I began college at a liberal arts college, and I expected an "open minded" (read: liberal) environment of free thinkers. Instead I was surrounded by a lot of conservative Christians, and while I wasn't opposed to Christianity (or any other religion), I was agnostic--I didn't know if there was a God and didn't care to take the time to figure it out.
And as I observed those around me and their "virgin clubs," refusal to discuss the Bible in class (b/c it wasn't "literature to be discussed and dissected"), objections to required reading that referenced premarital sex, and the like, I determined that Christianity was about what I was not allowed to do. Not surprisingly it was unappealing to me, and I was certain that if I was ever going to seriously consider Christianity I needed to wait at least until I was at least out of college (b/c sex, drinking, etc. were entirely too fun).
I'm pretty sure it never occurred to me that Christianity isn't about me (no surprise there...I was as self-centered then as I am now)--that the Bible isn't about me or a set of moral principles I need to follow to be an adherent of the faith. As Tim Keller points out--there are only two ways to read the Bible: either as basically being about me or about Jesus. When I read it through the lense of being about me it can be boiled down to what I must do, and "as only principles of living, the Bible is a crushing burden." It's just an exhausting list of things I should and should not do.
Years later I slowly realized that the Bible isn't about me or what I must do; it's the story of what Jesus has done. "The Bible is not primarily a 'book of virtues.' It is the story of how God is redeeming us through Jesus Christ." As now that I read Scripture through this perspective, a weight is lifted. I'm so overcome by Christ's generosity--giving up everything for me on the cross--that I want to give myself, my money, and my time away. And as I reflect on His forgiveness and grace, I want to extend it to others. But in order to receive God's acceptance I don't have to do those things. Instead the gospel is "I am accepted by God through the work of Jesus Christ--therefore I obey."
Thus one of my wishes for those who aren't Christians is that they would at least understand what the gospel is--and not reject it as I did on the basis of a false premise. Christianity isn't morality. Christianity isn't about you or me. Grace cannot be earned. You don't have to do anything except believe (which I know isn't easy...it took years for me to take that leap of faith).
If you're interested in a fairly short summary of the gospel (133 short pages), check out The Prodigal God.
*All of the quotes are from Tim Keller ("Gospel Christianity" Bible study and The Prodigal God).
p.s. I'm grateful for two days of sunshine, being less sick today than yesterday, new songs, a fun Super Bowl party with friends, new recipes, and getting to see my students at PTM last week.
Showing posts with label religion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label religion. Show all posts
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Monday, February 05, 2007
Gratitude: The Letter S
Warning: There are about a zillion things I'm grateful for that begin with the letter S! I finally just stopped typing because the list seems to be neverending.
Spain: It's tied with Switzerland as my favorite country besides the United States. I spent six weeks living there with a family and studying, and it was such a free feeling. Florrie, my senora, did all of the cooking, grocery shopping, laundry, and chores. I didn't have to call anyone with the exception of one or two calls a week; besides a little homework and morning classes, I had no responsibilities. In the afternoons I went to the public pool (complete with nice water slides), parks, pastelerias (bakeries), and just wandered around. On the weekends I often went other places, including Pamplona for the running of the bulls.
My trip to Pamplona wasn't really planned out, so I ended up sleeping in the stoop of a bank building, shivering in shorts. The next morning we went to the beginning of the run to find a place to stand & watch, but all of a sudden all the guys in the white outfits with red scarves turned around and took off running. And so did I. My friends weren't too quick on their feet, so I left them. After all, I didn't want to be trampled by bulls. And the cobblestone streets were wet and slippery from the wash down that morning, so it was particularly scary. I finally ran past a shop with an open door and ran inside, seeking protection from the bulls. My first instinct once inside was to pull out my camera, but the others in the store clearly disapproved as they muttered "Americana estupida." I realized that the bulls must bust through the glass on ocassions, so I moved to the back of the room with the others. But after five minutes had passed, there were still no bulls. Not a one. So finally the shopkeeper opened the door, gesturing for us to leave. The streets were deserted, and I walked around in search of my travel buddies. There were cops everywhere with shields and some with gas masks. I ended up crossing paths with my friends, and the girls were shaken up and had been crying. Evidently everyone was running because the police was using tear gas to disperse protesters (some political group had taken someone important hostage and decapitated him, I think). My friends were near the police and were trapped in a doorway, so they had to duck for cover as people threw things at the police officers. So anyway, the one day I was in Pamplona the running of the bulls was cancelled.
