Widen the Road!

"...But small is the gate, and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it"

Matthew 7:14

This past week I began a Rob Bell book "Jesus wants to Save Christians". I am a big Rob Bell fan...it seems that he says what I am thinking...and he pushes the limits sometimes. He's not afraid to stir up some controversy...which I think is really healthy. In chapter 4 of the book (The chapter is called "Genital Free Africans"...I just had to put that in here, sorry..carrying on), he spends a lot of time talking about how the early church was so focused on, "the way things have always been done". It was against the law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile, followers of Christ had to be circumsised, everyone had to be baptised, sabbath had to be followed to the letter, and the list goes on and on. But Rob Bell focuses on some people who went against the grain. Phillip baptises an African Eunuch...as Rob Bell says, "you can't mess with the good if you don't have any". In other words...this person couldn't be circumsised, and yet Phillip still baptised him as a believer in Christ. Peter visits the home of a Centurian, a home filled with Gentiles, something that according to Jewish law was forbidden. There are many instances of people in the bible going against the religious leaders of the day.

Anyway, this book got me thinking that...it wasn't just like that for the early church. Today, there are many Christians who are doing their best to enforce the law, who are trying to keep things the way they have always been. It starts for people who want to become Christians...according to many they have to give up smoking, drinking, swearing...they have to dress a certain way, pray a certain way, get baptised, remove their tatoos, take out any piercing that isn't in their ears (or all of them if they are males). The list goes on doesn't it? I'm sure we all know people who are constantly judging other believers or new believers. Then they begin to enforce the rules of the church...the music must be only at this volume, the drums can't be too loud, the tempo can't be that fast, we must sing 3 hymns and 1 modern chorus, the sermon must be within 25-35 minutes, we can't have a woman pastor, children must be excused from the service, everyone must wear this type of clothing, no smoking within 100 feet of the church parking lot...the list continues. Now, fortunately I attend a church that is very willing to "accept the unacceptable". Our church is right next door to a rehabilitation center for recovering alcoholics...we get a lot of struggling people in our doors. Thank GOD we don't have anybody judging them...but the reality is, most churches have somebody like that...many churches are made up entirely of people like that. And it's awful.

My point is this...as the verse says at the start of this blog post "Narrow is the road that leads to life". I believe that...there is one way to get to eternal life and that is through Jesus. Unfortunately, I believe that many Christians make the road too narrow. They add on all of these requirements that aren't only unbiblical, but they are ridiculous. I think we have to be very careful to not make the Narrow Road too small. Here's my opinion on all of this...if a person loves Jesus, and believe that Jesus was (and is) the Son of God...and that Jesus was resurrected from Death, and they do their best to follow the instructions of Jesus...then they are on that narrow path. I think that when we reach heaven we will be very surprised at 1)who made it to heaven, and 2) who DIDN'T make it. A lot of these "law makers", I believe will be a part of the "depart from me" group, while many of these "law breakers" will be in the "Welcome my good and faithful servant" class. Can someone be a smoker and a Christian? Of course they can. Does it matter if they wear an AC/DC shirt to church on Sunday? Not really. People need to get off of their high horse and rip up their rule book (Their personal rule book...not the Bible, just to clarify). We need more Peter's and Phillip's. More people who aren't afraid to go against the current religious understanding of what is acceptable and unacceptable; hang out with Gentiles, baptise a Eunuch, and touch someone unclean. The bible says the road is narrow...it's not impossible to find.

I Doubt I'm the Only One Who Doubts

Lately I've been reading the book "The Case For Faith" by Atheist turned Christian Lee Strobel. In the book, he raises 8 common "barriers to faith", and interviews 8 prominent Christian thinkers, teachers and philosophers. I'm not going to talk about all of them, I'm only going to focus on one of them today, but just to settle all of your curiosity (as I'm sure you are just eager to know), the 8 stumbling blocks to faith are:
1) Evil and Suffering exist...so a loving God must not
2) Miracles contradict science, so they aren't true
3) Evolution explains life, which eliminates the need for God
4) I can't worship a God who kills innocent children
5) It's offensive to claim that "There's only one way (Jesus)"
6) A Loving God wouldn't send people to hell
7) The History of the Church is very violent and oppressive
8) I have doubts, so I can't be a Christian.

