Di d you know, if you are a believer in Jesus, you are on Al Qaeda's radar?
They (the ISI) have declared:"All Christian centers, organizations, and institutions, leaders and followers, are legitimate targets for the mujahedeen wherever they can reach them." A splinter group of Al-Qaeda in Iraq, the self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq (ISI), made the foregoing statement.
They had just attacked and killed 64 people, and wounded about 300. This is 2010. This occurred in approximately the past month in Baghdad, Iraq.
Please pray for the people who follow Jesus around the world who are being attacked, persecuted, threatened, intimidated, and killed for their faith. Pray they will remain faithful to Christ, courageous, and filled with love. Pray they will bring honor to the name of Jesus as they live, or die, for Him. Pray you and we can find ways to encourage and support them in their faith.
You might check out www.opendoorsusa.org for more information.
a blog of thoughts on life and faith by K T Mat
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Watching the world beyond
Call me weird, but I like the vampire diaries. Ever since I was young I have liked some things about vampire shows. It isn't the gore, that's gross. It's the power. They are fictional beings that don't die very easily. That have great power. They are almost supernatural. Which is why I think I was drawn to them before I knew Jesus Christ as my Savior.
And now I think maybe it is a reminder to me and a pull on me that there is a world beyond this one; where there are beings of great power, where God is real, where amazing things do go on that are beyond the hum-drum of my life. As a missionary I know said recently, "God is at work." He is.
He is doing great things in this world. He is miraculously transforming sinners like me to become eventually like His great Son. He is rescuing sinners like me from the wrath all the world will face. And justly face. He is healing people. He is forgiving people. He is bringing love to hearts that never thought they could feel or know love, in hardened tough guys, and abused women, and mistreated children. In wealthy bankers, and sophisticated preachers, and downtrodden migrant workers. The list of broken hearts and worn out lives goes on and on and on. God is at work. From a world beyond.
"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4
I also like this particular show, the Vampire Diaries, like Moonlight, because I meet fictional characters that are interesting and well developed. And in both the lead characters, Stephen in V.Diaries, and the PI whose name I can't remember in Moonlight, they are beings caught as vampires who are apparently good at heart. So they struggle with their "vampireness." The strictly evil vampires that hurt and maim and destroy, ever since the first Dracula book, are simply to me an allegorical way of discussing demons. Soul-sucking powerful evil beings who hate God and Christ. They are basically disgusting, but their power is "attractive," and I suppose that is why power is tempting and turning to evil can appear that way. But behind it lays great evil and horror. We must never lose sight of that, with such power that draws its life by destroying others lay only blackness. There is no redemption in that, just as there is no redemption for demons. They are doomed and damned. And therefore should have no ultimate attractiveness.
But in many ways the modern "good vampires" displayed in V. Diaries, Moonlight, and the Twilight movies and books represent something different to me. Perhaps they are an attempt at a deception that we can try to hide our evil nature but it is still there. Ok. But, these characters are portrayed as good. They have good intentions, they protect people, they use their power for good not evil. It is redemption, in many ways, that is being portrayed. Finding a way out of the evil in which we are trapped. That is what the real human being actually is. We are caught in bodies as sinners under the wrath of God, who need a way out. We are lost. And only because God made a way, through Christ and His death for us and resurrection, do we have hope. We can be made good. In spite of being "trapped" here as sinners in fallen bodies, facing temptation, we can by God's grace and intervention in our lives seek out and not only do good, but be made good and become good. Like God. Only through Jesus Christ.
So, remember, we live in a world where the unseen world beyond is much more powerful and enduring than the seen world. Where God is at work. Into this world. And He is redeeming beings like you and me and wanting us to walk in the resurrection power of His Son. Let's walk with Jesus. And keep our eyes steadfastly focused on the unseen world beyond this one.
And now I think maybe it is a reminder to me and a pull on me that there is a world beyond this one; where there are beings of great power, where God is real, where amazing things do go on that are beyond the hum-drum of my life. As a missionary I know said recently, "God is at work." He is.
He is doing great things in this world. He is miraculously transforming sinners like me to become eventually like His great Son. He is rescuing sinners like me from the wrath all the world will face. And justly face. He is healing people. He is forgiving people. He is bringing love to hearts that never thought they could feel or know love, in hardened tough guys, and abused women, and mistreated children. In wealthy bankers, and sophisticated preachers, and downtrodden migrant workers. The list of broken hearts and worn out lives goes on and on and on. God is at work. From a world beyond.
"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4
I also like this particular show, the Vampire Diaries, like Moonlight, because I meet fictional characters that are interesting and well developed. And in both the lead characters, Stephen in V.Diaries, and the PI whose name I can't remember in Moonlight, they are beings caught as vampires who are apparently good at heart. So they struggle with their "vampireness." The strictly evil vampires that hurt and maim and destroy, ever since the first Dracula book, are simply to me an allegorical way of discussing demons. Soul-sucking powerful evil beings who hate God and Christ. They are basically disgusting, but their power is "attractive," and I suppose that is why power is tempting and turning to evil can appear that way. But behind it lays great evil and horror. We must never lose sight of that, with such power that draws its life by destroying others lay only blackness. There is no redemption in that, just as there is no redemption for demons. They are doomed and damned. And therefore should have no ultimate attractiveness.
But in many ways the modern "good vampires" displayed in V. Diaries, Moonlight, and the Twilight movies and books represent something different to me. Perhaps they are an attempt at a deception that we can try to hide our evil nature but it is still there. Ok. But, these characters are portrayed as good. They have good intentions, they protect people, they use their power for good not evil. It is redemption, in many ways, that is being portrayed. Finding a way out of the evil in which we are trapped. That is what the real human being actually is. We are caught in bodies as sinners under the wrath of God, who need a way out. We are lost. And only because God made a way, through Christ and His death for us and resurrection, do we have hope. We can be made good. In spite of being "trapped" here as sinners in fallen bodies, facing temptation, we can by God's grace and intervention in our lives seek out and not only do good, but be made good and become good. Like God. Only through Jesus Christ.
So, remember, we live in a world where the unseen world beyond is much more powerful and enduring than the seen world. Where God is at work. Into this world. And He is redeeming beings like you and me and wanting us to walk in the resurrection power of His Son. Let's walk with Jesus. And keep our eyes steadfastly focused on the unseen world beyond this one.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
stand up to them
Recently I wrote on facebook that it is not the high road to make rules for other people on debatable issues. There are some people in this world who think they have the right and maybe the obligation to figure out what is good and right for everyone else to do. You wear makeup that is flashy, like that British singer (I can't think of her name right now), and these type of people want to challenge you about that. Perhaps they question why you think you need to wear makeup when God made you beautiful to begin with. And then they take the step of deciding that you MUST have bad motives and it has to be wrong. Or maybe you have a tattoo. They take the step of deciding it has to be a wrong motive that made you get it and therefore it is wrong to get tattoos. Or perhaps you smoke. They can see no way around the scripture that says your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit and since smoking hurts your body, they call it a sin to smoke.
I would call these people "next steppers." They find something wrong for themselves and take the "next step" and apply that to other people, too, and decide it has to wrong for all people. They are today's Pharisees that have a list of rules for others to follow to be holy. THEY ARE ALSO LIVING IN DIRECT CONTRADICTION TO ROMANS 14, WHICH THE PHARISEES DID NOT HAVE. Romans 14 requires Christians to not pass judgement on other Christians in regard to disputable matters. It requires it. You just don't get to go there. A debatable or disputable matter would be one that is not clearly laid out in the New Testament as a command or is not a moral issue clear in scripture. When Paul took the issue on in Romans 14 he used the issue of what we eat, and of one day being more holy than another. These were 2 debatable issue to him. Now this latter one was HUGE for Jewish people because this implies the Sabbath. And what Paul was saying was that to keep or not keep the Sabbath was a matter of conviction one had personally. It was a debatable issue. How could he, a Jew, say that? In Colossians Paul talks about how all these issues of the law were a shadow of Jesus, and he includes the Sabbath in that there in Colossians. So Paul sees the Sabbath, and the rest of the law, as having been fulfilled in Christ. That is why we do not have to keep the Sabbath in the same way as old testament time people (Jews especially) were supposed to. And the same can be said of other old testament laws that are not repeated in the new testament or are not clearly tied to the character of God and true moral living. An example from scripture of a clear case of an immoral choice would be rape. Rape is a clear violation of another person sexually. It is a CLEAR example of not loving a neighbor as oneself. It is clearly a sin that we can rebuke each other over. And that the state has obviously decided is punishable (at least in America and most other places), for which we should be glad.
So when an issue is not clearly addressed in scripture, such as smoking, it is a debatable issue. And therefore, as from Romans 14, we cannot judge and require other people to do what our conscience requires us to do. And to do so is not being a better person or more holy. It is simply to be disobedient to Jesus. Those that can smoke, according to Romans 14, are considered the stronger brother, because they feel freedom to smoke and don't see a limitation by scripture (of which there is not one that is direct). Romans 14 says we are not to judge those brothers who feel that freedom. It also says that the stronger brother must not "look down on" those who are called weaker brothers there and don't feel such freedom. We are to give each other the freedom to do or not do these debatable issues without causing an issue over it.
So it is not taking the high road to be a person who makes all kinds of rules, or any kinds of rules, for others to follow on issues that are debatable. It is WRONG to do so. And making these rules does not lead someone closer to Christ (see Colossians 2 end and 3).
Further, I think Christians that understand Romans 14 need to start standing up to other Christians who do not get this passage and want to make rules for others and tell them to back off and leave other Christians alone. In Titus 1 we are challenged to rebuke sharply people like this (I see them clearly fitting in with what Titus says here, although many of them don't make rules for others to get money or fit some of the other descriptions there, but they do fit in as people of "the circumcision" group. These were people who thought Christians still needed to get circumcised to be saved, in obedience to the law of Moses). It is said there that they are ruining whole households. They are called mere talkers and deceivers. They are the type of people who don't think anything is pure (so they make up huge lists of what we cannot do as Christians).
So Christians, stop tolerating these rule makers, and correct them. They are wrong to do this.
Having said that, Christians, do make sure that you feel freedom on the issues you find freedom in, and you are not just going along with the easy crowd. Because as Romans 14 says, we each stand or fall before our Lord. So we should feel confident based on scripture, not just because we don't care or are following slacker traditions of other slackers around us. We need to be convinced of our freedoms.