Seersucker, skimming (really really long posts like this one), spas, stars, sympathy, symphonies, Seven Mary Three, my savior, sincerity, solo cups, shrimp, Soul Asylum, salmon, San Fransico, sundaes, smoked gouda cheese, Seth, sugar, Sarah, Snow Patrol, Sambo, SVU, S&S Cafeteria (I bring the average age down a few decades:), Shakira, silver, Sister Hazel, Switzerland (it and Spain tie for my favorite country besides the U.S.), South Carolina, the South (I'm so grateful for 56 degrees and sunny right now, and I'm a sucker for "Southern gentlemen"), Sex & the City, simplicity, summers, spring, "Spaceship," softness, sushi, silk, Stone Temple Pilots, shakes, "Summer of 69," socks, skirts (so much better than shorts), Snickers, sports bras, sweet and sour sauce, savings, spontaneity, sunsets, sunrises, and Sarah McLachlan
A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken, which contains several great quotes. Here is one that I agreed with as an agnostic and that I still agree with now that I'm a Christian:
"The best argument for Christians is Christians: their joy, their certainty, their completeness. But the strongest argument against Christianity is also Christians--when they are somber and joyless, when they are self-righteous and smug in complacent consecration, when they are narrow and repressive, then Christianity dies a thousand deaths."
Saturdays & Sundays: the best days of the week!
This photo makes me think of the summer, sunglasses, sunshine, sand, and the sea.
Spain: It's tied with Switzerland as my favorite country besides the United States. I spent six weeks living there with a family and studying, and it was such a free feeling. Florrie, my senora, did all of the cooking, grocery shopping, laundry, and chores. I didn't have to call anyone with the exception of one or two calls a week; besides a little homework and morning classes, I had no responsibilities. In the afternoons I went to the public pool (complete with nice water slides), parks, pastelerias (bakeries), and just wandered around. On the weekends I often went other places, including Pamplona for the running of the bulls.
My trip to Pamplona wasn't really planned out, so I ended up sleeping in the stoop of a bank building, shivering in shorts. The next morning we went to the beginning of the run to find a place to stand & watch, but all of a sudden all the guys in the white outfits with red scarves turned around and took off running. And so did I. My friends weren't too quick on their feet, so I left them. After all, I didn't want to be trampled by bulls. And the cobblestone streets were wet and slippery from the wash down that morning, so it was particularly scary. I finally ran past a shop with an open door and ran inside, seeking protection from the bulls. My first instinct once inside was to pull out my camera, but the others in the store clearly disapproved as they muttered "Americana estupida." I realized that the bulls must bust through the glass on ocassions, so I moved to the back of the room with the others. But after five minutes had passed, there were still no bulls. Not a one. So finally the shopkeeper opened the door, gesturing for us to leave. The streets were deserted, and I walked around in search of my travel buddies. There were cops everywhere with shields and some with gas masks. I ended up crossing paths with my friends, and the girls were shaken up and had been crying. Evidently everyone was running because the police was using tear gas to disperse protesters (some political group had taken someone important hostage and decapitated him, I think). My friends were near the police and were trapped in a doorway, so they had to duck for cover as people threw things at the police officers. So anyway, the one day I was in Pamplona the running of the bulls was cancelled.