Each of the chapters were interesting in their own way, but I am going to focus on the last one...the chapter about doubts. Perhaps it's because it was the last chapter I read, but this chapter meant the most to me. Not saying that the others didn't mean anything...they did, but this one really spoke to me. What I loved about this chapter is, it didn't hide the fact that there are doubts. In fact, it claims that, most Christians have doubts, and struggle with doubts on a consistent basis. I definately needed to read that, as I, like most other Christians, deal with doubts.
A great quote, founmd early on in the chapter is by author Os Guiness (I read some of his stuff at Bethany...he's a great thinker). He says, "The shame is not that people have doubts, but that they are ashamed of them." Powerful stuff...and I think it's something that we all need to remember.
I'm not going to go too in depth on this, I just want to encourage all of you out there. I'm sure that you are dealing with some doubt, of some sort. Either you are a Christian and you struggle with doubting if God really loves you, hears your prayers, cares about you...fill the the blank. Or, you are a non-Christian, who perhaps, for whatever reason, have doubts about God. Maybe one of those 8 things listed is keeping you from accepting. PErhaps, as a Christian you are dealing with that stuff too. All I have to say is...it's ok. There are many biblical heroes who dealt with doubt. Abraham doubted, David did (read through the Psalms...most of them are laments, complaints and doubts...only about 40% of them are actual Praise psalms), and even Jesus closest friends, his disciples doubted. That's where faith comes in though. When you have faith, the doubts don't matter. You may not fully understand why things happen...but you can have faith that there is a reason.
Don't be ashamed of your doubts, or afraid of doubting. Question things you don't fully understand. IT'S PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE TO QUESTION THINGS YOU READ IN THE BIBLE OR HEAR AT CHURCH! The issue is, when you question it...don't just write it off as wrong, search for the answer. Some answers may come easy, others may not be answered...but don't let a few doubts hinder your relationship with God. In fact, it often takes times of doubting, to gain faith.
That's my thoughts for you...I realize it's not much..it's just an encouragement for those doubters out there. You're not alone...and it's ok.

It's All About The Now

There's a Kokanee commercial on now, which I'm sure you've all seen with the slogan "It's All About The Now". At first, this may seem like a selfish slogan, but, in reality, I believe that it is a slogan that is relevant...and one that Christians need to take to heart.
If most Christians were to make a commercial with a similar slogan, I believe that the slogan would go something like "It's all about Heaven!". Christianity is a religion that, unfortunately, has become focused on the future instead of the present. Christians are always living with the mindset of heaven. How many of you have heard slogans like, "I'm just passing through!" or "This isn't really my home...Heaven is my home". Those sayings are metephorically true, however they really miss the point of what being a Christian means. Being a Christian isn't just about a free pass into heaven. It's a lifestyle, a relationship with God. If Christianity was all about heaven, then once we became a Christian we would go straight to heaven, but, as we know...seeing as we are still on earth, that's not how it works.
People who are so focused on the "end", miss great opportunity here on earth. Let's put this into a little analogy here. Imagine that you are on the vacation of your dreams. Let's say you are in the Bahamas, during the warm, beautiful summer. Sitting on a lawn chair looking out over the ocean, with a drink in your hand (make it whatever you want...martini, beer, pepsi, coke, water...your choice! I'll go with a rum and coke for myself), and having the time of your life. But soon after you settle in for the vacation, you start thinking about life when you get home. You think about the work you will need to do, the people you need to see, the bills you have to pay, the items you need to buy...all these things that you need to do AFTER your vacation. If all your time was spent thinking about "after I get home", then you will not enjoy the vacation at all...or at least significantly less than someone who fully takes in the relaxation and beauty of the Bahamas. Now, i don't want to say that this life is a vacation and heaven is doing work and paying bills, but I do think you get the point. If you are so focused on heaven, and what heaven will be like, then you will miss out of incredible opportunities here on earth.
So let's take a lesson from Kokanee, live in the now...not focused on the "to come". Yes...it's ok to think about it, and to get excited for heaven...but don't let it consume you so much that you neglect the here and now. That's my opinion anyway.

The Big Bang Query

"Our whole universe was in a hot dense state, when nearly fourteen billion years ago, expansion started..."

