No Worries

I just finished listening to a sermon from Mars Hill, given by Kent Dobson. If you have been reading and find you are anything like me, or interested in what I say, I'd encourage you to listen to this sermon.

Kent is a pretty good speaker, although not my favorite. He always touches on something very important and gets me thinking, but I don't think he takes me all the way home. It kind of annoys me, but maybe that's good. Maybe speakers/pastors shouldn't always give us the complete wrap up. This way we must wrestle with the message, as I am certainly wrestling with this one.

The sermon was based mostly n Philippians 1, Colossians 1, and Ephesians 3.

I have trouble coming to grasps with Paul saying that it doesn't matter what manner (whether selfish or selfless) you present the Gospel, as long as you preach it. Paul says that anything done without love is like a resounding gong.

In 1 Corinthians it seems to be the manner of which you preach the Gospel, but in Phillipians, it seems to be that you preach the Gospel. In the Gospel ultimately an expression of God's love? Can it be expressed without love and goodwill? Perhaps Paul is playing with expressions and understood essentials of what the Gospel is. It is true that Paul can almost contradict himself, when you don't take into account the people he is writing to and what they're dealing with.

Let's continue this discussion in the comment area...

But as to the need for this message, I think it surely speaks to our rivalry secular and Christian groups have outwardly against the other, and inwardly against each other. The mystery of God keeps all of us humble, that no matter how much we know, there is infinitely more that we do not know. This is like bragging how your spec of sand is bigger than their spec of dust. It's not that we should not desire to know more and more about God, but to realize we will never know it all. It is even more necessary to revel in God's vastness, than it is to try to embrace his wisdom. Or maybe that isn't true, maybe wisdom is reveling in God's vastness.

"You first need to learn to forgive other people for not having it all figured out."

I think that statement above is huge and necessary. It's something I need to work on.

Encouragement : Pride as Accountability : Death

While I was driving today I was pondering a thought dealing with the fear of new "movements." I believe there are new things coming from Christianity... well kind of. I would not say these are new things as much as old, or the oldest, things being re-injected into our current world. We have the old things, which we know are old, and the new things, which will become the old things once replaced by something newer. I believe what many are attempting is a bringing together of the "old ways" with the "new ways" to form a new NEW WAY.

Many people are referring to this new way as The Emergent Church. Others just like to call it the "postmodern church." Either way, you probably have a trying road ahead of you in preparing for it's imminent arrival. It's this "preparation"time that we are currently in. There are many looking to what God is desiring to see in His people, as He has always desired to see in them, and discovering what it may look like, based on the words of Jesus and the appearance of his early church.

This in-between time is the hardest. The blueprints to how this church will look, or all it will encompass, are sketched out, the ground has been plowed and leveled, and we have most of the materials, but we have just begun building. Some are anxious to see the outcome and are inviting people to a building not yet finished. It certainly catches those invited off-guard when they walk on the land where there's the shell of a church the expected to be finished. The beauty here is that they have the opportunity to help build the church and give input toward its desired outcome.

Dangerous words. People giving input to what the church becomes is questionable, no doubt. But at the same time our current churches have not been so divinely appointed that they are without human input. Still I understand this concern, and guess what... it's the point of this blog post. Hooray for unity in thought and concern!


We have our little SAT prep title up there. I'm going to start with Encouragement is to Pride. One thing I've noticed is that many Emergent/postmodernists have each other's back. The concern is so much for the cause that they lump themselves together to become a grand force. Now as I write this I am envisioning the apostles of the early church, with their different styles, but still unified, having each other's back, and that is great. Encouragement is essential for an idea or cause to progress.

There can be a problem when everyone agrees with you though, or more practical, everyone you surround yourself with agrees with you, and you with them. It concerns me how little disagreement I have with one of my friends. No matter what I say or he says, we usually agree almost if not entirely 100% (You know who you are). I am blessed by that encouragement, and it's needed to maintain confidence in the cause I believe God has placed on my heart, but at the same time I cannot surround myself with those kinds of people all the time. Something healthy can turn very unhealthy. I can start being certain that everything out of my mouth is the total truth. I can believe that what is true for me is true for him must be true for everyone.

Like minded people think alike. Is that redundant enough for you? The more you think alike, the less likely you are to get a broad spectrum of though. A gap in thinking I have could very well be a gap that you have as well. You need to include those who will help cover all the gaps.

Now let me clarify. When I said we are welcoming in people to help design this church with their input, that is not to suggest it's solely man's input. I believe, and I think all included in this process would agree, that we are looking at what God has blessed. What God has called blessed that is. It's also a call to look at history (Biblical or not) for how these blessed things have been accomplished in the past and the ethics of how they were brought about, if they have ever even occurred before. This is not to be a man-inspired church, but a Jesus inspired church. At the same time I would argue that it is not to be a Jesus-made church, but a man-made church.

Too become surrounded by too much encouragement will surely arise pride in ourselves (individually and as a sect), as well as hurt what is produced from the labors of our hands with the inspiration of God's Word. But there is another side to this also, an antithesis if you will.

We must all be careful not to put a damper on anything God could be doing. Just because it doesn't suit our idea of ministry, church, or theology, does not mean it is not of God. In fact I would encourage that we continue to check ourselves before Him, holding our hearts and action up to the light of His truth, as well as holding up anything "new" to the same light. We must be pure in our observation also, not attaching our preconceived personal stigmas to what we hold up to the light, otherwise it's easy to see what you wish.

There are times we will box God into our understanding, but this is most likely an issue caused by the issue we first addressed, too much encouragement. It is dangerous to speak any claim, or act out in life any claim, that suggests you have God pegged and don't need more perspective or information on the topic. The fact is, we have a great amount of trouble seeing the unrighteousness of the place we are standing.

I heard yesterday the reminder that white, American Christians largely embraced slavery in this country for a many years, not that long ago. They found no problem with living that belief alongside their Biblical belief. What are other such revelations to come, in which we will acknowledge our wrongs, and then shortly after question how we could have been so obtuse?

We must be accountable to each other to justify what we are proclaiming. We must work together to bring out the most truth found in God's Word and also through our testimony of how God has shown himself personally to all of us and to groups of people. It is for a common, unselfish goal that we can bring about God's change.

Rather than prowling around looking for a statement or proposed belief to attack, be peaceful and heartfelt in bringing others to knowledge. Show them their incorrectness in a way that is beneficial and encouraging toward our united goal. We must realize that we have different priorities. Is there a right set of priorities. Yes and no. There are some definite's and some that change based on the situation.

Let's work together to resolve them. Let's be willing to come together and speak with one another. Just as I am concerned when I am around those who only encourage me, I am equally concerned for those who will not give me an ear and will not join in to the discussion. I am concerned for me and for them. Without each other, we will become wrapped in pride.

Excess in like-thinking and encouraging words will make you think you are undeniably right in all you say. Ill-motivated demand for accountability will lead to the death of a movement, due to frustration, lack of confidence, and demoralization of an individual.

And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.

Be joyful always; pray continually; 18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.

- 1 Thessalonians 5:14-24

A New Kind Of Mormon

Oh baby, do I wish she had come to me door. I'd convert.

But she didn't. And two other Mormons did. Here's the story...

I was online looking for free stuff, and I came across a link for a free Book of Mormon. So i figured, "what the heck, why not?" After all, I did want to learn a bit about what they believe. My only education had come from South Park(Bad Language). Apparently I wasn't the only one.

So again, why not? I'll get a Book of Mormon in the mail. A few days later I was at my mom's and on my way out to go to a church dinner. As I was walking out two guys in suits and coats were walking up. They were hand delivering the Book of Mormon (at least they weren't here to kill me) . I was not prepared and on my way out, but I was excited to talk to them. I had always wanted Mormons or Jehovah's Witnesses to come to my house.

