Monday, May 29, 2006
Theology and a Three-Year-Old Part 2
We recently hung a hammock in our backyard. It is great - to relax, swing between the trees, enjoy the outdoors. A few days ago, Grant and I were lying down in the hammock, enjoying a nice father-son time. I told him that we should close our eyes and listen to all the sounds. I thought it would be great to relax and see what we could hear. I said, "Grant, I hear the wind in the trees and the wind-chimes." Grant replied, "I hear the air conditioner." Oh well, nothing theological from this encounter with nature, except that I enjoy spending time with Grant. And he is very perceptive. I love my family.
Saturday, May 27, 2006
Jury Duty
Monday May 22nd - I went to downtown Fort Worth to report for jury duty. This was my first time to ever be called to go, so I had no idea what to expect. As I am going through the metal detectors, I realize I still have my nice pocket knife on my key chain. The cop looks at me and tells me to get it out of there. Not having time to go all the way back to my car, I stashed it under a trash can out front. (However, 2 hours later when I had a break, my pocket knife was already gone.)
Anyway, back to what happened next. I went into a room packed with people, every chair was full and people were standing in the aisles. After watching a cheesy inspirational video on jury duty, they started calling names for each jury panel. (We had to be there at 8am, they started calling names about 9am.) At 10am, my name was called. It is the closest thing I will ever get to a sports draft. (I was the 43rd selection out of 60 for the 371st District Court.) We each filled out a questionnaire, and then they told us to report to the 371st at 1:30pm. Since it was just slightly past 10:30, I decided to wander around downtown FW. (This is when I discovered my knife was gone.) I ventured to the Barnes and Noble, looked through an assortment of books, headed over to Billy Miners, ate lunch, back to BN, then finally back to the courthouse. From 1:30 to 2:30, all 60 of us were just standing in the hallway. Then finally they file us in.
Voir Dire begins. Prosecution asks questions to us as a group, questions looking for bias. This is where many people, in order to get out of jury duty, began saying "Yes, I think everybody is guilty... I cannot follow the law here... I am biased... The Mavs game is tonight and I want to be out of here..." This process was quite frightening. Not the questions asked, but the answers given. I don't ever plan on being on trial, but if I were, I worry about the number of complete and total, for lack of a better word, morons who are roaming our streets, waiting to be selected for jury duty. Anyway, at number 43, and with no questions asked directly to me, I thought there would be no way that I would be selected. Plus, I always heard they never pick ministers, so I was just listening, observing all the peculiar people filling this room. Then they send us back into the hallway again.
5:00pm - they call all 60 of us back in and make their selections. And for the final juror spot, spot number 12, they call my name. I was shocked and I think I said audibly, "Oh geez." 48 people relieved, 12 of us wondering what in the world happens next. The judge tells the 12 of us to be back at the court room by 9am the next morning.
Tuesday May 23 - 9am - the bailiffs lead us through a side entrance to the very cozy jury room. It barely fit the 12 of us - and this is where we spent most of our time. A very nice selection of people. My earlier fears were relieved when I got to know the 11 other people in the room with me. A wide variety of people - as young as 20 and as old as 65. 8 men, 4 women, 7 whites, 4 blacks, 1 Hispanic. Successful career people, waiters, blue collar, educators, etc. It truly was a good segment of the population. It was fun going to lunch with them, all wearing our juror badges, walking around FW.
The case - SP was charged with a felony for knowingly attacking his wife by hitting her and/or choking her. SP was a 35 year old Vietnamese male, who, according to the lawyers, spoke little english and was illiterate. He was married to RA., who had called 911 April 2005 to report the attack. However, now, a year later, she was saying how much she loved SP and that he didn't attack her, she attacked herself. So here was the prosecution's obstacle, convincing the jury beyond a reasonable doubt that SP had attacked his wife on April 7, even though now she was saying otherwise. 2 days of testimony - police officers, RA, social worker, RA's father, plus numerous pieces of evidence, the 911 recording, pictures of RA's neck after the attack, and a previous attack, letters SP wrote her from prison saying such things as "If you know what's good for you and your children, you will drop the charges." "I will never hit you again." Anyway, after two days of the hearing (most of which was spent in the jury room, while the lawyers argued over what evidence was allowed) we were handed the case to make a verdict at 5pm on Wednesday. It did not take us long. We asked to hear the 911 call again, we each examined the photos, and we read through the letters SP had written. 30 minutes later, we found SP guilty 12-0. The judge, Judge James R. Wilson, sets the punishment at a later date, but we were told he will probably get 10 years and then be held due to immigration issues after that.
After the trial was over, the Judge came back and spoke to us briefly, thanking us for our service. We each got a coffee mug with his name and court number on it. And, because he was defeated in the last primary, it is now a collector's item. He said one time a bailiff saw a mug at a garage sale for 20 cents. He was a very nice man and after the trial, I looked him up on google. (This was the judge of the infamous case of the homeless man stuck in a woman's windshield for days.)
Then the prosecution and defense team came into the jury room and spoke with us, asking us to evaluate their arguments for them. After two days of avoiding them in the hallway and elevators, it was nice to get to hear from both sides away from the courtroom. Anyway, it was a great experience and has strengthened my confidence in the legal system. As annoying as it was to spend three days on jury duty while work piled up at the office, I was still proud to have done my civic duty and helped justice be carried out.