So begins the theme song to the hilarious show The Big Bang Theory. No, this post is not going to be a review of the show (in 2 words, "It's funny"), but this post is going to talk about Christians response to evolution, the Big Bang, and science in general. How many of us have been involved in the debate, or at least know about the debate from Christians (most of our parents probably), who think that not only should Creation be taught in schools, but evolution should not be taught at all in schools. They claim that the Big Bang, and evolution, are merely weak theories about the beginning of the world, and are insulted that they would teach them as fact. First of all, I can't speak for all schools, but my biology class, the teacher made it very clear that the Big Bang and evolution were theories, and not proven science. What I have the problem with, is Christians who view Creation as fact. Yes, i realize what I just said...hear me out here. Can we actually prove Creation? Can we do some experiment to make it scientific fact? Not that I am aware of. Don't get me wrong, I believe the biblical account of Creation, however I also understand that, while there may be more evidence of Creation, it still can't be 100% proven, just like evolution and the Big Bang. Personally, I'm glad they teach evolution and the Big Bang in schools. Now, I do think that perhaps they should mention other theories of the beginning of the world, such as Creation, but I think it is important, especially for Christian kids, to hear the other side of the debate. As churched kids, all we hear growing up is about "In the beginning God created the world", and that it took 1 week to do it, and he just spoke it into existence. We don't question it, because that would be wrong to question the Bible. Being taught the Big Bang in school allows us to hear both sides, and be able to make our own decisions and come to our own conclusions. It's like someone who grows up in an Amish colony, and that is all they know...and then they experience the other part of the world...and they can make a decision on what they want to do. I have no problem with evolution and the Big Bang being taught in schools. I find it wrong that our Christian parents think that all schools, both public and private, should cater to us...teach us what we already believe. We want the Lord's Prayer taught in school, the Christmas and Easter story, Halloween should be banned...all that kind of stuff. Yet as soon as a Muslim wants the Koran taught, or a Mormon wants the story of Joseph Smith, we get bent out of shape and can't believe that they would try to take over the schools. Just back off, relax, take a chill pill...it's ok!.
That was a bit of a rabbit trail there, sorry about that. Anyway, back on topic here...Many Christians believe that science contradicts the Bible. They fear that scientists are out to get them, and prove the Bible wrong, and show that God doesn't exist. This is just wrong, or at least blown way out of proportion. Yes, there are som Athiest scientists who attempt to disprove the bible and God...but there are also Christian scientists who go out of their way to explain things so that the bible won't be challenged. It's a two way street here. The main issue is, as Christians, we feel that it is our place to defend God, and defend the Bible. We don't need to do that. God is big enough to defend himself...and if we truly trust the Bible is the Word of God, why are we so concerned with Science...does that not show a lack of faith in our Holy Scriptures?
The main reason that Christians are concerned with the Big Bang, evolution and science, is because Christians take every word of the Bible literally, and think that "it can't possibly be an exageration or analogy". Now, I don't want to say that the Bible is a book of legends and tall tales, because I believe that the Bible is true...however I also know that, in the culture of the day, story telling was an important part of the day, and being 100% accurate with all details wasn't as vital. I find it funny that, generally (except for Tim Lahaye and Jerry B. Jenkins), read Revelation as an analogy, and not literal accounts of what will happen...and yet the first part of Genesis is believed to be completely accurate in all details. Let's ask the question, for all you Bible scholars out there...who wrote Genesis?....anyone? Was it Adam or Eve? Cain? Abel? no....it was Moses. The Moses who was born while Israel was already in slavery in Egypt. How does he know exactly what happened in the beginning? Through story, most likely. Generation to generation, passed down from word of mouth. Likely, the story evolved a little bit over time. The important thing isn't that the Genesis account is a detailed, account of what happened...but that the main thing is true. Does it really matter if the world was created in exactly 7 days? (6 technically, as God 'rested') No, it doesn't matter if it was 7 literal days, or 7 figurative days (as a thousand years is like a day to God...so who's definition of a day is it anyway, God's or man's?), or if it was billions of years. Does it matter if the animals were created instantly, or through some sort of evolution process? Not really. Does it matter if the world just was, or if when God spoke a Big Bang cause the creation? No, it doesnt really matter. What does matter is only the first sentance of the creation accoung, "In the beginning GOD created the heavens and the earth". As long as God created everything, it doesnt really matter how it happened.
Science and Religion don't have to be so different, and they don't have to attack one another. God is Truth...and all truth comes from God. If we say that Science's "truth" is false...even though it is proven...then what are we saying about God? He created everything in his own way...no one knows exactly how it happened...because no one was there. It's not important how it happened frankly, it is just important that God did it. Is an earth that is thousands of years old vital to the Christian faith? Of course not...it doesnt matter if the old is a thousand years old, or 20 billion years old...God created it, and thats all we have to worry about. There's a lot of science that proves the Bible, actually...unfortunately too many Christians are focused on the hot button issue of The Big Bang, and of proving Darwin wrong, that we miss out on all the places that Science is actually proving God and the Bible. Stop focusing on the negative, and stop feeling that anything that contradicts what you were taught as a child has to be wrong.
All I'm trying to say is, that God is big enough to deal with all the "adversity" science can throw at him. It's not our job to defend him, he doesn't need us to do that.

