Thoughts from the Portico

Digital Protesting

2012-01-18T07:52:00.000-08:00

Have you noticed that you cannot access some sites today? It is not your browser or ISP. The shutdown is a statement on behalf of some of these companies. They are resisting the SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) and the PIPA (Protest IP ACT). Now why in the world would successful and even very large Internet-based companies be against something called the "Stop Online Privacy Act?"

Could it be the the name of the bill does not really reveal what the legislation is actually about? Some time ago, I preached a sermon in which I said that when you begin to hear that they want to "regulate" the Internet, it might be a good time to start praying.

The fundamental issue behind these bills represents a concerted effort to control the world in which we live. Of course, there is pirating taking place on the Internet. And, of course, there are some people who are going to benefit from a lack of regulation. However, the real issue is not piracy. It is control. And who exactly gets to regulate all this? Is it a specific nation-state or will there be some kind of world-internet-police agency that will be in charge of keeping and eye on things? "

The Internet has historically been a fairly open-forum of information and communication. It is trans-national, trans-cultural, and trans-economic. Regulatory interests are going to change this. The only question is how will it change?

Are we awake yet? Is this once again the same old choice? Can it be that it all really comes down to love or fear?

The short and long of it

2012-01-03T04:56:00.000-08:00

The title should might read, "the big and small of it." Because what I am actually referring to here are decisions. Decisions are more often defined by size rather than distance but, at the same time, they also have ramifications that move forward in time and space. We might even say that the decisions we make have a history or, perhaps better, that they create a journey that can be short or long lived.

I have always been skeptical of choice. I am speaking here not so much about the individual choices that we make but rather the grandiose claims about choice itself. Some say that choice is the end all of human experience--the most important characteristic of being human. I have historically disagreed rather strongly.

Part of this is simply my education. My formal training both philosophical and theological has been decidedly anti-modern. Modern philosophy is generally traced back to Renee Descartes who gave us the famous (or infamous from where I come from) phrase, "I think therefore I am."

It is said that Descartes, perhaps unknowingly, literally moved the center locus of reality from the external to the internal. Specifically, as the father of what is commonly called "Critical Philosophy," Descartes saw an enormous problem with knowledge. In his quest for what he called "clear and distinct" knowledge, Descartes found that he could really know nothing for sure--except that he was thinking about it. The discovery caught on and, over time, we inherited a world that is completely uncertain. We now come to know and understand this world not be accepting it as it appears to us but by abstracting it--by pulling it in to our minds.

The key point here is that we now naturally do this. If we live in the West, Critical philosophy or approaching the world through abstraction is what we learn. It is the prevailing educational model and essentially the air that we breathe. So, in terms of the current discussion, there is no choice as to whether or not we think this way.

Now imagine being told that this basic tenet is actually wrong--that Descartes apparent revelation was, in fact, a misstep. That the modern world's embrace of the critical method did reveal knowledge but instead distanced us from it--perhaps so far that we can no longer even see it--even though it is right there in front of us. Imagine that and you have a basic picture of my formal education. (Makes me think of Paul Simon, "It's a wonder I can think at all.")

Despite whatever suffering I may have endured in all of this, I cannot deny that I have been blessed as well. For I have been able to see things that others do not. For example, I can see how the modern world's unrelenting emphasis upon choice has gone a long way to casting the world as a vast marketplace in which truth is largely relative. We simply traverse the universe picking and choosing our way... what to do, what to believe--what to buy--as though we might be merely working our way through a supermarket.

So anyway--choice. In a world that is so enamored with the wonder and power of the human mind, I have always had this nagging resistance to it. Right--because Descartes is the villain? So choice, is just a trap. It is the illusion that we gods of some kind and that our thought processes are more important, or even more real than the external world...

That's the formal reason for my skepticism about choice, but there is another, probably more relevant reason. I am also not especially bullish on commitment. I am much better at thinking about options than I am about living with choices. This is a confession BTW. The entire entry here might be. For despite my suspicion of thought--the fact is, it might be one of the few things that I actually do well. So if you're still following, the confession is hypocrisy or maybe just futility.

So what you have here is the anti-thinker thinking... And today I am thinking about the lasting impact of the choices that we make.

And what I am thinking about specifically is which are the more important. Is it those decisions that we imagine to be the big ones? You know, the handful that we can identify in a lifetime that appear to make those substantial differences in our journeys? Or, is it the smaller ones that we make every day? I suppose these would be likened to the tiniest edges of the fractal?

I am curious about this because I am curious about change. I mentioned in my last blog that I have been reading Carlos Castenada and listening to the philosophical musings of Don Juan. He seems to believe that change is not only possible but necessary--at least for those of us who care enough to live something other than a boring life. A Christian equivalent here might be Jesus' statement to Nicodemus that in order to see the Kingdom, "ye must be born again." Though I am not sure it is exactly the same thing.

There are certainly worse things than a boring life. However, Jesus seems to invite us to something remarkable. So the point, or rather the urgency, here is that we might well miss the kingdom if we do not change or become reborn in some way.

Of course, the modern world as well as many practicing Christians are quite sure that they see just fine. But I am curious today how choice fits into all of this? Does there come a point at which it is simply too late? That we are so far down the wrong road that we simply no longer have the capacity to reconsider some of the choices that we have made along the way?

Don Juan suggests that the issue (or the problem) is not simply the choices themselves. It is rather the attitude or posture with which we make them. He notes that most people live their life as though they are going to live forever. And because of this, there is a certain sloppiness (my word) about the way that we act. He suggests to Carlos Castenada that we should act as though our next action might well be our last. His suggestion is that we imagine ourselves the hunter but we are more rightly the prey.

"..if you are going to die there is no time for timidity, simply because timidity makes you cling to something that exists only in your thoughts. It soothes you while everything is at a lull, but then the awesome, mysterious world will open its mouth for you, as it will open for every one of us, and then you will realize that your sure ways were not sure at all..."

"It is not natural to live with the constant idea of our death, don Juan." [Castendad protests]

"Our death is waiting and this very act we're performing now may well be our last battle on earth," he replied in a solemn voice. "I call it a battle because it is a struggle. Most people move from act to act without any struggle or thought..." (p.85)

As I mentioned in my prior blog. I am not sure what to make of don Juan's philosophy but I appreciate his candor and his intentionality. As a man who has made it a point of avoiding both choices and the responsibility that comes with them, I find myself feeling a bit like Carlos Castenada--exposed and vulnerable.

Are all the surprises over?

2011-12-27T05:54:00.000-08:00

I have recently been reading Journey to Ixtlan by Carlo Castenada. I was supposed to read it 28 years ago when I was taking a college course entitled, "Native Americans" but I don't think I did. Or if I did, I am sure I didn't give much effort to understanding it.

There is actually a great story behind this too. When I started college, I had no idea what I wanted to study. After my freshman year, I decided to major in Environmental Studies (which was a pretty obscure major back then). I liked the subject matter and figured that I might become a park ranger or something but I hated going to the science labs.

The labs were three hours each and always in the afternoon which played havoc on my primary interest...athletics. I had also been taking some history and religion courses as part of the general education requirements. These were more interesting to me than even science and they had no labs so by the second semester of my sophomore year, I had declared a double-major in History and Religion.

I imagined the two fields to be complimentary. And they were to a degree. However, my primary historical interest was American History and the American History professor at the college was the wayward son of a Lutheran pastor. He not only despised Christianity, he fully imagined himself as some kind of Indian sorcerer. I trust that he got the idea from the the real or fictitious character of Don Juan--the desert mystic upon which Castenada's writings are centered.

So anyway, that was my college education. Half the time, I spent learning Christianity's relevance to the world and, half the time, I spent listening to my American History professor insist that it was the bane of human existence--though I think this was more my professor's baggage than a reflection of Don Juan's own sentiments..

There are many quotable statements in Journey to Ixtlan. In fact, I might have simply listed the chapter titles (Erasing Personal History, Losing Self-Importance are two of the first three!). Here is one of the statements from the book that has got me thinking:

On Erasing Personal History:

"You see," he went on, "we only have two alternatives; we either take everything for sure and real, or we don't. If we follow the first, we end up bored to death with ourselves and the world. If we follow the second and erase personal history, we create a fog around us, a very exciting and mysterious state in which nobody knows where the rabbit will pop out, not even ourselves." (p. 17)

I think that a great challenge in our time is freshness. Is it because we have a hard time imaging that something could really be new? Or is it simply that nothing really is? I like Don Juan's comment because I do not know how to feel about it. But I cannot argue with his logic. If we do not take everything as for sure and real, it certainly makes the the world more interesting--though it also makes it a bit less stable as well.

This will be an interesting year. There are simply too many omens and uncertainties to ignore them all. Here's wishing you a very NOT BORING New Year!

Christmas in the Camp

2011-12-21T06:18:00.000-08:00

[Spoiler alert: Christmas falls on a Sunday this year. Therefore some of the following is likely to be repeated on Christmas Day 2011. If you prefer your sermons uber fresh, you might want to wait until Monday to read this. It was not my intent to write a sermon but sometimes it just goes with the territory...]

In the film, "Schindler's List," the main character finds himself drug into a world of suffering. He doesn't go looking for the suffering. In fact, he initially finds himself financially blessed by the Nazi war effort and the subsequent slave labor created by the Jewish Ghetto.

As the story turn even darker, and Amon Goeth arrives to oversee the construction of a concentration camp, Oskar probably begins to see the inhumanity and evil that is connected to his own good fortune. Nevertheless, he intends to bifurcate his own story from that of the Jews who are working in his factory. The rationale is simple. Schindler is a German and a businessman. Although what is happening around him is sad, it doesn't concern him personally... Or so he tries to believe.

However, the worse things get, the more Oskar finds that the world is shared--that those who benefit from the Nazi regime are, in fact, connected to those who are suffering under it. Though he might want to believe that his story is distinct and separate from the men and women working in his factory, his experience increasingly demonstrates otherwise. Perhaps despite himself, Oskar Schindler comes to realize that he sincerely cares about these people. Their suffering is his suffering.

This identification with the other is, I believe, at the heart of the Christmas message. It is God's identification with us--and especially with our plight--that makes the Christian message unique. Yet, it is also what makes it universal. The Gospel story emerges from a specific tradition but the message that it declares belongs to all of Creation. And he shall be called Immanuel--God with us...

I realize that Occupy Wall Street is something of a political issue for some, and an enigma to others. I do not know all the ins and outs of the movement but there are some aspects that I certainly respect. I respect people standing up for what they believe--even when they may not be able to exactly articulate what that is. I respect people who work peacefully for change in the world and refuse to be defined by others simply because they have more power and influence. And I respect that the OWS people have given all of us something to think about by using the simple ratio 99-1.

