Today there are a lot of thoughts swirling in my head. It comes from the confusion I have had for quite awhile. First lets lay a ground work:
-I grew-up conservative in every way: Conservative Christianity-where almost everything imagineable is sin whether covered clearly by Scripture or not, Conservative politically-anti-abortion,anti-homosexual, pro-gun, pro-death penalty, huge amounts of national pride,etc.
-As a young adult from 18-27 I spent 95% of my time relating and working w/ people who shared these, and sometimes even more, conservative values and thoughts.
-Then at 27 or 28 I had a tragic and dramatic event in my life that caused me to begin to question almost everything. I began to work and relate to people from different perspectives and circumstances. I began to read from differing opinions especially what would be considered more liberal Christians.
Today I would label myself more of a moderate I guess b/c I see both sides of many issues. However, many would label me very liberal now. Here are my confusions:
How can we be patrotic and have national pride in how wonderful America and its freedoms are, yet balance our citizenship in Heaven? War vs. peace, capitalism vs. need to care for the poor and needy around the world, building a large powerful military w/ need to protect vs. need to represent Christ and the Gospel of peace
How can I tell someone else that their loving committed relationship is sinful just b/c they didn't or can't stand in front of a minister or judge and have that relationship made "legal"? I have met homosexual couples and non-married heterosexual couples whose relationships are more committed to their true selves and their partners than many that are married. Can we adaquetly point to Scriptures that explicitly tell us these relationships aren't God-honoring?
I guess the whole idea of us as Christians, especially preacher/teachers, trying to be the moral police of both the church and the world is just hard for me to grasp. I grew up w/ well meaning, well intentioned preachers telling us what was and wasn't sin and backing it up w/ their interpretations of the Bible. As I was once told, you can make the Bible say anything you want it to if you try hard enough(by a very conservative preacher nonetheless). I happen to think the major sins aren't abortion and homosexuality as it seems most Christians and the "moral majority" have decided to take laser aim at, but instead the lack of care for our fellow man. It is the widow and orphan's care we are told that is true religion and Jesus plainly said we would be known b/c of our love of one another. And yet we pour plant derived gas into our monster gas hogs so it can cost 2-3 cents per gallon less and watch third world countries starve b/c of it. Is that the Gospel Jesus died for? Did He die so that on the Sunday after Katrina we could all meet in our air condition churches then head off to an over-priced lunch at the restaurant? Or did He want us to open our doors and say, "We have a gym and we can round up food, send the "refugees" our way."?
I do have a serious issue still w/ abortion but question the ability to make it illegal. Again I am not sure it is our responsiblity to legislate morality for everyone? I do believe we can affect the decision of our own households though. So we must say to our daughters and sons, "if you mess up and get pregnant or get someone pregnant, I WILL be there for you!". (So proud of some friends who along w/ their daughter recently decided this was the best course of action!) I also believe we have to care for the sanctity of life beyond the womb. "Womb to tomb" I recently read is our real responsibility as for as LIFE goes. Schools,health care,senior care, the environment are all part of the sanctity of life as for as I am concerned. Caring for life has made me question lots of other things: the death penalty, gun laws, torture,and use of force.
All of this is difficult for a country boy from the very buckle of the Bible Belt to wrap his head around. But all of this has been spinning in my head for a long time so I thought I'd put it out their to spin in yours for awhile. Feel free to comment, correct, or just ponder along w/ me.
Grace and peace!
