringing him in to the adventurer club. It's been said that we are a part of a fatherless generation. What Carl does is what is necessary for us to do, if we're willing. It's time to mentor the fatherless to be driven by a need for adventurous community, in place of the success society that abandoned them in the first place.
If you are a person professing the Christian faith, ask yourself this: If our Savior offered to us an abundant and full life, why aren't we taking advantage of it in the same way He did, by laying down our lives for others? Why would we expect fullness of life to look different for us than it did for Him?
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Why we REALLY left World Hope...
The number one question Rachel and I have been asked since announcing our resignation at World Hope has been, "Why are you guys REALLY leaving?" In going into the new year, we thought long and hard about this and decided to air out why we're really stepping down as Associate Pastors. After all, we want to go into 2010 with clean consciences, and wouldn't want the last thing we did in 2009 to be lying.
What we TOLD everyone was that ... well, let me just quote a portion of the letter we read to the congregation on the 27th...
"When we originally came to World Hope, it was with the belief and assumption that we would be serving long term, alongside Pastor Dave and Katrina and the rest of the pastoral staff. Over the last month, however, we have sensed that a transition was coming and that we needed to prepare for that. Through prayerful consideration, we have come to the understanding that the Lord brought us to World Hope for a very specific assignment, namely to aid with the season of transition that the church has gone through in the last few months, and to help bring a more stable environment for the body to launch from into the new year. Even though we know that Pastor Dave's vision for World Hope in the coming year is one given by the Holy Spirit, we've sensed that we weren't going to be a part of it ...Please be reassured: we aren't leaving with any ill feelings or discord toward the staff or anyone in the church. We are leaving to give place for growth in our lives and in the life of this church."
Rachel and I have tried to be transparent and ethical in leaving World Hope, because we've seen it done differently and have tried our best to be obedient to what we feel the Lord is leading us to do in a way that builds up the people around us that we care about. What makes me laugh is the tendency in certain people to need more than just what is said. Where's the drama? Where's the dirt? Where's the scandal? Why did we REALLY leave World Hope? Exactly what we've said from the beginning, to everyone we've talked to in the process. We believe, based on our life with the Holy Spirit, that our time at World Hope was meant to be temporary. Certain aspects of our lives (financial, among others) can't support us being engaged in the level of ministry that we know that World Hope is called to in 2010. So we're resigning. That's it. Sorry to disappoint. No scandal. No paparazzi. No breaking news. To quote my father-in-law, "This is the Kingdom of God, not reality TV."
I blame this cultural anomaly on the excessive saturation of sitcoms, reality TV shows and soaps on TV. You can say whatever you want about TV not making people do things; from all I've seen it can and does influence the way we think. Are we so inundated with drama on the screen that we can't separate that out from real life?
I watch TV too. I love Friends. This actually reminds me of a particular episode of friends. It's the one where Joey and Chandler's TV accidentally locks in to a porn channel, and they're too afraid that if they change the channel it'll go away forever. Don't go getting all moral on me just yet, the lesson is ahead... In that episode, Joey and Chandler watch so much porn that they start expecting that life will imitate what they've been watching, and are then disappointed and disillusioned when girls don't just throw themselves at the guys. It's ridiculous, but they wouldn't mock it if it didn't have merit in real life. It's only laughable on screen because it's plausible in reality.
I know that even after posting this, some people might still say, "Well they're just saying that because they don't want anyone else to know the truth," or "They're just trying to cover up what REALLY happened." My invitation to you, the reader, is this: If you run into or talk to one of the people who maintain that perspective, do them (and yourself) a favor and cut them off, slap them with a fly swatter, and then ask them to change the subject." And if you happen to be the poor soul who gets slapped with a fly swatter, please kindly send me a picture to remember you by.
Addendum: I know that this post may come across as sarcastic and impatient, and that isn't my intention. I am, however, deliberately exposing something that I believe happens too much in the body of Christ and needs to be brought back in line. My heart is to challenge believers not to waste time on gossip, rumors, or speculations, but to grow up in the way we us our words, because too many people's souls depend on the quality and potency of our faith to be worried about such trivial things. Let's get back to being people who are more interested in truth and love than we are in rumors and idle talk.
What we TOLD everyone was that ... well, let me just quote a portion of the letter we read to the congregation on the 27th...