To suggest that there might be a ratio to describe injustice is a provocative claim. To point out the considerable distance between the many and the few in this regard is, I think, a revelation in our time. The way that I have been describing it of late, is to invite us to think of a refugee camp. To imagine that there is a vast enclosed space--probably not unlike a prison, except that this prison is so enormous and so full of stuff that we never actually see the fences.

What the OWS folks have done by lifting up that ratio of 99-1 is to point out the fences. They dare us to consider that we too are probably a part of the poor and the disenfranchised. This is a startling consideration. For we might say that in the world there is something like a refugee camp. And we might acknowledge that a great many of the world's people are living in it. But can we see ourselves living in it right now? A strange, and perhaps unwelcome, suggestion. Yet, if the world really is divided into the 99 and the 1 (or the 999 million and the one), then things are not as they seem--and we are not who we imagine ourselves to be. In fact, if this is true, then we are the very people that we very often look down up-on and disregard...

That's the news. But this news is not all bad. And for a number of reasons.

First, the Good News here is that Jesus is born in Bethlehem. So it appears that God identifies with (or maybe even favors) the refugees. But that's not all, if we come to understand ourselves as refugees, things look different. Suddenly we begin to see that perhaps everyone we know lives in the same camp with us. And, therefore, we have a connection with others that we may have never really seen before.

Like Oskar, we might have initially assumed that we would be better off identifying with the people who are running things . But at some point, we begin to catch glimpses. We see what the system is doing to people--not only to others but to ourselves as well. We come to realize that we too are being run.

It is an important day when we see how much we have in common with the person getting our coffee. It is a really important day when we come to see how much we have in common with the person picking the beans for that coffee. And it is a painfully important day when we come to see how much we have in common with people who have suffered and died to place that same coffee on our table.

Initially, it might be frightful--the revelation. But then it becomes a blessing. Because we can then see that we have many more friends and a much larger family than we once understood. We begin to understand why solidarity matters and why justice is a worthwhile goal. Peace, too, becomes a more tangible and needful desire. The world gets clear and we begin to look for and work for something better--something very much like the Kingdom that Jesus proclaims...

Of poppies and pop culture

2011-12-12T08:38:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, our children's choir led our worship at Saint Francis. And I do mean led. The message that they brought was the message that many of us--myself included--needed specifically to hear. They sang a piece entitled, "Don't Miss the Manger." While the song might have drifted to the kind of sentimentality that we tend to associate with children and Christmas, the truth is that it turned out to be a powerful and prophetic lesson, especially to the terminally jaded in our midst.

Religion is dangerous stuff. It can so easily be reduced and manipulated. Marx called it "the opiate of the masses." He is generally criticized for the statement but that is just because what he says is so potentially true.

A friend recently forwarded me an article entitled, Americans: Undecided About God? from the New York Times. He notes how little God is mentioned in our society. He suggests that people should be more willing to talk about God in public but then quickly acknowledges the challenge given the simplistic and obnoxious expressions of spirituality currently representing the public sphere. The article is essentially an appeal for a better standard when it comes to religion. The writer suggests that many of us might want to discuss God more openly but we just cannot bring ourselves to do so when religion in our time appears to be so embarrassing.

I understand his assessment though I disagree with the solutions that he offers. It is tough though. It is hard to argue with anyone who sees the cheesy and sleazy that so often accompanies the world of religion. This is not really new though. Those who would aspire to a spiritual journey have always had to put in the extra time and work around the quicksand.

It's always easy to criticize religion. This is because, like politics, loud expressions of religion always give folk so much to work with. But have you noticed the secular lately? Not really looking much better over there. Turn on television and take a look at that stuff. There is no monopoly when it comes to the dumbing-down of America...

Frankly, I feel for anyone out there floundering in this sea of drivel. Believers and atheists alike have very little to choose from. It takes some work to find the higher ground. And, of course, for those of us who would follow Jesus, higher ground is something of an oxymoron anyway.

So what does it look like? Authentic life? True spirituality? How do we listen for a God who might speak somewhat softer than the experts would have us believe? And who might also be a bit more sophisticated than the intellectuals are counting on?

Jesus admonishes his would-be followers to be "wise as serpents; harmless as doves." So it probably takes some effort to rise above the noise out there. But I believe that it is worth it. It's "the good fight" if you will--to see beyond the cynical as well as the simple.

I was moved by our kids yesterday. They reminded me that I need to curb my condescension. That I am not as smart as I think I am, nor am I as safe. When the silliness drives us half-mad, it is easy to become self-righteous. But cynicism is a trap that is no better than ignorance.

I think that the truth is, we all need help. Let's not miss the manger.

Still Cynical? Here's Natalie Merchant offering a somewhat dated but always spot-on commentary on the human condition Candy Everybody Wants

50 Questions To Free Your Mind

2011-12-03T04:16:00.000-08:00

Some healthy food for the thought. Because sometimes asking the right questions is the right answer:

1. How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?
2. Which is worse, failing or never trying?
3. If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do?
4. When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?
5. What is the one thing you’d most like to change about the world?
6. If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?
7. Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing?
8. If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?
9. To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken?
10. Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?
11. You’re having lunch with three people you respect and admire. They all start criticizing a close friend of yours, not knowing she is your friend. The criticism is distasteful and unjustified. What do you do?
12. If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be?
13. Would you break the law to save a loved one?
14. Have you ever seen insanity where you later saw creativity?
15. What’s something you know you do differently than most people?
16. How come the things that make you happy don’t make everyone happy?
17. What one thing have you not done that you really want to do? What’s holding you back?
18. Are you holding onto something you need to let go of?
19. If you had to move to a state or country besides the one you currently live in, where would you move and why?
20. Do you push the elevator button more than once? Do you really believe it makes the elevator faster?
21. Would you rather be a worried genius or a joyful simpleton?
22. Why are you, you?
23. Have you been the kind of friend you want as a friend?
24. Which is worse, when a good friend moves away, or losing touch with a good friend who lives right near you?
25. What are you most grateful for?
26. Would you rather lose all of your old memories, or never be able to make new ones?
27. Is is possible to know the truth without challenging it first?
28. Has your greatest fear ever come true?
29. Do you remember that time 5 years ago when you were extremely upset? Does it really matter now?
30. What is your happiest childhood memory? What makes it so special?
31. At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive?
32. If not now, then when?
33. If you haven’t achieved it yet, what do you have to lose?
34. Have you ever been with someone, said nothing, and walked away feeling like you just had the best conversation ever?
35. Why do religions that support love cause so many wars?
36. Is it possible to know, without a doubt, what is good and what is evil?
37. If you just won a million dollars, would you quit your job?
38. Would you rather have less work to do, or more work you actually enjoy doing?
39. Do you feel like you’ve lived this day a hundred times before?
40. When was the last time you marched into the dark with only the soft glow of an idea you strongly believed in?
41. If you knew that everyone you know was going to die tomorrow, who would you visit today?
42. Would you be willing to reduce your life expectancy by 10 years to become extremely attractive or famous?
43. What is the difference between being alive and truly living?
44. When is it time to stop calculating risk and rewards, and just go ahead and do what you know is right?
45. If we learn from our mistakes, why are we always so afraid to make a mistake?
46. What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?
47. When was the last time you noticed the sound of your own breathing?
48. What do you love? Have any of your recent actions openly expressed this love?
49. In 5 years from now, will you remember what you did yesterday? What about the day before that? Or the day before that?
50. Decisions are being made right now. The question is: Are you making them for yourself, or are you letting others make them for you?
[I found this at http://www.marcandangel.com/2009/07/13/50-questions-that-will-free-your-mind/ though I am not sure this was the original source.]

Integrity

2011-11-23T07:00:00.001-08:00

I want to begin by apologizing for anyone who slogs through my comments this week. Our administrative assistant--who is a wonderful person btw--was out of town for Thanksgiving when I began writing this. I also want to apologize for the length that this is likely to be. Though it may not seem it, I generally do try to stay focused. But this is liable to get long and trying. So use your judgment here. If you begin to feel exhausted or bored--or, if you find that my thoughts here make you want to like me less--then please go do something else. We live in an age that is devoted to superficiality. So while I am passionate and feel that my reading comments here are important, they're probably not important enough to trade for the patience of my friends.

Clarification: The word integrity is most often used as a moral qualifier. It references a measure of trustworthiness. However, I am pretty sure that this is actually a derivative meaning. The word fundamentally refers to the concept of wholeness or singleness, as in a chemical compound or solution. To have integrity means to be more consistent and less polluted. A person of integrity is solid in their constitution and understandable in their speech because they carry themselves and speak from a center that is whole.

I begin here because I believe that one of the best ways of understanding our world today is to note that it is seriously lacking in integrity. What I mean here is not merely that people do not tell the truth or that they have mixed motives and agendas. I mean, rather, that the very framework of our reality is severely polluted. Our society seems to be functioning out of corrupted center. It may have always been thus but if it has, I have not always been aware of it.

To explain what I mean here, I offer three simple questions to consider. To what extent are we being lied to by the powers? To what extent are these people aware that they are doing this? And to what extent do we, the people, care?

To what extent are we being lied to?
There are three ways to answer the first question. We are either not lied to; we are somewhat lied to; or we are considerably lied to. Certainly, some believe that everything that we are told by the powers (political leaders, economic experts, and the media) is true but this, it seems to me, is a small percentage of people--at least of the handful of folks reading this blog.

Most folks probably assume that there is some misrepresentations afoot. We may even believe that this is o.k. Perhaps we assume that our leaders have our best interests at heart so if they have to lie in order to protect or serve the larger good in some way, we can accept that. I am not in agreement with this philosophy but that is not even my primary concern at this point. I am rather wondering at what point somewhat becomes considerable. For sadly, it seems that we are seeing more and more evidence that much of what we see and hear from power these days is either a complete lie or some kind of derivative of a previous lie. (When I refer to the powers here, I am not talking merely about politics. I am referring to the entire structure: geo-political and corporate-economic.)

To what extent are these people aware that they are lying?
While the initial question is uncomfortable enough, the second is even more disconcerting. I do not want to belabor this but I do want those of us who are interested to think about the ramifications. You see, the assumption is that people in leadership positions know what they are doing. By this, I mean that they are the agents of the ideas that they present and the policies that they put into place.

In this regard, we might say that such leaders are people of integrity. Because even if we do not agree with them, they are still speaking sincerely from their own center. Or, to put it another way, we would trust that these people believe their own nonsense even if no one else does.