Everyone always tries to get out of jury duty, and I understand why - it is inconvenient, but I think we all, especially Christians, should do our part to serve on a jury. So next time you are summoned, don't try to get out of it, but instead answer your questionnaires honestly and pray that God will allow you to serve. Besides, one day you might be on trial and I promise you, you will want the best jurors, not the 48 cast-offs in our jury pool. (Actually I am sure that many of them were very nice people, just the ones who spoke seemed to lack sense.)
By the way, for my jury duty time, I was paid $6 for Monday, $40 for Tuesday, and $40 for Wednesday for a whopping $86. Take away $15 for parking, $25 for lunches, another $5 for snacks, and some more for gas money. Cheap labor if you ask me... But worth it.
Anyway, back to what happened next. I went into a room packed with people, every chair was full and people were standing in the aisles. After watching a cheesy inspirational video on jury duty, they started calling names for each jury panel. (We had to be there at 8am, they started calling names about 9am.) At 10am, my name was called. It is the closest thing I will ever get to a sports draft. (I was the 43rd selection out of 60 for the 371st District Court.) We each filled out a questionnaire, and then they told us to report to the 371st at 1:30pm. Since it was just slightly past 10:30, I decided to wander around downtown FW. (This is when I discovered my knife was gone.) I ventured to the Barnes and Noble, looked through an assortment of books, headed over to Billy Miners, ate lunch, back to BN, then finally back to the courthouse. From 1:30 to 2:30, all 60 of us were just standing in the hallway. Then finally they file us in.
Voir Dire begins. Prosecution asks questions to us as a group, questions looking for bias. This is where many people, in order to get out of jury duty, began saying "Yes, I think everybody is guilty... I cannot follow the law here... I am biased... The Mavs game is tonight and I want to be out of here..." This process was quite frightening. Not the questions asked, but the answers given. I don't ever plan on being on trial, but if I were, I worry about the number of complete and total, for lack of a better word, morons who are roaming our streets, waiting to be selected for jury duty. Anyway, at number 43, and with no questions asked directly to me, I thought there would be no way that I would be selected. Plus, I always heard they never pick ministers, so I was just listening, observing all the peculiar people filling this room. Then they send us back into the hallway again.
5:00pm - they call all 60 of us back in and make their selections. And for the final juror spot, spot number 12, they call my name. I was shocked and I think I said audibly, "Oh geez." 48 people relieved, 12 of us wondering what in the world happens next. The judge tells the 12 of us to be back at the court room by 9am the next morning.
Tuesday May 23 - 9am - the bailiffs lead us through a side entrance to the very cozy jury room. It barely fit the 12 of us - and this is where we spent most of our time. A very nice selection of people. My earlier fears were relieved when I got to know the 11 other people in the room with me. A wide variety of people - as young as 20 and as old as 65. 8 men, 4 women, 7 whites, 4 blacks, 1 Hispanic. Successful career people, waiters, blue collar, educators, etc. It truly was a good segment of the population. It was fun going to lunch with them, all wearing our juror badges, walking around FW.
The case - SP was charged with a felony for knowingly attacking his wife by hitting her and/or choking her. SP was a 35 year old Vietnamese male, who, according to the lawyers, spoke little english and was illiterate. He was married to RA., who had called 911 April 2005 to report the attack. However, now, a year later, she was saying how much she loved SP and that he didn't attack her, she attacked herself. So here was the prosecution's obstacle, convincing the jury beyond a reasonable doubt that SP had attacked his wife on April 7, even though now she was saying otherwise. 2 days of testimony - police officers, RA, social worker, RA's father, plus numerous pieces of evidence, the 911 recording, pictures of RA's neck after the attack, and a previous attack, letters SP wrote her from prison saying such things as "If you know what's good for you and your children, you will drop the charges." "I will never hit you again." Anyway, after two days of the hearing (most of which was spent in the jury room, while the lawyers argued over what evidence was allowed) we were handed the case to make a verdict at 5pm on Wednesday. It did not take us long. We asked to hear the 911 call again, we each examined the photos, and we read through the letters SP had written. 30 minutes later, we found SP guilty 12-0. The judge, Judge James R. Wilson, sets the punishment at a later date, but we were told he will probably get 10 years and then be held due to immigration issues after that.
After the trial was over, the Judge came back and spoke to us briefly, thanking us for our service. We each got a coffee mug with his name and court number on it. And, because he was defeated in the last primary, it is now a collector's item. He said one time a bailiff saw a mug at a garage sale for 20 cents. He was a very nice man and after the trial, I looked him up on google. (This was the judge of the infamous case of the homeless man stuck in a woman's windshield for days.)
Then the prosecution and defense team came into the jury room and spoke with us, asking us to evaluate their arguments for them. After two days of avoiding them in the hallway and elevators, it was nice to get to hear from both sides away from the courtroom. Anyway, it was a great experience and has strengthened my confidence in the legal system. As annoying as it was to spend three days on jury duty while work piled up at the office, I was still proud to have done my civic duty and helped justice be carried out.
Everyone always tries to get out of jury duty, and I understand why - it is inconvenient, but I think we all, especially Christians, should do our part to serve on a jury. So next time you are summoned, don't try to get out of it, but instead answer your questionnaires honestly and pray that God will allow you to serve. Besides, one day you might be on trial and I promise you, you will want the best jurors, not the 48 cast-offs in our jury pool. (Actually I am sure that many of them were very nice people, just the ones who spoke seemed to lack sense.)