I would call these people "next steppers." They find something wrong for themselves and take the "next step" and apply that to other people, too, and decide it has to wrong for all people. They are today's Pharisees that have a list of rules for others to follow to be holy. THEY ARE ALSO LIVING IN DIRECT CONTRADICTION TO ROMANS 14, WHICH THE PHARISEES DID NOT HAVE. Romans 14 requires Christians to not pass judgement on other Christians in regard to disputable matters. It requires it. You just don't get to go there. A debatable or disputable matter would be one that is not clearly laid out in the New Testament as a command or is not a moral issue clear in scripture. When Paul took the issue on in Romans 14 he used the issue of what we eat, and of one day being more holy than another. These were 2 debatable issue to him. Now this latter one was HUGE for Jewish people because this implies the Sabbath. And what Paul was saying was that to keep or not keep the Sabbath was a matter of conviction one had personally. It was a debatable issue. How could he, a Jew, say that? In Colossians Paul talks about how all these issues of the law were a shadow of Jesus, and he includes the Sabbath in that there in Colossians. So Paul sees the Sabbath, and the rest of the law, as having been fulfilled in Christ. That is why we do not have to keep the Sabbath in the same way as old testament time people (Jews especially) were supposed to. And the same can be said of other old testament laws that are not repeated in the new testament or are not clearly tied to the character of God and true moral living. An example from scripture of a clear case of an immoral choice would be rape. Rape is a clear violation of another person sexually. It is a CLEAR example of not loving a neighbor as oneself. It is clearly a sin that we can rebuke each other over. And that the state has obviously decided is punishable (at least in America and most other places), for which we should be glad.
So when an issue is not clearly addressed in scripture, such as smoking, it is a debatable issue. And therefore, as from Romans 14, we cannot judge and require other people to do what our conscience requires us to do. And to do so is not being a better person or more holy. It is simply to be disobedient to Jesus. Those that can smoke, according to Romans 14, are considered the stronger brother, because they feel freedom to smoke and don't see a limitation by scripture (of which there is not one that is direct). Romans 14 says we are not to judge those brothers who feel that freedom. It also says that the stronger brother must not "look down on" those who are called weaker brothers there and don't feel such freedom. We are to give each other the freedom to do or not do these debatable issues without causing an issue over it.
So it is not taking the high road to be a person who makes all kinds of rules, or any kinds of rules, for others to follow on issues that are debatable. It is WRONG to do so. And making these rules does not lead someone closer to Christ (see Colossians 2 end and 3).
Further, I think Christians that understand Romans 14 need to start standing up to other Christians who do not get this passage and want to make rules for others and tell them to back off and leave other Christians alone. In Titus 1 we are challenged to rebuke sharply people like this (I see them clearly fitting in with what Titus says here, although many of them don't make rules for others to get money or fit some of the other descriptions there, but they do fit in as people of "the circumcision" group. These were people who thought Christians still needed to get circumcised to be saved, in obedience to the law of Moses). It is said there that they are ruining whole households. They are called mere talkers and deceivers. They are the type of people who don't think anything is pure (so they make up huge lists of what we cannot do as Christians).
So Christians, stop tolerating these rule makers, and correct them. They are wrong to do this.
Having said that, Christians, do make sure that you feel freedom on the issues you find freedom in, and you are not just going along with the easy crowd. Because as Romans 14 says, we each stand or fall before our Lord. So we should feel confident based on scripture, not just because we don't care or are following slacker traditions of other slackers around us. We need to be convinced of our freedoms.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Nothing is impossible with God
It is good that God is all-powerful, able to do anything consistent with His own character. So if I had been born in an atheists family, I would have probably started off that way, but God would have rescued me anyway. Or if I had been a Dahlit, untouchable in India, God would have rescued me anyway. What if I had been in a presently unreached people? Would they have been reached sooner, or would I have travelled and found Christ? All things are possible with God. So I better work to do what I can to help reach unreached peoples so they can say the same thing on judgement day. To have remained like I was in high school, godless, empty, searching, lonely, that would have meant endless travails into sinful avenues that would have likely wrecked me before now. Who knows? God knows. With God nothing is impossible. But I was pretty well adjusted in high school, successful, able, well liked, good student, healthy. But none of that satisfied me on the inside, because I was someone who wanted the truth. I made up philosophy of my own, nonsense, but I think it showed my search for truth.
I think the key now is to live in Christ's kingdom every day, waiting and watching for His work to be done, and not living in the kingdom of this world, the lost world, of doing what i want and living with unrestrained sensuality. His kingdom is very different. He heals, he helps, he blesses, he confronts, he lifts up, he calls, he sends. We, apart from Him, just die, and cry, and complain, and moan, and complain, and fall apart. Some of us don't in our manly strengths. But in the end it is all the same: life lived in our strength to do our own sensual life. I would rather live in His kingdom and wait and watch for the King to work His work, and enjoy that for one brief moment, than to enjoy days of nothingness and emptiness and crassness and rudeness and sensuality.
I think the key now is to live in Christ's kingdom every day, waiting and watching for His work to be done, and not living in the kingdom of this world, the lost world, of doing what i want and living with unrestrained sensuality. His kingdom is very different. He heals, he helps, he blesses, he confronts, he lifts up, he calls, he sends. We, apart from Him, just die, and cry, and complain, and moan, and complain, and fall apart. Some of us don't in our manly strengths. But in the end it is all the same: life lived in our strength to do our own sensual life. I would rather live in His kingdom and wait and watch for the King to work His work, and enjoy that for one brief moment, than to enjoy days of nothingness and emptiness and crassness and rudeness and sensuality.
Monday, August 16, 2010
I don't want to be a charity case
Does anyone want to just get stuff from other people? Are we made to just get stuff from other people? Is it wrong to be a "charity case?" Some people won't accept help from other people because they won't accept "charity."
Imagine with me a life lived without receiving charity. You wake up in the morning and take your first breath. Oh, rats, charity received. Does God ever have to give us another breath? Did he make our bodies to "just run on their own?" No, God upholds every second the body of the atheist and the Christian, the Buddhist and the Muslim. He is merciful to all and gives all life its breath. He does not have to, but in His love He does, and wants all people to find Him.
After the first breath, you get out of bed and go into the bathroom and take a bathroom break. Ah, charity received again. A healthy working body whose kidneys and parts hold together to allow you to walk and function normally is a great blessing. To think otherwise is arrogance. God made our bodies, He makes them function now. His love is demonstrated as we enjoy good health. I have had my intestines not work, and had operations on my midsection where it took time to walk and eat and go to the bathroom again. I appreciate every sound step and normal functioning day. Vertigo and pain are not fun to deal with.
Okay, normal stuff. After breakfast you get dressed and go to your job. Charity. God gives us the mind and ability to work and make an income. Read Solomon's thoughts on this. He provides so we can be clothed. All this is from Him. If we think otherwise we are confused about how life works. He made our minds and can take them away. He made us so we can communicate, and can take that away. Look at the myriad of diseases around us that affect mind, body, and emotions, and then tell me all this you did on your own to be strong and healthy and well off. No you didn't. God gave it to you.
After work you go home and see your kids and wife. Once again, charity. Children are a gift from God. The word charity comes from the root charis which means gift, as in charismatic.
Hopefully by now you get the point: our whole life and existence is a gift from God. So receiving more help for something is simply part of the experience of life and nothing different from taking a breath. And to refuse that help is to slap a loving Father's hand when He wants to help.
Now certainly, people take advantage of this and come to be lazy and look to others to work when they should, or to do the things they should be doing. This is abuse of charity. This is laziness and rightfully the Bible says that "if a man will not work, he will not eat." That will get you off your lazy butt quick. Or it should. Hunger can be quite motivating. So sometimes there is a decision to be made about whether or not we have done what we could to provide, but the reality is this universe is a place where decay occurs in money, as well as bones and cars. Things don't always go as planned or as we would like. We make mistakes, we overspend, etc. I think this is why the Israelites had in place the year of Jubilee and forgiving of debts every so many years. We need this to keep functioning in healthy pattern. So now it means we must plan much better since our way of life knows no jubilee year or forgiving of debts (I suppose bankruptcy is one form of this). I suppose if we have been lazy and want to change or others just want to provide our way when we could be doing more or our part, then it makes sense to "not be a charity case." Or perhaps we have been foolish and need to change our ways and not just get bailed out again, and as a form of discipline for ourselves we refuse help, that can make sense. But overall, we are a charity case, and need to give and receive charity from each other.
The early Christians example of not having too much and not having too little that Paul discusses in Corinthians is a good example of practicing charity in real life. And ideal. If I have a lot extra and can help you pay bills, then great. Then maybe sometime when you have extra you can help me pay my bills. "Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, as it is written: 'He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little.'" I am afraid this type of really helping each other is VERY rare in America where everyone "makes their own way." We don't know each others real needs, and expect each other to take care of our own situation without help. For the most part. And this is wrong. The problem is that we are so wealthy here, we have lost the ability to feel concern and care over real needs people have and probably don't even see them as needs any more; we have lost our way. So we don't mind seeing friends go into debt, or take out loans that will cost them a lot extra, or work a third extra job to pay their bills while we put in a new pool, or build a bigger barn or buy a newer car or buy a season football pass. It's just the way things are done, and in my opinion it can be callous and uncaring. We have to find a way to connect better with those around us, especially if we are a believer in Jesus. I know I need to change in this way. With God's help, yes. Oh yeah, His charity. Yes, I need His grace and mercy to become a giver like this. God, make it so.
Imagine with me a life lived without receiving charity. You wake up in the morning and take your first breath. Oh, rats, charity received. Does God ever have to give us another breath? Did he make our bodies to "just run on their own?" No, God upholds every second the body of the atheist and the Christian, the Buddhist and the Muslim. He is merciful to all and gives all life its breath. He does not have to, but in His love He does, and wants all people to find Him.
After the first breath, you get out of bed and go into the bathroom and take a bathroom break. Ah, charity received again. A healthy working body whose kidneys and parts hold together to allow you to walk and function normally is a great blessing. To think otherwise is arrogance. God made our bodies, He makes them function now. His love is demonstrated as we enjoy good health. I have had my intestines not work, and had operations on my midsection where it took time to walk and eat and go to the bathroom again. I appreciate every sound step and normal functioning day. Vertigo and pain are not fun to deal with.
Okay, normal stuff. After breakfast you get dressed and go to your job. Charity. God gives us the mind and ability to work and make an income. Read Solomon's thoughts on this. He provides so we can be clothed. All this is from Him. If we think otherwise we are confused about how life works. He made our minds and can take them away. He made us so we can communicate, and can take that away. Look at the myriad of diseases around us that affect mind, body, and emotions, and then tell me all this you did on your own to be strong and healthy and well off. No you didn't. God gave it to you.
After work you go home and see your kids and wife. Once again, charity. Children are a gift from God. The word charity comes from the root charis which means gift, as in charismatic.