Of course, another possibility is that these people are intentionally lying. That they are either acting insincerely themselves or they are being coerced in some way to betray their own integrity. The examples here would be, first, a leadership that believes lying is expediently necessary for the greater good or, second, a proxy leadership that has been secured through blackmail or bribery.

There is actually a third possibility as well. It might be possible that these people have somehow already lost their integrity (their center). That it has been replaced by something else and therefore they cannot recognize their own lies.

A common way to think about this third example is to speak of a puppet. We have all probably heard reference to "political puppets." This is certainly an appropriate metaphor but I am thinking here of something a step beyond even that. I am thinking of people who may not even comprehend the ways in which they are being used by some other person or some other force. [If it is possible that leadership can be so completely compromised, then imagine the condition of those who are following...] This brings us to the final question.

To what degree do we care?
Some would say that the details are of little concern to the people--that as long as things are going well (or well enough), it does not matter whether or not our leaders are lying. This, btw, is very relevant to the current situation. For it seems that the greater constituency of our society is quite happy to allow anything to be done in its name as long as they can somehow see themselves participating in the benefits.

For example, when we read about things like war and torture, a denial of civil rights or national autonomy, we are numbed by the illusion that what we are reading about does not pertain to us. Someone tells us that these things are going on somewhere else and that because of this, our lives are somehow better. We then instinctively believe not only that the claim is true but that these otherwise negative images in no way apply to us--that because these other people are being warred upon and tortured and denied of civil rights, these things are somehow further away from us.

This is disconcerting and, I think, misunderstood. It is foolish to imagine that the wickedness that we let loose on the world will not someday arrive upon our own doorstep. And I fear that such a time is closer than many of us realize.

What is happening?
For some time now, the citizens of our society have been systematically scared into a state of compliance. And once scared, we have little energy to question laws that continue to reduce our freedom. So the great irony is that while we are being told that we are waging all these wars "for our freedom," the fact is that we are becoming less and less free. Therefore, through legally justified ends, we are circumventing moral questions and our society is giving way to tyranny. And because much of our society is thoroughly distracted (with anxiety, entertainment and hedonism), a lot of this is going largely unchecked.

Meanwhile, I sense that there are very real practical and humanitarian consequences for all of this. I am writing now mostly for my own clarification. I guess if I am willing to say some of these things out-loud, then I must actually be considering them. It is kinda like I am pinching myself and asking, "am I really seeing this?" It is a bit surreal.

So I offer my thoughts here to anyone who might be able to set me straight on all this. Tell me I am just seeing things. But first let me tell you what I am seeing...

First Case In Point--WAR:
Are we hearing these highly charged comments about Iran (or Syria or Pakistan or China)? Does it strike us as curious (dangerous?) that supposedly left-of-center politicians seem to have nearly identical ideas about Iran that supposedly right-of-center politicians have? Are we really to imagine that these men and women have spent hours and hours pouring over the facts and have come to this conclusion?

Our public leadership is now talking about Iran in the same ways that we have already heard people talk about Iraq and Libya and Afghanistan and other places. In the days in which I have been working on this, NATO has apparently done something in Pakistan as well. Do you or anyone you know really want to go with war with Iran? Oh, and China keeps coming up too... Where does all this love of bloodshed come from? Who is interested in this? And who is going to benefit?

I recently saw a video in which Michele Bachmann stated that Iraq should reimburse the US for the cost of the war there. An interesting suggestion given the apparent facts. Has it not been pretty much settled that Iraq had nothing to do with 911 and that there were no weapons of mass destruction... So let me get this straight, we have someone running for a major office in this country who believes that it is o.k. to wage unjustified war, thoroughly destroy another country's infrastructure, kill hundreds of thousands of people, and then demand some kind of reimbursement for the trouble. Is this the world we now live in?

BTW, this is not partisan. Democrats and Republicans alike all seem wildly enthusiastic about violence these days. Meanwhile, average people are suffering greatly. Run a searches on what returning soldiers are saying about their time in Iraq. Remember when war used to be bad?

Maybe we can comfort ourselves with some nonsense about keeping us safe. But from what exactly...

http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2011/11/congress-to-vote-next-week-on-explicitly-creating-a-police-state.html

http://www.infowars.com/senate-moves-to-allow-military-to-intern-americans-without-trial/

Second Case in Point--Banking Cartels:
There is a push to centralize Europe. It is coming from the global financial interests. There is also a more subtle interest in doing a similar thing with the U.S., Canada and Mexico. [Don't take my word for it. Do a little research on The North American Union and see what you think. BTW, I like Canada and Mexico, I just think stuff like this should be more open.]

In connection to Case in Point #1, the interest in both European and North American politics these days is driven by the financial world. I realize that it is cliche' to talk about the evil power of banks but it is getting harder to ignore that money is part of all this. Take a look at what is/has happened in Greece and Italy. Those are not haphazard replacement parts. Iceland might be the best example. The thing to think about here is how interest works (pun intended). Bankers do not do things out of the goodness of their hearts, Human Nature 101 suggests that people want things and they make deals that help them get what they want. And the more they get, the more they have to "secure." And the more people have to secure, the less tolerant they are with volatility.

Oh, and did you see this?

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/business/2011/11/bank-bailout-was-way-bigger-anyone-thought/45432/

In case you are tired of all the links, the number in the article is nearly $8 trillion. So what do all those people who were in such a hurry to crucify the Madoff family want to do with the people responsible here?

Third Case in Point--Repression:
This one is harder to see because things have been warming slowly--kinda like frogs in a pot. It is getting more obvious though...

http://current.com/community/93556545_time-magazine-changes-revolution-redux-cover-for-us-print-only.htm

http://www.aclu.org/blog/national-security/senators-demand-military-lock-american-citizens-battlefield-they-define-being

There also appears to be a bill out there to give the authorities more power to control the Internet

http://insearchofsimplicity.com/tag/congressional-bill-to-limit-internet-use/

Not long ago, someone sat me down to tell me about some of the things that I am doing wrong as a pastor. Several of her points were helpful and I appreciated this person's courage to speak with me. However, one of the things she noted was that I had made some reference to politics in one of my sermons and she didn't like this.

I wasn't sure exactly what she meant because although I certainly do address worldly issues, I make it a point to avoid anything that might be construed as partisan. I do this because I don't want to give people an excuse to ignore the help that I am trying to offer them. That... and I am actually doubtful that we even have a two-party system anymore.

Anyway, the truth is that social commentary been an important part of theological and spiritual work for as long as people have believed in God. Just about every person who is referenced in the Bible is there because he/she had something to say about the world around them. And it was generally not favorable.

In this way, saying that politics and religion don't mix is a statement about a natural tension that exists. It is probably a healthy tension given that both of these strong arms of human civilization have, at times, abused their power.

In Jesus' parable of the Great Judgment, the nations of the earth are brought collectively before the throne of God. I do not know whether the judgment will have anything to do with our regional or national affiliations, but just in case, I would prefer to go down as being a part of a peace-loving and just society.

Don't Feed The Trolls

2011-11-15T05:21:00.000-08:00

This past Sunday afternoon, I made it downtown to check out the Occupy Charlotte gathering. I wish that I could say that I did this on my own initiative but the truth is that a gentleman in the church had been discussing the situation in a class that he was teaching and had come to me seeking some direction on how he and others might reach out to these people in an appropriate way. I told him that I thought that idea was great and that I wanted to support his class in any way that I could. It turned out that the best way was to physically go with him to meet and talk with some of these people.

Initially, the plan was to provide a simple worship experience on site for those who might appreciate it. However, when we arrived, it became clear that this was not the best way forward. Instead, we sat with a group of people who were actually having something of a strategic planning session. They were using the technique of role-playing to think about some of the challenges facing their goals. It was really quite interesting and inspiring. Because it was clear that they wanted to express their concerns without breaking laws and drawing negative attention to their efforts. The role-playing helped to reveal some of the traps that would likely emerge simply because of the many different people involved.

After about 40 minutes or so, the training session was over and everyone left their "character" parts to discuss more practical matters such as their weekly meeting--they called it a General Assembly. The woman who was leading the training assumed that my friend and I were reporters because we had not really introduced ourselves yet. I explained that I was rather a pastor and explained the story of how we came to be there. While the people were very nice, it was clear that there was an undercurrent of suspicion. It reminded me that Christianity still has a long way to go in terms of restoring its reputation among many people. However, the more we talked the more comfortable everyone became. We stayed a while longer and then turned back toward our car to drive home. As I was leaving, I was struck by the difficulty of their path and the remarkable dedication that it is going to take to accomplish some of the change they and many others are looking for.

There were only about 20 or 30 people at the site when we were there. There were eight or so of us in the middle of the grounds working in the role-playing session--a couple of folks on chairs, the rest of us sitting directly on the ground. There were three or four folks standing near the street holding signs and the rest of the camp was doing other things such as working with the main shelter that held food and other supplies and simply talking amongst themselves.

Every few minutes, someone would drive by and shout something negative from a car--predictable things like "Get a Job you lazy..." To which one or another person from the camp would shout something back at them. At one point, after this had escalated somewhat, one of the women in the training session said, "Don't feed the trolls." Her statement stood out. It was clear that she was trying to encourage the camp to stay focused and not let the movement and the people drift to a lower level of purpose. She didn't say anything more or harangue those of the group that had let their frustration get the best of them but she did make her point. Shouting back negative things at cars was not going to accomplish their goals.

Don't feed the Trolls... I am not even sure I know what that phrase means but it immediately made sense to me. It reminded me of my own temptation to return fire with fire, idiocy with idiocy, hate for hate. And it is hard sometimes because trolls (and they come in many forms!) can truly get annoying. But the fact is that feeding them just encourages them, doesn't it? Seeing the rise out of us fuels their appetite for destruction and negative energy. Seeing us loose our composure and sink a level or two only serves to assure them that there suspicions about us are correct.

This was something that the early Church constantly had to struggle with. It is something that the Church always has to struggle with. The world is watching. And there are those who enjoy nothing more than catching Christians behaving badly. BTW, there are trolls in in the church too.

So what do we do? I don't think the point is to simply take the abuse (though, according to the Sermon on the Mount, it might be). But we do need to be careful about how we respond. Because the message always includes the package that it comes in. Sometimes folks are simply not listening. Other times, they are just hoping to drag you down. It is at these points that we must resist the temptation to feed that negativity. Because the fact is, it's just tough to change the world by shouting at passing cars.

For those who are curious, I respect what folks are trying to do in the various Occupy sites. I sense that they are facing an enormously uphill battle. But I like the fact that people stand up for what they believe and what they believe in. It seems to me that we are living through some challenging times and we really do need some change. I do not know what is going to come of all this but it is my sincere hope that it does not turn us all into trolls.