By the way, for my jury duty time, I was paid $6 for Monday, $40 for Tuesday, and $40 for Wednesday for a whopping $86. Take away $15 for parking, $25 for lunches, another $5 for snacks, and some more for gas money. Cheap labor if you ask me... But worth it.
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Reality TV and Why I Love It
OK, so I admit it - I love reality TV. Now I know this is nothing new anymore - reality TV is everywhere, but I still love it. Not all of it - just the really good stuff. I don't know why. But maybe it's because I can picture myself doing well in Reality TV shows. I can watch baseball and know I will never be a baseball player. I can watch Dirk do incredible things on the basketball court and know I will never be a good basketball player. I can watch rock stars and know I will never be one of those (which is why American Idol is not one of the reality shows I like - plus it's kind of boring.) But let me watch Aras walk off with the million dollars, or the hippies struggle to win the Amazing Race, and I think - maybe, just maybe I could do that. (I mean, if I got in shape a little.)
If only one reality show was allowed to be on the air, I would choose Survivor. It's the original and it's the best. Yes, I get "tired-head" listening to Jeff Probst explain how the challenges work - but to see people interact, to see people who are oblivious to their idiosyncrasies, captivates me. The classic illustration of this is from this past season when Courtney (the fire-dancer - what's that exactly?) was so upset because people voted her the most annoying. What me annoying?, she asks. Then, with Bruce writhing in constipation pain, feeling like he is going to die, Courtney starts singing to him. In pain he says, "Stop." She continues singing, Bruce in more pain now and obviously annoyed by Courtney once again asks her to stop. She doesn't even realize that she is annoying him. We all know people just like that - if you don't, then you are probably that person.
[On a side note, when I think about Survivor, I am always reminded of my preaching class in seminary. After one of my sermons for the class in which I used an illustration from Survivor (this was season 2 back in 2001), one of my classmates, during his critique said, "I think we as Christians should not watch such shows as Survivor. It's just un-Christian." Really? My text for that sermon was Deuteronomy 23:12-14 and was titled "Being a Responsible Camper." Of course, if you know that passage, you can probably guess that if someone was upset with Survivor, they would be upset with my choice of scripture as well. (And I admit one of the reasons I used the scripture was to rock the boat a little.) When someone in the class approached me after class and said "I think your text was inappropriate." I replied, "Well, God said it to Moses, and Moses shared it with the people, are you saying that God is inappropriate?" He nervously laughed.]
So Survivor shares a special memory in my life. But it is also a fascinating look at people. As hard as one may try to put up a front, ultimately, Survivor reveals them for who they really are. I think we as Christians could use a little more "Survivor" in our lives. To be forced to interact with others that we normally wouldn't. To learn how they tick, to see how they view us. We as Christians should be open to sharing our strengths and our weaknesses. To take off our masks and admit that we don't have all the answers and that we are not perfect. (This is especially true when we are around other Christians - we so often put up a spiritual front to look good.) To admit that, yes, we are hypocrites and we do wrong people at times. To take risks, build relationships with strangers, and stretch ourselves physically and mentally. And to remember that when all seems hopeless and when we have been bruised by life, we know that our hope is not found in what we can or can't do, but our hope is found in Christ. He is the one who gives meaning to life, who accepts us whether we are annoying, hypocritical, etc.
Reality TV - we do star in it, I guess. People do watch us, we do vote people in and out of our circles, we do compete for prizes in life. I guess that's why I like Survivor so much. Ah, now if only I could just throw a baseball 95 mph...
If only one reality show was allowed to be on the air, I would choose Survivor. It's the original and it's the best. Yes, I get "tired-head" listening to Jeff Probst explain how the challenges work - but to see people interact, to see people who are oblivious to their idiosyncrasies, captivates me. The classic illustration of this is from this past season when Courtney (the fire-dancer - what's that exactly?) was so upset because people voted her the most annoying. What me annoying?, she asks. Then, with Bruce writhing in constipation pain, feeling like he is going to die, Courtney starts singing to him. In pain he says, "Stop." She continues singing, Bruce in more pain now and obviously annoyed by Courtney once again asks her to stop. She doesn't even realize that she is annoying him. We all know people just like that - if you don't, then you are probably that person.
[On a side note, when I think about Survivor, I am always reminded of my preaching class in seminary. After one of my sermons for the class in which I used an illustration from Survivor (this was season 2 back in 2001), one of my classmates, during his critique said, "I think we as Christians should not watch such shows as Survivor. It's just un-Christian." Really? My text for that sermon was Deuteronomy 23:12-14 and was titled "Being a Responsible Camper." Of course, if you know that passage, you can probably guess that if someone was upset with Survivor, they would be upset with my choice of scripture as well. (And I admit one of the reasons I used the scripture was to rock the boat a little.) When someone in the class approached me after class and said "I think your text was inappropriate." I replied, "Well, God said it to Moses, and Moses shared it with the people, are you saying that God is inappropriate?" He nervously laughed.]