Hopefully by now you get the point: our whole life and existence is a gift from God. So receiving more help for something is simply part of the experience of life and nothing different from taking a breath. And to refuse that help is to slap a loving Father's hand when He wants to help.
Now certainly, people take advantage of this and come to be lazy and look to others to work when they should, or to do the things they should be doing. This is abuse of charity. This is laziness and rightfully the Bible says that "if a man will not work, he will not eat." That will get you off your lazy butt quick. Or it should. Hunger can be quite motivating. So sometimes there is a decision to be made about whether or not we have done what we could to provide, but the reality is this universe is a place where decay occurs in money, as well as bones and cars. Things don't always go as planned or as we would like. We make mistakes, we overspend, etc. I think this is why the Israelites had in place the year of Jubilee and forgiving of debts every so many years. We need this to keep functioning in healthy pattern. So now it means we must plan much better since our way of life knows no jubilee year or forgiving of debts (I suppose bankruptcy is one form of this). I suppose if we have been lazy and want to change or others just want to provide our way when we could be doing more or our part, then it makes sense to "not be a charity case." Or perhaps we have been foolish and need to change our ways and not just get bailed out again, and as a form of discipline for ourselves we refuse help, that can make sense. But overall, we are a charity case, and need to give and receive charity from each other.
The early Christians example of not having too much and not having too little that Paul discusses in Corinthians is a good example of practicing charity in real life. And ideal. If I have a lot extra and can help you pay bills, then great. Then maybe sometime when you have extra you can help me pay my bills. "Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, as it is written: 'He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little.'" I am afraid this type of really helping each other is VERY rare in America where everyone "makes their own way." We don't know each others real needs, and expect each other to take care of our own situation without help. For the most part. And this is wrong. The problem is that we are so wealthy here, we have lost the ability to feel concern and care over real needs people have and probably don't even see them as needs any more; we have lost our way. So we don't mind seeing friends go into debt, or take out loans that will cost them a lot extra, or work a third extra job to pay their bills while we put in a new pool, or build a bigger barn or buy a newer car or buy a season football pass. It's just the way things are done, and in my opinion it can be callous and uncaring. We have to find a way to connect better with those around us, especially if we are a believer in Jesus. I know I need to change in this way. With God's help, yes. Oh yeah, His charity. Yes, I need His grace and mercy to become a giver like this. God, make it so.
Is individualism a sin?
Individualism:
at dictionary.com the following were some of the definitions: a social theory that advocates the freedom, rights, and independent action of the individual person; the pursuit of individual as opposed to group interests; the doctrine that only individual things are real or that all actions take place for the benefit of the individual, not society as a whole.
"It is better to give than to receive."
I don't think most Americans or western minded people really believe this.
In some sense we might think we do, but only because we have SO much already. As I have written previously, Americans are extremely wealthy people. So we already have A LOT. Take that away and I doubt we really would want to give, or think about others.
"For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died, and He died for all that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and was raised again."
"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
The focus for the Christian life is to be Jesus and the glory of God. Our focus is not ourselves as individuals. This is the biblical way. This is NOT the American way.
So individualism IS a sinful philosophy and mindset that also happens to be the very waters Americans and the west live and breath in and probably we can't really hardly see, like we don't see the oxygen we breathe every moment of our lives.
Now individualism is different than being an individual. We are all individual beings. And reflecting our own tastes and uniqueness, well God gave us those. So that is fine. But when we become the focus of our lives (ie Narcissism follows closely and we look into the mirror of us and stare intently without looking away), then we have turned to individualism and a sinful air surrounds us.
An ism is a philosophy or outlook that pervades our lives, like water is the medium in which fish swim. Water is the ism of the fish. If a person holds to Marxism, they believe that all means of making money should belong to the state, there is no god, and workers must unite. A person who holds to pantheism walks each day believing that the trees and rocks and all things around them have a spiritual life of some kind that should be obeyed and served. You get the idea; isms pervade lives.
In Japan, if you dishonor your parents, this is a horrific thing to do. You must pay homage to your ancestors and to your family. You live "collectively". This is the way of life. And in general because it is a focus on others, it is better. Obviously worshipping ancestors is wrong (Only God is to be worshipped), but honoring mother and father is much more "built in" in Japanese and other Asian cultures.
In the US and most of the western world, thoughts are first on what will make me happy, and what should I pursue, and what do I need, and what I, I, I, I, I, I, me, me, me, me. This IS the water in which we live. Everything we are taught and consider is approached this way. VERY few people will ever sacrifice what he or she wants for the sake of others. Kudos to those who do, who feel responsibility to let go of dreams and personal pleasure to help family or others in life.
The first command is to love God with all we have and are, and then to love our neighbors like we love ourselves. So if we live for Jesus and the glory of God, our focus needs to be practicing this. NOT living for our individual selves. It does not mean, however, that we don;t make sure our individual needs are not met. All people do that. But we must seek to meet others needs while doing that (Philippians 2:3-4). But while we do that, we must consider at what cost will we meet them. Abortion is practiced in America PRIMARILY because individuals are not willing to accept responsibility for their choices and sacrifice their lives for others; we are not willing to love our neighbor (baby) as ourselves. This is the case statistically for 70 to 90% of the abortions that occur every year. When fathers walk out on families, they do so at the cost of living for themselves over loving their neighbor (kids and wife). It is the way of the coward and the lazy selfish pig. So at some point, if we love Jesus, we need to be willing to lay down our life (in other words really let go of what we think will fulfill us) so that we can help someone else have their needs met. Maybe our husband or wife is less than we had hoped for. Do we let them go to find a better one to meet our needs? Individualism and the American way say YES. Do what makes you happy. We have a friend we know from college who did this and then a student that I used to teach at a Christian school who chose this path. But Jesus calls us to let go of that, accept the choice and covenant we have entered and serve the needs of the one we have married. To be content.
The reality we have really missed in all this is that NO human or earthly prize is going to ultimately make us happy and fulfill that individualist dream. People who think so are living a pipe dream. This is the whole point of the book of Ecclesiastes. ONLY God through Jesus will bring that lasting eternal joy that we all want and seek. And then it is legitimate because we are making God, and not some idol of a thing or idea, as the ultimate fulfillment of our lives. So we make our way forward in the American sludge of individualism by looking to God to practice love for others and love for Him. Looking outside of ourselves to serving others. Doing stuff for their good, not ours. Not for our comfort, but theirs. Not for our pleasure, but theirs. But since our joy is in God, it ends up working out that this service provides great joy for us. The difference? We are finding our joy in God, not in pleasing ourselves. God did not give the command to love Him and others because He needs us to obey that. He gave it to us because it is the clean waters to swim in that give life and joy, as opposed to any other way that we can try to swim in that is poisoned and brings death and despair. It is the way God is, love, and as we swim in Him we find life, hope, and joy.
So let's all swim in loving others and God, and not in ourselves as individualists. In that, there is NO life and NO joy that lasts. It will take sacrifice and letting go of what we think we need for the reality that God says we need. "It is better to give than to receive."
at dictionary.com the following were some of the definitions: a social theory that advocates the freedom, rights, and independent action of the individual person; the pursuit of individual as opposed to group interests; the doctrine that only individual things are real or that all actions take place for the benefit of the individual, not society as a whole.
"It is better to give than to receive."
I don't think most Americans or western minded people really believe this.
In some sense we might think we do, but only because we have SO much already. As I have written previously, Americans are extremely wealthy people. So we already have A LOT. Take that away and I doubt we really would want to give, or think about others.
"For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died, and He died for all that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and was raised again."
"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
The focus for the Christian life is to be Jesus and the glory of God. Our focus is not ourselves as individuals. This is the biblical way. This is NOT the American way.
So individualism IS a sinful philosophy and mindset that also happens to be the very waters Americans and the west live and breath in and probably we can't really hardly see, like we don't see the oxygen we breathe every moment of our lives.
Now individualism is different than being an individual. We are all individual beings. And reflecting our own tastes and uniqueness, well God gave us those. So that is fine. But when we become the focus of our lives (ie Narcissism follows closely and we look into the mirror of us and stare intently without looking away), then we have turned to individualism and a sinful air surrounds us.
An ism is a philosophy or outlook that pervades our lives, like water is the medium in which fish swim. Water is the ism of the fish. If a person holds to Marxism, they believe that all means of making money should belong to the state, there is no god, and workers must unite. A person who holds to pantheism walks each day believing that the trees and rocks and all things around them have a spiritual life of some kind that should be obeyed and served. You get the idea; isms pervade lives.
In Japan, if you dishonor your parents, this is a horrific thing to do. You must pay homage to your ancestors and to your family. You live "collectively". This is the way of life. And in general because it is a focus on others, it is better. Obviously worshipping ancestors is wrong (Only God is to be worshipped), but honoring mother and father is much more "built in" in Japanese and other Asian cultures.
In the US and most of the western world, thoughts are first on what will make me happy, and what should I pursue, and what do I need, and what I, I, I, I, I, I, me, me, me, me. This IS the water in which we live. Everything we are taught and consider is approached this way. VERY few people will ever sacrifice what he or she wants for the sake of others. Kudos to those who do, who feel responsibility to let go of dreams and personal pleasure to help family or others in life.
The first command is to love God with all we have and are, and then to love our neighbors like we love ourselves. So if we live for Jesus and the glory of God, our focus needs to be practicing this. NOT living for our individual selves. It does not mean, however, that we don;t make sure our individual needs are not met. All people do that. But we must seek to meet others needs while doing that (Philippians 2:3-4). But while we do that, we must consider at what cost will we meet them. Abortion is practiced in America PRIMARILY because individuals are not willing to accept responsibility for their choices and sacrifice their lives for others; we are not willing to love our neighbor (baby) as ourselves. This is the case statistically for 70 to 90% of the abortions that occur every year. When fathers walk out on families, they do so at the cost of living for themselves over loving their neighbor (kids and wife). It is the way of the coward and the lazy selfish pig. So at some point, if we love Jesus, we need to be willing to lay down our life (in other words really let go of what we think will fulfill us) so that we can help someone else have their needs met. Maybe our husband or wife is less than we had hoped for. Do we let them go to find a better one to meet our needs? Individualism and the American way say YES. Do what makes you happy. We have a friend we know from college who did this and then a student that I used to teach at a Christian school who chose this path. But Jesus calls us to let go of that, accept the choice and covenant we have entered and serve the needs of the one we have married. To be content.