Seersucker, skimming (really really long posts like this one), spas, stars, sympathy, symphonies, Seven Mary Three, my savior, sincerity, solo cups, shrimp, Soul Asylum, salmon, San Fransico, sundaes, smoked gouda cheese, Seth, sugar, Sarah, Snow Patrol, Sambo, SVU, S&S Cafeteria (I bring the average age down a few decades:), Shakira, silver, Sister Hazel, Switzerland (it and Spain tie for my favorite country besides the U.S.), South Carolina, the South (I'm so grateful for 56 degrees and sunny right now, and I'm a sucker for "Southern gentlemen"), Sex & the City, simplicity, summers, spring, "Spaceship," softness, sushi, silk, Stone Temple Pilots, shakes, "Summer of 69," socks, skirts (so much better than shorts), Snickers, sports bras, sweet and sour sauce, savings, spontaneity, sunsets, sunrises, and Sarah McLachlan
A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken, which contains several great quotes. Here is one that I agreed with as an agnostic and that I still agree with now that I'm a Christian:
"The best argument for Christians is Christians: their joy, their certainty, their completeness. But the strongest argument against Christianity is also Christians--when they are somber and joyless, when they are self-righteous and smug in complacent consecration, when they are narrow and repressive, then Christianity dies a thousand deaths."
Saturdays & Sundays: the best days of the week!
This photo makes me think of the summer, sunglasses, sunshine, sand, and the sea.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
The Sweetest Day....
I was baptized on Sunday. Exciting! Thinking about it makes me feel full; I can't think of a better way to descibe it. Anyway, my baptism was long overdue as I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord & savior almost six years ago. I know the word "baptism" means little to some of you (based on the e-mails/chats I've had), so I figured this is a good opportunity to explain it a little more fully. Click on this link for a MUCH better and thorough explanation of baptism.
Baptism occurs when someone is immersed in water as a profession of her religious belief. I was raised Presbyterian, and in that church, they "sprinkle" you with water rather than full immersion (note: I don't know why they sprinkle as opposed to immersing believers). My church called that "confirmation." While I think I may have logically believed at 13 when I was confirmed, I don't think I really believed in my heart. And there's a big difference between thinking something is likely true and believing something in your heart. Based on my readings in the Bible, a proper baptism is belief followed by baptism; thus my "sprinkling" at 13 wasn't a true baptism since I didn't really believe and place my faith in Christ.
That true believing came about ten years later, and it required a leap of faith, which I found very difficult to make. But I wanted to believe, and I finally did. For a more thorough post on how I came to believe what I do, check out this post.
And now, like many before me (which is really cool when I think about Jesus being baptized, etc.), I've been baptized. I chose to be baptized because I believe God wants us to be baptized and that doing so is an act of obedience and a public profession of faith. In order to be baptized at this church, you're asked two questions in front of the congregation (while standing in this huge baptismal pool full of warm water). This isn't verbatim, but here's basically what I was asked:
Has there been a time in your life when you submitted your life to Christ and accepted Him as your Lord and Savior? [I answered yes.]
What is your profession of faith? [I said something to the effect of "After many years of being quite lost [although I certainly didn't think I was lost], I am so glad to profess that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior."]
The day was even sweeter because some of my family was there to share it with me. My sister, mother, great-aunt, and nieces all came down, and we had a big slumber party in my one bedroom apartment. A lot of my friends were there, and it was incredibly touching to stand in the baptismal and look out to see so many friendly faces who have encouraged me in my walk with God and been such sources of encouragement and love. And it was fun for my family to meet all of my awesome friends here. I've never had so many wonderful and kind friends, and Sunday was a sweet reminder of how blessed I am.
When the pastor spoke to the congregation about the meaning of baptism, my nieces' eyes were huge. I could tell they were quite overwhelmed by the hugeness of this church and the whole experience. Friends and family have the option of standing alongside the baptismal area, so a few people including my nieces came up. I wish I had a photograph of Lauren leaning against the glass wall of the pool, soaking it all in.
Anyway, it was such a sweet day and experience, and I'm so glad I finally took the plunge. Oh, that was horrible, but I couldn't resist. If you have any questions about baptism, I'll try to answer them. And if you want to share your baptism details, I'd love to read them. And thank you so much for all of your well wishes.
p.s. When I told Oz about wanting to be baptized, he asked me if that meant I would get a bunch of gifts (like a bar mitzvah I guess)...so in case you were wondering, it's not like that:)
Baptism occurs when someone is immersed in water as a profession of her religious belief. I was raised Presbyterian, and in that church, they "sprinkle" you with water rather than full immersion (note: I don't know why they sprinkle as opposed to immersing believers). My church called that "confirmation." While I think I may have logically believed at 13 when I was confirmed, I don't think I really believed in my heart. And there's a big difference between thinking something is likely true and believing something in your heart. Based on my readings in the Bible, a proper baptism is belief followed by baptism; thus my "sprinkling" at 13 wasn't a true baptism since I didn't really believe and place my faith in Christ.