We talked outside in the cold for about 20 minutes. They told me a little bit about what they believed and I asked them lots of questions and showed a few problems and concerns I found with their outlook of scripture, so I challenged them to think about those things. As we were parting I asked their names. They told me Elder so-in-so and Elder so-in-so. I was confused for a second and asked if they had first names. Kyle and Steve. I told them I'd like to get together again soon.

A few days ago I got a call from Kyle (Elder Porterfield, I think) and I invited him and Steve over for dinner so we could talk more. That was last night.

We talked for over two hours. They started their path of explaining to me their beliefs and validating them through scripture, as best they could. I certainly wasn't making it the easiest lesson, seeing as how I would interject with question or ideas, which would take us down another road for the next 10 minutes, only to come back to where we started.

I'd like to think they enjoyed our time together and the challenge I brought them in knowing their faith and making sure it is correct. I know I enjoy that very much, and it was two against one (if you want to see it that way) so hopefully they enjoyed it and didn't feel like I was "after them." I do believe I made it clear that I consider them my brothers in Christ, and really just want all of us to have a better understanding of what we believe, why, and if the Bible and God really back that thinking.

As best I can tell, the main differences between Mormons and more Evangelical types are just a few.

1. Mormons believe Joseph Smith was a prophet; but more than that they believe that prophets are required for men to not lose track of God's path. They believe that the time after the apostles and before Joseph Smith was a great apostasy, which is basically a falling away from God as explained to me. Joseph Smith and the line of prophets that followed him are here to keep us on the straight and narrow.
2. The Mormon afterlife is different.
   
1. They believe in three levels of afterlife: telestial, terrestrial, and celestial, which are in order of progression towards God's glory. I thought it was odd that telestial would be before terrestrial, since terrestrial means "ground or earth," as far as I know, and telestial should mean outside the earth, like telescope. I thought I was told last night that telestial was while we're on Earth, like now, I think... but wikipedia seems to say otherwise. I may have misheard.
2. They believe that we can do things for those who have already died, in a way atoning for them, which seems off even for their beliefs.
3. They do not believe in Hell. They believe that it's a progress of understanding God's way I think.
4. In some ways, many ways really, I think what they believe makes more sense with my confusion of ghosts/spirits/channeling/etc. It certainly doesn't make all sense, and they said they don't like talking about it, because it's not the point of their faith, just a part. I understood that. I think some of it makes sense, but is with holes... certainly more sense than "When I die I immediately go to heaven or hell," at least in my mind.
3. "As we are God was, as God is we one day will be." I think I have problems with this in some ways. It doesn't mean I will ever have the omniscience, omnipotence, or omnipresence of God, but that I can have spiritual children. I guess in some ways creation that I have lordship over. I don't really know, it was pretty confusing, coming from the background I do. I had trouble finding info on the Internet to clarify.
4. And obviously they believe that the book of Mormon is God's word in addition to the Bible... it's "Another testament of Jesus Christ." The way the guys explained it to me, it's just making the Bible up to date with stuff today, without really adding or taking away from the Bible, just making it current. But at the same time, with the little I know, there are additions. Stuff that is stated like law, as things to abstain from... but maybe it is for today what the Levitical law was for it's day. Regardless, Christ has freed us from the harshness of the law, so I'm not sure.

There are certainly more difference, almost all of them I don't know of, but these seem to be the important differences. The rest is just cosmetic (I think). Coming from a more traditional Christian background, some of this sounded weird, hocus pokus stuff. But when you take a step back and look at our Bible, there's a lot of weird, hocus pokus stuff there. How can I so readily accept one because I was raised being taught it was the Word of God, and deny the other, just because someone other than I believes it because they were raised being taught it was the Word of God.

What I love about my new Mormon friends is that they are constantly encouraging me, and I'm sure everyone, to not just read the Book of Mormon, but to pray about it. Ask God if this is his Word. It's like they don't want me to just take their word for it. I wish more pastors did that. Some do, but I don't know if they always mean it.

I'd encourage you to get some education on this faith, which is really a Christian faith with a few differences. Order a book of Mormon and talk to the guys (girls?) that come visit you. It will probably help you learn about God and what you believe more, and will no doubt expand your witness.

We'll see, maybe God will reveal some truth in all of this. If I were to become Mormon, I'd definitely want to be... A New Kind of Mormon.


:::For those who may be extremely concerned after this. Take a chill pill. It's all ok, relax:::

Jesus For Sale

Not only is Jesus For sale, he's On sale.

I would like to start this by saying I don't mean to offend anyone with the last post. I do realize it was a little rough on "Left Behind" without much backing of why. I'm not trying to justify my immaturity, but I do think Left Behind stands in line with some problematic issues in our current era.

Is there much of a difference between our Christian stores and regular stores? Is their goal to make money? I don't know if Christian bookstores would mark profit as their primary goal, but it certainly isn't their last. Whether it's the store or the producer that is charging so much, it appears that something is off.

Everything seems more expensive at a Family Bookstore. I can go on Amazon at any time and beat their price with a 25% off everything coupon on almost everything. Whatever their corporate priority sheet is, I feel like they should be making Christianity less expensive. Also note, that I am aware of a faulty thought in the previous sentence. Are they making a lot of money off us, or is it that they can't be competitive?

The worst part is their selection. They have provided a market for Jesus. Everything becomes unique and Christian when you add a cross, praying hands, a Jesus etching, or a Bible verse to it.

Get a kid a toy toolbox, but wait, add Ephesians 2:10 and you've got a Faith Works tool set!

Want a holy ambiance to the room? Well lighting some candles is sure to usher you into the Holy of Holies, but make sure they know what God you're serving here with a Christ Tealight Holder.

Finally, if your pre-teen daughter loves the movie Mean Girls anyway, might as well influence her with some pop-culture, teen idol, trying to be older than I am, with stylish clothes and makeup before I should really be wearing it CHRISTIAN influence. We need to get rid of the secular world's hold on this market with The Rubyz! Give them a few years and these girls will surely be skankin' it up for Christ!

I know I'm probably not doing much to help with those whom I offend. But seriously, it's like I don't know which side Christians are rooting for. As far as I can tell we're getting sucked into the industry and we're not even realizing it. We are majorly compromising the message of Christ for something much more tame and financially stimulating.

It's not the money being made that is the problem, but it is the excess and apparent focus of making more and more money that is. One can't be consumed with profits and prices and with the work of God at the same time. You may say how important it is for a business to concern itself with profits, but my response would be, do your work and don't worry.

With the marketing of Jesus, and the misnomer of Jesus via the often times direct contradiction by the product's promotion or the indirect contradiction professed by a focus on money/success (mammon), we strip Jesus of his majesty and shove him into our pocket or mount him above our mantel. When reading the book A Generous Orthodoxy, by Brian McLaren, I was punched in the gut by a realization he spoke oh so well.

...the more one respects Jesus, the more one must be brokenhearted, embarrassed, furious, or some combination thereof when one considers what we Christians have done with Jesus. That's certainly true when it comes to calling Jesus Lord, something we Christians do a lot, often without the foggiest idea of what we mean. Has he become (I shudder to ask this) less our Lord and more our Mascot?

- A Generous Orthodoxy, McLaren (p88)

Mascot. Is Jesus our mascot? Do we cheer at Jesus because he represents our side? Do we raise him up on our shoulders when we feel we have "won" a victory over another belief or world view? Would Jesus want any part of this?