The reality we have really missed in all this is that NO human or earthly prize is going to ultimately make us happy and fulfill that individualist dream. People who think so are living a pipe dream. This is the whole point of the book of Ecclesiastes. ONLY God through Jesus will bring that lasting eternal joy that we all want and seek. And then it is legitimate because we are making God, and not some idol of a thing or idea, as the ultimate fulfillment of our lives. So we make our way forward in the American sludge of individualism by looking to God to practice love for others and love for Him. Looking outside of ourselves to serving others. Doing stuff for their good, not ours. Not for our comfort, but theirs. Not for our pleasure, but theirs. But since our joy is in God, it ends up working out that this service provides great joy for us. The difference? We are finding our joy in God, not in pleasing ourselves. God did not give the command to love Him and others because He needs us to obey that. He gave it to us because it is the clean waters to swim in that give life and joy, as opposed to any other way that we can try to swim in that is poisoned and brings death and despair. It is the way God is, love, and as we swim in Him we find life, hope, and joy.
So let's all swim in loving others and God, and not in ourselves as individualists. In that, there is NO life and NO joy that lasts. It will take sacrifice and letting go of what we think we need for the reality that God says we need. "It is better to give than to receive."
Saturday, August 7, 2010
the 639
Here is a website that deals with the 639 unengaged people groups of over 100,000 people. These people need our love. They need the good news of Jesus.
http://www.finishingthetask.com/
Here is a video that speaks of the 639 unengaged people groups of 100,000 or more people. That is, unengaged with the good news of Jesus.
Church, what will you do with this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ENgqvDhwAI&feature=related
Watch the other video by this group called the FTT Vision next.
http://www.finishingthetask.com/
Here is a video that speaks of the 639 unengaged people groups of 100,000 or more people. That is, unengaged with the good news of Jesus.
Church, what will you do with this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ENgqvDhwAI&feature=related
Watch the other video by this group called the FTT Vision next.
Friday, August 6, 2010
What do you really want?
A difficult thing to do is how to decide what to do with one's life. It is a question all Christians especially face, but so does everyone else. And particularly Americans, who have no sense of destiny in the choices God has made around their lives, but more of a sense of all the possibilities that are available to them, it can be hard to decide what to do with one's life. So a good question to ask is, "What do I really want at the end of my days?" or "What do I really want?"
In other words, when you or I reach the end of our days, will we be happy if we get what we want now? If what I want now is to have the best DVD collection, and I end up with the best DVD collection at the end of my days, whenever that happens, will I be glad? If I want to have an immaculate yard and the prettiest house, will that satisfy me when I am ready to move onto the next life? If I want to win 2 state basketball championships as a coach, or amass many trophies, or win 500 games, will that make me feel like my life was not wasted when it is over? If I want to be known and adored and fawned over by many people, like Marylin Monroe, for some cleverness I have, or beauty, or ability to do something like shoot a basketball, will I be satisfied if I get that and then die soon after? AND are these the things I REALLY want? That is what I must ask and answer.
The reason I need an answer is because I only get one shot here, and having wasted a life seems to me the most tragic thing I can possibly imagine. I can waste my life. I can end up spending it on what I did not really want and getting what I did not hope for. And have only dust and empty dreams when my days are all done, I will weep and weep and weep. How tragic. But by asking this question now, "What do I really want?", I can begin to formulate an answer that will help lead my down a path to doing what is necessary so that won't be what the end of my days looks like.
As a believer in Jesus, when I ask this question in light of His command to lay up treasures in heaven, I can begin to see that any answer of this question that involves temporary non-lasting things leaves me wanting. From thinking about how God wants to make Himself known among all nations, if my answer about what I really want does not involve God's desires, how can I be happy with it? At least if I want to love Him?
When I think of some believers that have planted churches, or won many people to know Jesus, or tried to do what they could to live in a hostile environment for the glory of God (and perhaps were killed, or tortured), then when I think what I might be able to say to God is that, "Father, I had a really nice house and lived very comfortably for 40 years while I worked in my yard and watched a lot of football games, and I was an excellent chess player," I don't feel so good about that. I don't want to say that.
I don't think this has anything to do with how I earn a living, but with where my heart is centered and what I do out of that. I think it does mean I do all I can do with the gifts God has given ME in my context to make God's glory known among the nations of the world, the peoples of the world, and to bring His gospel to these peoples. If I am faithful to God in this way, then I will be able to be happy at the end of my days about what I really wanted. This is at least a good start down that better road.
But it starts by asking, "What do I really want?", and then compare this to scripture if you are a Christian to see how it lines up with what God wants. This would be one way of obeying Colossians 3:1-4 about setting our minds and hearts on things above, or about obeying Jesus command to seek first His kingdom.
For anyone reading this not a Christian, and if you got this far with my discussion, maybe this question will help you start thinking about the lasting value of what you are pursuing in your life. How valuable is it really? If all we are is dust in the wind and nothing lasts, and having a cold one on the back porch after a football game is as good as it gets, what is the ultimate point? So, what do you really want?
In other words, when you or I reach the end of our days, will we be happy if we get what we want now? If what I want now is to have the best DVD collection, and I end up with the best DVD collection at the end of my days, whenever that happens, will I be glad? If I want to have an immaculate yard and the prettiest house, will that satisfy me when I am ready to move onto the next life? If I want to win 2 state basketball championships as a coach, or amass many trophies, or win 500 games, will that make me feel like my life was not wasted when it is over? If I want to be known and adored and fawned over by many people, like Marylin Monroe, for some cleverness I have, or beauty, or ability to do something like shoot a basketball, will I be satisfied if I get that and then die soon after? AND are these the things I REALLY want? That is what I must ask and answer.
The reason I need an answer is because I only get one shot here, and having wasted a life seems to me the most tragic thing I can possibly imagine. I can waste my life. I can end up spending it on what I did not really want and getting what I did not hope for. And have only dust and empty dreams when my days are all done, I will weep and weep and weep. How tragic. But by asking this question now, "What do I really want?", I can begin to formulate an answer that will help lead my down a path to doing what is necessary so that won't be what the end of my days looks like.
As a believer in Jesus, when I ask this question in light of His command to lay up treasures in heaven, I can begin to see that any answer of this question that involves temporary non-lasting things leaves me wanting. From thinking about how God wants to make Himself known among all nations, if my answer about what I really want does not involve God's desires, how can I be happy with it? At least if I want to love Him?
When I think of some believers that have planted churches, or won many people to know Jesus, or tried to do what they could to live in a hostile environment for the glory of God (and perhaps were killed, or tortured), then when I think what I might be able to say to God is that, "Father, I had a really nice house and lived very comfortably for 40 years while I worked in my yard and watched a lot of football games, and I was an excellent chess player," I don't feel so good about that. I don't want to say that.
I don't think this has anything to do with how I earn a living, but with where my heart is centered and what I do out of that. I think it does mean I do all I can do with the gifts God has given ME in my context to make God's glory known among the nations of the world, the peoples of the world, and to bring His gospel to these peoples. If I am faithful to God in this way, then I will be able to be happy at the end of my days about what I really wanted. This is at least a good start down that better road.
But it starts by asking, "What do I really want?", and then compare this to scripture if you are a Christian to see how it lines up with what God wants. This would be one way of obeying Colossians 3:1-4 about setting our minds and hearts on things above, or about obeying Jesus command to seek first His kingdom.
For anyone reading this not a Christian, and if you got this far with my discussion, maybe this question will help you start thinking about the lasting value of what you are pursuing in your life. How valuable is it really? If all we are is dust in the wind and nothing lasts, and having a cold one on the back porch after a football game is as good as it gets, what is the ultimate point? So, what do you really want?
Monday, August 2, 2010
What or who am I willing to die for?
Christians around the world face threats like this, except in some places. http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/pakistan/23344/
That is July 29 of this year. That is 4 days ago in Pakistan.
What or who we will die for says probably everything about who or what we will LIVE for. Who will I die for? My wife, my kids, my real friends, and Jesus. I know many have had to answer this question in relation to their country. I have not been put in that position nor put myself there.
Who or what will you die for? If you can't answer the question then do you really have anything worth living for?
If you don't then I suggest you investigate who Jesus is. If you honestly seek Him, and are willing to follow Him as He reveals Himself to you, He will answer the question.
That is July 29 of this year. That is 4 days ago in Pakistan.
What or who we will die for says probably everything about who or what we will LIVE for. Who will I die for? My wife, my kids, my real friends, and Jesus. I know many have had to answer this question in relation to their country. I have not been put in that position nor put myself there.
Who or what will you die for? If you can't answer the question then do you really have anything worth living for?
If you don't then I suggest you investigate who Jesus is. If you honestly seek Him, and are willing to follow Him as He reveals Himself to you, He will answer the question.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
not many William Wallaces, but many Robert the Bruces
How many men long to be like William Wallace since the appearance of the movie Braveheart? Millions, I imagine. But how many will be? So clear in his thinking, so resolute to the end, so pure in his motives, so grounded in suffering and loss, so strong and able to handle himself, and driven by one thing: freedom for Scotland that purified all else. How many?
How many would want to be like Robert the Bruce after the movie came out? Not many, I imagine. But the chances of each of us becoming like Robert the Bruce is much greater. Robert the Bruce as portrayed in the movie compromised, and betrayed, and failed, and was drawn to the passion of William like a moth to a flame. And came to realize the source of his compromise, and 2 facedness, and lack of passion, and chose to turn away before it was too late. He declared to his father, his beguiler: "I will never be on the wrong side again." His father only knew compromise and rhetoric and survival as a means to get his goal. In William, Robert began to see another way, a purer and higher way, the way of passion, and pure motive, and living with no compromise. It took looking into the eyes of William as he betrayed him for Robert to realize he was wrong, his father's way was wrong (at least in the move version; we have no reason to believe historically that this betrayal actually occurred). And so he turned from that way. But his father did not and it led to William's death, but also made the man who historically did become the King of Scotland and defeated England in battle.
Now the real history is unclear, but the truths told in this story called Braveheart are beautiful. It is why this is my favorite movie of all time. And I have realized I can like Robert the Bruce. It's not too late to live without compromise and follow those before me who have blazed a hard path.
So whether we come to an uncompromising life the short painful way (which might require something that stirs us deeply as did William's great losses: his parents and brother and his wife, and seeing what a cruel king really did and lived by), which for many of us we will probably not see, or if we get there the long way by finally realizing we are full of compromise and rhetoric and playing games while people of real passion are following God's call NOW and suffering for it, &/or accomplishing great things in His name, it does not matter. We are where we are in life. And if you or I see now that God's great call on us to be a light and to be His uncompromising people is what is really going on, and the seeking of peace with a world that will never give it to us and it would not matter if it did because we would have lost our soul on the way anyway is how we have been actually living, then let us follow Robert the Bruce and say, "I will never be on the wrong side again."