"When we originally came to World Hope, it was with the belief and assumption that we would be serving long term, alongside Pastor Dave and Katrina and the rest of the pastoral staff. Over the last month, however, we have sensed that a transition was coming and that we needed to prepare for that. Through prayerful consideration, we have come to the understanding that the Lord brought us to World Hope for a very specific assignment, namely to aid with the season of transition that the church has gone through in the last few months, and to help bring a more stable environment for the body to launch from into the new year. Even though we know that Pastor Dave's vision for World Hope in the coming year is one given by the Holy Spirit, we've sensed that we weren't going to be a part of it ...Please be reassured: we aren't leaving with any ill feelings or discord toward the staff or anyone in the church. We are leaving to give place for growth in our lives and in the life of this church."
Rachel and I have tried to be transparent and ethical in leaving World Hope, because we've seen it done differently and have tried our best to be obedient to what we feel the Lord is leading us to do in a way that builds up the people around us that we care about. What makes me laugh is the tendency in certain people to need more than just what is said. Where's the drama? Where's the dirt? Where's the scandal? Why did we REALLY leave World Hope? Exactly what we've said from the beginning, to everyone we've talked to in the process. We believe, based on our life with the Holy Spirit, that our time at World Hope was meant to be temporary. Certain aspects of our lives (financial, among others) can't support us being engaged in the level of ministry that we know that World Hope is called to in 2010. So we're resigning. That's it. Sorry to disappoint. No scandal. No paparazzi. No breaking news. To quote my father-in-law, "This is the Kingdom of God, not reality TV."
I blame this cultural anomaly on the excessive saturation of sitcoms, reality TV shows and soaps on TV. You can say whatever you want about TV not making people do things; from all I've seen it can and does influence the way we think. Are we so inundated with drama on the screen that we can't separate that out from real life?
I watch TV too. I love Friends. This actually reminds me of a particular episode of friends. It's the one where Joey and Chandler's TV accidentally locks in to a porn channel, and they're too afraid that if they change the channel it'll go away forever. Don't go getting all moral on me just yet, the lesson is ahead... In that episode, Joey and Chandler watch so much porn that they start expecting that life will imitate what they've been watching, and are then disappointed and disillusioned when girls don't just throw themselves at the guys. It's ridiculous, but they wouldn't mock it if it didn't have merit in real life. It's only laughable on screen because it's plausible in reality.
I know that even after posting this, some people might still say, "Well they're just saying that because they don't want anyone else to know the truth," or "They're just trying to cover up what REALLY happened." My invitation to you, the reader, is this: If you run into or talk to one of the people who maintain that perspective, do them (and yourself) a favor and cut them off, slap them with a fly swatter, and then ask them to change the subject." And if you happen to be the poor soul who gets slapped with a fly swatter, please kindly send me a picture to remember you by.
Addendum: I know that this post may come across as sarcastic and impatient, and that isn't my intention. I am, however, deliberately exposing something that I believe happens too much in the body of Christ and needs to be brought back in line. My heart is to challenge believers not to waste time on gossip, rumors, or speculations, but to grow up in the way we us our words, because too many people's souls depend on the quality and potency of our faith to be worried about such trivial things. Let's get back to being people who are more interested in truth and love than we are in rumors and idle talk.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Rob Bell Ruined My Evening...
I find myself haunted tonight. But it's not by any of the unfortunate folks at peopleofwalmart.com (beware if you click, you may end up haunted too). And it's not because I went out and rented Saw 17: Jigsaw goes to Cancun. It's because I finished reading a book, and something the author wrote caught me off guard. Almost like a sucker-punch of the soul.
The book is Velvet Elvis. The author is Rob Bell, pastor of Mars Hill Church. Now this particular entry isn't going to be a book review. That may come later. This is about just one statement that is still rocking my world. Before I get to what he said, let me go back briefly to explain why this book even found itself on my shelf.
I serve as an assisting pastor in a church, and as such I have friends that are pastors also. One of them asked me, "What do you think about the Emerging Church Movement?" I had never heard the term. The tone of the question was negative and almost indignant, so I asked about it. They hooked me up with a few websites, and I was intrigued, because from the Evangelical mainstream voice, the Emerging Church was almost being labeled as a threat, and Rob Bell was one of their chief "heretics." I watched a few anti-videos on YouTube and was even more intrigued, so I did what anyone in my position ought to. I bought his books. Velvet Elvis was one of the books. After all, you can only learn so much from spliced text with musical backgrounds on YouTube. For a people as opinionated as the church seems to be, we should have to be the most well-read community on the face of the planet... I digress...