It's sobering to realize how many times I have celebrated a mascot, who I inadvertently and unknowingly consider smaller than myself, or a servant of my will. I have stolen my King's crown and turned him into a jester. I must repent now, because soon God will answer.

The LORD said to Job:
"Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!"

Then Job answered the LORD:
"I am unworthy--how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth.
I spoke once, but I have no answer--twice, but I will say no more."

The the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm:
"Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.
Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself?"

- Job 40

Jesus was angered when he saw all of the financial exploitation that was outside the temple. It was all happening in the name of God. To sacrifice this animal you must pay me an unfair price for the animal. To be a Christian you must conform to social form. You must wear this T-shirt, listen to this music, watch only these kinds of movies, and read these books, which will supplement what you learn in these Bibles. It's extortion.

Extortion: The crime of obtaining money or some other thing of value by the abuse of one's office or authority.

The only thing is, they aren't using their authority. It's a bastardizing union between the authority of pop-culture and God/Jesus. This partnership combines the inherent importance of the name of God, and the feeling of safety that comes when one is joined to it, with the high desire for societal acceptance and the feeling of ease that comes when one is joined to it.

We need to be aware of this issue creeping into Christian culture, or maybe it's already here like an grossly overweight, unwanted cousin, planted securely on your couch. I'm not telling you to boycott stores with overpriced Christian merchandise, but I'm not telling you not to. I'm telling you to do whatever God leads. But ultimately we need to bring some distinction between God's Kingdom and the world's kingdom, because they are very different places. You cannot be serving both God's Kingdom and the world's.

Most of all, in everything you do, ask if you are allowing the Lord the honor, power, and majesty He deserves, or if you're belittling Him, turning Him into a mascot.

The Apocalypse Is In Your Hands, And On Your PC

I received an e-mail Tuesday with the title of "Every Christian will ant one." I figured it was a Jesus figurine keychain that squirts wine. To my surprise it was not a Jesus figurine keychain that squirts wine. This item was even more necessary.

Left Behind: The Video Game!!!

At long last, now I can live the end days as they occur, before they occur. I suppose I can watch all my sinner friends get destroyed by the reaction to a sudden disappearance of millions of Christians. Then I can watch my friends get destroyed by all the natural (and not so natural) disasters. After that I'll watch my friends get destroyed by the Anti-Christ. Most exciting, I can watch my friends get destroyed by the final battle. And when it's all said and done, the bonus level lets you see all the heathens left after that time get dropped into the lake of fire. All how the Bible vividly describes. It's really fun for all ages, and a refreshing rest from all of the violence and hate that has plagued our video games recently.

I wonder if the is a first person POV game where you are the Anti-Christ or his evil henchmen.
I'm especially enthralled by the rave reviews!

"one of the geniuses of the Left Behind game is that it gives gamers a chance to see the consequences of poor decisions ...we're pretty excited to see that the Left Behind games were designed to provide positive moral input to a youthful generation which would otherwise not hear it"
- Dallas Anderson of Billy Graham Evangelical Association

"The game kinda rocks!...Few are as ambitions and polished as this PC title."
- Darren Gladstone of Wired

I'm so glad we're leaving this fake reality full of illusion and lies for the security of God's Word found in the Left Behind series. It's almost like you don't need the Bible... and now, it's almost like you don't even need a book at all.

So remember, JESUS SAVES some, and kills the rest.

If you're as interested in the game as I, or just want to keep it out of the hands of children you can go here to try to get a copy for free.

The Dumb Shall Speak

Hey. I don't know how many readers there are out there, but I'd love to hear from you more in the form of comments.

When I say "dumb" in the title I don't mean that you are stupid, because I know all my readers are of exceptional IQ, but rather that you just don't talk.

So please give your input, give me arguments, give me scriptures, give me encouragement, give me perspective, and give me money! Ok, you don't need to give me money, but I could use it.

Sometimes blogs like this can have some nasty things said in comments toward the blogger or others commenting. Let's not be that kind of blog. Let's seek truth together while singing happy songs like "Let the Bodies Hit the Floor." Alright maybe not, but at least be nice.

I expect an onslaught of comments to start.... NOW!

Jesus Christ, Stickin' It To The... Church?

At the beginning of the last post I mentioned I was a bit upset at my church, and the state of many churches. That continues, and possibly more so today than yesterday.

I feel like God's church is to be a group of people that journey together toward God, and in the process affect every place they step foot on. I want to believe it is a place of equality, where we do not judge because we have "all been there" and we seek understanding and knowledge of life's happenings and questions. As we grow in fullness and in numbers we continue to make right the things of God. That is what I want to believe, because that's the picture I thought I got from the Bible.

But I'm afraid that hasn't been the case exactly. Maybe some places it has, and in fact I know some places it has, but I'd say in most it hasn't.

The more I think of it, the more the "church" has become the problem. The structure that often times resembles a government of sorts. I spoke with a man last night who, although not that great a communicator (or listener), did say he felt like the church was just trying to sell him stuff. It's like the church's worth is based on it's customers. Has the church given into consumeristic America? Has the church sold out?

I probably just lost a lot of people who think that is ridiculous (if a lot of people read this blog, we'll pretend). But I often choose to liken us to the Israelites, which I think is the point of the Bible following the Israelites. We know they are symbolic of those whom God has called. Let's look at if they ever did this.

Now we know that they had issues with worshiping idols. Even a very short time after being rescued from Egypt they were attributing their freedom to their old god and building a golden image of him. But that's a little different than this.

What I think of comes in 1 Samuel. God had set up a system in Deuteronomy where the people were "governed" by judges. This is to say that the judges handled disputes and issues that come up as a society develops. The different tribes were appointed different judges, maybe kind of like state's rights or something in the U.S. These judges were meant to be men of God and to judge fairly, with their call being to be just and bring justice. This is how God set things up.

Fast forward a while, and things start going wrong. Samuel, a prophet of God, has kind of retired as judge. His sons are taking his place in Israel. Here's the problem, the sons are a few apples that fell far from the tree. They aren't doing their judge duty justly. Instead they're bringing perversion to the good of the society.

Some old dudes (elders) come up to Samuel with a solution to Samuel's evil sons. They need a king.

:::Insert "tires screeching to a stop" sound here:::

God kind of knew this was going to happen. So he told them to make sure they choose the right king when they ask for it. God says what will happen if they do the whole "King Thing," oh wait... "Silver King Thing" (I like it) the way he instructed. And it'll turn out well.

Now that it's about to happen, he has a warning for what will happen if they do this. God already knows who they will choose and how things will work out in the long run. And as you might have guessed, the warning comes true under Solomon mostly, I believe.

Now if you're a thinking person, this might have arisen: "Well either way they are ruled under corruption, so what does it matter?"

Good question, you're very smart. Here is a large difference that I see. The people with the judges were aware of the right. They lived with justice. It was important to them, and they were all partially responsible for it (even though it was the appointment of the judges) it was certainly not a dictatorship. When the judges go bad, the people know it. They know right and wrong, and they can see what is going on is wrong.

But at the heart of their cry is something more. It's conformity. They want to be like all the other nations. They want a structure like everyone else, because it helps you justify how you're running things maybe.

They gain a king, and that begins a line of many kings who lead the people astray, even to the point of killing the prophets of God.

Is this what the "church" has done? Or is this what those who have shaped our interpretation of what "church" is have done? Are we looking for a king, and naming it church? When the church dictates what we do more than what the actual words of God call for, who is king? Sure the church does everything in "the name of Jesus," but if it's not following how Jesus would do things, then is it really?

Jesus talked alot about a church we have no idea about. He really spoke very little about what we hold so dear.

I read this today. I recommend reading it if you've made it this far. The guy who wrote it is a little extreme at a few parts, but really comes to what the church (ecclesia) is. I did some minor research to check what he said and it seems legitimate.

