Showing posts with label church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label church. Show all posts
Saturday, November 28, 2009
umph!
The umph is missing. I know no other way to describe it. In almost every area except maybe in being a dad the umph- the energy, the excitement, the passion it is just gone. I have tried sooo hard to conjure it up lately-new workouts, new shoes, new thinking and reading but it is still just not quite there! I guess I only blog this to just get it out there- outside my head and maybe that will force me to begin to deal w/ it in some other way. Maybe some one out there will read this whether intinally or just by stumbling across it and have some idea of help!!??? Anyway at least I have admitted it and that seems to be the first step in recovery!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Confusion
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!
-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!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Inaguration
Like many of you I watched a lot of the coverage of President Obama's Inaguration yesterday. Lily had her one year appointment yesterday so I missed his actual speech. I did come home and watch it on cnn.com and Pastor Rick Warren's prayer. In my opinion both did a fantastic job. Also like many of you, I did not vote for Obama but, as a very brave soldier who got to dance w/ the President at a ball last night said, "he is our Commander and Chief and I respect the office and the man". Sure there are issues and ideals he and I don't see eye to eye on, but as my Dad said, there always is. So for now I will pray for him a lot. He inherits quite a mess you know. I liked the fact that he challenged us to help make a difference. Washington alone did not cause nor can it solve this economic crisis. This is America- we the PEOPLE. We make our future nationally through the democratic process and individaully day-to-day. Like many others I have extended myself way beyond my means at times. I have neglected my God, my family and my fellow man at the altar of success and self. So as my President and Pastor( yes you, Rob) call for a time of CHANGE and stepping up to the plate, I pray I will!!!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
A Prayer Attributed to St. Francis
Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.
Prayed and read through "the daily office" again today and this prayer just stuck in me as did this quote from Shane Claiborne:
And that’s when things get messy. When people begin moving beyond charity and toward justice and solidarity with the poor and oppressed, as Jesus did, they get in trouble. Once we are actually friends with the folks in struggle, we start to ask why people are poor, which is never as popular as giving to charity. One of my friends has a shirt marked with the words of late Catholic bishop Dom Helder Camara: “When I fed the hungry, they called me a saint. When I asked why people are hungry, they called me a communist.” Charity wins awards and applause but joining the poor gets you killed. People do not get crucified for living out of love that disrupts the social order that calls forth a new world. People are not crucified for helping poor people. People are crucified for joining them.
God, help that I might begin to live out these!
Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.
Prayed and read through "the daily office" again today and this prayer just stuck in me as did this quote from Shane Claiborne:
And that’s when things get messy. When people begin moving beyond charity and toward justice and solidarity with the poor and oppressed, as Jesus did, they get in trouble. Once we are actually friends with the folks in struggle, we start to ask why people are poor, which is never as popular as giving to charity. One of my friends has a shirt marked with the words of late Catholic bishop Dom Helder Camara: “When I fed the hungry, they called me a saint. When I asked why people are hungry, they called me a communist.” Charity wins awards and applause but joining the poor gets you killed. People do not get crucified for living out of love that disrupts the social order that calls forth a new world. People are not crucified for helping poor people. People are crucified for joining them.
God, help that I might begin to live out these!
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