I’m watching Morning Joe on MSNBC, as I do every morning while the kids are getting ready for school. I just heard the following statistic (I’ll paraphrase): “We have given more bonus money to the people running Wall Street than the whole world has given aid to Africa.” Seriously. If there is a God, and there is, and if this God is the God of justice and compassion, as depicted in the scriptures, and he is, then we are in a very sad position as a people and nation. Do we seriously think God blesses this sort of living?
Posts Tagged ‘Society’
God Bless Profit and Greed
A Thinking Evangelicalism
One thought keeps circulating through my consciousness, as I continue to get ready for church this morning. What is it? Evangelicalism. Yes, evangelicalism. I sincerely believe that we need not reinvent anything in our quest to be relevant in this postmodern culture of ours, we need only express and practice a holistic evangelicalism. In other words, if you are dedicated - honestly dedicated - to a culture of life, then be about this culture of life in every aspect available to you, not just one! Give yourself completely to the cause and refuse to entertain the either/or that this culture advances as the answer. It is anything but an answer. More on this later …
The Jesus Politics Network
Thom Stark has just launched The Jesus Politics Network. The Network promises to be a place where radical, counter-cultural, Gospel-based reflections concerning society and non-violent resistance are expressed regularly. I am personally thrilled to be a part of this project. I’ll be posting there regularly, along with Thom, Jacob Breeze, Stephen Lawson, Tyler Stewart.
The Kingdom of God Doesn’t Hold Elections
After much serious thought, talks with friends, and deep self-reflection rooted in my Anabaptist heritage, I have come to the conclusion that I won’t be voting for anyone this election year, or any year following. Politicians are politicians, and because of that they say things that they will never actually follow up on, or contradict themselves terribly, just to get elected. This does not mean, however, that I will withdraw from active engagement in society; it simply means that I will be engaging it from my place within Jesus’ Kingdom. His Kingdom is very much the antithesis of the world’s kingdoms, and it is the only way. There is only one way. This way requires my total allegiance. This way informs in a way that distinguishes one from the world and its empire expressions. I’ll leave the Jesus flag draping ceremonies to the conservative right and liberal left who seem more than willing to trade war for abortion, or vice-a-versa, while simultaneously appropriating God’s blessing. I’m out.
The Shelley Lubben Story of Christ’s Power to Change
Shelley Lubben is an incredible, living testimony of God’s authentic love and miraculous grace. Shelley is a former stripper, prostitute, and porn actress who cried out to God in her time of most desperate need. She cried out! God answered her! Jesus saved her, healed her from an incurable STD, and empowered her to be a missionary to the sex industry. What an awesome testimony! Shelley also founded the Pink Cross Foundation, an outreach effort dedicated to porn performers and sex workers. God bless you Shelley Lubben!
Gasoline Prices and Where We Go From Here
Check this post of exceptional reflections on $4.00 gasoline by the best New Testament professor I ever had, Dr. Dwight Sheets. I am thankful for the undergraduate education in New Testament I received from Dr. Sheets; it was a million times better than what I was offered in seminary. Sheets also writes an excellent blog, even if the posts are not so frequent. It is worth the read.
Tribe Saturday Night Inquiry 06072008
Postmodern aficionados often claim that objectivity doesn’t exist. I just read the following statement on a thoroughly Postmodern/Christian blog: “…I believe in accountability, not objectivity.” The Saturday Night Inquiry question is this, and it is a three-part question: “Doesn’t it actually take a certain amount of objectivity to claim that there is no such thing as objectivity? Furthermore, how does one actually “do” accountability without objectivity and/or a set of objective standards?” And finally, I ask, “To whom exactly does one offer this sort of accountability if there is no objective reasoning involved in a choice of persons?”
Colorado Senate Bill 200 Now Law
Colorado: Senate Bill 200 was signed into law by Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter. This means that in Colorado things like public restrooms are now open to cross-dressed people to use according to their perceived sexual orientation or expression. Also, SB 200 prohibits “discrimination” against sexual orientation in the broadest terms possible filed cumulatively under the phrase “public services.” Yes, this would include church. Is this the precedent?
Pray for Christians in Turkey
Pray for Christian brothers and sisters in Turkey. Violence against Christians living there is on the rise:
A surge of religiously motivated violence has resulted in the violent murder of three church members and brazen attacks on priests and has created a general sense of isolation and trepidation amongst Turkish Christians.
Fifty Thousand Shirts for China
On Monday, May 12, 2008 at 06:28:01 UTC a 7.9 magnitude earthquake devastated the Easter Sichuan region of China. Current estimates state that 50,000+ lives were tragically lost. The sheer damage caused by the quake is unfathomable. You can help by buying a shirt. The goal is to sell 50,000 shirts and raise $1,000,000 to help in the aftermath and rebuild lives in China. (HT: Kirkpatrick).