So Survivor shares a special memory in my life. But it is also a fascinating look at people. As hard as one may try to put up a front, ultimately, Survivor reveals them for who they really are. I think we as Christians could use a little more "Survivor" in our lives. To be forced to interact with others that we normally wouldn't. To learn how they tick, to see how they view us. We as Christians should be open to sharing our strengths and our weaknesses. To take off our masks and admit that we don't have all the answers and that we are not perfect. (This is especially true when we are around other Christians - we so often put up a spiritual front to look good.) To admit that, yes, we are hypocrites and we do wrong people at times. To take risks, build relationships with strangers, and stretch ourselves physically and mentally. And to remember that when all seems hopeless and when we have been bruised by life, we know that our hope is not found in what we can or can't do, but our hope is found in Christ. He is the one who gives meaning to life, who accepts us whether we are annoying, hypocritical, etc.
Reality TV - we do star in it, I guess. People do watch us, we do vote people in and out of our circles, we do compete for prizes in life. I guess that's why I like Survivor so much. Ah, now if only I could just throw a baseball 95 mph...
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Culture War and the Love of Christ
Last week I read an intriguing article from "Christianity Today," entitled "Furrowed Brows Inc." (You can access the article at http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2006/004/25.100.html )
The author of the article discusses the consequences of our "Culture War in America." The battle over morality and the defense of traditional moral values, according to the author, is so often fought without the love of Christ shining through. He writes, "It is hard to believe someone who speaks of love through clenched teeth." This is the difficulty of engaging in such a culture war - how does one reach out to a lost world and at the same time "wage war" against them?
Those engaged in culture war are often surprised when lost people act lost. I don't get it. Why do we spend our time protesting television shows, boycotting certain entertainment indistries (but not all of them), and demanding that a school allow a Christian group to meet on its campus? We expend a great deal of energy, time, and resources fighting our culture to "win." And at what cost? How many people came to Christ after boycotting Disney or Will and Grace? How many more turn a deaf ear to the message of Christ because of such war-like tones coming from the mouths of "Christians"? Isn't there a better way?
Back to the article. The author writes that Jesus also confronted sin: "Jesus was hardly shy about confronting the patterns of sin in his culture - though he was consistently harder on the pious than he was on the pagans... But everywhere Jesus went, life blossomed." So how do we impact the world for Christ and allow life - abundant, resurrection type life - to abound?
Christians must engage their culture, but not in a way that brings clinched teeth and seething disdain for others. I heard this morning a radio talk show host asking pastors how they could support immigrants who have contributed to immorality by coming to the US illegally. My answer? The same way pastors support, or should support, to all of us - and the same way Jesus accepts all of us. "I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was in prison and you came to visit me... whatever you did for the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." (Matthew 25:35ff)
Our culture is in need of correction. But the correction it is in need of will not come in the form of a war against culture, pitting "conservative values" against "Hollywood." It will come in the form of a servant, reaching out in love to those around us, examining our own lives for areas we need to get right, and confronting sin in such a way that offers a blossoming life. We have this ability as Christians, through the love, grace, and mercy of God, to truly impact our culture. Maybe it won't win votes, but it will win hearts - and create a climate where life can bloom.
The author of the article discusses the consequences of our "Culture War in America." The battle over morality and the defense of traditional moral values, according to the author, is so often fought without the love of Christ shining through. He writes, "It is hard to believe someone who speaks of love through clenched teeth." This is the difficulty of engaging in such a culture war - how does one reach out to a lost world and at the same time "wage war" against them?
Those engaged in culture war are often surprised when lost people act lost. I don't get it. Why do we spend our time protesting television shows, boycotting certain entertainment indistries (but not all of them), and demanding that a school allow a Christian group to meet on its campus? We expend a great deal of energy, time, and resources fighting our culture to "win." And at what cost? How many people came to Christ after boycotting Disney or Will and Grace? How many more turn a deaf ear to the message of Christ because of such war-like tones coming from the mouths of "Christians"? Isn't there a better way?
Back to the article. The author writes that Jesus also confronted sin: "Jesus was hardly shy about confronting the patterns of sin in his culture - though he was consistently harder on the pious than he was on the pagans... But everywhere Jesus went, life blossomed." So how do we impact the world for Christ and allow life - abundant, resurrection type life - to abound?
Christians must engage their culture, but not in a way that brings clinched teeth and seething disdain for others. I heard this morning a radio talk show host asking pastors how they could support immigrants who have contributed to immorality by coming to the US illegally. My answer? The same way pastors support, or should support, to all of us - and the same way Jesus accepts all of us. "I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was in prison and you came to visit me... whatever you did for the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." (Matthew 25:35ff)
Our culture is in need of correction. But the correction it is in need of will not come in the form of a war against culture, pitting "conservative values" against "Hollywood." It will come in the form of a servant, reaching out in love to those around us, examining our own lives for areas we need to get right, and confronting sin in such a way that offers a blossoming life. We have this ability as Christians, through the love, grace, and mercy of God, to truly impact our culture. Maybe it won't win votes, but it will win hearts - and create a climate where life can bloom.