Some Fine Morning

2011-11-07T07:30:00.000-08:00

I had breakfast this morning with a number of men from our church. After we had finished, one of the gentleman waited to speak to me. He asked me if I was O.K. I was a little surprised because we all had a great breakfast, pretty-much laughing all the way through it. I wondered what kind of aura I was giving off.

I replied that I was fine and that I actually felt very good. To which he agreed and said that he sensed the same but just wanted to check. After we talked for a while, I got in the car to drive to work and realized that I really did feel good. I then went on to have a great morning--talking to others, catching up with some friends via email and then having the time to work on my blog.

All that positive reinforcement strangely reminded me of how sometimes it seems that just when our work is over and we might have some time for rest that we are called home. I briefly considered that my present joy might perhaps be a sign of some imminent demise... Of course, that is just the kind of morbid thought that I would expect from myself on an otherwise perfect day!

But it is not altogether crazy. Think of MLK's final sermon or Kennedy's warning to the country shortly before his death. Think of Jesus' important work and how just when it seemed that the disciples might be getting it that he was soon saying goodbye to them.

I remember well the last conversation that I ever had with my dad. I remember leaving the house thinking that I had never seen him so much at peace. The next thing I knew I was getting a call at college from my mom telling me that he had had a heart attack. Strange...

I certainly do not sense that my work on this earth is done--I probably won't even get it done, even if I live another forty or fifty years. Still though, it is something to think about. That we all have some stuff to work on down here. And when it is accomplished, it will be time to go home.

Death is a taboo subject in our modern world. We go out of our way to make sure that we only see things that are full of youth and health, vitality and vigor. It is no longer enough that we watch all those shows about celebrities, we now have shows that update us on what is happening with celebrities when they are not doing shows... Coincidentally, I received an email today from one of the local plastic surgery offices, the subject line read, "You can be Beautiful for the Holidays & Save." Since I am having such a good day, I am going to assume that it was SPAM and not the universe trying to tell me something!

Of course, the truth is that death is part of life. And while I am in no hurry to experience it, I also do not want to let it secretly enslave me. What I mean here is that our fear of death can actually keep us from living life. And fear itself is very likely a form of death. In this way, Christian claims about resurrection and eternal life are probably profound truths that we are just beginning to understand.

For those who are looking for the "practical point" in all of this, here it is: In several places, Jesus makes reference to the surprise of the Gospel. Most familiar here, is his statement, "For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it." (Lk:24) But Jesus puts it slightly different later in Luke's Gospel, stating, "Those who try to make their life secure will lose it, but those who lose their life will keep it." (Lk. 17:33)

I sense that there is more here than we generally see. Of course, we understand this in terms of final things. But is not what Jesus is saying here also true in daily or common things? When we think of free people, or people who are truly alive, do we think of people who are all bound-up and worried about things, strategically trying to secure everything and insuring the future? Or, do we rather think of the people that we know who venture their lives--people who, by casting aside fear and anxiety, invest themselves in the people and the worthwhile projects around them? People, who in a sense, die to themselves and thereby also die to their fears.

Alison reminds us of the beautiful craziness of all this... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdRdqp4N3Jw

More than a whisper

2011-10-24T05:38:00.000-07:00

Sometimes God sends us just the right surprise at just the right time. These are gifts that sustain us or, at least, provide us sustenance along the journey. These can come in a number of forms--usually one that makes some kind of sense to us.

I've lately been reading a book entitled, "The Perks of Being a Wallflower." The story is simple really. It is essentially a novel told in the form of a diary. Charlie has recently entered high school and he is something of a freak. Or, at least, he is told as much by his older sister--and perhaps half the kids in the school he attends, though he doesn't mention this in the diary. Of course, what makes Charlie freaky is simply the fact that he does not fit with whatever it is that identifies the center-point of the world that he must navigate. As this world continues to unfold before him, Charlie feels its weight. Maybe we all do; but we don't all write about it. Most of us don't even talk about it.

For Charlie, the gifts along his journey often come to him in the form of what he calls good music. There is nothing more valuable in Charlie's life than a thoughtfully considered mix-tape. Even in my forties, I can greatly relate. Sometimes I get the sense that there is no one who could stand to hear about all the stuff going on inside my head--except maybe God. But I figure even he gets sick of hearing from me--at least about some things. So I guess every now and then, he sends me a good mix tape.

Here are some of the treasure maps that have kept me going and reminded me that I am not the only freak out there.
so i stumble home at night
like i've stumbled through my life
with ghosts and visions in my sight
we are always living in twilight
"Twilight," The Weepies

Jesus says Mother I couldn't stay another day longer
Fly's right by me and leaves a kiss on her face
While the angels are singing his praises in a blaze of glory
Mary stays behind and starts cleaning up the place
"Mary," Patti Griffin

Oh people, look among you
It's there your hope must lie
There's a sea bird above you
Gliding in one place like Jesus in the sky
We all must do the best we can
And then hang on to that Gospel plow
When my life is over, I'm going to stand before the Father
But the sisters of the sun are going to rock me on the water now
"Rock Me On The Water," Jackson Browne

I know I got a bad reputation
And it isn't just talk, talk, talk
If I could only give you everything
You know I haven't got
"Bad Reputation," Freddy Johnston

Oh, give me more than a whisper
If your sayin', I love you
'Cause it's the whispers
That I've never understood
"More Than A Whisper," Nanci Griffith

Our Greatest Fear

2011-10-17T07:12:00.000-07:00

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. (Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles", Harper Collins, 1992. [From Chapter 7, Section 3])

According to Wiki, this quotation and various pieces of it have been used over and over again and attributed to everyone from W.E.B. Du Bois to Nelson Mandela. However, it's original source--or, at least in the complete statement here, comes from Marianne Williamson.

I include the quotation as somewhat of a continuation of a sermon that I preached yesterday entitled, "Who do you favor." In that sermon, I tried to extrapolate on Jesus' underscoring of the scriptural claim that we have been made in the likeness or the image of God. Even though the sermon was long--longer than I wanted it to be anyway, I still felt that I did not have enough time to even begin to explain the possible joys (and potential pitfalls) of such a claim.

Frankly, I trembled a bit preaching that sermon. Even though the statement is entirely scriptural, there is just something nerve-racking about suggesting that we might be something more than wretched sinners saved by grace. And we are most certainly that. But having been claimed by this grace, do we dare lift our heads? Or, are we better off remaining on our knees, praying that God will not change his mind and lap them off?

It is a struggle is it not? How do we remain humble and always grateful; while, at the same, time daring to lift our hearts and step forward in courageous faith?

I think that this is why Williamson's words are so often quoted by motivating coaches and commencement speakers, politicians and poets alike. For it states aloud something that is surely true for many of us. Namely, that is not limitation but potential that is the more crippling. It is fear of our light--a light that has been dimmed so thoroughly within us that we might have forgotten it is there.

Part of this, of course, is well-intended. Often times, we squelch the light because we have seen how it can be misused in one way or another. Rather than a beacon, it can be used as a flood lamp or pulsating neon marquis, pointing not to the wonder and glory of God but rather drawing attention only to itself. We see well who we do not wish to be. And this keeps us from risking any of who we are...

But at the same time, there is something within us that resonates with Williamson's words. We know that she is right. And we would embrace her invitation--if only we knew how to rightly reveal the light that surely must be within us.

Jesus' tells a parable in which three people are given three different sums. They are then sent into the world, apparently with the expectation of doing something with them. One of the three takes what has been entrusted and buries it in the ground so that it will not be lost--a reasonable response, particularly given the bearish nature of our times! But in the story, this is not acceptable. Indeed, those who ventured their gift are praised while the one who hid it is judged very harshly-- "even what you have will be taken away."

We get it. Life is for living. But perhaps the investment in not so hard. Perhaps God is calling us not to create the light or borrow it from someone else. Perhaps, the nature of the light or the investment that Jesus refers to, is simply that which has been given uniquely to us. In other words, maybe our contributions flow from our unique passions and the very things that we long to share. What a great revelation this would be! In this way, the return is not what I produce but how who I am has brought light into the world in one way or another.

Help us, O Lord. Help us to be who we really are...

BTW, I took that picture this weekend at Table Rock on the Blue Ridge Parkway!

Militant Religion

2011-10-11T05:06:00.000-07:00

Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (Phil. 2:12-13)

Caution: This is one of those PG-13 entries. But not for the usual reasons...

I recently came across a strange article. The headline read, "Jesus Antichrist: Does Joel’s Army Actually Worship Satan?" Nothing like extremists using extreme language to talk about other extremists.

I seriously heard the term "Dominionism" for the first time less than a year ago. [As I am writing this, I see that the spellchecker on Blogger doesn't even recognize the word yet!] The term was brought to my attention by a friend who's reading of and experience with Christianity has been less than encouraging. After he explained it to me, I actually did not believe that it was real. Or, if it was, it had to be very fringe. I didn't give it another thought.

And then I found this article--which is actually a link to a two-hour documentary. I have thus far only seen the first 45 minutes. It was all I could take. The video shows preachers and ecstatic worship services interwoven with scripture references and occasional commentary. Additionally, the video shows lots of young people in skits, worship experiences and even prophetic utterances. Time and again, the focus of the message is that God is raising up a "new breed" with a "special destiny." The imagery and references are consistently to some kind of Christian army.

It was creepy to watch. It was creepy to see how easily religion can be distorted. It was especially creepy to see that children are apparently an integral part of all this.

It is always a risk for Christians to raise question with what might be going on over there in some other corner of the Church. I readily admit this. And I readily admit that I am not sure what God is (or is not) up to in the various expressions of spirituality that pop up from time to time. However, it does seem appropriate for anyone who is serious about the spiritual life to honestly consider whether or not the message that they are listening to, and potentially acting upon, really matches the faith they are claiming to profess.

In this regard, it is hard for me to look at the Jesus we see in the Gospels and see a militant being. It is hard for me to listen to the Jesus who offers us the Sermon on the Mount or sits with his friends on the eve of his betrayal and imagine that this same figure might one day demand that his followers traipse wildly across the globe like a swarm of runaway locusts.

Like I said, I do not claim to know exactly what God is doing at any given moment. All I know to do is consult the scriptures, consider the historic faith of the church and listen for the voice of the Spirit.

Jesus said, "many are called but few are chosen." I have never been especially happy about this because it suggests that there is an element of the spiritual life that transcends what might otherwise be readily seen. In other words, it is apparently possible to imagine ourselves to be faithful and true, when we are in fact missing the mark.

Paul's words in Philippians 2 are important. Whereas he is often telling people exactly what to think and believe, here he seems to step back and give us all some room. We are here reminded that we are, at least partly, responsible for our discipleship and faithfulness. As we all work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, it is my sincere hope that we be guided by the true and Holy Spirit of God.

