Following is an excerpt from one of my classmates assignments that I thought was blog worthy. Check it out....
"Thinking back...I remember as a child being invited to go to church with a neighbor. I was allowed to go. On the way to church we passed an elderly lady standing on the side of the road. What appeared to be her car was parked with the emergency flashers on and the car hood up. The woman appeared to be upset as she was looking right and left and back again – she was crying. My friend and I asked if we should stop and see if the elderly woman needed help. My friend's dad was driving and he said "No, we don't want to be late to church." I never went to church with that family again."
Ouch, that stings a little bit. I wonder how many times we let our religious "duties" get in the way of living like Jesus. Being a Christian means to be a follower of Christ. In the way we are living, are we following Christ's example? I hate to think how many times my own hypocrisy has turned someone away from the church. I thought her comments were eye opening and a very important reminder for us in the church. We need to be careful not to get caught up in doing church and instead to be fully aware of how God is presenting us with opportunities to be Christ's body to the world.
Showing posts with label religion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label religion. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Oh Wow...
Ok, I'm not going to take much time to respond to this b/c, well frankly, I don't have much time. But OH MY GOSH!! Check out this statement by Jerry Falwell...
"I certainly hope that Hillary is the candidate. She has $300 million so far. But I hope she's the candidate. Because nothing will energize my [constituency] like Hillary Clinton. If Lucifer ran, he wouldn't." -Jerry Falwell
Did he seriously just suggest that Hillary Clinton would be worse than Lucifer himself? It is comments like this that make me a democrat. Thank you Mr. Falwell for being an outspoken representative of the Christian community. We really need the nation to think we're a bunch of lunatics....
Here's Jim Wallis' thoughts on the matter....
Jim Wallis: There he goes again - this time Rev. Falwell compares Sen. Clinton to Lucifer
The nation is weary of the vitriolic and divisive political rhetoric that still comes from some on the Religious Right. In particular, the country is tired, truly tired, of Rev. Jerry Falwell. At the Religious Right's Values Voter Summit, Rev. Falwell said that Hillary Clinton's run for the presidency would energize the Right's base more than Lucifer. This is also the man who said the terrorist attacks on 9/11 were God's judgment on America and he specifically blamed feminists, homosexuals and the ACLU. Agreement or disagreement with Senator Clinton's politics is not the issue. Personally demonizing public figures is the issue. Such political poison isn't just bad for the Body Politic and the more civil discourse we so desperately need. It also simply isn't Christian.
http://www.beliefnet.com/blogs/godspolitics/2006/09/jim-wallis-there-he-goes-again-this.html
"I certainly hope that Hillary is the candidate. She has $300 million so far. But I hope she's the candidate. Because nothing will energize my [constituency] like Hillary Clinton. If Lucifer ran, he wouldn't." -Jerry Falwell
Did he seriously just suggest that Hillary Clinton would be worse than Lucifer himself? It is comments like this that make me a democrat. Thank you Mr. Falwell for being an outspoken representative of the Christian community. We really need the nation to think we're a bunch of lunatics....
Here's Jim Wallis' thoughts on the matter....
Jim Wallis: There he goes again - this time Rev. Falwell compares Sen. Clinton to Lucifer
The nation is weary of the vitriolic and divisive political rhetoric that still comes from some on the Religious Right. In particular, the country is tired, truly tired, of Rev. Jerry Falwell. At the Religious Right's Values Voter Summit, Rev. Falwell said that Hillary Clinton's run for the presidency would energize the Right's base more than Lucifer. This is also the man who said the terrorist attacks on 9/11 were God's judgment on America and he specifically blamed feminists, homosexuals and the ACLU. Agreement or disagreement with Senator Clinton's politics is not the issue. Personally demonizing public figures is the issue. Such political poison isn't just bad for the Body Politic and the more civil discourse we so desperately need. It also simply isn't Christian.
http://www.beliefnet.com/blogs/godspolitics/2006/09/jim-wallis-there-he-goes-again-this.html
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Yahweh and His People
My World Civ assignment this week was an interesting one. I was required to read the history of the Hebrews as well as several passages from Genesis and Judges and then write a paper answering the question: What is the nature of humanity and their relationship to Yahweh. I can't believe I found it as hard as I did. Anyway, just thought I'd post my response here too...