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Theology and a Three-Year-Old
So how do I explain God to my 3 year old son? A couple of nights ago, we were sitting on the couch for a final few minutes before "bedtime." (We were watching a little American Idol.) I cannot remember exactly what we were talking about, but Grant asked me "Where's God?" I began to explain to him that God is everywhere. He didn't quite grasp that concept. I explained how God is everywhere; He's even in our house. Grant, as if trying to call for God to come out of hiding said loudly, "God is in our house?" I explained more and told him that God is in our hearts, too. Grant asks, "God is in your heart?," and, "God come out of your heart?" Now I'm thinking I have him confused, causing him to think that God is ready to pop out of his body at anytime, but I think he is understanding what I mean. He then asks, "Where's Jesus?" So now, I am trying to figure out how to explain the Trinity to my 3-year-old?!? This whole adventure was one of my favorite conversations I have had with Grant. Jessica and I have been praying that one day, when he gets older and is able to understand, he will put his faith in Christ. Here, at 3 years old, are the beginnings of his upbringing in faith. That night, as I tucked him into bed, he prayed to God, repeating my words, thanking God for his family and telling God that he loved Him. I love my son, and I love God. How amazing and frightening it is as a parent to feel the responsibility for "training up your child in the way he should go." It is neat to see him start to think about God and Jesus, and begin to understand what exactly it means when we sing "Jesus loves me." But I guess we are all still figuring out what "Jesus Loves Me" means. Simple statement, but a profound truth to grasp. "Faith like a child." I am looking forward to seeing how Grant's faith will impact my own.
Last night we had a huge rain storm. Claire slept through it, but Grant woke up about 1am. He said this morning that he covered his ears while God made it rain and thunder. "Why does God make it rain?," he asked. I guess he wanted to water the plants, I tell him. Grant replied, "God make it rain in your heart, too?" Oh man, I can only imagine what is running through his head thinking about that. Does he even know where his heart is? However, Jessica and I thought about how we need the reminder to allow God to "reign" in our hearts. As we live out our faith and show God's love to our children and to others, hopefully one day Grant and Claire will come to accept God's grace as well, allowing God to truly reign in their hearts.
Perhaps tonight Grant will want to discuss predestination...
Last night we had a huge rain storm. Claire slept through it, but Grant woke up about 1am. He said this morning that he covered his ears while God made it rain and thunder. "Why does God make it rain?," he asked. I guess he wanted to water the plants, I tell him. Grant replied, "God make it rain in your heart, too?" Oh man, I can only imagine what is running through his head thinking about that. Does he even know where his heart is? However, Jessica and I thought about how we need the reminder to allow God to "reign" in our hearts. As we live out our faith and show God's love to our children and to others, hopefully one day Grant and Claire will come to accept God's grace as well, allowing God to truly reign in their hearts.
Perhaps tonight Grant will want to discuss predestination...
Monday, April 10, 2006
Why is Church Often Boring?
Is church boring? (When I speak of church, I don't mean any particular church, but the "church" as a whole.) As America slides toward increased secularization and less church attendance, this is defintely an issue that must be addressed. Why do so many children raised in the church end up leaving the church, or attending once or twice a year, once they are adults? Has church become boring?
This week, many people will make their bi-yearly visit to church. Easter - a good occasion for one to go to church. And what do churches do? They try to figure out how to attract these people to come back the following week. Year after year churches try to offer engaging incentives for these Easter attenders to come back more often. But to what success?
Perhaps we should be doing more each and every week to attract and keep attenders coming, making each week Easter - from the time our kids are in the nursery to the time we bury our grandparents. Which gets us back to the title of this entry - why is church boring? For many, it has become too routine. We have habits in churches of keeping everyone comfortable. We don't like to rock the boat too much or too often. But perhaps we should. Maybe our young people leave the church because they haven't been challenged in their faith - they haven't been given opportunities to stretch and engage their faith with their world. Their faith has not been applied to their daily lives, but rather compartmentalized into an hour or so a week worth of "spirituality." We are often teaching our children to do the right thing, which often leads to a list of "don'ts", "be safe"s or "be good"s. Maybe our theology has been watered down, presenting a "church-lite" to people thirsty for something a little stronger. Or maybe we have allowed tradition to trump authenticity. Or maybe a combination of many factors.
I believe we can handle a God of love and wrath. We can handle a God of the Old Testament and New Testament. We can handle a God who may not be like the Civil Religion God of America - but we can only handle it if we are taught and believed in. If we aren't challenged to grow in our faith, to question what we believe, to step out in faith and take a risk, to explore the magnitude and glory of God, which includes both His love and wrath, His grace and judgment, then why keep going to church? After all, we can get the social life in other places.
Yes, church is often too boring. But God is far from boring. As Rich Mullins wrote "the reckless raging fury that they call the love of God" needs to be experienced more than the moral do good lessons(however those are important as well). Rather than telling our kids to "Be good," we need to tell them to "Be God's." (also a Mullins' quote) When we are His, wow - what a ride - far from boring. But it takes commitment, risk, encouragement, love, and accountability to make it happen. I hope to raise my children to take risks in their faith - to allow God to call them out and allow Him to work through them. And I hope to model that in my own life - listening to the movement of the Holy Spirit, delving into His Word, stripping myself of my American concept of God and clothing myself with the biblical description of Him - allowing my faith to permeate all areas and relationships in my life. Maybe this can be my goal this Holy Week, this Easter - to live with an urgency for God, a thirst for a hearty gulp of His spirit, not settling for the "church-lite" that we so often offer instead.
This week, many people will make their bi-yearly visit to church. Easter - a good occasion for one to go to church. And what do churches do? They try to figure out how to attract these people to come back the following week. Year after year churches try to offer engaging incentives for these Easter attenders to come back more often. But to what success?