Let (us) Be

2011-10-04T08:22:00.000-07:00

Interesting days we are living in...

I find myself spending a lot of time talking about things like the economy, the social and political climate and, of course, how we as Christians might think about all of this. While I am happy to do so (and feel free to send questions and comments, BTW), I am also mindful to be cautious. One of the most needful and least appreciated aspect of the Christian (human?) life is peace and peace of mind. While many people seem anxiously focused on what to do, I sense that a great many others long simply to be.

The point is not necessarily idleness. It is rather a healthy gratitude and fascination with life itself. In honor of this, I am going to resist the urge to blog on about this that and the other. Instead, I thought I would offer some resources that might help us re-appreciate simply being. I am shooting for stuff you have probably not seen, heard or discovered yet.

Films:

"Henry Poole is Here" (Drama) Luke Wilson has done some amazing work--most of it disguised by the unassuming approach he often takes. This film is powerful. Bring tissue.

"Moneyball" (Drama) What? This movie is still in theaters! Ah, but have you seen it? I understand the book is very good as well... What they did with the film is an important reminder that courage is sometimes a thankless virtue. It also makes a subtly hopeful statement about family.

"Joe vs. the Volcano" (Comedy) When I first came to Saint Francis, I hung two posters in my office. This was one of them. It was confusing to a lot of people... So is the Gospel.

"A Life Less Ordinary" (Comedy) Probably a strange choice given the amount of violence and overall stress in the film. However, watching the characters traverse the challenges of their situations reminds us how hungry we are just to be. And, in the process, the film also points toward grace. Can it be that in the midst of our seemingly impossible stories, God really is trying to work out some good?

"Desert Blue" (Drama/Comedy) Perhaps my favorite example of "you have probably never heard seen this." The story is set in an extremely tiny desert town and centers around the lives of young people. Remember when friendship was the only thing that really mattered?

"Interstate 60" (Comedy) Another example you have almost certainly never seen. Beware though, this film does not shy away from profanity. The opening scene involves a post-Parkinson's Michael J. Fox cursing his eyes out. It is hard even for me to watch. Keep going though--this film might just restore your hope in your own future. No connection to the BTTF series. I am not kidding though--this film is not intended for your teenager or your mom.

"Million Dollar Baby" (Drama) I know, there should be no Academy Award winning stories on this list but in his old-age, Clint Eastwood has become one of the premier story-tellers of our time. You can also see "Unforgiven," "Gran Torino" and the highly under-rated "Bronco Billy." All love stories really, just not in the traditional sense.

-------------------------------------------------
These last few are only for the die-hards. If you could not find something to get you through the weekend in the above list, then you are not likely to be encouraged here. But if you are learning to enjoy your own company, try these:

"Kicking and Screaming" (Comedy) This is NOT the Will Ferrell movie. It was a film done in 1995 about a bunch of guys who recently graduate from college. (Kicking and Screaming--get it?) It is kind of a man-flick. But it does poke fun at how self-involved we men can be so women might like that. The film is directed by Noah Baumbach who is famous and hated for his obsession with dialogue. Imagine listening to one of my sermons for two hours--only funnier and with quotable quotes!

"The Big Empty" (Think sci-fi comedy here). This is a weird film but I find myself popping it in the DVD about once every three months or so. For those of us still wondering who we are and what we are doing here, this might just be our film.

"True Romance" (Adventure) O.K., you might have seen this but it was a long time ago. It is filthy--blood, guts and morally suspect people. But its also got Elvis obsession, a convertible and Brad Pitt in his shortest role to date. Most importantly, it has a really, really good ending. And let's face it, we're all romantics at heart.

Songs:

With the wonderful world of YouTube, it is now possible to not only hear any song you want at any time, you can usually find someone singing it as well or, at least, enjoy pretty pictures while you are listening...

"Heavenly Day" (Patty Griffin) Go to YouTube and search it right now. It will make all the time you have wasted reading this blog suddenly worthwhile. Then you can spend the rest of your week listening to the other 200 songs that she has written and recorded, most of them just as good!

"The Wing and the Wheel" (Nanci Griffith) These really are two different people. The Wing and the Wheel is melancholy in verse but it will leave you strangely hopeful about everything you have been through.

"Don't Look Back in Anger" (Oasis) I don't think Oasis ever wrote a bad song. It was tough to choose one here but this seems to especially go with the whole be theme. If it doesn't do the trick, try the acoustic version of "Slide Away"... Amazing.

"Rain King" (Counting Crows) Fast, feel good song. Besides you have probably heard the other possibilities. "A Long December" is also great but the list is already a little long on slow and sad.

Of course, the Beatles wrote a song about all this. It's pretty good too.

Peace,

Mark

Profiles and Timelines

2011-09-26T08:23:00.000-07:00

I need to begin with a brief word of clarification. My use of the word, "profile," here is in it's less common form. I mean visibility, as in a higher or lower profile, rather than in reference to a pattern or characteristic of some kind.

I recently came across an interesting suggestion concerning the Christ event. The person suggested that what happened was only a partial victory. That Jesus' victory was not complete, or at least not immediately complete. And because of this, what we have is essentially two parallel timelines. This means that humans are essentially living in the nexus of two competing futures. One, in which the Christ event wins and restores humanity and one, in which, it does not. As we approach resolution, we will see more readily what is at stake as well as some of the people/forces involved.

While there are certainly problems with the suggestion, it also might shed some light on some questions. Specifically, it does appear that Jesus victory was at least partially incomplete. This, of course, is the argument of the Jewish tradition. Namely, if Jesus really was/is the Messiah why did he not establish his kingdom on earth and where are the signs of this victory? While Christians might argue that, in fact, Jesus did set up his kingdom (The Church) and that the signs are there for anyone to see, there are certainly other signs that the world remains unredeemed.

Herein lies the question. Does this point to the possibility that Jesus victory was incomplete or unfinished? Or, does it rather point to what God intended all along? Namely, that the nature of the Kingdom would be for believers to live side by side with others in a world where evil, injustice and slavery remained part of the landscape?

In either case, it appears, as yet, unresolved. But it seems logical that this will not go on forever. Or to put it another way, one of these timelines is going to win out. Either the full victory of Christ is going to be established or the full depravity (the complete fall) of humanity shall come to pass.

Of course, as Christians, we believe that Christ's victory will finally be complete. There will come a time when there is no longer a competing timeline. Or, as Saint John puts it in Revelation 21:
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

‘See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them;
he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away.’

The details of the end as well as the strangeness of the middle might be unclear but the resolution of the end is certain. There will come a time when all is accomplished.

So what should we do in the meantime? Do we keep a high or a low profile as we wait for all this to work itself out? Some say that it is our task as Christians to influence as many people as possible by all means necessary. But others say that this is a seduction--that there is no way to embrace the ways of the world and still remain true to Gospel and the Christ event.

I am by nature, a low-profile person, at least in this regard. I have met and listened to folks who approach this differently. It is hard to argue with them--especially if you believe that your efforts somehow impact the resolution of the timeline.

In either case, it seems correct to say that as we approach resolution, it will be easier to see what is truly at stake. It will also be easier to identify those who have a stake in the resolution.

Magicians

2011-09-18T18:54:00.000-07:00

Just moments after I finished my sermon this morning, I had a nagging feeling that I hadn't quite said enough. I had spoken about the Kingdom and how it will not be based on the economic models that are so familiar to us. I stated that there will come a day when we will be delivered from our slavish existence to money. I even pointed to an example of what this might look like--referencing the Biblical story of manna in the wilderness and how quickly everything is now moving from the realm of ideas to the physical world in which we live.

Though what I said is helpful and, I think, faithful to both the Gospel and the world in which we are living, I failed to say one additional thing that is equally important. Just because we see the economic cycle broken or the appearance of manna in the wilderness does not necessarily mean that the Kingdom has come or that the man or woman who appears responsible is the Christ.

While this might be obvious to some, I do not want it to be lost on any of us. History has shown us time and again that saviors who swoop in to save the day in troubled times often turn out to be something else altogether.

Beware of magicians. Great entertainment... disappointing saviors.

Amazing Grace

2011-09-12T07:23:00.000-07:00

For a while now, my daughter has been after to me to watch a film with her. The name of the film is "Amazing Grace," and it deals with the abolition of slavery in England. My daughter told me how powerful and inspirational the story is and I believed her but kept putting her off. This is because lately I've tried to restrict my movie-watching to fantasy, science fiction and comedy. I used to watch everything but it's harder now. I figure that I have enough reality in my real life. So movies have become for me mostly about escape.

My daughter, however, can be relentless. I knew that this was important to her, and I knew that she would not quit hounding me about it. So I decided to take a couple of hours to "do the right thing." And, of course, she was right. The film was very powerful. And even though it dealt with some very painful things, it was still very inspirational. I was very glad that I watched it. I was especially glad that I watched it with her.

After the film, it was time for her to go to bed. So I walked her up the stairs, waited for her to brush her teeth and then sat on the side of her bed as she asked the familiar questions that she asks whenever we watch a movie together.

"What was you favorite part?" She asked. "And who was your favorite character?"

I laughed because she literally asks these questions every time. But I also sensed that in this case, her inquiry was especially important. I answered her question with sincerity and to her satisfaction. I then asked her the question that I always ask when I put her to bed, "So who should pray tonight? Do you want to do it or should I." It was late and she would have to get up early for school, so I suspected that I would be praying. But to my surprise, she said, "I'll pray."

My daughter then offered a prayer. She prayed the kinds of things that she had heard me pray for on a number of occasions. But she did so with her own voice and with her own heart-felt petition. It was perhaps the most decent and sincere prayer that I have ever heard. After she finished, I told her that it was a beautiful prayer and that she was a beautiful person. Because she is.

In the film that we watched, a man is passionate about bringing an end to slavery. He loves his country but he believes strongly that it needs to change. Time and again, he brings a bill to Parliament to put an end to what he believes is a scourge upon the country that he loves so dearly. And time and time again, those bills are defeated. It is not that his countrymen are insensitive to his passion, it is rather that they cannot get past the fear of an inevitable economic shock-wave that would surely follow the end of slavery in the UK.

Years go by. The battle takes its toll on the man. Although he is passionate and his cause is just, change comes slow and may require more than this man has in him. You can see his resolve shaking--his physical body giving way before the wall of inertia that must be overcome. At times, the man feels that he is failing at the very work that God has given him to do. And he comes very close to giving up. But his friends will not allow him. They, in fact, are there with him almost constantly. They do everything they can to keep this man going, to keep him striving toward his vision. Though they cannot live his life or fulfill his work, his friends are nevertheless an essential part of it.