That true believing came about ten years later, and it required a leap of faith, which I found very difficult to make. But I wanted to believe, and I finally did. For a more thorough post on how I came to believe what I do, check out this post.
And now, like many before me (which is really cool when I think about Jesus being baptized, etc.), I've been baptized. I chose to be baptized because I believe God wants us to be baptized and that doing so is an act of obedience and a public profession of faith. In order to be baptized at this church, you're asked two questions in front of the congregation (while standing in this huge baptismal pool full of warm water). This isn't verbatim, but here's basically what I was asked:
Has there been a time in your life when you submitted your life to Christ and accepted Him as your Lord and Savior? [I answered yes.]
What is your profession of faith? [I said something to the effect of "After many years of being quite lost [although I certainly didn't think I was lost], I am so glad to profess that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior."]
The day was even sweeter because some of my family was there to share it with me. My sister, mother, great-aunt, and nieces all came down, and we had a big slumber party in my one bedroom apartment. A lot of my friends were there, and it was incredibly touching to stand in the baptismal and look out to see so many friendly faces who have encouraged me in my walk with God and been such sources of encouragement and love. And it was fun for my family to meet all of my awesome friends here. I've never had so many wonderful and kind friends, and Sunday was a sweet reminder of how blessed I am.
When the pastor spoke to the congregation about the meaning of baptism, my nieces' eyes were huge. I could tell they were quite overwhelmed by the hugeness of this church and the whole experience. Friends and family have the option of standing alongside the baptismal area, so a few people including my nieces came up. I wish I had a photograph of Lauren leaning against the glass wall of the pool, soaking it all in.
Anyway, it was such a sweet day and experience, and I'm so glad I finally took the plunge. Oh, that was horrible, but I couldn't resist. If you have any questions about baptism, I'll try to answer them. And if you want to share your baptism details, I'd love to read them. And thank you so much for all of your well wishes.
p.s. When I told Oz about wanting to be baptized, he asked me if that meant I would get a bunch of gifts (like a bar mitzvah I guess)...so in case you were wondering, it's not like that:)
Monday, December 11, 2006
This weekend felt like it was over before it even started. I was greeted when I got home on Friday by a package. I love packages, especially when I haven’t ordered anything recently and thus know it’s a surprise. The package was from Barnes & Noble and included two gift-wrapped surprises! Fun! It took me about five minutes to figure out who it was from, and the giver made it all the more of a special gift. Of the two gifts, the one I’m looking forward to reading the most is The Call by Os Guinness.
Then I had a yummy dinner (and white chocolate bread pudding) with Ozzy and his parents, and afterwards I made peanut butter cookies with chocolate chips (since I ruined the crust I made for my pumpkin chiffon pie):
Saturday I went to Walden Pond, or at least, my family’s version of it. My uncle has a cabin that’s practically in the middle of nowhere with two ponds and lots of woods, and we have our family get-togethers there. It was fantastic. Saturday evening I forced myself to do some shopping. Not the best timing ever, but once I get started, I don’t mind shopping so much.
Sunday was lovely with church, lunch with two friends I hadn't seen in weeks, and a two-hour nap.
Some of my random weekend thoughts:
Troops: I think it would be really hard to be in Iraq during the holidays. And I’m sure it’s hard for the families too. I ran across this link on a blog the other day. It matches you with a solider who doesn’t have a family or regular correspondents, and you write him/her every week and send care packages. A lady in my office did it last year, and she said her solider was able to e-mail her.
Christmas cards: I’ve been impressed with how early people are getting their cards out. Am I the only person who writes something besides her name and “Merry Christmas” on Christmas cards? Despite its huge selection, Target only had two of what I consider non-secular cards. Unfortunately they were both embossed with gold and rather unappealing. I ended up having to go to a Christian bookstore this year to find cards that referenced why we celebrate Christmas (or at least in theory why we do). I had never been to a Lifeway before, but it had some pretty neat stuff.