Perhaps we should be doing more each and every week to attract and keep attenders coming, making each week Easter - from the time our kids are in the nursery to the time we bury our grandparents. Which gets us back to the title of this entry - why is church boring? For many, it has become too routine. We have habits in churches of keeping everyone comfortable. We don't like to rock the boat too much or too often. But perhaps we should. Maybe our young people leave the church because they haven't been challenged in their faith - they haven't been given opportunities to stretch and engage their faith with their world. Their faith has not been applied to their daily lives, but rather compartmentalized into an hour or so a week worth of "spirituality." We are often teaching our children to do the right thing, which often leads to a list of "don'ts", "be safe"s or "be good"s. Maybe our theology has been watered down, presenting a "church-lite" to people thirsty for something a little stronger. Or maybe we have allowed tradition to trump authenticity. Or maybe a combination of many factors.
I believe we can handle a God of love and wrath. We can handle a God of the Old Testament and New Testament. We can handle a God who may not be like the Civil Religion God of America - but we can only handle it if we are taught and believed in. If we aren't challenged to grow in our faith, to question what we believe, to step out in faith and take a risk, to explore the magnitude and glory of God, which includes both His love and wrath, His grace and judgment, then why keep going to church? After all, we can get the social life in other places.
Yes, church is often too boring. But God is far from boring. As Rich Mullins wrote "the reckless raging fury that they call the love of God" needs to be experienced more than the moral do good lessons(however those are important as well). Rather than telling our kids to "Be good," we need to tell them to "Be God's." (also a Mullins' quote) When we are His, wow - what a ride - far from boring. But it takes commitment, risk, encouragement, love, and accountability to make it happen. I hope to raise my children to take risks in their faith - to allow God to call them out and allow Him to work through them. And I hope to model that in my own life - listening to the movement of the Holy Spirit, delving into His Word, stripping myself of my American concept of God and clothing myself with the biblical description of Him - allowing my faith to permeate all areas and relationships in my life. Maybe this can be my goal this Holy Week, this Easter - to live with an urgency for God, a thirst for a hearty gulp of His spirit, not settling for the "church-lite" that we so often offer instead.
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
City of God
My wife and I finished watching perhaps the most gut-wrenching movie I have ever seen, City of God. My heart breaks for the lives depicted in the movie. How someone like Lil'Ze becomes so evil is beyond my understanding. And yet, my heart breaks for Lil'Ze and others like him. As evil as he is, he is still human. The scene that brought out Lil'Ze's humanity also brought out his inhumanity as well. I could feel his awkwardness in figuring out how to ask a girl to dance. What guy hasn't had butterflies and insecurities when communicating with a girl? But then he's rejected - she's there with another guy. Now, any rational human being feels hurt by this rejection and moves on, but the hatred in Lil'Ze's heart spills out into irrational, inhumane, evil, detestable actions. Like I said, in one scene, Lil'Ze shows his humanity and inhumanity.
Benny on the otherhand, after living a life of crime, attempts to free himself from the grasp of evil. As he finds value in his relationship and love for Angelica, he begins to value all of human life more. Perhaps this is what he means when he tells Lil'Ze to get a girlfriend. He has grown tired of a life that devalues life. Through love, he has found joy. If you haven't seen the movie, I won't tell you how this ends up for Benny.
Love is absent in this city. It seems that in the City of God, faith, hope, and love have not remained. And yet, each character is in desperate need of all three. Benny's love for his girlfriend seems to be his chance for salvation from his society. But so much to overcome. I cannot imagine living in a society even close to that of City of God, and yet, millions of people live like this everyday simply based on their place of birth. How can God's love penatrate these places? How can we as the church make a difference in the lives of Rocket, Benny, and even Lil'Ze? How do we effectively spread the gospel in places like this? It seems completely insurmountable, and yet, we worship a God who does the impossible. And more than that, we have His spirit in us. That sounds much like a cliche, but it is true. For me, I need to allow God to break my heart for places like the City of God. I need to be more open to allowing God to use me to make a difference in my society as well. There are people here in Arlington trapped without hope, faith, and love. Perhaps prayer is the best place to start. But this simply can't be a thing to pray about, unless I pray for God to provide opportunity for me to act as well.
Am I glad I saw the movie - yes and no. The scenes are haunting, especially violence to children. But the movie is powerful. It is an eye-opener as to how some in our world live. The acting is superb, the way the story is told is brilliant.
(If you haven't seen the City of God, I only recommend it with the disclaimer that it is rated a very strong R for graphic violence, sexuality, and pervasive language. So if you see it, please know that it is one of the fiercest R-rated movies I have seen, but it is extremely powerful.)
Benny on the otherhand, after living a life of crime, attempts to free himself from the grasp of evil. As he finds value in his relationship and love for Angelica, he begins to value all of human life more. Perhaps this is what he means when he tells Lil'Ze to get a girlfriend. He has grown tired of a life that devalues life. Through love, he has found joy. If you haven't seen the movie, I won't tell you how this ends up for Benny.