The ideal relationship of humankind to Yahweh is love, agape love to use the Greek term. Agape love is a selfless love. It seeks nothing for itself and everything for the object of its adoration. As human relationships demonstrate, love or even friendship cannot be required, but rather is chosen, which is why God created humanity with the ability to choose, also referred to as "free will." Yahweh knew that in order to have an agape relationship with humanity, humanity had to choose it. It is this characteristic that separates humanity from the rest of creation. As Josh C. said, God started the relationship and mankind had to choose whether or not to continue it.
By presenting Adam and Eve with a dilemma, a choice to make, God puts the relationship in their control. In Genesis 2 and 3, in the center of the Garden of Eden Yahweh places a tree, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and tells them not to eat from this tree. In Genesis 3, we see that much to the dismay of Yahweh, Adam and Eve make the choice to disobey by eating from the forbidden tree. The reaction of God seems as if he experiences the feelings of betrayal. This is one reason I suggest that the ideal relationship is one of love or friendship. Yahweh's response is to take away the ease of life as originally presented in the garden. Joseph H. made a great point when he suggested that perhaps the reason God dispelled Adam and Eve from the garden was less about punishment and more to keep them away from the Tree of Life. If they ate from that tree, they would no longer need Yahweh and his desire for an agape relationship with humanity would be lost.
The rest of Hebrew Scripture is about Yahweh calling humanity back into a relationship with him. Over and over God seems to put his people into situations where they must rely on him or trust him and demonstrate this trust and reliance through obedience. Yahweh asking Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac in Genesis 22 is an example. In this story Abraham seems to obey without question and along the way communicates a trust that Yahweh will provide another way. Along with that God seeks to thwart humanity's ability to rely on itself as in the story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11.
Protection and provision was automatically given to Adam and Eve in the garden. It was theirs to hold on to. Through their disobedience, humanity now lives absent of the protection and provision of Yahweh unless it first chooses to accept God's covenant that puts humanity in a servant role to Yahweh. If humanity will choose to serve God and will demonstrate that with unswerving obedience, God will in turn protect and provide for, even bless as said to Abraham, humanity. Or to be more specific, prior to the coming of the Messiah, God offers this covenant to the Hebrews, God's chosen people.
The ideal relationship of humankind to Yahweh is love, agape love to use the Greek term. Agape love is a selfless love. It seeks nothing for itself and everything for the object of its adoration. As human relationships demonstrate, love or even friendship cannot be required, but rather is chosen, which is why God created humanity with the ability to choose, also referred to as "free will." Yahweh knew that in order to have an agape relationship with humanity, humanity had to choose it. It is this characteristic that separates humanity from the rest of creation. As Josh C. said, God started the relationship and mankind had to choose whether or not to continue it.
By presenting Adam and Eve with a dilemma, a choice to make, God puts the relationship in their control. In Genesis 2 and 3, in the center of the Garden of Eden Yahweh places a tree, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and tells them not to eat from this tree. In Genesis 3, we see that much to the dismay of Yahweh, Adam and Eve make the choice to disobey by eating from the forbidden tree. The reaction of God seems as if he experiences the feelings of betrayal. This is one reason I suggest that the ideal relationship is one of love or friendship. Yahweh's response is to take away the ease of life as originally presented in the garden. Joseph H. made a great point when he suggested that perhaps the reason God dispelled Adam and Eve from the garden was less about punishment and more to keep them away from the Tree of Life. If they ate from that tree, they would no longer need Yahweh and his desire for an agape relationship with humanity would be lost.
The rest of Hebrew Scripture is about Yahweh calling humanity back into a relationship with him. Over and over God seems to put his people into situations where they must rely on him or trust him and demonstrate this trust and reliance through obedience. Yahweh asking Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac in Genesis 22 is an example. In this story Abraham seems to obey without question and along the way communicates a trust that Yahweh will provide another way. Along with that God seeks to thwart humanity's ability to rely on itself as in the story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11.
Protection and provision was automatically given to Adam and Eve in the garden. It was theirs to hold on to. Through their disobedience, humanity now lives absent of the protection and provision of Yahweh unless it first chooses to accept God's covenant that puts humanity in a servant role to Yahweh. If humanity will choose to serve God and will demonstrate that with unswerving obedience, God will in turn protect and provide for, even bless as said to Abraham, humanity. Or to be more specific, prior to the coming of the Messiah, God offers this covenant to the Hebrews, God's chosen people.
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