We need to get away from those kinds of governments, and become a people of God. We don't need church doctrines as much as we need God's law and those who will uphold justice. When you become an organization, like many churches have become, success is key. If it's key we will sacrifice justice for success at times. It happens in business, and in some ways I think the church has become just a "glorified" business.

Does The Church Have A Complex?

I will start off this blog with a warning. I'm upset and disappointed with my church right now, so the things in this post may be unfair and/or an oversimplified stereotype.

I have heard the expression asked before "when did A CHURCH become THE CHURCH?"

Why does a denomination or a dominant interpretation about Christianity automatically deem itself the ultimate truth? At what point do we distinguish between heresy and open mindedness? Should a Christian question? Should a Christian believe blindly? Should it be a mixture where we believe certain things blindly based on other things that have proved themselves?

Would things we believe blindly change if the things we thought were "proved" showed to be inconsistent?

Would it be beneficial or destructive to show those inconsistencies?

I like questions. Questions spawn thought. I like to think. So I guess liking questions and thought compliment each other well.

I have to ask myself... does the church like questions and thought? If so, does it like all questions and all thought, or just "contained" questions and thought?

Thinking just now if questioning can be dangerous, I'm sure there is backing for that. Often times you will hear thoughts along the lines of "if you start asking those questions they'll lead you to destruction." I don't know if I've ever heard that verbatim, but certainly those ideas.

It is a thought that is backed by something. The beginning of the destruction of humankind began with a question... "Did God really say?" The beginning of humanity starts with Satan questioning what God really said. Now this might be legitimate, except in Genesis 2:16-17 God clearly states that man must not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

It is also interesting to note, as maybe you've heard before, that Eve responds by saying they are not to touch the fruit. It's important to note that this is in no means God ordained. Some might say it is a good idea, but it is not what God says. For Eve, it may be just as sinful to touch the fruit as to eat it, for obviously there is temptation there, but to place that same law upon another could be quite pointless and burdensome.

We see questioning in another early book (chronologically). In the book of Job, Job has lots of bad stuff happen to him. First his servants are killed and livestock are stolen. Next a fireball from heaven kills his sheep and more servants. Then some raider come and kill even more servants (he must have had a lot) and steal his camels (I picture them stuffing camels into bookbags for some reason). Finally, his sons and daughters are having a big party and the house falls on them and kills them. Now all Job has is his wife, 4 messengers (that told him about these events), and his health. Oh wait... scratch that last one.

A little while later Job gets painful sores all over his body too. He's pretty bummed and says some sad stuff. His friends and wife don't do much to make things better. Job just kind of sits in his questioning misery. Job questions the justice and righteousness of God and the path he calls his righteous to. Job in essence questions if God knows what he's doing and if he's even good, if he really cares about justice.

This is very similar to the question that Eve ponders in her mind. Why would God not want me to know what he knows? Is he ripping me off? Does he even care about me? Is he even just?

God is shown to be unquestionable in these matter though. To Eve it is shown that her way has led to a spiritual death God did not desire for man. In Job's circumstance, Job becomes the one questioned. I love this verse, it makes me whither! God shows that because he is greater and has experienced all of creation, he knows more about justice than we ever could, he knows more about what's right for us than we ever could. But we "forget" that.

This was all to show that yes, questioning can be horribly wrong for man when it is an attempt to discredit God and justify ourselves. This is something that is deemed in the scripture, both where I showed and elsewhere, that questioning God's power in this manner is not good.

But there was also distortion in both of these. I mentioned about Eve not touching the fruit. That was a distortion. Also we see Job's friends accusing him of not being righteous, but Job knows himself to be righteous by God's Word. His wife calls him to forget about God for what he's doing or not doing, but he knows this to be incorrect due to God's Word.

There is both adding and taking away in these examples, which are not God's word, but man trying to reconcile himself with his situation.

Has "the Church" done the same?

Is it easier to take certain routes or justify certain paths because they fit culture better or they seem more successful? When leaders get ahold of scripture do they bow before it, or do they manipulate it to fit them? Or maybe not only leaders, but regular men.

The Crusades

The Salem Witch Trials

The Spanish Inquisition

The Ku Klux Klan

All using the name of Christianity as a dividing mechanism. One where they win and the others lose. One where they are right and those who oppose are wrong. We are looking at theological Darwinism here. Whatever version of Christianity survives is the correct version. God certainly would not let us live a faith that is not inspired by him, right?

That is seen over and over in the Bible. Israel falls away and is living by an incorrect manner. God allows them to see the punishment of what their people and leaders have chosen to believe and how they have abandoned and distorted God's call. Then God sends a prophet to bring them back to his way.

Perhaps for hundreds of years we have been astray or being led astray. The beliefs we follow are based on Jesus, but have also been crafted by the hands of men, as to what scriptures we will read. A council of men decided the canonized Bible. Scholars believe that these decisions were not solely based on the criteria cited, but also on what was popular and widely held as "the best."

William Barclay said, " It is the simple truth to say that the New Testament books became canonical because no one could stop them doing so."

So for one to question the interpretation of man into our understanding of God is completely justifiable, I believe.

In most churches we read the same verses and ignore many. We place the Bible into the 20th and 21st centuries and expect it to fit. How can we compare our lifestyle with that of the 1st century? We have completely different lifestyles, customs, metaphors, outlooks on life, etc.

I believe we need to reexamine the Bible as it was written. See what it looks like with a shadow of empire, a brilliant reflection from simplicity, the haze of self-serving theology, all wrapped up in the culture of the day and of the people. Once you have this vivid picture in your mind, which history so greatly provides for us, you can compare it to our world and see how the Bible can and is meant to fit in our world.

I question men for God, I do not question God for men.

I would say that there are places in our theology that we are mistaken. Some I am pretty sure about, others I am exploring. Theology isn't the main problem, but it does have a barring on the main problem. Our problem is focus. What are the things God is really concerned about. If we make our theology purposed in eliminating homosexuality and abortion we lose site of problems Jesus actually addressed.

Corporate and government overgrowth and greed, lack of communication across economical gaps, lack of leveling economical gaps in a personal manner, turning religious institutions into businesses, not opening up a faith to all (really opening it, not just saying you are or having a "policy"), minimizing government/political officials and becoming a land of people governed by their God, loving, being sexual moral on a deeper level, not inciting war by hating a neighbor, embracing harmony of creation, and on and on. We don't talk about these so much, but Jesus didn't stop talking about these things.

We've become a people about theology, rather than a people of spirit. Where caring and intelligence meet with humility to retrace our steps, find our mistakes, and insert Jesus's word in all of those shortcomings.

Wallis and Hesch, UNITE!

Here is a quote from the God's Politics blog, with a quote from Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel inside (it's like getting a toy that has a bonus toy inside when you find the secret compartment). This blog was written by that crazy guy, Jim Wallis. It's purposed for the 5th anniversary of the war in Iraq.

"Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel once said about the war in Vietnam: 'How can I pray when I have on my conscience the awareness that I am co-responsible for the death of innocent people in Vietnam? In a free society, some are guilty, all are responsible.' It is a good lesson for those of us who oppose the war – it is still funded by our tax dollars and supported by our elected leaders. That is a responsibility for which we all must repent."

You can read the full blog here.

MOOOOOOVE Over, I'm Gonna Eat Me Somma 'Dat Crap

"Yum yum yum yum! I love me some fast food!"

If the statement above expresses how you feel, you should very much watch the movie Fast Food Nation. You will say "No I shouldn't, I'm content." Whether or not you want to, doesn't change the fact that you should.