How many would want to be like Robert the Bruce after the movie came out? Not many, I imagine. But the chances of each of us becoming like Robert the Bruce is much greater. Robert the Bruce as portrayed in the movie compromised, and betrayed, and failed, and was drawn to the passion of William like a moth to a flame. And came to realize the source of his compromise, and 2 facedness, and lack of passion, and chose to turn away before it was too late. He declared to his father, his beguiler: "I will never be on the wrong side again." His father only knew compromise and rhetoric and survival as a means to get his goal. In William, Robert began to see another way, a purer and higher way, the way of passion, and pure motive, and living with no compromise. It took looking into the eyes of William as he betrayed him for Robert to realize he was wrong, his father's way was wrong (at least in the move version; we have no reason to believe historically that this betrayal actually occurred). And so he turned from that way. But his father did not and it led to William's death, but also made the man who historically did become the King of Scotland and defeated England in battle.
Now the real history is unclear, but the truths told in this story called Braveheart are beautiful. It is why this is my favorite movie of all time. And I have realized I can like Robert the Bruce. It's not too late to live without compromise and follow those before me who have blazed a hard path.
So whether we come to an uncompromising life the short painful way (which might require something that stirs us deeply as did William's great losses: his parents and brother and his wife, and seeing what a cruel king really did and lived by), which for many of us we will probably not see, or if we get there the long way by finally realizing we are full of compromise and rhetoric and playing games while people of real passion are following God's call NOW and suffering for it, &/or accomplishing great things in His name, it does not matter. We are where we are in life. And if you or I see now that God's great call on us to be a light and to be His uncompromising people is what is really going on, and the seeking of peace with a world that will never give it to us and it would not matter if it did because we would have lost our soul on the way anyway is how we have been actually living, then let us follow Robert the Bruce and say, "I will never be on the wrong side again."
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Why the world generally won't listen to Americans
Suffering, pain, tragedy: Americans avoid these like the plague, unless of course you can fit it into a great movie or situation comedy. We really want instant fixes to all types of problems, including long-term deeply ingrained problems. We are such a young country and act so naive and young and brash, like teenagers who fear no pain and see no threat and think death will never come.
For the rest of the world and our influence upon them, how can they listen to an American who quotes a thought or offers a platitude that is supposed to help when the American has often never experienced anything close to the level of pain they have? Much of the world has suffered wars for hundreds of years and longer, racial hatreds that span possibly millenia, have seen the ravages of disease like the bubonic plague, potato famine, and Africa's present experience of AIDS which is much worse than what America has suffered on that front. Religious hatred and even the cultural makeup of some societies leads to immediate rejection and loss on the part of peoples (think of the lower castes in India). These things have shaped much of the world in a deep and powerful way. But in America, we are young and have missed much of this; in general, (not all cases) this is the American problem.
In movies, I generally hate bullies who push their way around. In "Training Day," Denzel Washington's character played a bad cop trying to turn another good cop to the dark side. He failed, and it made the movie so sweet. This theme is repeated often in movies because humans love to see the underdog come back and win. When it happens in real life like the 1980 American Olympic Hockey team? It solidifies a nation. Well, you know what, to the rest of the world, or much of it, America is a bully, who has always gotten what we wanted and put our boot down on those who tried to stop us. Whether we like it or not many people percieve us this way. And that part of America is bad, and I do not support it. That is the part that has not suffered and cannot relate to or have anything to say to the rest of the world.
There is another part of America that the world will listen to, however. The part that is fighting in two world wars on other's lands that freed or helped in those wars, and that cost us lives. The part of us that has gone through slavery and almost tore us apart as a nation, and the continuing racial tensions and problems that exist here. The part of us that has seen freedom's for women, and children, and all races promoted and enforced. These parts are something the world will listen to.
But anytime the ugly, stupid, know-it-all and push-their-weight-around American, whether Christian or not, shows up, it spells doom for any real constructive help occurring or continuing. So when a team of people goes somewhere in the world from America and offers help and assistance where it is needed and especially asked for, the true nature of Christ shines. But when the group of people from America goes out to set those people in another country straight, a problem exists before anyone even steps into the other country. American Christian, you have not suffered enough to have much to say. Stick to the scripture and to serving needs and you will be okay, but do NOT tell the other person how to live life or change their ways; you do not know enough.
The problem is, I have caricatured the two positions as either / or. And they are not. People are on a gradient from servant to bully and all positions in between. But we must weed ourselves of prideful and know-it-all attitudes, wherever they show up. If you have suffered personally, then you may have an opportunity to share personally. And I am not saying American Christians should stop trying to help. But go as servants and offer cool water, the word of God, and a knowledge of Jesus. I am just afraid we don't have a lot more to offer, and until we realize this we will keep being our own worst enemy.
Anytime we offer the love of the Spirit of Christ, we have offered what the world needs. Anytime we offer the presence of Jesus, we have offered what a human needs. Anytime we offer to love and serve and give and help in the Spirit of Jesus Christ, we offer what the world really longs for and needs. Anytime we offer other stuff, American or not, we offer a vial of poison that will kill and cripple the hurting people we go to. Offer Christ. He is enough, and He is the end of what people need.
If you want a sense of real suffering, subscribe to this link, and check out the present news:
http://members.opendoorsusa.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=48021.0&dlv_id=63861
For the rest of the world and our influence upon them, how can they listen to an American who quotes a thought or offers a platitude that is supposed to help when the American has often never experienced anything close to the level of pain they have? Much of the world has suffered wars for hundreds of years and longer, racial hatreds that span possibly millenia, have seen the ravages of disease like the bubonic plague, potato famine, and Africa's present experience of AIDS which is much worse than what America has suffered on that front. Religious hatred and even the cultural makeup of some societies leads to immediate rejection and loss on the part of peoples (think of the lower castes in India). These things have shaped much of the world in a deep and powerful way. But in America, we are young and have missed much of this; in general, (not all cases) this is the American problem.
In movies, I generally hate bullies who push their way around. In "Training Day," Denzel Washington's character played a bad cop trying to turn another good cop to the dark side. He failed, and it made the movie so sweet. This theme is repeated often in movies because humans love to see the underdog come back and win. When it happens in real life like the 1980 American Olympic Hockey team? It solidifies a nation. Well, you know what, to the rest of the world, or much of it, America is a bully, who has always gotten what we wanted and put our boot down on those who tried to stop us. Whether we like it or not many people percieve us this way. And that part of America is bad, and I do not support it. That is the part that has not suffered and cannot relate to or have anything to say to the rest of the world.
There is another part of America that the world will listen to, however. The part that is fighting in two world wars on other's lands that freed or helped in those wars, and that cost us lives. The part of us that has gone through slavery and almost tore us apart as a nation, and the continuing racial tensions and problems that exist here. The part of us that has seen freedom's for women, and children, and all races promoted and enforced. These parts are something the world will listen to.
But anytime the ugly, stupid, know-it-all and push-their-weight-around American, whether Christian or not, shows up, it spells doom for any real constructive help occurring or continuing. So when a team of people goes somewhere in the world from America and offers help and assistance where it is needed and especially asked for, the true nature of Christ shines. But when the group of people from America goes out to set those people in another country straight, a problem exists before anyone even steps into the other country. American Christian, you have not suffered enough to have much to say. Stick to the scripture and to serving needs and you will be okay, but do NOT tell the other person how to live life or change their ways; you do not know enough.
The problem is, I have caricatured the two positions as either / or. And they are not. People are on a gradient from servant to bully and all positions in between. But we must weed ourselves of prideful and know-it-all attitudes, wherever they show up. If you have suffered personally, then you may have an opportunity to share personally. And I am not saying American Christians should stop trying to help. But go as servants and offer cool water, the word of God, and a knowledge of Jesus. I am just afraid we don't have a lot more to offer, and until we realize this we will keep being our own worst enemy.
Anytime we offer the love of the Spirit of Christ, we have offered what the world needs. Anytime we offer the presence of Jesus, we have offered what a human needs. Anytime we offer to love and serve and give and help in the Spirit of Jesus Christ, we offer what the world really longs for and needs. Anytime we offer other stuff, American or not, we offer a vial of poison that will kill and cripple the hurting people we go to. Offer Christ. He is enough, and He is the end of what people need.
If you want a sense of real suffering, subscribe to this link, and check out the present news:
http://members.opendoorsusa.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=48021.0&dlv_id=63861
Sunday, July 25, 2010
How crazy rich and wealthy we Americans are
It is so easy to simply compare yourself to the people next door, or who you go to school with, and think that you are not that wealthy. Certainly we are not rich, are we?? Go to this website and plug in your family's yearly income and then give that richness a second thought. Compared to the world, I guarantee you that you are really wealthy. http://www.globalrichlist.com/
Part of the problem we have developed here is the notion that we need or should have all that we do, and that that is normal. It is not normal, compared to the rest of the world. Not at all. Having 20 shirts, and 20 pants and 2 cars and a cell phone means you are rich. Probably most of the people of the world do not have a car. Most do not have a cell phone, or probably more than a few pair of pants.
The issue is not one of "let's become poor", but of "what do I do with all this wealth?" Will we spend it on ourselves? Or give a tiny bit away? Or what?
Food for thought.
Part of the problem we have developed here is the notion that we need or should have all that we do, and that that is normal. It is not normal, compared to the rest of the world. Not at all. Having 20 shirts, and 20 pants and 2 cars and a cell phone means you are rich. Probably most of the people of the world do not have a car. Most do not have a cell phone, or probably more than a few pair of pants.
The issue is not one of "let's become poor", but of "what do I do with all this wealth?" Will we spend it on ourselves? Or give a tiny bit away? Or what?
Food for thought.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
dead men do bleed
There is an old story that goes something like this: A man was seeing his psychiatrist believing he was already dead. The shrink did everything he could think of to help the man realize he was not dead. Nothing was working. So he told the man that dead people don't bleed, which the man seemed to accept. So the doctor took out a needle and poked the man who thought he was dead so that he started bleeding. After the crazy guy got over the pain of the sting, the doctor asked him what he thought now about his being dead. To which the man replied, "Well, I'll be, dead men do bleed after all."
Last night I watched two very intelligent men have a debate about the topics raised in the book, "The God Delusion." I highly recommend watching the full debate if you are a thinking person. One of the debaters was Richard Dawkins, a well known atheist and scientist. The other was a modern day CS Lewis or GK Chesterton named John Lennox. He is a mathematics Professor at Oxford and a very good thinker, and a Christian. The debate was very good.
But one of the amazing things about Dawkins, and to be expected perhaps from an intelligent person who takes his position as an atheist, is how he will bend and fit almost every argument to his position. He is clearly convinced of what he believes, and seeks to turn almost every argument by a Christian to his position, as again what one would expect of an intelligent atheist who is unwilling to bend. And that is my point; he is so unwilling to bend that he has painted himself into a logically lost position and does not see it. Even for all of his brains. He doesn't even seem to see that he has a worldview because to him what he believes seems so natural and right. But he does have one.
