It’s time for a change….

…..time to honor their memory.

Misplaced Priorities

In case you’ve been living under a rock for the last 24 hours, Michael Jackson passed away from a Demerol induced heart attack yesterday at the age of 50.

From what I gather on Twitter and other social media, there has been an astoundingly stupid amount of wailing and gnashing of teeth over the death of one man. While I agree it’s a tragedy, I believe that the last 24 hours only spotlight how misplaced our priorities are as a society.

My good friend Brian Kruckenberg asked the question on his blog “Michael Jackson got 50. How many will we get?” This is an excellent question.

In his post he asks:

But, most of you reading this have the same question I do. And, that is as big as his life was… “will it leave an eternal mark?”

The celebrity worship in this country is completely out of control. I completely understand the need to decompress from everything that’s going on occasionally, but seriously…. From tabloid TV to magazines to the insanity surrounding American Idol…. somehow we’ve lost our way.

There are people giving their very lives in the fight for human dignity, struggling to find enough to eat and drink, working hard to keep one step ahead of abject poverty, going through life without a chance of gaining an education…. but you wouldn’t know it by the news.

I know one person can’t do it all and I wouldn’t suggest we even try. The risks of burnout and compassion fatigue are real and high. But that doesn’t mean we should just sink into the latest episode of our favorite TV show or scour the web to find out the latest inane antics of our favorite celebrities and just think that “someone else” will fix the world.

It’s up to us. With all the tools of the 21st Century at our fingertips, it’s easier than ever to make an impact that can be felt half-way around the world…… and most times, it doesn’t cost us anything except a few minutes of our time.

So, I challenge my readers to do something to change the world. Blog, write a letter to the editor, call your Representative or Senator, volunteer some time at your local relief agency, sponsor a child through groups like Food for the Hungry or Compassion International…..just do something….you can even start simple, and focus on a single issue that really makes your heart hurt.

A wise man once said “If you’re pissed off about something and it seems like nobody else is…… that’s God telling you that YOU are supposed to do something about it.”

I think even if we blogged, which some might think of as a waste of time, we could change the world. Who knows… someone could come across what you wrote and be inspired to take action themselves. We’re a worldwide community today more than we ever have been.

We CAN change the world. Start today, before it’s too late.

What would you do if today was your last day?

Tyranny, Anti-Catholicism, and the Birth of a Country

(Cross posted from American Creation)

I just finished a little piece on the shifting definition of tyranny and it’s anti-Catholic roots in the American colonies

Anti-Catholicism has a long and storied history going back around 500 years to the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. Following Henry VII’s split with Rome in 1534, anti-Catholic bias was elevated from being an articulated position within the Church to an institutionalized bias within the British government. This was codified with the Act of Supremacy, which replaced the Pope as the head of the Church with the English Crown….

With Catholicism and the French inextricably mixed, the words tyranny, liberty, virtue, vice, etc. were commonly used in both political and theological arenas.

Within 2 years of the end of the (Seven Years)war, the Stamp Act was passed. With the memories of the bloodshed still fresh in the colonists minds, it wasn’t too much of a stretch for the religious leaders to subtly shift the target of who the tyrant was from the Catholic French and their Pope to the English Crown.

You can read the full piece here

WWE Legend Jim Cornette goes ballistic on the Right Wing

The first clip is ~10 minutes, the second is ~5 minutes. If you’re tired of the whole chicken little, “the end of America” gloom and doom rhetoric emanating from the likes of Rush, Hannity, Savage, and Fox News….this one’s for you.

If coarse language offends you, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Part 1

Part 2

Youth groups – What should they look like?

According to studies done by The Barna Group

…that despite strong levels of spiritual activity during the teen years, most twentysomethings disengage from active participation in the Christian faith during their young adult years – and often beyond that. In total, six out of ten twentysomethings were involved in a church during their teen years, but have failed to translate that into active spirituality during their early adulthood.

And, according to the study:

“Much of the ministry to teenagers in America needs an overhaul – not because churches fail to attract significant numbers of young people, but because so much of those efforts are not creating a sustainable faith beyond high school. There are certainly effective youth ministries across the country, but the levels of disengagement among twentysomethings suggest that youth ministry fails too often at discipleship and faith formation. A new standard for viable youth ministry should be – not the number of attenders, the sophistication of the events, or the ‘cool’ factor of the youth group – but whether teens have the commitment, passion and resources to pursue Christ intentionally and whole- heartedly after they leave the youth ministry nest.”