Adopting a Child: I adopted a little girl for Christmas, meaning that I buy her Christmas gifts. I only write about this because I was surprised by how much more enjoyable this shopping was in comparison to my other Christmas shopping. Even though I love shopping for my nieces, this was more fun. I think it’s because I know my nieces have more than they could ever want or need, and in buying this little girl things, I felt like I was giving a child something she actually needed rather than another toy that she’ll pile up in her toy box and forget the next day.
Church: As a result of traveling a lot the last two months as well as general malaise (i.e. wanting to sleep all day long) that seems to accompany the time change (SAD), I’ve not attended church in quite some time. So yesterday I attended church with a friend. It’s a community church that meets in a local coffeehouse (that isn’t open on Sundays). It was so different than the church I’ve been attending the last two years. The biggest difference was how friendly everyone was and how I met people and actually had conversations. At the last church I attended, I would slip in the door before the service began and leave when it ended, often without talking to a single person. I often thought that I should make the effort to speak to people, but the church environment did not facilitate that at all. In fact, I spoke with a friend who attends that church, and she told me that she didn’t like it when people tried to talk to her and preferred to just be left alone. I guess different strokes for different folks.
9 more working days until I’m off for Christmas!!!
Then I had a yummy dinner (and white chocolate bread pudding) with Ozzy and his parents, and afterwards I made peanut butter cookies with chocolate chips (since I ruined the crust I made for my pumpkin chiffon pie):
Saturday I went to Walden Pond, or at least, my family’s version of it. My uncle has a cabin that’s practically in the middle of nowhere with two ponds and lots of woods, and we have our family get-togethers there. It was fantastic. Saturday evening I forced myself to do some shopping. Not the best timing ever, but once I get started, I don’t mind shopping so much.
Sunday was lovely with church, lunch with two friends I hadn't seen in weeks, and a two-hour nap.
Some of my random weekend thoughts:
Troops: I think it would be really hard to be in Iraq during the holidays. And I’m sure it’s hard for the families too. I ran across this link on a blog the other day. It matches you with a solider who doesn’t have a family or regular correspondents, and you write him/her every week and send care packages. A lady in my office did it last year, and she said her solider was able to e-mail her.
Christmas cards: I’ve been impressed with how early people are getting their cards out. Am I the only person who writes something besides her name and “Merry Christmas” on Christmas cards? Despite its huge selection, Target only had two of what I consider non-secular cards. Unfortunately they were both embossed with gold and rather unappealing. I ended up having to go to a Christian bookstore this year to find cards that referenced why we celebrate Christmas (or at least in theory why we do). I had never been to a Lifeway before, but it had some pretty neat stuff.
Adopting a Child: I adopted a little girl for Christmas, meaning that I buy her Christmas gifts. I only write about this because I was surprised by how much more enjoyable this shopping was in comparison to my other Christmas shopping. Even though I love shopping for my nieces, this was more fun. I think it’s because I know my nieces have more than they could ever want or need, and in buying this little girl things, I felt like I was giving a child something she actually needed rather than another toy that she’ll pile up in her toy box and forget the next day.
Church: As a result of traveling a lot the last two months as well as general malaise (i.e. wanting to sleep all day long) that seems to accompany the time change (SAD), I’ve not attended church in quite some time. So yesterday I attended church with a friend. It’s a community church that meets in a local coffeehouse (that isn’t open on Sundays). It was so different than the church I’ve been attending the last two years. The biggest difference was how friendly everyone was and how I met people and actually had conversations. At the last church I attended, I would slip in the door before the service began and leave when it ended, often without talking to a single person. I often thought that I should make the effort to speak to people, but the church environment did not facilitate that at all. In fact, I spoke with a friend who attends that church, and she told me that she didn’t like it when people tried to talk to her and preferred to just be left alone. I guess different strokes for different folks.
9 more working days until I’m off for Christmas!!!
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
My "McDate"
My date to the wedding was Ozzy (his chosen blog name, which I do not think suits him at all), who I find very adorable. Sometimes my friendship with Ozzy reminds me a little bit of Will & Grace, except that instead of being gay, Ozzy is Jewish.