Amazing Grace is a somewhat unique story in this regard. In American film, heroes often seem invincible and far removed from the average folk around them. But this is false. Even the strongest among us are only as strong as the support that we receive. God works in us and God surrounds us with wonderful people--beautiful people--who allow us to be that which we would otherwise only hope to become.

As I listened to my daughter's prayer, I saw her great strength. It was, at least in that moment, strength far beyond my own. I marvel at this. And I marvel at the many people that I have known who are decent, and who have faith, and who are compassionate and hopeful and quietly courageous. I am humbled by them. I love them. And I tremble because my own life is so greatly dependent upon them.

[The image for this entry comes from the film "Stand By Me. Remember River Phoenix and his friends? And here is Nanci Griffith offering a word of encouragement to her friends. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OgNnPI_D3Q&feature=related ]

Not My Job

2011-09-06T05:19:00.001-07:00

The title of the entry here is taken from the name of the jpeg above. I found it on the official website for Dr. Judy Wood. Judy Wood has written a book entitled, Where Did The Towers Go? I have not yet read the book but I spent a good bit of yesterday reading an extensive review of the book and Dr. Wood's methodology. I am using the image above for my blog this week because I think that it's an unique picture. I am writing about 911 because everybody else is.

I, like the four of five other people who might be reading this, remember what I was doing on September 11, 2001. I was at Appalachian State University. My wife, Diane, called me to tell that the television was saying that a plane had crashed into a building in New York. I remember telling her that it must have been a very small plane because it would be impossible for a large plane to hit a building in downtown New York. That was incorrect.

I then spent the rest of the morning doing what many (most?) Americans did that day. I watched the story unfold on television. I remember thinking that this was bad--that it would lead to many bad things in the world. That was correct.

I am going to quote a section from Eric Larsen's review of Wood's book. It is worth noting that Larsen wrote the forward to Where Did The Towers Go? and he openly admits that he looks favorably on Dr. Wood's effort. However, the quote that I want us to consider has nothing to do with 911 itself. It has to do with its aftermath. That is, what has become of our world since September 11, 2001.

9/11 has been “the justification and starting point” for all manner of destruction, loss, crime, and horror. Without 9/11, there would have been no “Patriot Act,” no abuse of FISA and stripping away of privacy rights, no Military Commissions Act of 2006 with its setting aside of Habeas Corpus, no implementation of Northcom and deployment of our own military forces on domestic American soil (for use against who, you might ask?), and no trashing of Bill of Rights and Constitutional guarantees, no programmatic and precedent-setting weakening and eliminating of right and guarantees so that the very concepts of “citizenship” and “freedom” have been emptied out to the point where setting up concentration camps inside the U.S. is now legal and not a one of us would have any recourse whatsoever if it were decided that we should be thrown into a cell in one of them and forgotten forever.[1]

Without 9/11, there would never have been any fake and opportunistic “Global War on Terror,” would never have been Guantanamo as we know it now, never have been official programs of torture or fake demonizing of Islam in order to justify wars in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Somalia, or to justify overt plans for the murder of U.S. citizens living in places like, say, Yemen.

There’s more, much more. The complete list of atrocities, crimes, and inhumanities triggered by or justified by 9/11 could fill whole chapters, even books. By using 9/11 as propaganda—by using it as trigger, excuse, justification, or catalyst—the U.S. has betrayed itself, its principles, and its people, and has made itself the world’s most dangerous enemy of all mankind and also of Earth herself. [Eric Larsen, http://wheredidthetowersgo.com/review/]

I am not a scientist. I am not a political activist. And, at least, historically, I have had no urgent need to understand 911. My interest here is as a Christian and as a citizen of the world. And from that perspective, I find Eric Larsen's statement here very important. He is either wrong--and the details that he mentions here are simply not real. Or he is correct in saying that our society has taken a disturbing turn away from many of its foundational principles. And if that is the case, the question seems fair to ask, "what--if anything--does this have to do with whatever happened on September 11, 2001?"

People magazine is a weekly publication. It is known for its light and happy tone. And perhaps because of this, it is one of the most popular magazines in the world. In People, readers will find pictures and simple articles updating them on what is happening with movie stars and celebrities. For example, they have an annual issue identifying the 50 or 100 sexiest people in the world. This is generally the kind of material that one can expect to find in People magazine. Did you happen to see the cover of People last week? It had a picture of a young girl and the lead story was about "the children of 911." Even my wife, who actually likes to read the magazine, was bothered by the story. She couldn't quite name what it was that bothered her so when she came to talk to me about it, I helped her. The word that she was looking for was "exploitation."

It is understandable that a worthy nation would make it a point to remember an event like 911. It is understandable that such a nation would want to honor the people whose lives were lost on that day. And it seems equally important that the remembrance and the honoring would be done in such a way that does not sacrifice the values and moral decency that made that nation worthy in the first place. Whatever our time might make or not make of a ten-year-anniversary of a national disaster, I hope that it will be something other than exploitation.

Living Outloud

2011-08-30T08:01:00.000-07:00

To those who might have missed my entries over the last several months, I apologize. The fact is that I just didn't have the strength--or at least the needed strength to overcome the inertia. I do now.

I have been reading a lot lately--mostly material that will never be printed in books or material that was printed long ago and kept in just a few volumes. It has helped me see. I think that there is something else helping me as well. I do not yet see well, not by a long-shot. But I believe that I am seeing better. And I want this to continue.

In the midst of this recent journey, I have discovered something about learning and, perhaps, about knowledge itself. I have found that it easy to focus on the wrong side. Discovering the glass, taking note of its contents, and the fact that it is so little filled, we can easily be drawn into lament. And such lament is not without justification. When our eyes begin to open, there is plenty to be angry or sad about.

Call it evil or darkness or negativity... We see this and its capacity to sour and destroy and it's hard to resist overly regarding it. A friend of mine once put it this way, we need to acknowledge the evil in the world without glorifying it.

You see, in our anger and sadness, we can actually come to worship evil, if only accidentally. This happens when we become overly fascinated by the capacity of wickedness to woo the world and impose its will upon it. The result is terror and a great feeling of helplessness. Consequently, our focus turns less toward asking God for help or deliverance. Rather, we spend all our time and energy simply mesmerized by the enormity of the darkness.

One thing that I have come to consider is that the pain and suffering in the world might be coming from a source other than that which seems the most obvious. Christians are generally taught to take great, personal responsibility for sin. And this is probably a good thing. But most of the people that I know do not really want to bring pain and suffering upon the world. Consider the level of war and strife and slavery that we have in the world today. Do you know anyone who is sincerely excited about all this? (BTW, if you do, you may want to look for some new friends!)

What if it really is not us--at least not at the foundation anyway. Of course, we certainly can get co-opted into some pretty horrible things. But most of the people I know--even the very worst people that I know--don't sit up nights thinking about ways to bring terror and hardship upon the earth. (BTW, if they do, then I need some new friends!)

The thing is that it doesn't have to be this way. Evil does not have to hold our attention. But we DO have to find a way to turn away from it--to set our eyes and hearts to something else. When we do that, we find that darkness is not the only game in town. As we turn our hearts toward the good, the light, the positive, we indeed find that things like hope and peace and love are very real and very powerful. Nothing dispels darkness like light. Nothing overcomes evil like good. Nothing shows negativity for what it is better than something truly positive.

A few days ago, I looked up a song that I have always liked and discovered that there is a video that goes along with it. Take four minutes and watch this in its entirety. I think it explains what I am trying to say here in a far clearer and more beautiful way. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6pODq8_FxE&ob=av2e

Of Life and Basketball

2011-03-17T06:42:00.001-07:00

For those who read my blog, I sincerely apologize for taking a couple months off. I love to write and think and converse (if only with myself--ha) For whatever reason, I had neither the energy nor the passion to write much recently. I hope to return to my regular weekly writings. I begin here with a heart-felt commentary on two things that I am truly passionate about basketball and humanity.

Early this week, ESPN ran a documentary entitled, "The Fab Five." If you have not seen the special, I highly recommend it. It tells the story of the five great basketball players who came to the University of Michigan in the early 1990's. The documentary includes interviews with four of the five players who are now grown men, retired from the NBA and working in various careers. The interviews are strikingly honest, powerful and a great testament to many things such as racism, materialism and how people grow over time.

During the interviews, some harsh things are said. Specifically, there are some harsh things said about how the Michigan players perceived Duke's basketball program and the men who were playing at the time. At one point, Jalen Rose states that he thought that the black players who played for Duke were "Uncle Tom's." I firmly believe that he said this to speak honestly about his perception at the time. I didn't not get the idea that Jalen still believes this today. But, of course, we live in a time when the media is going to do anything possible to sensationalize something like this. In the days following the documentary, there were several references to the story as well as the disparaging comments that were made.

Then, yesterday, Grant Hill, a player from Duke wrote a response to the film, the rivalry between Duke and Michigan at the time and, especially, Jalen's comments. The article is very well written and I commend it to you. I will include a link to Hill's article at the bottom of my blog entry.

I am Duke graduate and a great fan of Duke basketball. So what I feel that what I have to say here is important. I can honestly say that I thought that documentary was very well done. I was especially impressed by the players and how they shared both their memories of being "The Fab Five" and their present feelings about all this. I was moved by Jalen's honesty in sharing his story even though he was saying some unhappy things about his youthful perception of my Alma Mater.

In fact, I heard in his voice a painful expression of how we as human beings we sometimes judge things that we know little or nothing about. Of course, Jalen and his teammates were judged as well. They were stereotyped and received criticism for simply being something other than what people were used to seeing in college basketball at the time. This was partly about race but a lot of it had more to do with changing attitudes in our culture.

The really tough part in all of this is seeing how we as people come to resent and distrust one another simply because we appear to be different. In this case, a young black man from a poor community apparently resented a young black man from an affluent community. Of course, today, Jalen Rose is very wealthy. And I believe that he sees the irony here. In that, the very things that he might have once thought about Grant Hill and his parents could now be said about his own family.

My hope is that these two men speak to one another and soon. I suspect that everything that we have seen and heard over the last few days is just another example of how the media twists things into serving its own interest. Nevertheless, these are the very opportunities where we as people need to be clear. Even though this has probably been a very stressful week for past players from both Duke and Michigan, I suspect that it might be a unique time for a teaching moment.

Young people can learn something from all this. We all can. The fact is that Grant Hill and Jalen Rose are not so different. The same goes for our own rivals. I think often of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. These two men probably despised one another on the court. They played hard against one another and certainly wanted to win. But in the end of the day, they respected one another greatly. They each appreciated where the other had come from and what they had accomplished. Mutual respect is one of the great contributions of athletic competition. It is also a fundamental building block in a decent society.