He even asks who created the creator in his book, which to me is a childish question, not because it is stupid, but because it is one that only very simple or young people might ask and for which the answer that God is uncreated and eternal seems overwhelmingly satisfying. And young people with Christian parents learn very early on. Also satisfying in that God is the only "thing" uncreated in the universe, and while that is mysterious, it is not illogical or impossible. But Dawkins seems unable to get his mind around this idea. Amazingly, while he will accept the idea of multiple universes existing and of some anthropic principle that says since we are here then the universe had to be such that it is to give rise to us, he won't accept an eternal being who created this place and us, etc. How is his idea better? To him it has something to do with because it explains something, rather than introducing a non-explainable being or answer (i.e., God). Huh?? I think he is simply desperate to replace God so he invents any naturalistic (meaning does not need a Supreme being) explanation. I have also heard him say in another debate or discussion, he might accept the idea of aliens putting us here originally. And this is better than God? Or different somehow? Wow.
He proves so clearly this verse: "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."
2 Corinthians 4: 4
Richard Dawkins is one of many atheists today who claim that: "Well, I guess dead men do bleed."
See this link to watch the full debate and draw your own conclusions about what I am saying: http://fixed-point.org/index.php/video/35-full-length/164-the-dawkins-lennox-debate
Last night I watched two very intelligent men have a debate about the topics raised in the book, "The God Delusion." I highly recommend watching the full debate if you are a thinking person. One of the debaters was Richard Dawkins, a well known atheist and scientist. The other was a modern day CS Lewis or GK Chesterton named John Lennox. He is a mathematics Professor at Oxford and a very good thinker, and a Christian. The debate was very good.
But one of the amazing things about Dawkins, and to be expected perhaps from an intelligent person who takes his position as an atheist, is how he will bend and fit almost every argument to his position. He is clearly convinced of what he believes, and seeks to turn almost every argument by a Christian to his position, as again what one would expect of an intelligent atheist who is unwilling to bend. And that is my point; he is so unwilling to bend that he has painted himself into a logically lost position and does not see it. Even for all of his brains. He doesn't even seem to see that he has a worldview because to him what he believes seems so natural and right. But he does have one.
He even asks who created the creator in his book, which to me is a childish question, not because it is stupid, but because it is one that only very simple or young people might ask and for which the answer that God is uncreated and eternal seems overwhelmingly satisfying. And young people with Christian parents learn very early on. Also satisfying in that God is the only "thing" uncreated in the universe, and while that is mysterious, it is not illogical or impossible. But Dawkins seems unable to get his mind around this idea. Amazingly, while he will accept the idea of multiple universes existing and of some anthropic principle that says since we are here then the universe had to be such that it is to give rise to us, he won't accept an eternal being who created this place and us, etc. How is his idea better? To him it has something to do with because it explains something, rather than introducing a non-explainable being or answer (i.e., God). Huh?? I think he is simply desperate to replace God so he invents any naturalistic (meaning does not need a Supreme being) explanation. I have also heard him say in another debate or discussion, he might accept the idea of aliens putting us here originally. And this is better than God? Or different somehow? Wow.
He proves so clearly this verse: "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."
2 Corinthians 4: 4
Richard Dawkins is one of many atheists today who claim that: "Well, I guess dead men do bleed."
See this link to watch the full debate and draw your own conclusions about what I am saying: http://fixed-point.org/index.php/video/35-full-length/164-the-dawkins-lennox-debate
Friday, July 23, 2010
idols and blind spots
I am an American citizen. So the idols we have here are different than what other places in the world have based on what we have experienced as a nation, and what has happened here. We have incredible wealth, so we worship wealth and create idea barriers to anything that would threaten those idols. And I am not just talking about "the world." Christians have the same idols. And for us what it leads to is blind spots where we are unable to see the ideas we support and how they are off base. I have always felt bad or slightly guilty when I have let people know of financial needs I have; I am not sure if that is because I was part of an organization for a couple years that discouraged telling people our needs, but focused on telling God only. This is strange; all my needs that are "spiritual" I can tell people; if I or my granny are sick I can tell people; if my neighbor is seeking God I can have people pray or if I am experiencing spiritual attack I can ask for prayer. BUT, if I cannot pay my bills I feel guilty telling people?? Or am not supposed to?? This is because we are supposed to be self reliant and hard working in the west and not bother others with our monetary needs; the idol is rearing its ugly head. And the reality is that monetary issues for me are a huge issue; they affect my relationship with God much more than physical needs ever have; but they are off limits for needs and letting other know purposes. This is wrong; needs are needs are needs, God knows and cares about all of them, and so should the people of God.
I wonder how many of the Christians I know have ever experienced real poverty. It is so easy to quote a verse here and there and not enter into close fellowship with or draw near to people who are suffering poverty. I think the idol of wealth in the west blinds us and warps us and causes us not to see what we should on this issue, nor to respond well when others have real need. In his book "Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger", Ron Sider questions how many churches really practice koinonia, or real fellowship: "I am thoroughly convinced, however, that the overwhelming majority of Western churches no longer understand or experience biblical koinonia to any significant degree. As mentioned earlier, the essence of Christian community is unconditional accountability to and unlimited liability for our sisters and brothers in the body of Christ. That means that our time, our money and our very selves are available to the brothers and sisters." (p193, 1977) For many years I have not wanted to listen to Sider and considered him really over board. But that was because I was blinded to this area by the idol of wealth. From my experiences he is correct. I have only been part of one organization that practiced any of this kind of fellowship, and it was because we were all depending on God to meet our monthly needs as we ministered to others needs.
Well , here is my step of faith: I want to experience real fellowship and closeness with other Christians. I am willing to open up about my finances and life to others who would do the same, and who were willing to take the journey together and not judge each other. Any takers?
I wonder how many of the Christians I know have ever experienced real poverty. It is so easy to quote a verse here and there and not enter into close fellowship with or draw near to people who are suffering poverty. I think the idol of wealth in the west blinds us and warps us and causes us not to see what we should on this issue, nor to respond well when others have real need. In his book "Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger", Ron Sider questions how many churches really practice koinonia, or real fellowship: "I am thoroughly convinced, however, that the overwhelming majority of Western churches no longer understand or experience biblical koinonia to any significant degree. As mentioned earlier, the essence of Christian community is unconditional accountability to and unlimited liability for our sisters and brothers in the body of Christ. That means that our time, our money and our very selves are available to the brothers and sisters." (p193, 1977) For many years I have not wanted to listen to Sider and considered him really over board. But that was because I was blinded to this area by the idol of wealth. From my experiences he is correct. I have only been part of one organization that practiced any of this kind of fellowship, and it was because we were all depending on God to meet our monthly needs as we ministered to others needs.
Well , here is my step of faith: I want to experience real fellowship and closeness with other Christians. I am willing to open up about my finances and life to others who would do the same, and who were willing to take the journey together and not judge each other. Any takers?
Thursday, July 15, 2010
ad hominem
Wow. It's not often you get called a moron by an atheistic chemical determinist. But that happened to me tonight. I was interacting and responding to a comment stream on the Richard Dawkins Foundation, who is a well known evolutionist and atheist, and had been explaining in short version of what I think are some evidences for God. And then this person who goes by the handle of Tyler Durden, from the movie "fight club," tried to point out why he thought my arguments or I was wrong. In the process he attacked me over and over again, personally. In this last response he said, "You, sir, are a moron." And did not answer my responses to him.
When someone reaches a level of attacking you, or you are tempted to do it to someone else because you don't like what they are saying, it shows you probably have run out of good arguments for your position. Or you just are falling into bad argumentation. This type of illogical argument is called ad hominem. It means "to the man" and involves attacking the person as though that would prove their argument is wrong. If a person is a known liar and the issue involves an eyewitness account of something and this person is a witness, their truth telling problem is relevant. Most of the rest of the time, it isn't in terms of ideas people discuss. What is relevant is the ideas or truth or evidence a person brings to the table, not whether they have 1 degree in college and you have 3. Or they went to Oxford and you are from lowly Alabama, Or Illinois, etc. But that was exactly how this person attacked me, saying he refused to talk to me anymore until I got an education. The reality was he hated my position about the existence of God, and therefore saw me as a moron. But I and he are not the issue, and he should have stuck to the topic.
So don't go ad hominem when you disagree with someone, it's logical fallacy and just out of place. Stick to why you think something or don't think something, and demand the other person do it too. And if they go ad hominem on you, call them on it and point out it is irrelevant.
When someone reaches a level of attacking you, or you are tempted to do it to someone else because you don't like what they are saying, it shows you probably have run out of good arguments for your position. Or you just are falling into bad argumentation. This type of illogical argument is called ad hominem. It means "to the man" and involves attacking the person as though that would prove their argument is wrong. If a person is a known liar and the issue involves an eyewitness account of something and this person is a witness, their truth telling problem is relevant. Most of the rest of the time, it isn't in terms of ideas people discuss. What is relevant is the ideas or truth or evidence a person brings to the table, not whether they have 1 degree in college and you have 3. Or they went to Oxford and you are from lowly Alabama, Or Illinois, etc. But that was exactly how this person attacked me, saying he refused to talk to me anymore until I got an education. The reality was he hated my position about the existence of God, and therefore saw me as a moron. But I and he are not the issue, and he should have stuck to the topic.
So don't go ad hominem when you disagree with someone, it's logical fallacy and just out of place. Stick to why you think something or don't think something, and demand the other person do it too. And if they go ad hominem on you, call them on it and point out it is irrelevant.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
all the best parts even better
I was watching "Man on Fire" last night which is a story of a man who has reached a place of terrible guilt and despair and loneliness in his life and tries to take his life only to have the bullet fail. He is also an alcoholic, using the booze to drown his pain. In the midst of this he is offered and takes a job as a bodyguard and driver for a wealthy Mexican family who have a little girl, Pita. She is played by Dakota Fanning, who is brilliant in the role. In the midst of his duties, Pita brings a smile back to the face of Keasey (played by Denzel Washington) and makes him feel alive and loved again. Then she is kidnapped. And (MOVIE WARNING: END TO BE GIVEN!!!) it seems at one point she must have been killed. Creasey goes for justice on all those involved. Then he finds after his rampage, she is alive and he has gotten close enough to the one responsible (taking his brother) that the villain is willing to trade the girl for his brother's and Creasey's life. Creasey agrees. And it is the most honorable and beautiful trade one can imagine, almost.