Ozzy and I became acquainted in property class during our first year of law school. On our first day of class, the property professor called on me after humiliating the first person he called on—a guy who didn’t know the answer. Yikes. Fortunately I spoke with absolute conviction (even though I probably didn’t know the answer either) and survived. That caught the professor’s interest, and he called on my constantly throughout the rest of the semester, which meant that everyone knew my name early on. I guess that is how Ozzy got to know me. My first memory of Ozzy was at a party at which he expressed admiration of my ambition (Ozzy thoroughly understands that flattery will get you almost anywhere). I thought that was odd and explained how non-career driven I was (citing my haphazard career path which included a nanny gig and teaching elementary school). He was surprised.
Despite the fact that my friends told Ozzy that I had a boyfriend (of almost a year) when he inquired about me, Ozzy called and in his sweet Southern drawl, asked me to go to the fair with him. The fair is, I must note, a great idea for a first date. I declined with a little bit of regret—simply because I thought going to the fair with Ozzy would be fun (and he’s cute).
Fast forward three years later to a friend’s party where I exchanged numbers with Ozzy so that he could meet up with us later that night. He never did, but he did occasionally drunk dial me over the next two years. Ozzy has attempted to set me up with his friends, but his efforts are unfortunately always off the mark (i.e., a guy who wears his shirt halfway unbuttoned with lots of jewelry). Some of my friends contend that these mismatches are intentional, so that I’ll realize what a great catch Ozzy is.
I tend to disagree with those friends. Ozzy is a consummate flirt, often saying very kind and flattering things and doing super sweet things for me, but our friendship is just that. We’ve never even kissed despite spending weekends together. Ozzy understands how important my faith is to me and that I’d never date a guy who isn’t a Christian. Plus his current type is super skinny, high-maintenance, and much less conservative (or arguably more fun) than me. So that’s that.
I feel very blessed to have such a cool friend. He’s a lot like a girl in some respects, so he is excellent at communicating (like when I hurt his feelings), dramatic (which keeps me entertained), very intelligent (which challenges me), and way too relative (which annoys me). It’s funny how God brings people into your life at certain times and how there is a season for so many different people and experiences. It’s also funny that Ozzy has a crush on Paris Hilton.
Ozzy and I became acquainted in property class during our first year of law school. On our first day of class, the property professor called on me after humiliating the first person he called on—a guy who didn’t know the answer. Yikes. Fortunately I spoke with absolute conviction (even though I probably didn’t know the answer either) and survived. That caught the professor’s interest, and he called on my constantly throughout the rest of the semester, which meant that everyone knew my name early on. I guess that is how Ozzy got to know me. My first memory of Ozzy was at a party at which he expressed admiration of my ambition (Ozzy thoroughly understands that flattery will get you almost anywhere). I thought that was odd and explained how non-career driven I was (citing my haphazard career path which included a nanny gig and teaching elementary school). He was surprised.
Despite the fact that my friends told Ozzy that I had a boyfriend (of almost a year) when he inquired about me, Ozzy called and in his sweet Southern drawl, asked me to go to the fair with him. The fair is, I must note, a great idea for a first date. I declined with a little bit of regret—simply because I thought going to the fair with Ozzy would be fun (and he’s cute).
Fast forward three years later to a friend’s party where I exchanged numbers with Ozzy so that he could meet up with us later that night. He never did, but he did occasionally drunk dial me over the next two years. Ozzy has attempted to set me up with his friends, but his efforts are unfortunately always off the mark (i.e., a guy who wears his shirt halfway unbuttoned with lots of jewelry). Some of my friends contend that these mismatches are intentional, so that I’ll realize what a great catch Ozzy is.
I tend to disagree with those friends. Ozzy is a consummate flirt, often saying very kind and flattering things and doing super sweet things for me, but our friendship is just that. We’ve never even kissed despite spending weekends together. Ozzy understands how important my faith is to me and that I’d never date a guy who isn’t a Christian. Plus his current type is super skinny, high-maintenance, and much less conservative (or arguably more fun) than me. So that’s that.