• I believe that a youth group is something the kids should be, not simply something they do.

Scriptural studies, apologetics, basic church doctrine….these should be the foundation so that the teens can face life, and questions about their faith, with confidence.

This is my question to those who lead youth groups, pastors (youth and otherwise), adult volunteers, parents who have kids attending church youth groups……

What do YOU think a youth group should look like?

Who do you love?

A zealot.

A tax collector.

A prostitute.

An adulteress.

What do these people have in common?

They are all people condemned by the “religious” of the time as “evil” and “immoral” whom Jesus loved and, in some cases, welcomed into his inner circle.

They didn’t have to dress a certain way, talk a certain way, or any of that nonsense. He loved them simply because they were children of God. Now, does that mean he supported or even agreed with what they did or what their philosophy of life was?

NONBHN.

In scripture, Jesus did not condemn these people. He did not call them “evil”. He did not pray for them to be killed. He did not seek to push these people to the margins of society because he didn’t consider them “mainstream”.

In today’s world, that view would be considered “unChristian” by, well, alot of Christians. It seems that to a good percentage, there has to be something, or a someone, to direct all of our holy indignation and righteous anger towards. It’s almost like that to today’s Christian, there HAS to be a “boogeyman”.

Secondly, to some people, if you’re not angry with, or at, gays, lesbians, music, the media, the courts, liberals, movies, hollywood, Sean Penn, Muslims, Mormons, the New York Yankees, or whatever….. then you obviously agree with them and there’s no way you could possibly be a “good Christian”.

Pardon my french, but that’s bullshit.

Even thinking those thoughts automatically disqualifies you from being a “good Christian”, because you’re now showing favoritism (James 2), and you’ve become a stumbling block for weaker Christians (Romans 14).

Long story short, you’re not doing what scripture tells you to do.

Christ goes even further in Matthew 5:46-47 saying:

ἐὰν γὰρ ἀγαπήσητε τοὺς ἀγαπῶντας ὑμᾶς, τίνα μισθὸν ἔχετε; οὐχὶ καὶ οἱ τελῶναι τὸ αὐτὸ ποιοῦσιν;καὶ ἐὰν ἀσπάσησθε τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ὑμῶν μόνον, τί περισσὸν ποιεῖτε; οὐχὶ καὶ οἱ ἐθνικοὶ τὸ αὐτὸ ποιοῦσιν;

or

“If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?

Quite honestly, Jesus is taunting you. He’s basically saying, “Ok, so you love your friends. Big freakin’ deal. Everyone does that!” However, that’s how alot of Christians prefer to be. People who are ‘different’ tend to make them nervous.

Paul, in Romans 12, is probably the first written use of a variation of “You’ll catch more flies with honey than you will with vinegar.”

The last few days have really brought out the ugly side of Christianity…… to the point where, as a believer, it’s again embarrassing to be associated with them. They’ve tossed aside the words of Jesus for a Gospel of Anger that preaches you should hate those you disagree with to the point of wishing them dead and then when they are killed, publicly state “It’s an answer to a prayer, I’m glad he’s dead.”

So, why do we toss aside Jesus when it comes to our ‘enemies’? Is it because we don’t want to be seen as *gasp* not being a “good Christian”? Are we so afraid to love gays, lesbians, the media, hollywood, the Yankees, etc., embracing the discomfort it may bring us in the beginning, that we’re willing to tell Jesus to “piss off” with our actions?

It’s a really sad statement for the church when we avoid loving those who we disagree with on almost everything because we’re afraid of what others might think of us.

In Mark 12, Jesus is asked “Of all the commandments, which is the most important. He responds, as we all know:

καὶ ἀγαπήσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ψυχῆς σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς διανοίας σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ἰσχύος σου. δευτέρα αὕτη, Ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν. μείζων τούτων ἄλλη ἐντολὴ οὐκ ἔστιν.
or
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

There is one word that should stick out, πλησίον or plēsion. In English, this is the word used for neighbor. In this use, Jesus isn’t just talking about fellow believers. He was talking about everyone.

So, I ask you this.

Who do YOU love?

Tiller, Murder, Hate, Anger, Sin, and Forgiveness

To be perfectly honest, I hesitated to write about this topic and add my small voice to the cacophony surrounding this weekend’s incidents. However, after reading the blogs, tweets, etc., I felt I had to say something.