Creasey's willingness to give his life for Pita is truly moving, but I think that what this touches in me and makes me cry, God always does even better than the best stories. And that is why this touches me. I want to see a great hero give his life honorably to save someone he loves deeply. I want to be that man, and I realize I would do this for my children. Gladly. It would be an honor. And that is exactly was Jesus has done for me. He gave himself for me. He was taken, willingly, and went to die for me. So I could go home. and live. And everything this movie touches in me I should realize is what God should touch down deep, and let him do it.
I think when we see great stories that move us, something is being touched in us that God has probably somewhere done even better. And wants us to know in Him, and allow Him to be close to us.
Disclaimer: the movie "Man on Fire" is quite violent. Creasey is truly enraged at the taking of Pita. And he spares no mercy. You may want to avoid that part of the movie. Nevertheless, if you are the kind of person that is offended by this then I suggest you read Psalm 18:1-19. God does the same thing. He is more like Creasey than Creasey. Creasey wanted revenge (and justice) and God will have His vengeance and true justice will be done, and He will part the heavens and come down amidst thunderbolts and the routing of His enemies (and ours). Why? Because in our distress we call to the Lord, and He saves us from our enemies. Any view we have of a passive God who is distant and unconcerned is simply wrong. And further why? And this is incredible, "he rescued me because he delighted in me." v 19. If we think that movies like "Taken" or "Man on Fire" are too violent, I suggest we do not have a grasp of the wildness of the love of God. And what ends God will go to to rescue us, His beloved children. If you have had children then you and I have some sense of the love God has for us when we think of our children being taken by disease, or evil men, or... The only difference is, and we find this hard, is that God's timing is not ours. But I wonder how much He is waiting for us to truly call and cry out to Him, and stop turning to false gods and fake answers. He wants us to want Him, and then I think we will begin to see how He is better than all the things that have moved us.
Creasey's willingness to give his life for Pita is truly moving, but I think that what this touches in me and makes me cry, God always does even better than the best stories. And that is why this touches me. I want to see a great hero give his life honorably to save someone he loves deeply. I want to be that man, and I realize I would do this for my children. Gladly. It would be an honor. And that is exactly was Jesus has done for me. He gave himself for me. He was taken, willingly, and went to die for me. So I could go home. and live. And everything this movie touches in me I should realize is what God should touch down deep, and let him do it.
I think when we see great stories that move us, something is being touched in us that God has probably somewhere done even better. And wants us to know in Him, and allow Him to be close to us.
Disclaimer: the movie "Man on Fire" is quite violent. Creasey is truly enraged at the taking of Pita. And he spares no mercy. You may want to avoid that part of the movie. Nevertheless, if you are the kind of person that is offended by this then I suggest you read Psalm 18:1-19. God does the same thing. He is more like Creasey than Creasey. Creasey wanted revenge (and justice) and God will have His vengeance and true justice will be done, and He will part the heavens and come down amidst thunderbolts and the routing of His enemies (and ours). Why? Because in our distress we call to the Lord, and He saves us from our enemies. Any view we have of a passive God who is distant and unconcerned is simply wrong. And further why? And this is incredible, "he rescued me because he delighted in me." v 19. If we think that movies like "Taken" or "Man on Fire" are too violent, I suggest we do not have a grasp of the wildness of the love of God. And what ends God will go to to rescue us, His beloved children. If you have had children then you and I have some sense of the love God has for us when we think of our children being taken by disease, or evil men, or... The only difference is, and we find this hard, is that God's timing is not ours. But I wonder how much He is waiting for us to truly call and cry out to Him, and stop turning to false gods and fake answers. He wants us to want Him, and then I think we will begin to see how He is better than all the things that have moved us.
Monday, July 12, 2010
control freaks and micromanagers
People who are control freaks REALLY bug me. Micromanagers bother me, but especially control freaks REALLY bother me. Most of my adult life has seen a few micromanagers, but honestly not too many. They are insecure and sort of control freaks. But real control freaks who have to be in charge and it is about them, yikes. Those kind of people will make me walk the other way. They are a type of bully I will not tolerate very long. I would rather go hungry and sleep on sawdust than tolerate dealing for very long with a control freak. CF's are a combination of arrogance, pomposity, stupidity, and power that is about as ugly as most people can get. Coldly evil people are far worse, but for most people getting to the control freak stage is probably as far as they will go. Coaches, parents, bosses, managers can all be CF's and trying to rule their underlings lives. When coaches do it it drains all beauty from the game being played because the players are robots simply carrying out the master's plan. When parents do it it is ugly because the parents are trying in their arrogance to remake the child to be like them; it ain't pretty. All of it limits what can be achieved and discovered and lived to the shortcomings and small stature of the CF. When you see true greatness somewhere, someone surpassed those before him or her, and that person was given the freedom by someone to soar way beyond where they were. Thank God for people like that who let others go and do great things.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Reaching for something higher
I just watched Invictus, the story of Nelson Mandela and the South African rugby team winning the world cup of rugby. It is amazing how a man with aspirations of doing something great can inspire others to truly do something beyond themselves. I have seen the opposite by a coach blinded by ambition for his family that kept him from enabling his team to achieve anything of greatness, he had small goals that entailed pushing forward only his family, and in the end it kept his team from achieving anything of significance, and injuring at least some of those he denied reward to for the sake of his own goals. Great vision for uniting and healing a country torn apart by racial hatred vs small vision for personal and family gain; one led to men rising beyond their abilities and to inspiring great leadership on that South African rugby team. One led to frustrating losses at the end of many seasons while other teams consistently performed well, and to injury emotionally to at least some of those being led.
We must be led by high aspirations, by ideas and goals beyond ourselves, or our lives will diminish to the size of our small and empty thoughts, and we will hurt and not help those around us. Paul the apostle of Jesus thought of himself as the greatest of sinners, but he was being led by Jesus to pursue great things, the bringing of the message of forgiveness of sins and the hope of eternal life to people who had never heard. Paul's greatness was not achieved because of personal ambition for small minded ideas, but because Jesus gave him a vision to do something truly great, and then empowered him to do so. And Paul wrote much of the New Testament of the Bible that has helped millions and perhaps billions to find peace with God.
So are you content to sit and reach for no goal, and lead an empty and small life? You were made to do much greater. Go and do it with God's guidance and help.
We must be led by high aspirations, by ideas and goals beyond ourselves, or our lives will diminish to the size of our small and empty thoughts, and we will hurt and not help those around us. Paul the apostle of Jesus thought of himself as the greatest of sinners, but he was being led by Jesus to pursue great things, the bringing of the message of forgiveness of sins and the hope of eternal life to people who had never heard. Paul's greatness was not achieved because of personal ambition for small minded ideas, but because Jesus gave him a vision to do something truly great, and then empowered him to do so. And Paul wrote much of the New Testament of the Bible that has helped millions and perhaps billions to find peace with God.
So are you content to sit and reach for no goal, and lead an empty and small life? You were made to do much greater. Go and do it with God's guidance and help.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Religio bullies
In my experience, religio bullies are the most hurtful. They are the Pharisees. They are the Christian know-it -alls. They are the "my way is always right and if you don't get in line you have a bad heart" people. They are the "whitewashed tombs" and "vipers" of Jesus time; they are the Christians with their nose in the air looking down on sinners and people not like them, looking down on or rejecting the people who go against their cultural taboos from smoking, to tattoos, to piercings, to metal music, to anything they have already deemed bad (not because scripture declares it so, but because their tradition, their upbringing, their own tastes declare it so). These people have a hard time separating their traditions from scripture. And it is easy for them to twist scripture to make sure it agrees with their traditions.
The reason this can take a type of bullying is because it is done by people in position of religious and Christian authority which Christians are commanded to submit to. Ouch. And those who use this position to make others conform to their traditions and preferences are, in fact, bullying those they are leading. They are not convincing them, and winning them, to their viewpoint. They threaten them with their position ("how dare you challenge me, I am your (elder, pastor, teacher, principal, ...)) and if they do not submit they penalize them in some way. Now this is difficult because there are legitimate times Christians need to discipline those under them, but these are for CLEAR violations of scripture like sexual immorality, drunkenness, divorce, lying, etc. They are not for areas that are grey. Romans 14 says we are not to pass judgement against others on "disputable matters." We need to make up our own minds, but leave others in God's hands. The problem is that for the religio bullies, there are probably very few disputable matters because in their pride, they think they are correct on all or many issues and so others should follow their perspective.
I think these are the most hurtful because these type of bullies will be held responsible for many people going to hell. It will be blood on their hands because they will have hardened many people to the gospel and to a possibility to knowing Jesus as their Savior. People who are seeking or who are close to seeking God are in a delicate position. They may be very confused about what is right and wrong, about how to know God, about what matters in life. If seekers like this are "out there", most Christians will seem to be more understanding (most real Christians who have a heart that has been touched by grace). But when this type of person in among Christians (at a church, in a "Christian" school), the religio bullies in those places do not know what to do with them. And they can often alienate them and not give them the patience and respect and time to ask hard questions and find answers. I have been around Christians who have done these very things. It is extremely ugly.
We who have found the grace of God MUST stand up to the religio bully. It is what Jesus did in standing up to the Pharisees, for instance, when they were trying to forbid Him from healing on the sabbath. The man with the withered hand got healed because Jesus cared about him, but Jesus was furious with the Pharisees because in the garb of their religious faith they could not have cared less about the man, they cared about their rules. So for those of us in positions of leadership among Christians, we must use our position VERY carefully to lead others in faith, and to find His grace, and we must be careful NOT to use this position to get our way or push our private agenda. There are people we are leading who need grace, and patience, and help to draw near to Christ, and if we do not extend it, Jesus will judge us, and it won't be pretty. Because while we may fail to stand up to ourselves as bullies, and to the religio bullies among us, Jesus will NOT fail to stand up to them and put them in their place.
One of the difficult things in standing up to the religio bully is that it may seem like they are taking the high road with their stand on some issues. Those who are ascetic or who deny certain cultural things might seem more righteous. So it becomes hard to resist them. And those who do can be labelled or viewed as soft or weak. Jesus was considered a friend of sinners, and to the religious crowd, this was a put down. But we must learn to see through the issue to what really matters AND what the scriptures really teach. If the scriptures are not clear on the issue, then we cannot be rigid about requiring that everyone take our position on it. And we need to stand up to those who would try to impose their take on the issue as what is right for everyone. We must allow freedom where it exists. And we must stand up to the bullies that want to impose their non-scriptural based rules on others.