The statement is in the last chapter. I'll give it to you plain:
"Most of the messages we receive (as Christians) are about how to make life easier. The call of Jesus goes the other direction: it's about making our lives more difficult. It is going out of our way to be more generous and disciplined and loving and free. It is refusing to escape and become numb to and check out of this broken, fractured world." (emphasis added)
I can't get past that last statement, because it's right where I live. Even as a pastor, even having gone to Bible College, I find myself more interested in finding varied ways (TV, video games, heck even social media) to escape from the world around me because in a not-so-small way, I've lost the faith to believe that God can make a difference in that world using my life. That's hard to admit, but I knew at once I had to admit it. I have to own it. I have to throw up my hands and say, "You're right, God, that's me. I checked out." I can't tell you why. I can't even tell you what I'm going to do next. But at least I know where I am, and that's a start.
The position I'm in has the words of Debbye Graafsma , renowned worship song writer and Christian counselor, echoing in my heart. She has said that life isn't about success, it's about congruency. It's about being the same, inside and out. It's about letting what is at the core of who you were created to be set the pace for the person you appear to be, not the opposite way around.
I know where I am. But I know where I want to be, and I'm taking the first steps in that direction. I'm not writing this to try and tell anyone how to get there themselves. Rather, I'm writing to invite other people along who may find themselves on the same point of the map that I am: checked out, numb, and not even knowing how they got there, but wanting to go back.
If anyone has been down this road, I'd welcome your comments and contributions. I'm sure a lot of other people would too.
The book is Velvet Elvis. The author is Rob Bell, pastor of Mars Hill Church. Now this particular entry isn't going to be a book review. That may come later. This is about just one statement that is still rocking my world. Before I get to what he said, let me go back briefly to explain why this book even found itself on my shelf.
I serve as an assisting pastor in a church, and as such I have friends that are pastors also. One of them asked me, "What do you think about the Emerging Church Movement?" I had never heard the term. The tone of the question was negative and almost indignant, so I asked about it. They hooked me up with a few websites, and I was intrigued, because from the Evangelical mainstream voice, the Emerging Church was almost being labeled as a threat, and Rob Bell was one of their chief "heretics." I watched a few anti-videos on YouTube and was even more intrigued, so I did what anyone in my position ought to. I bought his books. Velvet Elvis was one of the books. After all, you can only learn so much from spliced text with musical backgrounds on YouTube. For a people as opinionated as the church seems to be, we should have to be the most well-read community on the face of the planet... I digress...
The statement is in the last chapter. I'll give it to you plain:
"Most of the messages we receive (as Christians) are about how to make life easier. The call of Jesus goes the other direction: it's about making our lives more difficult. It is going out of our way to be more generous and disciplined and loving and free. It is refusing to escape and become numb to and check out of this broken, fractured world." (emphasis added)
I can't get past that last statement, because it's right where I live. Even as a pastor, even having gone to Bible College, I find myself more interested in finding varied ways (TV, video games, heck even social media) to escape from the world around me because in a not-so-small way, I've lost the faith to believe that God can make a difference in that world using my life. That's hard to admit, but I knew at once I had to admit it. I have to own it. I have to throw up my hands and say, "You're right, God, that's me. I checked out." I can't tell you why. I can't even tell you what I'm going to do next. But at least I know where I am, and that's a start.
The position I'm in has the words of Debbye Graafsma , renowned worship song writer and Christian counselor, echoing in my heart. She has said that life isn't about success, it's about congruency. It's about being the same, inside and out. It's about letting what is at the core of who you were created to be set the pace for the person you appear to be, not the opposite way around.
I know where I am. But I know where I want to be, and I'm taking the first steps in that direction. I'm not writing this to try and tell anyone how to get there themselves. Rather, I'm writing to invite other people along who may find themselves on the same point of the map that I am: checked out, numb, and not even knowing how they got there, but wanting to go back.
If anyone has been down this road, I'd welcome your comments and contributions. I'm sure a lot of other people would too.
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