This movie is about the quite literal "crap" that the wealthy food industry promotes to us as delicious food. It might be early in the blog for this, but let me say there is some irony here. This movie intends to expose lies and marketing to the naked eye. At the same time this movie is full of sex that doesn't need to be there. Be it the TV audio of a lesbian sex scene that a character is watching or the few sex scenes (at least one with nudity). I understand that maybe the later scene may have some merit, since it is displaying manipulation of immigrants, but of course the women in those scenes are very attractive. It's using its own form of lies and marketing to sell a movie to expose different lies and marketing. Ugh.

I won't spoil the whole movie, but this film addresses corporate fat-cat corruption, the governments imposition oh private property, treatment of illegal immigrants, quality of our food, and misguided rationalizing of why these wrongs must be done.

This is not a documentary. It is a movie. But the theme and content of the movie is designed to be an echo of reality, just with fictional characters and companies. I would compare it to Blood Diamond in that regard (I highly recommend that movie as well).

I really like the way the present that the problem isn't just with us eating crap-filled, low-grade, fake food; but rather it is in the deterioration of our way of living by the overcrowding of "convenience" and corporations, rather than simplicity and humility. That is what separates this film from one like Supersize Me. Supersize Me warns consumers of the harm that may come to us, privately, from eating fast food. Fast Food Nation warns people of the harm that may come to us, collectively, by feeding into the machine. It is not just personal, but systemic outcome.

Maybe this analysis has turned you off from the movie. I do believe that this is what it was going for, but if you want to watch it just for a few of the aspects, you will still get something out of it.

And people think I'm crazy for not eating meat.

I'm Voting For Him. Why Aren't You... Heathen!

Alright, I'm getting a little excited. I know this is true because I left a little wet spot on the carpet just now.

Some of you may know of Shane Claiborne, the man who wrote my current favorite book. After several years of community building, living the way, and speaking to people, Shane has come out with a new book. This book will probably be a more popular buy because of the upcoming election, seeing as how it bares the name "Jesus for President."

I think many of those who blindly buy this book will be looking for guidance as to what candidate to vote for from a Jesus point of view. Maybe the vote for Jesus by voting for the candidate Jesus would vote for. I could be completely wrong, but I do believe there will be a significant number of Family Bookstore browsers, who will pick up the book hoping for those answers.

This book will be anything but, I believe. From what I've seen of Shane, this book will cut deep into humanity and the culture we have built. It will pragmatically break down how Jesus functioned with the "system" and how that "system" can still be seen in full force today. How do we function as Jesus did in our world. What were Jesus' goals and what are ours? What does it look like to us to act out the goals of Jesus in a 21st century world? One thing I guarantee (even though I haven't read a page) is that this book will make you ask, "How can I go on living the way I have been?"

Matthew Paul Turner, and author who I enjoy (check out his blog link on my site), got an early copy of the book and displays it on a video blog. Looks sweet!



ALSO!

Very important, and I will post more info in the future...

Shane Claiborne and friends will be on a speaking tour this summer. They will be stopping in Pittsburgh on their tour June 26. I can only imagine how impacting this will be to those who come. Please mark you calendars and invite all your friends to check it out. Shane understands what the Gospel is, and that Jesus didn't charge admission, so it will cost nothing to come... IT'S FREE!

Oh, crap, I just peed a little more.

How's everyone doing?

Do I have many fans? Spread the word!

Justice In Our Courts

For those of you who may not know this story, here.

Ok, so that was my car that was hit in a high speed police chase, involving a car stolen and being driven by some 17 year old boys.

Yesterday was the court trial. I was subpoenaed to come since I was involved in the incident. They thought my car was just hit, but I actually orchestrated the whole thing, it's just coincidence that my car got hit. And of course that was all fake. ACTING!!!

I won't go into all the personal stuff, since that's not what this blog is about so much; however, I went into the whole thing expecting to be disgusted with the court system. This may not surprise you, because I'm always trying to stick it to the man, and I'm kind of against the establishment. The court systems: "Just another thing for Steve to be against."

While in the waiting room I met my neighbors, whose wall was hit by my car, and the lady whose car was stolen. The neighbors came mainly because they were subpoenaed, and just wanted some money for the wall, if that. But the lady whose car was stolen came with receipts and documentation for everything. New car, rental car, stolen items, butt plugs, etc. I think it all totaled out to over 28 thousand dollars.

This woman amazed me. Not the good kind of amazing, but the kind of amazing between "I just want to suffocate you with a pillow over your face, so the world can be better" and "After watching you I've lost too much hope in mankind to even muster up the will to suffocate you with a pillow over your face." I understand that it seemed unfair what happened to her. I understand it cost her a lot of money to replace what she had. What I don't understand is the sorrow and hate that arose from her losing... stuff. I also couldn't understand her irritation with how long the waiting process took. She constantly said she wasn't going to wait, but legally she couldn't leave.

I saw the ugliness of the court system. Maybe I haven't painted a deserving picture of what this woman brought forth, but she and her father cared nothing for anyone else. They cared about themselves. This was a world where if someone threatens to impede on your territory, you fight them off and/or destroy them. This woman was there not seeking justice for all, but justice for her. She didn't see those young boys as humans like her, but demons. I don't believe she saw herself as a human, but more of an angel, who was blameless in the whole situation.

The ugliness of court and of life comes when we make ourselves to be beautiful, deserving angels, and we make "them" to be worthless demons who deserve nothing good and are without hope.

The truth is, this woman was a proponent of injustice, as I am all too often, it just finally caught up with her. Let me explain.

Justice is the way of bringing together the notions of how to make things better, complete, fulfilled. Injustice then, would be how things become screwed up, unbalanced, and wanting. Anything I do, whether huge or minuscule, will add to justice or injustice. Let me add something to that... anything I do or do not do, whether huge or minuscule, will add to justice or injustice.

I steal a car. I have just added to injustice. The world is now more full of car theft than it was before i stole that car. I have made things worse. In a world where car theft is more prevalent, it is naturally more normalized and thus more available as an option for others. Me stealing a car will ultimately lead to more automobile theft.

I need to get some things for around the house. Toothpaste, snacks, toilet paper, and maybe a few other things. I can go to the locally owned drug store with many local products, or I can go to Wal-Mart. Things are cheaper at Wal-Mart, so it would seem more just for me to go there, since it allows me to get the same products and retain more money. When I go to Wal-Mart I support mass-produced commercial items. My money goes to a huge juggernaut company, with millions and billions of dollars. My money is used to pay for products from big elite companies across the world who supply the products, to pay the massive electric bill for the 24 hour store, and to pay the minimum wage employees.
This seems just for me because I'm saving money (as I said). But if I went to the drug store that was local I am investing my money into local people, into local products (that don't drain the ecosystem by being shipped across the world), into the local people who make the local products, into the children of the people who make the local products, etc. You may be saying that stores like this hardly even exist. That may be an injustice in itself. But if I shop locally I am supporting small business. I am spreading the wealth. I am making sure families around me have enough, by stimulating local economy. I am reducing the chances that a poverty stricken "hooligan" will rob or deface my property. By bringing justice to my area I am bringing justice to myself.

Or what about something even as small as crude humor? If I am to tell a racially off-base joke I am adding to the injustice of the world, and ultimately even injustice that effects me. By telling that joke (it could be about another issue like gender or sex, but i chose race here) I am endorsing a set of ideas that are incorrect. Even if I do not believe the ideas of this joke, after all, it's just a joke, I'm still endorsing them. I tell that joke to someone who isn't as racially just in their thinking as I am. That person knows it's a joke, but believes there is truth to it. That truth is expounded upon in life and spread to others in a very different form, maybe racial complaints, stereotypes, segregation. This idea spreading in the area makes it harder for businesses to trust "those people" and thus makes it not only harder for them to find a good job, but also demoralizes who they are. This makes it more likely for them to do things that a confident individual, that is proud of who she is, would never do. Ultimately feeling mistreated and wanting to bring the injustice back to the ones who are being oppressive, which started with things like harmless jokes.