As a side note, I just want to say that I used to be the kind of person who believed in the literal 7 day creation, and the 500 year old earth, and all of that sort of stuff. I saw evolution as a work of the devil and the Big Bang theory as evil. While I was at Bible school, I took a Genesis/Exodus class...and it pissed me off (at first). It mentioned all of the stuff that I wrote about in the blog. I thought that it was making light of the Bible. It took a long time before I stopped defending the Bible and my version of what happened, and before I could accept that perhaps there is some truth that the Genesis account might not include everything. So for all your doubters and defenders out there...I was where you are. I'm not saying you have to believe this, you can believe what you want, as long as God is at the centre of it. Just don't be so narrow minded that you can't even accept this viewpoint as a possibilty. In the words of Forest Gump...that's all I have to say about that.

Easily Offended

It seems like, constantly, all I hear about from Christian groups is "I can't believe that they would be able to show/write/draw/laugh about/whatever else that....I am SO offended!". Every time a movie comes out that includes the smallest hint of a "Christian joke", or a song that depicts God in a untraditional way, Christians get up in arms and begs people to sign petitions or to boycott certain movies, shows or artists. I say. take a joke people. seriously, get off of your high horse and stop getting offended at EVERYTHING!
When the movie Bruce Almighty came out, there was an uproar among many Christians who thought that a movie about a man who recieves God's powers for a short amount of time was unbiblical and heretical. Of course, the people who were "offended" never saw the movie, or else they would have realized that the point of the movie was to show that God is all powerful, and even when we don't understand why he can't just say YES all the time, he is in full control and knows what he is doing. The movie Year One also raged controversy, because it made fun of numerous bible stories. In my opinion, it was fun to watch a movie that shed new, satirical light on bible stories that I have gotten so familiar with that I found boring and no longer impressive. The Da Vinci Code...I don't even have to get into that one too much, as it is likely the most popular "offensive" piece of fiction/movie ever made. Jesus Christ Superstar, Saved, Harry Potter, the list goes on...and that's just movies. Television shows are no better in the minds of most Christians...Family Guy, The Simpsons, South Park...all are obviously from the devil because they include jokes about Christians or God. Now, I'm not saying these are Christian shows (the only one that MAY be is the Simpsons...and that's only because it is created by a Groening, so who knows), but are they from the devil? Well...other than South Park, no i don't think so (and even that I am joking). Songs as well have gotten Christians outraged, "What if God was One of Us", "God is a DJ", and anything by KISS or AC/DC are enough to send us, and especially the artists to hell. It's absolutely ridiculous. Pretty much anything other than Facing the Giants, Fireproof, or the shows Touched by and Angel or Promised Land are considered ok...and I'm sure even they occasionally had something that offended some Christian somewhere. And if the song isn't sung by a CCM artist (oh, and Ray Boltz doesn't count anymore, cause he is gay), it is also evil. GET OVER YOURSELVES PEOPLE!
What Christians need to realize, first of all, is, what is the point of the thing that is offending you. For example, The Da Vinci Code was a WORK OF FICTION. It said so at the start of the book, and was never meant to be taken seriously the way that it was. The TV shows, such as Family Guy, are meant to be funny and are offensive on purpose. They offend everyone, or at least attempt to. It's not a "let's ostracize the Christians" sort of thing, it's a "let's push the buttons and cause controversy" sort of thing. Also...Family Guy is created by an Athiest...do you really think he is going to go out of his way to glorify God and please Christians? of course not. If those things offend you, DON'T Watch Them...but don't get on your soapbox and cry bloody murder.
In my opinion, the most offensive things come from Christians. I've blogged about it before, but the Christian propeganda, that you find at Christian bookstores is stupid. Those T-shirts that make fun of "Guitar Hero" with the slogan "Godismy Hero"...seriosuly? And the stuff in church isn't any better either. The song "Blessed Jesus Meek and Mild"...was he really meek and mild? At times, but is that what Jesus wants us to remember...his meekness and mild manner? He got angry, he got frustrated, he pushed the limits. Facebook groups offend me, such as "become a fan of JESUS!". Is this the legacy Jesus wants...a fan page on Facebook? These things are most offensive to me because it is Christians putting Jesus in a lame, meek, mild, silly light. You want to know why non-Christians poke fun at us? It's because of this ridiculous stuff. We bring it upon ourselves. You don't see other religious groups with merchandise. There's no Muslim bookstores, with shirts that say "Mohammad is my homeboy", or "Allah Loves You". They take their religion more seriously...they don't need all that crap.
Perhaps the reason why we are so offended at movies like SAVED (I haven;t seen it, so I'm treading on thin ice here), is because it hits close to home. The creators of that movie was obviouisly basing it off of something, yes they probably blew it out of proportion, but who doesn't know a bible-thumping Christian who is always trying to convert everyone. Look at ourselves. People don't make fun of things or people that they respect. You won't hear a black man make an offensive joke about Martin Luther King Jr, because they respect him. What we need, instead of blowing up and getting offended...we need to look inward and ask "what do we have to do to make people respect us as Christians, and in turn, respect God". That's the million dollar question, and thats the main problem we have...not Family Guy, AC/DC or Harry Potter.