Love is absent in this city. It seems that in the City of God, faith, hope, and love have not remained. And yet, each character is in desperate need of all three. Benny's love for his girlfriend seems to be his chance for salvation from his society. But so much to overcome. I cannot imagine living in a society even close to that of City of God, and yet, millions of people live like this everyday simply based on their place of birth. How can God's love penatrate these places? How can we as the church make a difference in the lives of Rocket, Benny, and even Lil'Ze? How do we effectively spread the gospel in places like this? It seems completely insurmountable, and yet, we worship a God who does the impossible. And more than that, we have His spirit in us. That sounds much like a cliche, but it is true. For me, I need to allow God to break my heart for places like the City of God. I need to be more open to allowing God to use me to make a difference in my society as well. There are people here in Arlington trapped without hope, faith, and love. Perhaps prayer is the best place to start. But this simply can't be a thing to pray about, unless I pray for God to provide opportunity for me to act as well.
Am I glad I saw the movie - yes and no. The scenes are haunting, especially violence to children. But the movie is powerful. It is an eye-opener as to how some in our world live. The acting is superb, the way the story is told is brilliant.
(If you haven't seen the City of God, I only recommend it with the disclaimer that it is rated a very strong R for graphic violence, sexuality, and pervasive language. So if you see it, please know that it is one of the fiercest R-rated movies I have seen, but it is extremely powerful.)
Monday, April 03, 2006
What to Do About All These Immigrants?
So we seem to be for the moment embroiled in a debate over what our immigration laws should look like and what we should do about 12 million illegal immigrants in this country. First of all, I would like to address some poor arguments I see being discussed currently.
Poor Argument #1: "It's a national security issue." I hear this one a lot, but I do not believe this is the reason for immigration reform. Politicians use this as a fear tactic to rally support. But, I remember that the terrorists that attacked us on 9/11 were here legally. They had proper identification to get into the country, so securing our borders would not have stopped 9/11.
Poor Argument #2: "Illegal immigrants do not pay taxes." In fact, many of them do. And if they are like me, they over pay their taxes (that's why I usually get a refund in April.) The immigrants working in the country do have social security, medicare, and other taxes withheld. Additionally, they pay sales taxes and gas taxes when shopping or refueling their vehicles. So enough of this "they don't pay taxes" argument. They do.
Poor Argument #3: "If all illegal immigrants left tomorrow, our economy would shut down." While this may not be a myth, I do think it is a poor argument in the debate. What is this argument implying? That employers are underpaying illegal immigrants for the jobs they do? Is that just? Shouldn't we be demanding a fair wage for all people, whether illegal or not? By using this argument, we are basically supporting the exploitation of illegal immigrants, saying it is ok for employers to under pay. That is not a good argument or moral stand to take.
Poor Argument #4: "We should not reward people who cut in front of the line." We created this problem, not the person who came here because we made it so easy for them to. Are we going to tear apart families and send them to the back of the line? Is this compassionate? Is it right to deny the rights of children born in this country by sending their parents back?
So what should we do? Let's be realistic, there is no way that our country is going to be able to round up 12 million people and throw them out of the country. Could you even imagine this happening? But there is this loud contingency that is totally opposed to any kind of amnesty - I think they are living in a fairyland, or they are only seeking political opportunity and not real answers. We need to secure our borders. We need to make sure that people come here legally yes, but we have allowed 12 million people to come here, establish homes, jobs, relationships. Our lack of enforcing the border should not be now improperly corrected by blaming our mistake on people who came here for a better life. We need to help the 12 million illegal immigrants become legal. Let's help them get on the right side of the law. Allow them, those who have been law abiding and working, to become citizens, to not be exploited by their employers anymore, to not have to live in the shadows of American life, but to come to embrace publically the country they have already embraced privately. To maintain America's acceptance of those who are seeking a better life, healthier families, and stronger educations. And then we can address our current laws, which make illegal immigration easy and legal immigration so hard. We, Americans, must correct the problem we created by being compassionate and taking responsibility for our neglect. Sending illegals back to their countries is not the answer. Embracing them as our fellow Americans is.
Poor Argument #1: "It's a national security issue." I hear this one a lot, but I do not believe this is the reason for immigration reform. Politicians use this as a fear tactic to rally support. But, I remember that the terrorists that attacked us on 9/11 were here legally. They had proper identification to get into the country, so securing our borders would not have stopped 9/11.
Poor Argument #2: "Illegal immigrants do not pay taxes." In fact, many of them do. And if they are like me, they over pay their taxes (that's why I usually get a refund in April.) The immigrants working in the country do have social security, medicare, and other taxes withheld. Additionally, they pay sales taxes and gas taxes when shopping or refueling their vehicles. So enough of this "they don't pay taxes" argument. They do.
Poor Argument #3: "If all illegal immigrants left tomorrow, our economy would shut down." While this may not be a myth, I do think it is a poor argument in the debate. What is this argument implying? That employers are underpaying illegal immigrants for the jobs they do? Is that just? Shouldn't we be demanding a fair wage for all people, whether illegal or not? By using this argument, we are basically supporting the exploitation of illegal immigrants, saying it is ok for employers to under pay. That is not a good argument or moral stand to take.
Poor Argument #4: "We should not reward people who cut in front of the line." We created this problem, not the person who came here because we made it so easy for them to. Are we going to tear apart families and send them to the back of the line? Is this compassionate? Is it right to deny the rights of children born in this country by sending their parents back?