Have I taken this too far? Is this impossible and just fiction from my head? I don't think these are impossible at all. I think our culture has snowballed into what it is from the subtle nuances of culture.

I say all of this to say that the woman is not the angel she thought, and the "delinquent" is not the demon she thought. Neither is free of crime, neither is free of causing injustice, and neither is free of receiving injustice. But the legal system does not show us these things. It almost always neglects to show enemies each other's humanity. It only finds someone guilty or not guilty of a particular crime, without judging society.

I feel like this is why Jesus said it was better to resolve problems out of court. The court doesn't take the responsibility of restoring a bond between enemies, it only restores possessions and gives consequence. Settling outside of court allows for people to come to each other as people, not polarized adversaries. Relationship allows for apology and forgiveness, the court is more rigid and unforgiving.

I have found the court to be a much more just place than I anticipated. Those who believe they have been wronged (not believing they experienced the consequence for their actions or lack there of) are the main cause of injustice. But the court desires for individuals to be made right for the most part. I was amazed how parole officers actually seem to care about the children they are responsible for. They really don't want them to be locked up, they want them to get their education, they want them to be restored. It was beautiful, and in many ways selfless. Very contra to the woman who makes me tear up from her lack of respect toward another human, and ignorance toward how she is acting.

Can penalty, like paying restitutions or "hard" time, be effective in bringing justice? Most certainly. It shows the negative impact of doing wrong. I think this is what victims often want to see as justice. But they disregard love, compassion and hope as the other side of justice, and I'd argue the stronger side of justice. This shows not what the wrong way is, but rather what the right way is. Penalty without love and hope teaches almost nothing. Love and hope without penalty can, I think, lack nothing in justice.

I would love it if victims showed mercy by forgiving the debts of their "demon" debtors every now and then. Maybe the weight that is lifted from that small (or maybe large) expression of love will teach something greater than jail or forced community service ever could.

I do highly respect the way the courts are seeking true justice with these children though. Let's just work on fixing the world so kids don't need to go to court in the first place. Figure out ways that you can bring justice to the world. It may seems like personal injustice toward you now, but it's justice to everyone (including you) in the long run.

What's Better Than A Nice Day Of Manual Labor?

I was walking through Wal-Mart last night for about an hour with my friend Kelly. We talked about various things, but what ended up dominating our conversation was a question of the oldest curse on man.

Genesis chapter three tells the story of the fall of man into sin. Man sins, and then a curse is placed on man by God. I might argue that man placed the curse on himself by disobeying God, where God had created a world that dispenses "curses" in reaction to deeds done apart from God's pre-established will. But either way, it happens. **it happens.

The first curse involves humanity at the serpent. They will be each other's enemies for history. The snake's (Satan's) descendants and woman's descendants will stomp and bite each other. It's strange how this is especially directed at the woman, even though she and man both had consequences, as did the serpent.

**Throwing in a random thought that came to me. This isn't traditional thought so you can think it's wrong, but I do want to post it cause it makes some sense. What is woman's descendants and the snake's descendants are the same people. It kind of works to the duality of man, how we're good and bad. Like Paul talks about, we are at war with each other. It's not my doing, but the sinful nature inside of me... the serpent inside of me, waging war against my righteous humanity. Jesus crushes the head of that snake, and thus shows us we can all choose to crush the head of that snake inside of us. What does get me though is this. "You will crush his head and he will strike his heel" You'd think the crush of the head would come first. Unless Jesus crushes his head by denying his sinful nature in what will become a fatal blow, but the snake strikes his heel; evil in humanity crucifies Jesus. This is not as fatal a blow as would be expected, it has only gotten the heel, it will in fact only increase the blow sent to the serpent.

Surely some of you will consider this heresy, but although it just came to me now, it kind of fits. I'm not holding it as sacred law, but I'll continue to play with it.**

The next curse is to the woman. She'll have pain in childbearing (physical and more than physical (emotional maybe even spiritual)). She'll also want to control her husband but he will dominate her.

For man, the ground he works on for food and provision will be cursed. He'll have to work through the thorns and thistles to get the grain. His work will be toil. He'll be a slave to hard labor until you die and become the dust you worked on all your life.

The world for pain in the woman's childbearing, and toil in the man's work are the same Hebrew word. Interesting huh?

So the big question is this... are these curses something we have freedom from in Jesus? Our question was mainly geared toward work. Does work have to be hard because of the curse? I believe I've seen someone who is no longer under that curse. Our grounds keeper at RMU is a man with a tough job, but he loves life and his work. He is never upset or discourage as far as I can tell. He is an amazing man of God, whom I wish everyone could get to know. Get to know him a bit here.

Are these curses gone, or can we just get some relief from them, but never truly escape until we go to heaven, if that's what you believe.

I believe that through Christ we have victory over the curse, and all other curses that come from sin and a sinful world. We may not see them disappear completely until the world is restored, but we can see hints of the old way passing and the new way coming. Now I believe that God desires the world to be restored by us through Him (Him in us), others of you may not believe that. Thus that could, but may not, be the dividing idea in if we can be completely free from the curse now or not.

Kelly and I ended up agreeing that you could be free of those things now, but I feel like our agreement was a fluke or unjustified. I need to talk to her about again in a location more conducive to thought.

This is a topic that I think I'm where I should be on it, but the solid foundation isn't as solid as I'd like it to be. I may find more holes, or maybe I just haven't thought through all the possibilities to be completely at peace with it yet.

How do you feel about that? How do you feel about my Genesis 3 blaspheming?

After A Weekend Of Praying... What's The Point?

For a few years how I'm been thinking critically about prayer. All my life I've been taught that praying is good... in fact it's in the top three of what a Christian should do: Read your Bible, pray, and go to church. It's funny how those were always the answers of how we can get closer to God, growing up in a children's ministry (not that they're bad things at all, just ever present as "the answers").

What do we expect from prayer? Do we expect God to answer our prayers? If I pray that God would restore my relationship with somebody, but that never happens, or maybe it's an issue where that person is sick, and passes away before there is restoration, what does that say about prayer and about God?

We would answer that God must not have desired that. It must not have been in his will.

Or what about a child dying of cancer, as is becoming more and more regular. You pray for healing, but it never happens. What was the point of praying if it doesn't change an outcome? If God answers the prayer it was God's will and God's will came about because you prayed. If God doesn't answer your prayer (meaning to have things happen as your prayer requests) then God had his will happen anyway, and apparently you can't change it anyway because it's his will.

These are questions that have been floating around in my head for a while. I'm glad they are being expressed elsewhere, in what would seem to be a very open discussion, in the next Nooma video, featuring my main man, Rob Bell.




I've asked the question for a while; is it right to pray for something to occur or not occur? If we don't know what God will do, is it correct for us to petition God to sway his doing to what we think he ought to do? Isn't that prideful? Isn't that making God some sort of voodoo doll, where we use him to make things happen to people/place/situations/etc. Should we only pray that God's will be done. After all, isn't that how Jesus prayed?

He certainly asks for God's will to be done. But he also makes requests. Give us our daily bread, forgive us our debts, and deliver us from temptation/evil.