Here is the link to Grant Hill's response to Rose's comments:
http://thequad.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/16/grant-hills-response-to-jalen-rose/

When in Rome

2011-02-08T06:26:00.000-08:00

And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” Luke 12:19-20

All in all, it was a pretty good Super Bowl this year. The game was good. The team that has recently won a lot of these things played well but ultimately the victory went to the more likable Packers. This is not, btw, a slight on Pittsburgh. I was a big Terry B fan back in the day but the Steelers of late have enjoyed a lot of success and with all the Brett Farve drama, it just seemed fair that Aaron Rodgers and the Pack should win this one.

The Super Bowl is, of course, the great American event now. The game is not so unlike the finals in some ancient Roman gladiator series, except that the number of people who now watch this thing is staggering by comparison. The Coliseum in Rome was a marvel, and very much a symbol. It was a symbol of Rome's glory as well as the ultimate symbol of its downfall. Legend has it that people would gather there to watch the great contests even as the city itself was burning.

Comparing modern America to ancient Rome has become something of cliche'. I won't spend a lot of time here because I honestly don't mind the the once-a-year extravaganza that we get in January (oops I guess it's February now).

On the other hand, while the Super Bowl might be just good ole fashion carnival, the whole "Life as Spectacle" thing seems telling. Could there be anything more Romanesque than our fascination with watching one another? Real-life TV is just plain odd and our dedication to it seems to reveal a vacuous moment in human history. I have no idea what the final days of the empire will ultimately look like but it seems that a hundred million people staring at human dolls for hours on end might make for a reasonable guess.

Of Bulls and Elephants

2011-01-31T07:21:00.001-08:00

I want to begin with an apology. I would like to apologize to the handful of folks that regularly read my blog. It has been several weeks since I have written anything. I am sorry about that. Moreover, I might need to apologize in advance for what follows. After the hiatus, I would hope to offer something inspiring or, at least engaging. I suspect that what follows is more likely food for thought.

I am sure that many of us are following the escalating situation in Egypt. While the media is offering what is probably a very limited picture of what is going on over there, it is still enough. I suspect that a lot of people around the world sense the tension and see what looks increasingly like a rising dial on a pressure cooker.

I have noticed that in recent accounts, the Egyptian Army is mentioned again and again. The media seems compelled to assure the world that the Army is close by and that, at least to this point, has been generally supportive of the protesters. Contrasting this is the image of the police. Apparently, the police has historically been firmly in support of the regime and this has served as a menacing influence and a catalyst to the anger of the people. I wonder what it means when an Army is somehow the most prominent sign of hope.

I am no expert on what is going on in Egypt. But what I do see in all of this is a familiar theme. It is a story about people and people can be fickle. Sometimes we want freedom and autonomy and other times we want order and security. It's an incredible challenge for us to find the appropriate balance between these two competing interests. As I watch the clips from Egypt and listen to the comments offered by the protesters, I cannot help but hear the tell-tale sound of danger. We are seeing that these people have felt oppressed. Yet, are we also seeing a fragile capacity for restraint? What is it that calls freedom so often go hand in hand with looting? What does it mean when people violently call for freedom?

While it might appear that I am suspicious of freedom, it is quite the contrary. When it comes to the age-old debate between liberty and order, I am pretty sure that I am a liberty guy. I don't like rules. I don't like rulers and I figure that I can discipline myself pretty well. I am just not so sure about your capacity to do the same...

See what I mean? There is a hidden caveat in all this. I think that it is generally called hypocrisy. We say that power corrupts but we generally mean everybody else. If someone has to be in charge, we figure it best be us. And to be fair, there might be something to this. It may be that freedom is something that people have to learn over time. Maybe Americans are somehow more capable of liberty because we have been at it for a while. Of course, the sad part here is that it would seem that our society is far less free than it was a couple of decades ago.

Anyway, keep an eye open to what is happening in Egypt. We haven't seen anything like this for a while. If people are going to kill and die over all this, it would be good for the rest of us to at least learn something in the process...

Finally, I would like to conclude with a less serious, and potentially, more informative story. My son recently told me that the Mythbusters took on a couple of age-old assumptions.

The first was the proverbial Bull in a China Shop. Apparently, they turned a bull loose, dumped him right in there with all the dishes and glassware. The results? Not a thing. Apparently, the old boy just strolled through the aisles as though he might be an Englishman looking for a new tea set. Go figure.

The Mythbusters then took on the ole' Elephant and the Mouse question. You know, the cartoons--elephants deathly frightened of tiny little mice? Well, it turns out that one is apparently not a myth. Different elephants were tested. And time and time again, they would consistently change course upon encountering a mouse. They would see the repulsive thing and immediately avoid it all cost. What is that? Are they afraid they will turn an ankle or something? Is there some ancient elephant-lore involving that kangaroo that Sylvester kept mistaking for a mouse? Or are they just a little further down the evolution road and see something that we simply cannot yet understand?

Here is Paul's take on the whole Freedom-Liberty issue:
For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Galatians 5:13-14

Fear itself

2010-12-07T05:25:00.000-08:00

...The only thing we have to fear is fear itself...

FDR's inaugural speech remains one of the most remarkable moments in American history. These were the right words at exactly the right time. Of course, what a lot of people don't remember--or perhaps don't even know--is that Roosevelt took office in 1933. In other words, his statement about fear actually came before things got really bad.

The point here doesn't make the speech any less powerful or any less true. But it does, perhaps, dry some of the fog of our sensibilities. We sometimes imagine that things should happen exactly at the moment we want them to. And when they don't, we sometimes give up on them altogether. Things didn't "get wonderful" in America for several years after FDR spoke those words. But I wonder... did some folks begin to leave fear behind right then and there? Were some (many?) able to let go of the fear, even though there were still many trials and tribulations to come?

I saw a curious thing this morning. I turned my computer on and began reading the headlines on Google's news page. One of the headlines was about a new anti-cancer pill. The word "miracle-drug" was actually used in the article. Just three headlines later was an announcement that Elizabeth Edwards was gravely "ill" and that she was stopping her treatments. I wonder how she is doing? Is she afraid or is she past all that?

The thing about fear is that it is terribly debilitating. It's perhaps the most debilitating of all emotions. When we are afraid we do not function as well as we might. When we are very afraid, we can barely function at all. This was, of course, one of the critical lessons of Roosevelt's speech. Whether it was Roosevelt himself or Eleanor or a speech writer or just the voice of God trying to break in at just the right moment, someone understood that the only way out was up. As long as the people remained focused on all the frightful signs around them, things were not going to get better and there was a real chance that additional fear would actually make things a whole lot worse.

And it was at that point that FDR did something amazing. He shifted the focus of many people and, thereby, shifted the very direction of the nation. Again, this didn't happen overnight. But the seed had been planted. The word (or words) had in a very real way set people free.

Of course, some will say nothing really changed--that words cannot really do anything. But I would definitely disagree here. Words can do great things and, in this case, just a few words did amazing things for many, many people. To consider, if even for a moment, that our real enemy is not all the things that we set to worrying about but the very worrying itself--this is a remarkable consideration. Moreover, to accept that this might actually be true--this is a life-changing event.

Many are familiar with that phrase, "The truth shall set you free." It comes from John 8 where Jesus is having a discussion with those who do not trust him. The full line is this, ‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’ According to Jesus, the truth that sets us free is what we learn from him. The conversation goes on there in chapter 8 and it appears to come down to a matter of what is inside a person:
Jesus said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now I am here. I did not come on my own, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot accept my word. You are from your father the devil, and you choose to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.

Pretty sharp words here from Jesus and we might be offended. But again, if what he is saying is true, then we should not let our offense get in the way. Perhaps our devotion to fear comes from something other than our own minds. Perhaps what we need is not merely new ideas but a different center--a transformed heart.

We have all seen the difference--the difference between a person whose life is driven by fear and a person whose life is driven by grace and love and hope. Such people can scarcely be shaken. They are somehow free from the kinds of things that plague so many others. We sometimes call them courageous and they certainly are that. But it is also something more. I think what we are seeing here are people that have been set free. Perhaps these are people in whom the very Word of God dwells.

Awkward and Imprecise

2010-11-30T06:26:00.000-08:00

[This is a reprint from a recent newsletter]

I recently filled out a self-evaluation as part of my work here as the pastor of Saint Francis. Probably like many of you, I was asked to list my strengths and weaknesses. I thought hard about the question and ended up naming “faith” as one of my strengths. I explained this by stating, “I really believe that God’s ways are better than ours.”

I consider faith as one of my greatest strengths. But the truth is I don’t always practice it. This is a paradox, isn’t it? On the one hand, I have some faith. And what little I have is as important to me and my work as a Christian leader as anything else. But at the same time, I don’t trust God as much as I believe I should. Yet, even here—even in my lack of faith and lack of its employment—I still desire that God’s work and will be done in my life and in the life of the churches that I serve. I live in the world through a hope that springs from a seed of imperfect faith; yet I long for it to grow.

Now that was an awkward and imprecise paragraph. But faith—at least faith on this side of the veil—is awkward and imprecise. And this, I think, is an appropriate way to step into the season of Advent.

The readings, the songs, the poetry—these all point to something that is desired but not yet known, at least not fully. To sing, “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus,” is to take what faith we have and lift it heavenward. To say, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” is to offer a hope-prayer that we do not yet fully understand. Yet, there remains something within us that moves us to trust and to seek an even greater depth of trust.

If we do not know the value of trust… if we do not appreciate the beauty of hope… if we do not have a longing for deliverance… then, chances are, Advent will mean little to us. It will be little more than a countdown to Christmas. On the other hand, if we do treasure the seed of faith growing within—no matter how small it might seem—then Advent is perhaps the greatest of seasons. Advent nurtures the awkward and imprecise faith of pilgrims. It blessed the trust of the patient and the longing of the hopeful.

So come again to light the candles as we await the coming of the Savior. Be with others who’s awkward and imprecise faith is their greatest strength. Join those who’s half-lives are longing to be made whole. And you will find that the seed within you can grow…

Grace and Peace,

Mark

Mangers and Tombs

2010-11-29T05:27:00.000-08:00

And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. Luke 2:7

We had the annual meeting of our church last night. In Methodism, this is called Charge Conference and charge conferences are typically dreaded by pastors and churches alike. They are probably dreaded by district superintendents as well, although they are less inclined to admit this.