WWJD...the fad, the phenomenon!

Anyone who is even remotely familiar with Christian beliefs...whether they are full fledged Christians, or athiests who have ever talked to a Christian, is familiar with the acronym WWJD...or What Would Jesus Do? It's the question that Christians always ask one another when they are facing a decision. Frankly...I think this is ridiculous and needs to stop (to an extent). I definately think that we need to attempt to model our life like Jesus did, but it is really important to note that 3/4 of the stuff that we ask WWJD to, don't really matter. And frankl;y, most of what Jesus would do, we aren't capable of or don't have the balls to do. Let's look at this a little deeper.
Most of the Christians who use WWJD, seem to come to the conclusion that it's a simple black and white decision...well it's not. Jesus was often unpredictable. he did a lot of things that many of the "WWJD-Christians" wouldn't dream of doing. Many of the things that they decide Jesus wouldn't do, he would likely in fact have done. For example, may Christians will ask "Would Jesus go to this movie?" Well...probably yes. Jesus would go where he is needed. He put himself in situations that were uncomfortable, and that he could use as teaching moments. That would mean, that he would likely go to a movie that was violent, had sexual content and was vulgar, because it would give him an opportunity to spend time with those in need. he spent time with sinners. He went where it was "forbidden". If Jesus was here today, would you fidn him in the church, the Christian bookstore? Well, yes, he would likely be there, but he would also be at the raunchy movies, the strip clubs, the bars...the place where "sinners" are. That's where he went and who he spent his time with. He was with the prostitutes, the alcoholics...in fact in the bible people called him a "drunkard"...cause he spent his time with those people so much that he was associated with them.
So, you WWJDers...are you prepared to do that? Are you willing to go to those sinful places because that's what Jesus would do? I didn't think so.
I personally think that the whole notion of "WWJD" is off kilter. Make your own decisions...most people know what is right and wrong, and what they should do...just do it. If what you are doing is a sin, then stop...if what you are doing is bringing someone closer to God, or giving you an opportunity to help out someone in need...then do it. Yes, there are some grey areas...lots of them, but make your own decision. You don't need to constantly ask "Would Jesus wear this shirt/shoe combination?", "Would Jesus take this job?", "Would Jesus play golf?"...it's ridiculous, and it trivializes what Jesus came here for. he didn't come to earth to be put into a catchy acronym...he came to earth to redeem us...and TO DIE FOR US! That's what Jesus would do. he would live a life that pushed him to the outside..he would be associated with the hated, the unclean, the dirty and the sinners. He would be so revolutionary that he would ultimately die a horrible painful death. So stop wasting your time looking at the tacky bracelet before every small decision...frankly Jesus doesn't care where you live, what you eat, what you drink, who your friends are...and if he does want you in a certain place, he will arrange it to happen. Live your life, make your own decisions, and if you are going to attempt to completely follow WWJD then here are 3 things that you should do to live a life like Jesus, 1) never sin...ever, 2) spend most of your time with the homeless, outcast, sick, prostitutes, drug dealers, tax collectors, lwayers...the hated people, and 3) ultimately give your life up for people who hate you.
That's all I have to say about that. I realize that is controversial, that it is brass and brutal...but it's my opinion...what's yours?