Please note: This is NOT a philosophical, theological, political, or moral debate about the pros and cons of abortion. This is a straightforward commentary regarding the events surrounding the shooting and the American public’s reaction.

First, to the pro-choice crowd:

This despicable act of premeditated murder should not be used to condemn all Christians. To do so would be as disingenuous as condemning all Muslims for 9/11. It’s just plain stupid. To those who have condemned all Christians, you should be ashamed of yourselves.

Second, to the pro-life crowd:

Condoning or even celebrating the cold blooded murder of a man is about as un-Christian as you can get. You know who you are. Quite honestly, you should be ashamed of yourselves, too.

That being said, there are two major points I’d like to make. The first deals with “free speech”, the other is a bit more theological in nature.

Free speech doesn’t mean you can say whatever you want!

You cannot get people all worked up into an emotional frenzy and then wash your hands of whatever comes next. Sorry, doesn’t work that way. This isn’t only my opinion, it’s also the opinion of the US Supreme Court, decided in Brandenburg v. Ohio (1969). Long story short, speech that is incitement to lawless action is NOT protected under the 1st Amendment.

Think about that the next time you hear a talking head (right or left) using over the top rhetoric as a way to gain ratings or increase their book sales.

Yes, this is directed at people like Randall Terry of Operation Rescue who is afraid that Tiller’s death will result in OR’s “most effective rhetoric and actions” being limited.

They should be…..if they cross the line to harassment and incite people to violence.  I believe there is, at least, some evidence that they do.

(It’s inevitable that someone will say “Yeah, but what about [insert random left wing group here]?  Two things:  1) This isn’t about them, so please try to focus here, and; 2) Yes, they are just as guilty under Brandenburg.)

This also goes out to Mr. Leach of the Prayer and Action Network who said, and I quote, “To call this (Tiller’s murder) a crime is too simplistic.  There is Christian scripture that would support this.“

Maybe if he’s been reading the Gospel according to St. Bastard.  This was a case of pure vengeance.  What does scripture say about vengeance?

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:17-21

Is this easy? Uhh…no.  But that’s sort of the point.  Living a Christian life is not supposed to be easy.

This brings me to my 2nd point, a more theological look at the atmosphere surrounding this issue.

In a twitter conversation last night with @flicka47, a conservative christian from California about forgiveness, she said: “What are you talking about forgiveness of sin only comes from God. No,you have it wrong..u forgive the sinner,NOT the sin. u can not forgive sinful behavior,only the person who stops the sinning”.  I’ll give her half credit on this, but someone needs a refresher on what Jesus said.

Following the resurrection, he appeared to his disciples and said:

“Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” John 20:21-23

Are we to believe that this ONLY applied to those in that room that day? I’d have to say no. If that were true, then you open up the teachings of Christ to relativism…. a big no-no.  Then we get into the “Well, Jesus wasn’t talking about ME.”  Truth then gets lost.

Related to this is a phrase I despise…”Love the sinner, hate the sin!”  This makes the assumption that we can love and hate perfectly.  Truth is… we can’t.  How many times have we said “I love _______, BUT…..” or how often do we let our anger over sin contain some malice towards the person?  I’m guessing it’s often.  I’m guilty of it myself.  If you say you’re not, then my only reply is “liar, liar, pants on fire!”

The Apostle Paul knew this.  That’s why he said what he did.  He also said “..in your anger, do not sin!  Do not give the devil a foothold.”  I think being a reformed religious zealot gives him credible insight into how human anger can lead to sin.

Forgiveness isn’t for them, it’s for us.  It doesn’t “allow the devil a foothold” by releasing the anger and resentment we feel inside.  It allows us to better love each other by taking the focus off our inward hurts and pointing out towards others who are hurting.  It releases us from victimhood.  It allows God to use that hurt for his purpose….perhaps to reach out, help, and heal others who experience the same thing.

But most of all…. it’s what we are commanded to do.

I’ll leave you with this final thought.  If you are a person of prayer, there are three requests I’d like to make of you.

1) Pray for the family of Dr. Tiller, that God may bring them comfort and peace in their time of grief.

2) Pray for Scott Roeder, that God may soften his heart and that he will truly repent for what he’s done.

3) Pray for all of us, that in this time of anger, finger-pointing and outrage, that God would grant us all the wisdom we need to deal with this topic with understanding, compassion, and, most of all, love.