I feel very blessed to have such a cool friend. He’s a lot like a girl in some respects, so he is excellent at communicating (like when I hurt his feelings), dramatic (which keeps me entertained), very intelligent (which challenges me), and way too relative (which annoys me). It’s funny how God brings people into your life at certain times and how there is a season for so many different people and experiences. It’s also funny that Ozzy has a crush on Paris Hilton.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Politics & Religion
Yup Dad, I'm talking about things you've told me not to--again.
My Bible study group had its weekly meeting last night, and the scripture from Romans (13:1-14) that our study covered perfectly suited the occasion of Election Day. Politics and religion have both been topics that I've thought a lot about over the years, but it's only been over the course of the last six months or so that I've been examining my political views, which formed long before I became a Christian, in light of my faith.
Fortunately the scripture and discussion didn't lend itself to the typical hot topic issues like abortion and stem cell research, but instead it addressed our relationship to the state and to the world. Until I read this passage, I hadn't thought about my obligation as a Christian to our government beyond obeying the laws. The scripture states that God put all governments into power and seems to suggest that civil governments are the institution of God and therefore deserve respect and submission. (And yes, there are all sorts of logical questions that flow from this--the first one that came to my mind was Hitler, but I'm glossing over the nuances for now.)
Over the last six years, I've failed to show any respect to our president.
The morning after the election in 2000, I was so disappointed in my fellow Americans. Almost half of American voters voted for him, and it made me sad. The debacle with the Supreme Court didn't help, and during his tenure, President Bush has provided plenty of fodder for me to make fun of him with and help me mentally justify my general lack of respect. I've never prayed for God to guide him in his decision-making or to give him wisdom. Instead I've mocked what I've perceived as his many flaws and concentrated solely on the negative. I'd never heard the verses about God sending the authorities to help me (Romans 13:4) or thought about Bush's presidency being part of God's providential control. Now that I have, I am re-thinking my attitude and trying to have an open mind and heart.
Christian or not, I think we seem much more credible when we focus more on facts and less on ridicule. Think about Venezulean President Hugo Chavez's comments about President Bush being "the devil" and smelling of sulfur. I'm also reminded of another lesson I've learned: it's better to present the facts and let people draw their own conclusions than to just call someone an idiot or stupid (or the devil). So I need to remember that it's not by happenstance that President Bush is our president, and I should recognize that, offering him my respect regardless of my disagreement with him and his policies.
p.s. Should I switch to beta blogger?
My Bible study group had its weekly meeting last night, and the scripture from Romans (13:1-14) that our study covered perfectly suited the occasion of Election Day. Politics and religion have both been topics that I've thought a lot about over the years, but it's only been over the course of the last six months or so that I've been examining my political views, which formed long before I became a Christian, in light of my faith.
Fortunately the scripture and discussion didn't lend itself to the typical hot topic issues like abortion and stem cell research, but instead it addressed our relationship to the state and to the world. Until I read this passage, I hadn't thought about my obligation as a Christian to our government beyond obeying the laws. The scripture states that God put all governments into power and seems to suggest that civil governments are the institution of God and therefore deserve respect and submission. (And yes, there are all sorts of logical questions that flow from this--the first one that came to my mind was Hitler, but I'm glossing over the nuances for now.)
Over the last six years, I've failed to show any respect to our president.
The morning after the election in 2000, I was so disappointed in my fellow Americans. Almost half of American voters voted for him, and it made me sad. The debacle with the Supreme Court didn't help, and during his tenure, President Bush has provided plenty of fodder for me to make fun of him with and help me mentally justify my general lack of respect. I've never prayed for God to guide him in his decision-making or to give him wisdom. Instead I've mocked what I've perceived as his many flaws and concentrated solely on the negative. I'd never heard the verses about God sending the authorities to help me (Romans 13:4) or thought about Bush's presidency being part of God's providential control. Now that I have, I am re-thinking my attitude and trying to have an open mind and heart.