Here is my take on it. There is universal truths of justice that God strongly adheres to. They are promises from him. Just as he promises that if we give our first fruits, we will be taken care of and his blessing will be upon us. Some of these promises we find to be economically, socially, psychologically correct, and thus scientifically justifying them... but others are harder to show through science, or we just haven't dared to prove them yet. I believe it is these truths/promises that Jesus prays in petition to God for. God has already called these things His will, so to pray for them is to pray for God's will.

You can even look at Abraham talking to God about Sodom. Where God intends to destroy Sodom, Abraham pleads mercy in account of those who are following God. Abraham seems to make a deal with God to spare the city if ten who are righteous are found there. And God agrees. Did Abraham just change God's mind? Was God's will challenged and changed? Is Abraham more just than God himself?

NO!

Abraham "reminded" God of who He was. Abraham pleas on behalf of justice found in the promises of God. God did not forget these. Abraham, however, just exercised them. By exercising them, Abraham is now more in tune with God's will. He understands the heart of God better. God doesn't just want to do for us, but he wants to develop us. Just like a parent is a bad parent if they do everything for their kids. They can't be feeding them with the airplane spoon at the age of 15. That's being a horrible parent. God instead wants us to feel like we're driving. He'll put us on his lap in the car while he drives, so we feel like we're "big," so we get a feel for what is coming for us, so we can know that God believes we can bring justice. When we start feeling what God feels, we will begin to understand what is truth and act as God acts.

I think it's very similar when we pray. Prayer gives us an open forum to plea justice. It also gives us a forum to hear God's response to our plea. We tell God what we feel may be right, but then we ask God, "What really is right?" Prayer isn't how you get people to not die from cancer. If you think it is, you will be as hurt as my family who believed that very thing, with a startling conclusion, when my grandmother passed away. Prayer is how we get closer to God and understanding his ways. It is where we communicate with God to find out what is right, what is wrong, what is just, what is our own misconception.

Prayer certainly does grow us. It's like the class you are excited to go to at school, when knowing an answer makes you proud, because this class is just that cool! Prayer is also where we can tell God what we've learned about him, and allow him to expand even further about what we've learned.

I feel like I could keep babbling about this forever. I do think prayer brings about change. Maybe sometimes God holds back his will slightly, in hopes to we will step up and remind him about it. I do know that prayer brings about change in the person praying, even if there is no effect that can be seen in what is being prayed for.

I'll be interested to watch this Nooma when it comes out later this month. I'd like to see if Rob's take is close to mine.

Am I right about prayer? I don't know. But you may be... or maybe we both are. Give your thoughts in comment form!

That'll Cost You 15 Intimacy Points

I just got back from a great weekend at Youth For Christ Metro-Pitt's Student Leader Retreat.

It's different than a lot of the other trips, because this one is not an outreach. These are the kids that have decided they really want a close relationship with God and desire to share the gospel with others. When you start with that desire the doors are open. Small group meetings, where you usually need to pull teeth to get responses that are even slightly deep, had a dynamic of trust. Kids shared some things that were very dear, very revealing, very hopeful, very painful, and all very honest with the others, themselves, and God.

The theme of the weekend was prayer. Certainly a hard topic to tackle in a way that isn't the cliche, "You should pray before every meal and in the morning and at night, and all the time, yea!" But to actually put purpose into it and form an intense desire of high schoolers to pray is just... daunting.

The best teaching on prayer was when we prayed. We started out the whole weekend praying for probably 30-60 minutes. The kids loved it! The weekend has shown me a lot about myself and my priorities. I would say that it's a need to pray more, but that's only the beginning.

I love worshiping together in joy. I still picture all 50 of us huddled up in a group, with the instrumentalists in the center playing "One Name Under Heaven." The excitement at the chorus, "God's gonna move this place, God's gonna move this place, God's gonna turn this world, Gonna turn it upside down" is what makes me feel alive. Times when worship is solemn, communal, intimate, and at the same time joyful, excited, sincere, and passionate I feel like we are at that moment in line with God. That experience is truly heaven.


I try to always include something to think about in these blogs. So here is something that I slightly played with in my head, but need to dedicate thought to...

The speaker said that some people seem to think the "currency" (an obvious metaphor) of God is faith. If we have so much faith we can get or be this or that. He said that the true currency is intimacy. The closer I am to God the more I can have in God. James', the speaker, illustration as that of him asking for money. His father is someone who doesn't give up money very easily in large amounts. He is a generous man who will give someone a few bucks if they ask it of him, but were to ask for $100 he'd probably have a problem with that. If James asked his father though, he would certainly give him the money because there is much more intimacy between them than his father and a stranger. Likewise, if James' mother asked for her husband to donate $500 to an orphanage in Africa that she believes in the cause of, he would certainly do it, because their relationship is even more intimate.

I think that thought is a good one. It certainly shows something big about how humanity works. Is that how God works? I hate that I just said "how God works," it sound demeaning, as if we could understand how God works. But does God follow the same reasoning or laws that we follow as humans in this regard?

Part of me is unsure, the other part feels like God is too far above that in benevolence. Like God would give intimacy at any level at any second if we desired. That may be the issue, our desire for it. What would the money of intimacy buy anyway? Ability to heal people, healing ourselves, spiritual feeling, prophesy, doing well with our skills, knowing right from wrong? Maybe all of those, maybe some, maybe none... but I'm thinking all or some.

What do you think? How does the notion resonate in your thought?

I'm very interested in some intelligent thought, which I have none to offer.

The Interweb Of DOOM

Is the Internet more good or more bad?

It's helping to shape our culture in interesting ways.

We did without the internet for thousands (maybe millions) of years.

Is the Internet corrupting us?

Is it our next Tower of Babble, uniting man in arrogance?

Comment with your thoughts

Hurry Up And DON'T Pay Your Income Tax!

I recently watched a documentary by Aaron Russo, America: Freedom to Fascism.

I wasn't totally sure what the movie was about and I can't remember what led me to watch it, but it certainly brought up some interesting points.

I'll summarize what it's about kind of, but wikipedia does a much better job of it.

It starts out talking about how there is no legal backing for a federal income tax. It is actually unconstitutional to have an federal income tax. But if you do not pay this tax the IRS has a FIT about you not paying your F.I.T. They put people in jail all the time, seize assets, and actually raid houses and business, when they can't even back the Federal Income Tax with a law.

Many IRS works are challenged to find the legal backing for this and cannot find anything. The higher ups who are questioned have nothing of any merit to say in defense of this tax.

We feel like the U.S. couldn't function properly without the citizens paying this tax; however, there was no Federal Income Tax before 1913, and things worked fine then. In face, most of the money paid towards the F.I.T. goes toward paying of interest of the U.S.'s debt to the Federal Reserve.

This is the second big argument of the movie. The Federal Reserve is ridiculous... it's not "federal" at all... it's a bunch of private banks that are not the government, but they can in some ways control the government since they control the money. These banks are the ones who print our money. They can create currency out of thin air that is backed by nothing but credit. Where paper money should be a receipt for something of real worth (gold, silver) it is now a receipt for the paper it is printed on... it has no merit.

It is for this reason that we see the U.S. dollar plummeting. We keep printing money that is backed by nothing. And the thing is, we don't even know the state of the gold that should be backing it. Where is the gold, where did it go, how much of it is there?

The U.S. can pay all of its bills on the other taxes that are legal taxes. The Federal Income Tax goes toward paying our debt and then the rest of it goes...? It's missing. Unaccounted for. Gone.

To real truth is that I didn't understand everything in the documentary the first time around, but I got a good gist. I also know that a documentary is inherently biased in almost every situation (except for anything Michael Moore has done, obviously). I have found misquotes (or at least not full quotes) from this documentary. The wikipedia page has a lot of criticisms of the documentary; but, these don't seem to argue the real points being made, only some of the minor backings of the points.