The Uprising of Marriage and Positive Relationships

It seems that, when people talk about Marriage and stuff, they always talk about the negative. Stand up comedians always make jokes about how marriage sucks, and Pastors and other Christians always focus on the 50% divorce rate. Pre-marital sex, abuse, dysunctional relationships also get a fair share of attention, which makes people come to the conclusion that marriage, and even relationships, are pointless and useless. But I feel that attitudes are changing. And in my opinion, the attitudes are changing more so from the secular side than the Christian side.
Recently, Kristi and I have enjoyed going to movies. Ok..we have always enjoyed going to movies, but the last few movies we have seen have really driven home the importance of positive relationships, and shows the good parts, as well as the difficult parts of marrige. First off, The Blindside. This was much more than a football movie. It was a movie about a family. Yes, the family had some issues, but it was a good family. There was nothing in the movie that would hint of a negative marriage experience. We left the movie feeling uplifted, and not just because the football was inspiring.
Next came the movie Couples Retreat. This had potential to be a raunchy, depressing movie in which marriage is shown to be a negative experience, but the oposite was actually true. Yes, there was sexual stuff in the movie, but coming from Hollywood, this movie was fantastic. Now, i have never seen the movie "Fireproof" (nor do I intend to...sorry mom and dad), but from what I have heard, Couples Retreat is pretty much a secular version of that...couples trying to work out their problems. Unfortunately, due to some sexual content, many Christians won't want to watch this movie...which is really too bad. Seriously Christians...are we so self-righteous that we refuse to watch anything that has something "bad"...I'm not saying watch anything and everything, but really...you have to realize that Hollywood has different standards than we do, and if we let a positive movie like this get away from us, who knows where they will go. So i encourage you...watch it. Yes, be prepared for a little language and sex stuff...but watch the themes in the movie, and I trust that in the end you will be encouraged and even challenged.
Finally, the last movie we saw in theatres was Date Night. This one is even more filled with sexual content (just a heads up)...but once again, the theme is that Marriage is sacred, and you need to work out your problems, and not just immediately get a divorce when things get tough.
Hollywood isn't the only secular place that is teaching the value of marriage. Theres a new show on ABC called Modern Family. Now, many Christians are likely upset that this show contains a homosexual couple...but once again, they are living off of different standards than we are, and we can't really fault them for that. The important thing is, that this show really deals with the positives of family. It's a tight nit group, they don't always get along, but they love eachtoher and try to work things out.
I really hope that these movies and shows truly are a turn for the better. I really hope that people see marriage as a great life choice, and not a prison cell. Yes, marriage is hard, but you need to work on it. Things don't immediately get better once you get married...you have to work at it, do things you dont enjoy..but the benefits are amazing. I find it very encouraging that there are people who still see marriage as a good thing...I just pray that soon, Christians will view it the same, as unfortunately, many Christians are falling into the "marriage is lame" trap too. Take a clue from hollywood people. Marriage is great, you just have to work at it! There is power in family!

Stand Up For My Beliefs!

I'll admit, I enjoyed Veggie Tales. Ok, correction, I still enjoy Veggie Tales. One of my all time favourite songs from Veggie Tales, comes from the great Rack, Shack and Benny episode. It's the song "Stand Up" (Skillet does an amazing cover of the song...if you've ever wanted to hear a rock version of a Veggie Tale classic). The chorus simply goes, "Stand up (stand up), for what you believe in, believe in, believe in God (he's the one to back you up)..." Pretty catchy and good lyrics. Unfortunately, in too many lives today, both Christian and not, the song should really go "Stand up for what I believe in". It's too bad that Christians (everyone does it, but Christians seem to be the biggest culprit...but it does apply to all), preach about standing up for what you believe in, but when what you believe in contradicts what THEY believe in, then what you believe in is immediately wrong, and you are a sinner for believing it.
Going back to the "Hot Button" topics again, Christians want everyone to stand on the same soapbox that they are standing on. They scream, "Stand up for your beliefs...as long as your beliefs coincide with mine!". For example, the recent hot button issue of Gay Marriage. Now, i'm not going to say that I advocate gay marriage, I personally do believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman, but I also value other peoples beliefs...and frankly, from a non-Christian perspective, and coming from people who don't know the Bible too well, gay marriage makes perfect sense. Of course in a secular society marriage should be about 2 people who love eachother, regardless of gender. Christians think that because we have the Bible, that anyone who doesn't completely agree with the Bible is evil...when really, who are we to blame people for coming up with an idea that sounds really good, when they don't know anything about the Bible. How can we expect them to have the same opinions of us when they don't know? The same goes for abortion, and anything else. Let's let everyone stand up for their own beliefs. Yes, there will be conflict...beliefs won't always mesh together well, and some will be in direct opposition, but is that not the way it should be? Being a Christian is hard, and anyone that stands up for their beliefs is doing something very difficult. Before we slam them, and tear them down, can we at least commend them for going against the flow and standing up for something that means a lot to them? I can't stand PETA, but I at least commend them for being so hardcore about what they believe in. They take it too far sometimes (in my perspective), but at least they are not being hypocrites and are standing up for their beliefs. So...for the first time in my life, I will say, WAY TO GO PETA!
Of course, there are limits. There are some beliefs that need to be extinguished right away...after all we can't have the Klu Klux Klan or the Nazis running around again, but for the most part, most beliefs are ok. There definately will be conflict, but that is where, as Christians we need to show our love and patience. When our beleifs are up agaisnt someone elses beliefs, and their beliefs come out victorious...instead of claiming prejudice or persecution, we need to accept it and move on. Stay classy, and continue to show the love of Christ. I think one reason why many non-Christians find Christians stubborn, obnoxious and "righteous:, is because when we lose, or when our beliefs aren't fully met, we get indignant (big word!), and angry and cry bloody murder until our throats are hoarse...instead of backing down and taking it for what it is. God says life will be tough for those who follow him. People read the verse "My yoke is easy and my burden is light", and focus on the words "easy" and "light"...when reallt the keywords are "yoke" and "burden". Even if the yoke is easy, or the burden is light...you still have a yoke and a burden.
So this is my challenge...it's a twofold one. Stand up for beliefs, first and foremost. Don't let anyone tell you what you should believe...but at the same time, don't tell anyone what they should believe. Don't force someone to take on the same opinions and beliefs that you have. That's my soapbox rant...feel free to get on your own and shout back.