Christian or not, I think we seem much more credible when we focus more on facts and less on ridicule. Think about Venezulean President Hugo Chavez's comments about President Bush being "the devil" and smelling of sulfur. I'm also reminded of another lesson I've learned: it's better to present the facts and let people draw their own conclusions than to just call someone an idiot or stupid (or the devil). So I need to remember that it's not by happenstance that President Bush is our president, and I should recognize that, offering him my respect regardless of my disagreement with him and his policies.
p.s. Should I switch to beta blogger?
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Sidewalk Preachers.....
During my one year at UGA, I observed “street preachers” (I’m not sure what the correct name is) on several occasions. The best description I can think of is that they are a combination between a television evangelist and Jerry Springer. These preachers were actually mean though. They stood on wooden platforms outside of the student center and would “call out” specific students. For example, if a girl in a short skirt walked by, they would comment on her attire and her sinfulness. I never understood what they were hoping to accomplish with their condemnation and fire and brimstone ranting.
In my hometown there are some men who also scream/preach for the public outside of Burger King and Family Dollar. Anyway weekend before last I went home, and my sister and I had a cook out for my mother’s birthday. My step-sister has recently gotten engaged, and this was the first time her fiancé came to one of our immediate family get-togethers. She has seemingly been trying to avoid the fiancé’s introduction to our craziness. That’s kind of understandable, although I’m a big fan of full disclosure when marriage is at issue. She’s a few years older than me though and already been married once, so I guess it’s different.
So brother-in-law Billy Bob* had started drinking Jack and Coke around 5:30. So naturally he was loud and somewhat irrational. So religion came up because my step-sister is becoming a Methodist now, and we started recalling a big discussion we’d had several years before about the topic. I don’t remember the specifics, but basically I got a headache and left the room; my step-sister said you could pick and choose which parts of the Bible you want to believe; and my younger sister cried on her drive home because she thought my step-sister and I were going to hell. It was a fun night.
So I posed one conversation for the group: “How do you think a person ‘gets’ to Heaven?” I think this is a pretty simple question for a group of Christians, but my step-sister and her fiancé kind of balked--granted this isn't a typical conversation so somewhat understandably. Well this was just the opportunity brother-in-law Billy Bob was waiting for as he nursed his Budweiser from his recliner. Billy Bob raised his beer in the air and began to preach with the fervor that only a drunk, non-practicing Baptist can. I actually agree with most of what he said and jokingly offered to take him down to the local Family Dollar to share the gospel with “cruisers.” After that experience I’m sure my step-sister is glad that she waited until after the wedding was planned for the fiancé’s family initiation. Good times and the best hope you can have for entertainment in my hometown.
In my hometown there are some men who also scream/preach for the public outside of Burger King and Family Dollar. Anyway weekend before last I went home, and my sister and I had a cook out for my mother’s birthday. My step-sister has recently gotten engaged, and this was the first time her fiancé came to one of our immediate family get-togethers. She has seemingly been trying to avoid the fiancé’s introduction to our craziness. That’s kind of understandable, although I’m a big fan of full disclosure when marriage is at issue. She’s a few years older than me though and already been married once, so I guess it’s different.
So brother-in-law Billy Bob* had started drinking Jack and Coke around 5:30. So naturally he was loud and somewhat irrational. So religion came up because my step-sister is becoming a Methodist now, and we started recalling a big discussion we’d had several years before about the topic. I don’t remember the specifics, but basically I got a headache and left the room; my step-sister said you could pick and choose which parts of the Bible you want to believe; and my younger sister cried on her drive home because she thought my step-sister and I were going to hell. It was a fun night.
So I posed one conversation for the group: “How do you think a person ‘gets’ to Heaven?” I think this is a pretty simple question for a group of Christians, but my step-sister and her fiancé kind of balked--granted this isn't a typical conversation so somewhat understandably. Well this was just the opportunity brother-in-law Billy Bob was waiting for as he nursed his Budweiser from his recliner. Billy Bob raised his beer in the air and began to preach with the fervor that only a drunk, non-practicing Baptist can. I actually agree with most of what he said and jokingly offered to take him down to the local Family Dollar to share the gospel with “cruisers.” After that experience I’m sure my step-sister is glad that she waited until after the wedding was planned for the fiancé’s family initiation. Good times and the best hope you can have for entertainment in my hometown.
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