I would check out the movie if you can. There are some clips on the website, which I linked to at the beginning. If you want to borrow my copy, you can do that too.

I certainly think there is a lot of corruption in this country that gets fluffed over by politicians energizing with passionate talk of the "freedom" of our country. We certainly appear to be free, and we certainly are free-er than other countries, but are we as free as we think?

Thoughts are encouraged.

It Borders Something Naughty, But I Might Like It

Jim Wallis is a man that is in close contact to a lot of books I read. It seems he's usually writing the forward or mentioned in many books, mainly because of his political and social action involvement.

I have never read one of his books yet, although I recently bought God's Politics.

This interview sounds like it should be wrong. "Religion has no monopoly on morality." I guess this goes to suggest that those who are not religious can be more moral than those who are. I do believe this to be true. Certainly some very immoral things were done in the name or religion, but also some great things and even healing things were done in the name of a same or different religion or no religion.

I think Jim is on to something straight from the Bible. Maybe you can see it in Jesus a bit, like when he talks to the Samaritan woman, using the whole "living water" analogy, rather than insisting on religious doctrine (even though some is present); also appealing to her morality by mentioning the man she lives with whom she isn't married to.

You see it eve more with Paul, who travels all over the place and meets all kinds of peoples who have varying beliefs and histories. He speaks of morality rather than religion when he warns not to do anything that will cause someone else to stumble. Everyone has their own practices that help them live right, don't mess with that, but join them. He also welds together religious outlooks by finding commonalities. You might say he makes his faith flexible to incorporate others rather than mandating a need for religious conversion in order to participate.

Wallis is very correct that you will exclude and divide people if you make this primarily about a religion (religious right vs. left). If this is people of faith who are foremost about restoring righteousness and beauty to the world, and they are opening to everyone who can comprehend the moral truths of life, then no one is left out. We all will have en equal opportunity to venture into something very spiritual, but not so religiously exclusive.

I'm sure this will spark some major thoughts, but mostly disagreements. Please share with some comments!

Heaven Is For Weenies

Bishop N.T. Wright, whom I have come to respect a good deal and agree with most of what he's found, was interviewed by Time Magazine I guess.

The interview is about some of the ideas being brought forth, or maybe you could say re-emerging, from Wright's new book Surprised by Hope. After checking out that Amazon link, it's longer than I expected... but most of his stuff is. I bought a couple of his books that are close to 800 pages I believe (big page, small print).

Wright is a very well-studied man, who seems to be one of the driving forces behind the newer trend of Evangelicals to start getting historical and Jewish in their interpretation of scripture.

Here is the link for the interview.

One question that I'm surprised wasn't asked is "What does this mean about hell?" I guess it was kind of danced around, but never really gone after.

I think hell as a final PUNISHMENT is a very human idea. We'd rather give someone eternal retribution for something they've done wrong, than to help them into something new. I agree punishment can be a good and necessary thing, but I don't know if I agree eternal punishment can be. Like I've stated before, the word justice is the same as the word righteousness in the Bible. I think God's ultimate goal is to help make us, or lead us toward a life that is, good/righteous. Also, just remember that pretty much every mention of "hell" in the Bible doesn't refer to what we think of as hell. It's either a garbage dump, an illustration from Greek/Roman mythology, or a word meaning "pit" (in the OT).

I'll have to get his new book so I can see what Wright has to say about hell ( I would hope it would be covered in 352 pages).

What do you think of what I or Wright have to say?

Foul Language & Lunacy Disclaimer, But Do Proceed

Director Steve

So I just had an idea for a "bad guy" in a sci-fi movie.

Imagine this if you will... A creature of sorts that lives within all dimensions, simultaneously aware of all dimensions. We live in (or at least have awareness in) three dimensions of space and one of time, scientists think there is a minimum of 11 dimensions. This creature has the ability to destroy the existence of anyone trying to defeat it. Now this isn't to say that the creature kills the person, but by seeing more than a one dimensional view of time (one would be moving forward and backward on a timeline) it can see how we are connected to time. Therefore it can disconnect someone from the time dimension. Doing this doesn't mean the person is no longer living now, but it means at the moment the person is severed from the time dimension they never even existed!

So this creature can make it as if you were never born if you oppose him. This not only make it a powerful force against those who oppose him, but also a great force against history. You might even say that as soon as someone is severed the whole surroundings of the world would look different at that moment... kind of like Back to the Future.

This just kind of popped into my head, but I recently was watching some educational videos on string theory. Maybe the heroes will have to harness the power of Einstein or something. Actually, the way to beat him would have to somehow utilize gravity to trap the creature or something, because scientists believe that gravity is the only force we know of that can travel between dimensions... if those other dimensions even exist.

If anyone wants to stat writing this thing with me let me know. And please, no one here can steal my idea, ok? Let's be fair. I rock and you don't. Deal with it.

Ooooh, a thought. The creature could be like "The Nothing" from The Never Ending Story. Oh yeah, and this creature would probably be able to move forward and backward in time like we walk up or down a street. But maybe not, I need to read up on my string theory some more... but there will be worm holes... oh yes, there will be wormholes.

I feel like a total geek right now, which I'm usually not one.

Kind of a Ron Paul Plug

The Good Life?

I constantly have this war inside of me anymore. Am I doing well, am I doing right, or am I doing wrong?

When I see good things come from my life or I hear a motivating message or ideas that lines up with goals and beliefs I have, I feel confident. I feel like this must be right because it's exciting and I'm not the only one supporting these ideals, lifestyles, and beliefs.

On the other side of the coin I often feel like I'm a complete loser at life. I don't have the things people want me to have. I don't look how culture wants me to look, so I am jabbed with criticisms for it. I don't think like most people think. I don't live how people think I should live, so I feel like an outcast. Sometimes I wonder if I'm even a nice person to be around, because there are some who don't seem to appreciate my company or get annoyed with me far more often than I'd like.

I know everyone thinks this is my identity "being different and radical." And sometimes it is that, but not usually. Am I radical and different? Yes, but not as much as I aspire to be. The thing about that last few statements is that this isn't a relative thing for me. This isn't something where I always want to be the same distance from society in my non-conformist attitude. I'm mostly static, but not completely.

I see an overall idea of how the world should be and I'm working toward it. I look radical right now for two reasons.

#1. The world is much different than I believe God desires it to be

#2. I emphasize what I believe to be the wrong more often than applauding what is good in our culture.


The thing I really don't understand is why I am so offensive to people. I don't rub how I live in their face; at least I try not to do so knowingly. I share my thoughts on life as much as possible, but I don't think I condemn people for how we differ.

My goal is to help and care. I want to find good things in life that we have forgotten about or journeyed away from in our country's or our humanity's history... maybe even some things we had never found before, and I want to offer them to people. Not force, but offer. I would love nothing more than for us to celebrate in truth at the glory of the unveiling of God's desire for humanity.

But maybe it's arrogance to think that I have found anything good or true in my short number of years. Maybe it's my own conceit that makes me think that I have found anything better than the next guy (or girl).

One can rationalize their own way that isn't appreciated by quoting scripture saying "the way of God is foolishness to those who don't believe," or that we are to be a "peculiar people." But does what you're doing accomplish anything? Maybe the proof is in the pudding.

I have a few people who take note of what I'm exploring and have started journeying with me in their own way, but the overwhelming majority resents me for it. I feel largely alone and unable to express what is deepest in me, and scared even to share joy I have found in partaking of a new discovery. Instead of unifying I feel as though I've become a dividing force. Perhaps most of all my life is dividing me from everyone else.

God forgive me if my next action is apart from you, be it staying true to the path I'm on or diverging to the road more traveled.