Cliche Christians

Christianity is one of those religions that has very cliche, overused phrases. To be honest, I am sick of them. I am not denying the truth behind them, because most of them are true (at least to an extent), but what I hate is how overused they are, and how often they are used without any thought. Some of these "pat" answers and phrases include, but are not limited to:
"God has a plan for you"
"Everything will work out"
"God loves you"
"Just Trust God!"
and finally, perhaps the most overused and most misunderstood, "Just keep praying!" (or a variation, "Pray about it"). There are hundreds more, feel free to comment and add more that you can think of, but you get the idea. It's frustrating that Christianity has devolved into catchphrases (as I mentioned in an earlier blog about Church Signs). I want to talk about the Prayer phrase in this blog..perhaps I will talk about another phrase another day, but today, it's all about prayer.
When I talk to people about my life, and tell them what's happening, most often at some point in the converstaion they will mention that they are praying for me and that I should keep praying. I think this is great advice, and I am touched that they would pray for me, but I think people miss the point of prayer. Should I pray about things in my life? Absolutely, no doubt about it, but, and here's the kicker, IF ALL I DO IS PRAY ABOUT IT, NOTHING WILL HAPPEN!!!. That's right, I just said that. Think about if for a minute, before you freak out and think that I am speaking out against prayer. I am all for prayer, but what I am speaking out against is ONLY prayer. Here's an example of what I am talking about:
Let's say I lose my job and am unemployed. If I sit at home, and pray to God and ask him to give me a job, but I never actually look for myself, then will I find a job? If I don't go online and search, or look through the classifieds, or hand out resumes, I will never find a job, no matter how hard I pray. When we pray, God expects us to act! Prayer requires some sort of action. God doesn't always answere our prayer is some miraculous way out of the blue (he does sometimes, but most of the time he doesn't work that way). So when someone tells me to pray about it, it bothers me...because I know that I need to pray, but I need advice about what to do WHILe I pray. Too often, people are so focused on praying and waiting for God to act, that they miss out on opportunities. Here is another anecdote, which you may have heard before:
A hige flood is sweeping through a city, and a man begins to pray. "God save me". A car drives by hsi house and offers to give him a ride, "No, God will save me", he says, and the car drives away. The waters rise, and the man moves to the top floor of his house, leaning out a window. A boat drives by and offers to give the man a ride, "No, God will save me", he says...and the boat drives off. The water rises again and the man is on his roof. A helicopter flies overhead, and offers the man a ride, "No God will save me", he says. The helicopter flies off and the man drowns. When he gets to heaven he asks God "Why didn't you save me?"...and God says, "I sent a car, a boat and a helipcoter...why didn't you escape with them?"
As ridiculous as this story is, it's truth hits closer to home than we would like to think. We get so caught up in praying for God to save us, that we fail to act for ourselves. Yes, God will help, but he wants us to work for ourselves as well. Don't overlook the car, boat or helicopter. Take action...yes, keep praying, but don't solely pray and then get angry when nothing happpens.
The book of James talks about Faith and Works...it's the same concept here. Just like we can't truly be Christians if we don't act like it, we can't truly Pray without action.
That's my opinion, you don't have to agree, but I hope that it does make you think. So before you give the cliche answers to someone, think about it first...what is this really saying? and is there anything else that you could say that isn't so common that it loses it's meaning?