So what should we do? Let's be realistic, there is no way that our country is going to be able to round up 12 million people and throw them out of the country. Could you even imagine this happening? But there is this loud contingency that is totally opposed to any kind of amnesty - I think they are living in a fairyland, or they are only seeking political opportunity and not real answers. We need to secure our borders. We need to make sure that people come here legally yes, but we have allowed 12 million people to come here, establish homes, jobs, relationships. Our lack of enforcing the border should not be now improperly corrected by blaming our mistake on people who came here for a better life. We need to help the 12 million illegal immigrants become legal. Let's help them get on the right side of the law. Allow them, those who have been law abiding and working, to become citizens, to not be exploited by their employers anymore, to not have to live in the shadows of American life, but to come to embrace publically the country they have already embraced privately. To maintain America's acceptance of those who are seeking a better life, healthier families, and stronger educations. And then we can address our current laws, which make illegal immigration easy and legal immigration so hard. We, Americans, must correct the problem we created by being compassionate and taking responsibility for our neglect. Sending illegals back to their countries is not the answer. Embracing them as our fellow Americans is.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Opryland meets Dickerson
I was in Nashville yesterday for a pre-trip visit leading up to a mission trip I am taking a group on this summer to the Music City. What a fascinating city! For one, Tennessee is very beautiful - with the hills and thick trees - very different from Arlington, TX (although I happen to believe Arlington is a beautiful place as well - maybe because I have lived here for 28 of my 30 years of life.)
As we were driving around downtown, I saw an enormous bulding for LifeWay, with a pronounced cross decorating the entire height of the building, majestically overlooking the city. Down the street, I saw the headquarters for the United Methodists as well as for the Lutherans. Add skyscrapers to these well built buildings, and Nashville has an attractive skyline. However, as we drove past these buildings, our guide turned down an alley way, where homeless men and women were sitting, waiting to receive service from a local charity. Later, we drove through a housing project and other poverty striken neighborhoods. A few minutes later, we were driving by a beautiful park and the Opryland Hotel - quite a difference in atmosphere just a few minutes apart. Finally, we drove down what our guide called "the forgotten street" - Dickerson. Apparently crime is so bad along this street that not only do no businesses invest in the area, but there are no ministries along this street either. It is the infamous forgotten street - the area that everyone knows about but nobody talks about. What are lives like on this street? Do the people realize that they have been forgotten? Do people who live on Dickerson on a daily basis wish to be somewhere else? Our guide said that some think the name of the street should be changed to encourage new business, as if changing Dickerson to Happy Street or something is going to magically erase the problems.
How is it that Nashville - the country and Christian music capital of the world, where famous, wealthy people live- where multi-millions dollar records are cut, where three large denominations have headquarters - how is it that this city has so much poverty? I guess this is the question that many are asking. How is it that America, the richest, most powerful country in the world, has so much poverty and economic inequality? Why do 1 in 5 chuldren go to bed hungry in the land of the free and home of the brave? Why are conservative Christians (which is how I would label myself if it didn't seem like such a bad word and hadn't been so twisted by the Religious Right) so blind to the issue of poverty as a moral delimma facing our nation and world? Christians, both conservative and liberal, must find common ground to live out a full theology in order for us to remain relevant in the world and a body to influence our society and culture, bringing all people dignity, love, and grace and most importantly, the hope of Jesus Christ. This is my prayer.
As we were driving around downtown, I saw an enormous bulding for LifeWay, with a pronounced cross decorating the entire height of the building, majestically overlooking the city. Down the street, I saw the headquarters for the United Methodists as well as for the Lutherans. Add skyscrapers to these well built buildings, and Nashville has an attractive skyline. However, as we drove past these buildings, our guide turned down an alley way, where homeless men and women were sitting, waiting to receive service from a local charity. Later, we drove through a housing project and other poverty striken neighborhoods. A few minutes later, we were driving by a beautiful park and the Opryland Hotel - quite a difference in atmosphere just a few minutes apart. Finally, we drove down what our guide called "the forgotten street" - Dickerson. Apparently crime is so bad along this street that not only do no businesses invest in the area, but there are no ministries along this street either. It is the infamous forgotten street - the area that everyone knows about but nobody talks about. What are lives like on this street? Do the people realize that they have been forgotten? Do people who live on Dickerson on a daily basis wish to be somewhere else? Our guide said that some think the name of the street should be changed to encourage new business, as if changing Dickerson to Happy Street or something is going to magically erase the problems.
How is it that Nashville - the country and Christian music capital of the world, where famous, wealthy people live- where multi-millions dollar records are cut, where three large denominations have headquarters - how is it that this city has so much poverty? I guess this is the question that many are asking. How is it that America, the richest, most powerful country in the world, has so much poverty and economic inequality? Why do 1 in 5 chuldren go to bed hungry in the land of the free and home of the brave? Why are conservative Christians (which is how I would label myself if it didn't seem like such a bad word and hadn't been so twisted by the Religious Right) so blind to the issue of poverty as a moral delimma facing our nation and world? Christians, both conservative and liberal, must find common ground to live out a full theology in order for us to remain relevant in the world and a body to influence our society and culture, bringing all people dignity, love, and grace and most importantly, the hope of Jesus Christ. This is my prayer.
Thursday, March 23, 2006
My Worldview Unveiled
I hope to use this blog as a way to discuss the current issues of our time - from an evangelical perspective. I find that when I discuss my views with conservatives, they think I'm liberal, and when I discuss my views with liberals, they think I'm conservative. Why? Perhaps because I am conservative on family issues - abortion, marriage, responsibility - but progressive when it comes to education, health care, and poverty. But I'll have plenty of time to discuss my positions on this blog. So may my blogging begin.
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