The reason this can take a type of bullying is because it is done by people in position of religious and Christian authority which Christians are commanded to submit to. Ouch. And those who use this position to make others conform to their traditions and preferences are, in fact, bullying those they are leading. They are not convincing them, and winning them, to their viewpoint. They threaten them with their position ("how dare you challenge me, I am your (elder, pastor, teacher, principal, ...)) and if they do not submit they penalize them in some way. Now this is difficult because there are legitimate times Christians need to discipline those under them, but these are for CLEAR violations of scripture like sexual immorality, drunkenness, divorce, lying, etc. They are not for areas that are grey. Romans 14 says we are not to pass judgement against others on "disputable matters." We need to make up our own minds, but leave others in God's hands. The problem is that for the religio bullies, there are probably very few disputable matters because in their pride, they think they are correct on all or many issues and so others should follow their perspective.
I think these are the most hurtful because these type of bullies will be held responsible for many people going to hell. It will be blood on their hands because they will have hardened many people to the gospel and to a possibility to knowing Jesus as their Savior. People who are seeking or who are close to seeking God are in a delicate position. They may be very confused about what is right and wrong, about how to know God, about what matters in life. If seekers like this are "out there", most Christians will seem to be more understanding (most real Christians who have a heart that has been touched by grace). But when this type of person in among Christians (at a church, in a "Christian" school), the religio bullies in those places do not know what to do with them. And they can often alienate them and not give them the patience and respect and time to ask hard questions and find answers. I have been around Christians who have done these very things. It is extremely ugly.
We who have found the grace of God MUST stand up to the religio bully. It is what Jesus did in standing up to the Pharisees, for instance, when they were trying to forbid Him from healing on the sabbath. The man with the withered hand got healed because Jesus cared about him, but Jesus was furious with the Pharisees because in the garb of their religious faith they could not have cared less about the man, they cared about their rules. So for those of us in positions of leadership among Christians, we must use our position VERY carefully to lead others in faith, and to find His grace, and we must be careful NOT to use this position to get our way or push our private agenda. There are people we are leading who need grace, and patience, and help to draw near to Christ, and if we do not extend it, Jesus will judge us, and it won't be pretty. Because while we may fail to stand up to ourselves as bullies, and to the religio bullies among us, Jesus will NOT fail to stand up to them and put them in their place.
One of the difficult things in standing up to the religio bully is that it may seem like they are taking the high road with their stand on some issues. Those who are ascetic or who deny certain cultural things might seem more righteous. So it becomes hard to resist them. And those who do can be labelled or viewed as soft or weak. Jesus was considered a friend of sinners, and to the religious crowd, this was a put down. But we must learn to see through the issue to what really matters AND what the scriptures really teach. If the scriptures are not clear on the issue, then we cannot be rigid about requiring that everyone take our position on it. And we need to stand up to those who would try to impose their take on the issue as what is right for everyone. We must allow freedom where it exists. And we must stand up to the bullies that want to impose their non-scriptural based rules on others.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
all shapes and stripes
Bullies come in all shapes, sizes, colors, genders, and religious affiliations. I have experienced people trying to push me down who were females in my life; people who were much shorter than me and taller than me; people who were supposed to be leaders or teachers of faith; people who had or were working on more advanced degrees than I had and people who have had less education, too. I think I must have an invisible sign on my forehead that says "Bully me, please. I won't care." Nah. The reality is that bullies are just insecure or mean people who think they have some advantage over me or you and try to use it against us.
I believe anytime we use a supposed or real advantage we have over someone to gain power, gain pleasure, manipulate, hurt, belittle, or use someone for our purposes, and to their detriment (hopefully that is obvious), we are acting the bully. They might even consent to it. That does not matter because the advantage we think we have nullifies their willingness to submit as being free choice.
During junior high and less so in high school, a guy I knew attempted to be a bully to me, even though he was by the end a good 6 to 8 inches shorter than I was. But he was mean, and brash, and thought that because he had the "right" friends, he could get away with hurting or belittling me. The older I got, the less he did it. I think he at first thought I was a dork from a wealthy family who needed picking on, who maybe curried too much favor with teachers and maybe was too nice or naive. But as time went on and I grew taller, and he didn't, as I proved I was a good athlete, and he was adequate, and as we grew less entangled in terms of not really being in the same classes or spending much time together, his bullying decreased. And I probably had tried to do some things initially to get on his good side or be his friend; maybe he took that into account.
So, size doesn't matter. The saying goes something like this: "It's not the size of the dog in the fight that matters, it's the size of the fight in the dog." This guy had a lot of fight in him, and maybe due to his brothers picking on him and having to find a way to survive. I am sure that is at least partly where he learned it. It doesn't make it right. But beware, just because I guy is small does not mean he won't punch you in the nose.
I believe anytime we use a supposed or real advantage we have over someone to gain power, gain pleasure, manipulate, hurt, belittle, or use someone for our purposes, and to their detriment (hopefully that is obvious), we are acting the bully. They might even consent to it. That does not matter because the advantage we think we have nullifies their willingness to submit as being free choice.
During junior high and less so in high school, a guy I knew attempted to be a bully to me, even though he was by the end a good 6 to 8 inches shorter than I was. But he was mean, and brash, and thought that because he had the "right" friends, he could get away with hurting or belittling me. The older I got, the less he did it. I think he at first thought I was a dork from a wealthy family who needed picking on, who maybe curried too much favor with teachers and maybe was too nice or naive. But as time went on and I grew taller, and he didn't, as I proved I was a good athlete, and he was adequate, and as we grew less entangled in terms of not really being in the same classes or spending much time together, his bullying decreased. And I probably had tried to do some things initially to get on his good side or be his friend; maybe he took that into account.
So, size doesn't matter. The saying goes something like this: "It's not the size of the dog in the fight that matters, it's the size of the fight in the dog." This guy had a lot of fight in him, and maybe due to his brothers picking on him and having to find a way to survive. I am sure that is at least partly where he learned it. It doesn't make it right. But beware, just because I guy is small does not mean he won't punch you in the nose.
I hate bullies
When I was in the 4th grade, a kid much bigger than I decided for whatever reason he didn't like me. He threatened me one afternoon on my way home from school, and then punched me in the chest. I don't remember doing much, and he simply walked off, probably calling me a choice name or two. I don;t remember him ever bothering me after that. This is the classic bully, though, a coward who simply uses extra size, or strength, or verbal venom to hurt someone else because they can, or because of some need to or desire to get some pleasure. I can't say I have never been one, I know I have. But that is for another time to talk about. Right now I want to go on record as saying I hate bullies, and I hate me when I am passive around them or have been passive and not willing to stand up to them. In the movie "Wanted", the hero of the story is a bullied and passive man whose life is horrible because he refuses to stand up and be taken account of; when he finally does, the world around him is turned upside down, and many people who are bullies wish he had never been awakened. In the movie "Taken", a man's daughter is kidnapped and is being sold as a sex-slave in the Middle East. The sexual bullies who do this have just unleashed on themselves a man whose whole life prepared him to destroy such bullies, which he proceeds to do throughout the movie, to get his daughter back. Everything about the hero character played by Liam Neeson makes you want to stand up at the end and never back down from this sort of bullie who takes a man's daughter for evil purposes; oh I want to me that kind of man.
Bullies: beware. I am here to say I won't tolerate you anymore. You are forewarned.
Bullies: beware. I am here to say I won't tolerate you anymore. You are forewarned.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
music form vs substance
I recently heard an older person speaking to put down some of the more modern music because it was so electrified. Thinking back, I can't believe I was hearing this. Why can't some older people get past the form of the music to what it is saying? And I don't think this put down was just to say he didn't like it, it was to say it was bad or wrong.
I am here to affirm all of you younger musicians to keep making good music in all of its forms, electrified, acoustic, digitized, sonified, beat boxed, and any other form. God is not scared of music that awakens or expresses the passions of humans, for He is wilder and much less civilized than anyone would want to believe, and much more so than any human, excpet one, has ever been. I think that is one reason Jesus was born in a food trough in a barn; God was quite at home there and not ashamed or feeling put out or frightened at all. After all, He is the creator of the wilds of this world, and if we cannot make music that reflects our passions, we are not expressing something of the depth of the human spirit, and our music is all the more shallow for it. So electrified music is able to get at a power and passion and volume of life that acoustic music just can't do.
Right now I am listening to one of my favorite songs of all time: Sleeping Awake by POD. Electrified, yes, loud, yes, powerful, yes, worth hearing, every time.
So to you musicians, keep making good music of all kinds.
To those among us who believe the only holy music is soft and somber and acoustic, wake up. You are wrong. The bible in fact recommends music of praise with resounding cymbals. Those are loud and not everyone likes them. No where can we find the Bible saying music must be soft, but we do hear it telling us it should be loud, at least at times. And it should be skillful. God is much more interested in the heart or content of the music than the form. Period.
I am here to affirm all of you younger musicians to keep making good music in all of its forms, electrified, acoustic, digitized, sonified, beat boxed, and any other form. God is not scared of music that awakens or expresses the passions of humans, for He is wilder and much less civilized than anyone would want to believe, and much more so than any human, excpet one, has ever been. I think that is one reason Jesus was born in a food trough in a barn; God was quite at home there and not ashamed or feeling put out or frightened at all. After all, He is the creator of the wilds of this world, and if we cannot make music that reflects our passions, we are not expressing something of the depth of the human spirit, and our music is all the more shallow for it. So electrified music is able to get at a power and passion and volume of life that acoustic music just can't do.
Right now I am listening to one of my favorite songs of all time: Sleeping Awake by POD. Electrified, yes, loud, yes, powerful, yes, worth hearing, every time.
So to you musicians, keep making good music of all kinds.
To those among us who believe the only holy music is soft and somber and acoustic, wake up. You are wrong. The bible in fact recommends music of praise with resounding cymbals. Those are loud and not everyone likes them. No where can we find the Bible saying music must be soft, but we do hear it telling us it should be loud, at least at times. And it should be skillful. God is much more interested in the heart or content of the music than the form. Period.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
church life for One Another
I am beginning to realize that most of the one another verses in scripture, which are about the true life of the christian in the body, are not easily obeyed when we "do" church. Fellowship on Sunday mornig is more about being an observer than about serving each other, with a couple obvious exceptions: the Pastor and the worship team. Now this may primarily be in how I have experienced "church", but I am realizing I need the body life to be more full and vibrant. If you watch my facebook I am going to put all of the one another verses day after day. Think about where we actually practice these. Love one another. How do we as the church do that? I know we do some, but when our realtionships are limited to sunday and an occasional time some other time, it does not work. We need time together. Encourage one another. Unless we really know one another, how do we do that? Serve one another. Unless we are with each other and know the needs we have, we cannot obey this. etc.
I think the missional approach to church life as seen in the book "The Tangible Kingdom" points to a better way to be the body that helps us obey the one another verses. I am going to be working toward a different way to do church life in our youth group.
I think the missional approach to church life as seen in the book "The Tangible Kingdom" points to a better way to be the body that helps us obey the one another verses. I am going to be working toward a different way to do church life in our youth group.
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