Hot Button Christianity

I'm currently reading a novel called "Deadline" by popular christian author Randy Alcorn. Now, I don't want to turn this blog into a book review, but I do want to talk a little bit about the content of this book. The story follows Jake, a general columnist for a major newspaper, as he tries to figure out the mysterious death of his friends. Sounds like a clever, page-turning thriller doesn't it? Well, it is an interesting story, and it would be even more so, if Alcorn didn't do his best to try and fit in all the "hot button issues" he can. The book takes on 3 distinct parts: 1) What is heaven going to be like (one of the characters goes to heaven, and the story often tells about the wonders he is seeing while there), 2) The murder investigation (the basic plot aspect of the story), and 3) what I like to call The Soapbox. I have no problem with the 2nd aspect...and for the most part the other 2 parts as well..I just don't like that Alcorn feels obligated (at least it seems that way) to included all of it as much as he possibly can. Let's start at the heaven part.
Heaven is one of those mysteries that we will never fully solve until the day we arrive there. I have no real problem with books, or people in general, talking about heaven and making speculations about what it will be like, but I don't like someone writing in a novel about what it WILL be like. Granted, Alcorn never does say that this is an accurate depiction of heaven, but it doesn't go out of its way to say that it is fictitious either. I wonder what heaven will be like, I have images in my head and I can't wait to see how innaccurate they really are, but I take offense to someone telling me "This is what heaven will be like"..because no one knows. This also brings me to those "I died and spent an hour in heaven" books. I don't want to diminish their actual accounts (assuming they are true), but I personally don't think that anyone needs to write a book about exactly what heaven will be like. There is a beautiful mystery to not knowing. It keeps us curious about what it will be like. These books take away the mystery, or at least part of it, and I think that it is wrong. Let's leave heaven as a mysterious place that will only be fully realized what that day comes. Continue to speculate, discuss with people ideas of what it may be like, but we shouldn't come right out and say "this is what it is".
This bring me to the 3rd point. The soapbox. I hate the fact that Christinity has become a Hot Button Issue religion. It seems that every Christian book, movie, or even any time a Christian is portrayed in hollywood or on the news, that they are pushing their opinions. I think values are very important, and when given the chance we need to share our values with one another, but since when did Jesus tell us to make signs about the evils of "pro-choice", or to humiliate the sinful acts of homosexuals. I know that many Christians don't give into these protests and picketing...but many do. And many of the others who don't protest outright, do go out of their way to push their opinions on others.
I remember, while I was at Bethany, one time in particular, that someone tried to push their opinions on me. It was during camp days, and I was sitting with one of my friends on the couches in the common area. Sitting with us was one of the camp directors. For some reason, we started talking about abortion. My friend said something about "I believe that most abortions are wrong, but I think that there are times when an abortion is ok"...all of a sudden, the camp director looked at my friend, and firmly and angrily said "Your wrong!". WHAT? really? You are going to shut that opinion down just like that? I can understand with you not agreeing, but to bluntly say that someone is wrong, especially about such a debatable issue is insane. I hate that among Christian circles you either believe these certain things, or you are WRONG. It seems that as a Christian, we have to believe that all abortions are wrong, sex outside of marriage is evil, homosexuals are doomed to hell, stem cell research is from the devil, and countless other major issues that we deal with on a daily basis. Now, I'm not coming out and saying that I disagree with these things, I'm not saying that I completely agree with them either, but since when did we take away free choice. Who are we to judge what someone believes? Now, I do believe that there are some things that are wrong, in which the world seems ok with, but why do Christians feel that it is their personal vendetta to convince everyone that they are wrong? What happened to the "love everyone" and "build relationships with one another", that we used to believe. We need to stop being so critical of people, and pushing our opinions on everyone. There are times and places to push our opinions, and when people ask what you think of something, by all means share it with all of your might...but when someone makes a small little opinion about something, don't go out of your way to tell them that they are wrong. Instead, tell them your opinion, in a friendly, non-threatening way, and have a healthy discussion. Who knows, you may even expand your opinion about something...change your mind even slightly.
So put down the signs, stop the protests, rip up the petitions...we need to start being the loving, accepting, tolerant (to an extent) religion that we were meant to be. Jesus himself ate with sinners, likely talked with homosexuals, prostitutes...all sorts of "evil" people...he didn't agree with what they did, but he didn't judge them either. he didnt burn their homes, or start a protest march. he loved them for who they were, and what potential they had. He shared his beliefs and opinions, but in a non-threatening way. Oddly enough, the most threatening he ever was, was against the "Christians" (I guess Jews, at the time), when he turned the tables in the temple and called out the Pharisees. Perhaps, instead of casting judgement, and forcing our opinions on those "outside", we need to do an inner, gut check first.