The reason for this is simply the predictability of it all. This is a lot like the regional manager come to check in with the branch office. But a critical element of the Church is the fact that it is NOT a business. And because of this, whenever a clearly corporate activity is applied to the community of faith, there is always a degree of awkwardness and discomfort. Of course, it doesn't help when the district superintendent approaches the gathering with the same tone that Paul speaks to the faithful in places like Corinth... I commend you for this but you really need to work on these things... There is nothing wrong with the district superintendent doing this. It is actually his/her job to speak the truth to the local church. It's just that this only adds to the feeling that all this has more to do with numbers than Jesus. Hence the dread...

So imagine our surprise when we actually felt that Spirit moving and speaking last night. Despite the fact that it was a business meeting of the church... Despite the fact that we did hear a bit of I commend you here but... Despite the fact that the superintendent did seem to look like he has been to a few of these things already this fall... Despite all these things there were nevertheless clear signs that God is present and actively working at Saint Francis United Methodist Church.

These signs were most evident in the stories that were told by the Saint Francis faithful. Men and women of various ages and even youth with the congregation shared sincere testimonies about how they have seen God at work in the ministries and missions of the church. There were many different kinds of stories involving many different groups both in and beyond the local church. However, there were two common denominators in each of these stories. The first was a clarity on behalf of each speaker that God was clearly involved. The second was the fact that authentic human relationships were front and center in each of these testimonies.

As the gathering came to a close, I was reminded of something about the Christian faith. Time and again, the Scriptures testify that God is often found where we least expect. When God looks upon the plight of the Israelites, he summons Moses, essentially an Egyptian prince. When God looks for an appropriate King, he sets his eyes upon Jesse's youngest son, David. Mary is essentially an unknown woman. The Savior is born not in Jerusalem but in a modest manger in Bethlehem. The Son of God is revealed not on a throne but on a cross and an empty tomb. Time and again, the Lord comes to modest places to accomplish amazing things.

That makes me feel pretty good about where I am right now. I'm humbled and grateful to find my home among the modest folks of Saint Francis.

God bless us every one...

In there somewhere...

2010-11-18T08:36:00.000-08:00

Thus says the Lord:
For three transgressions of Tyre, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment;
because they delivered entire communities over to Edom, and did not remember the covenant of kinship. So I will send a fire on the wall of Tyre, fire that shall devour its strongholds. (Amos 1:9-10)

In a recent Bible study, we were reading and discussing the book of Amos. Amos is called to bring the word of judgment to Israel. After overlooking the nation's transgressions time and again, the Lord's patience has finally come to an end. The shepherd turned prophet is called and the Word comes swift and relentless. Things begin to change rapidly in Israel and the people come to see that this is God's judgment befalling them.

The question raised in the Bible study was: where is this today? Where is God's hand? Where is God's response to modern sin or disrespect? Is God patient or irresponsible? Or is it that we just haven't reached the tipping point just yet?

The specifics in our conversation had to do with the environment. Some of the people in the group noticed that we aren't hearing as much about global warming as we did just a year or two ago. Why is this? Is it because the evidence now suggests that the matter is not as urgent as some initially believed? Is it because all this is simply too big and involved and there really isn't anything that we can do about it? Is it information overload?

These are all reasonable explanations. But there is another question--what does God make of all this? What does God make of the 70+ Million Barrels of oil that the planet is burning through each and every day? What does the Lord think about the vanishing rain-forest or the level of pollution escalating in developing countries like China and India?

The members of the bible study struggled--not merely in answering these kinds of questions but in even thinking about them. What does this mean? Does it mean anything? My point is not to suggest I have some kind of insight or righteousness. The fact is that I am as incapable of talking meaningfully about this stuff as anybody else. But something tells me that it does matter.

Next time you pick up a paper or click on your favorite Internet news-source, ask yourself that question--what does God make of this? Because it seems to me that whether we are talking our personal decisions or national priorities or corporate values or whatever... God has got to be in there somewhere. Maybe the Lord is patient or hopeful and, therefore, remaining hidden and inactive in some of these situations. But according to the prophets, if there is real sin or wickedness involved, there does come a time... Indeed, there must come a time when all that patience runs out.

Four Not So Random Observations

2010-10-23T05:23:00.000-07:00

Most of what I write here is condensed and focused. I proof the articles several times and have my administrative assistant go over them as well. I try to to pick a single topic each week and write something helpful or at least funny. But occasionally I blog the way that most everyone else seems. Today is one of those days.

The firing of Juan Williams from NPR. This was pretty gross. I tend to appreciate NPR so I felt for both parties. On the one hand, I completely disagree with the decision but I suspected (or at least hoped there would be more behind it). We knew that this would become news, right? Especially, very bad news for one of the more grounded sources out there... Certainly Williams comment about anxiety was not something he should have lost his job over. NPR then responded by claiming that he was fired because there was too much opinion in his work. Fox has since offered him a multimillion dollar contract to occasionally appear as a guest journalist. Two thoughts here. First, this man is going to be rich and it seems to me that wealth is a curious bi-product for being a reporter. Second, NPR has never seen so much external publicity. This is an organization that funds programming much the way we do at Saint Francis. A week ago, you could have typed in NPR in any search engine and the only hits you would have gotten would have been directly to stories that they have covered. Now everyone is talking about NPR. What does this mean? Is this a real story or do the sharks celebrate any kind of blood in the water, even when it's their own?

Wikileaks. Is this a trend? Someone seems to be up in arms about the suggestion that there have been suspicious reports about the War in Iraq coming out of Washington. Hmmm. Imagine that. The fact is there have been websites tracking the true cost of the Iraq War for years. As far back as 2008, some sites placed the death toll between anywhere between 100,000 and over a million. Will the Wikileak phenomenon mean that we will have more access to truth? Will it mean that we are more willing to believe it?

Speaking of leaks... Last night I saw the preview for a film called, "Fair Game." It appears that the film actually tells the story about what happened to Valerie Plame and her family. For folks who are sort of into that whole what's really going on around here thing, this might be something to look into. If there is any merit to the increasingly public version of what took place in there, then it seems safe to say that we are living in some disturbing times. Of course, if it's any consolation to Valerie, she now probably has access to the same country clubs that Juan Williams will soon be joining... Spoiler Alert: Sean Penn is in this film.

BofA, Foreclosers, and the new (again) worries over bad loans... Really? Didn't we just suffer through this? I am just a simple man so banking itself is completely confusing to me... But two quick thoughts. First, what exactly is it that now runs our world because it sure can't be people? We have folks who need a place to live and we have institutions that want to make money through the transactions. But don't these folks sort of need each other? How can a ceaseless march to reclaim every possible asset possibly serve the long-term good of either party? What's the value if the bank sells the same property to every possible family? Second, what will happen this time? Did we not just sell the country because the experts threatened us with financial meltdown? So what now? Are we going to do it again? Are those who have so long heralded the blessings of the system finally ready to embrace it's wrath? Isn't this the system that loves to talk about winners and losers?

Blissfully Bound

2010-10-18T05:34:00.000-07:00

I recently had a conversation with a colleague. He had asked me a question about baptism. Apparently a woman in his parish had recently been baptized and and she wanted to know if it would be possible for her grandchildren to be baptized as well. While the woman came regularly and clearly showed conviction and responsibility toward the faith and the life of the church, her own children did not. So the only time her grandchildren were able to come to the church was when the grandmother herself brought them or when there was some kind of drop-off opportunity for the parent such as Vacation Bible School.

My friend explained to the woman that typically he would like to see the parents regularly participating in the life of the church before he would agree to baptize children but that he would think about it and get back to her. He understood that these were unusual circumstances but he wasn't sure what he could or what he should do...

Upon learning that their grandmother had joined the church, the children wanted to be baptized as well. They were old enough for confirmation but there was little chance of the parents getting them there each week for the classes. While my friend certainly wanted to say yes, the theological training that he (and I) had experienced strongly emphasized the importance of the community in the life of the believer. While first and foremost the work of God, baptism is also the responsibility of the congregation and, especially, the parents who are to see that children are raised within the life of the Church. My friend and I had been taught that baptism without parental and communal responsibility is almost nonsensical... It was hard for my friend to imagine himself baptizing pre-teens that he would seldom, if ever, see again. But it was equally hard for him to say no to these children just because their parents didn't care enough to get them to church.

So my friend called me up to see what I thought. Initially I think that he was surprised to hear that I thought he should go ahead and baptize the children. But he was also relieved. I suspect that he felt that way too but needed someone else to confirm his conviction. I suggested that he ask the grandmother to do her best to get the children to worship and Sunday School. In the eyes of the Church, baptized children are the primary responsibility of parents but is it fair to deny children access to the grace of God and the blessings of the church simply because their parents are lazy?

Some time ago, I had a similar experience in my own ministry. I was having a conversation with my wife about a confirmation class that I was teaching. I was concerned because a few parents were not accompanying the confirmands to worship. It seemed that this was a pretty poor example and that it was sending a mixed message to the kids. One of the mothers was a close friend of my wife. So while I was explaining my frustration about all this, she shared with me that she had actually had a conversation with this woman in which the mother made the statement, "Sunday is my only day to sleep in."

The comment struck me as frightfully typical of our time. I call it the religion of the leftovers. Basically, it means that God gets the crumbs. After we've spent all that time and energy at work, the gym and the spa... After we've ran our kids all over town for soccer, piano and SAT prep... After we've spent our rewards at the Mall, Disney and the Country Club... We then take whatever is left to the House of the Lord to make our offering. Or not... After all, Sunday is our only day to sleep in.

And that was pretty much how I responded to my wife's half-defense of her friend's commitment to her son's spiritual health. Diane was somewhat appalled at my sarcastic tirade. She responded, "What do you expect? People have to work. They have to pay taxes. You can't just not pay the government or you go to jail..."

Probably not. Besides, would it really be so bad if we did? What's worse, I wonder, our kids watching us go to jail or watching us sacrifice everything that we've got to a bunch of false gods? Come to think about it, didn't Christians used to be regularly hauled off to jail for their dedication to Christ and to the faith?

I hear my wife's point a lot actually. "Look we have no choice. There's so little discretionary time, energy and resources. Work, school, bills... What can the Church reasonably expect anyway?"

And there is evidence for this... We figure that we have no choice but to work our fingers to the bone, pay the government 25-50%, ensure that our kids are getting all A's and covering those service hours... We sleep in on Sunday because we figure we deserve a break from our very demanding and stressful lives which, indeed, seem to us as very much out of our control.

So then I say, you know, I think you're right. Maybe we're like the Israelites, living in some kind of modern day Egypt. And the truth is that despite all the apparent perks and opportunities, this is , in fact, a slave society and the very people that I am frustrated with are really just slaves, cogs in the wheel of something well beyond their control. Maybe I'm wrong about my expectations of responsibility and what we really need is a savior--Jesus, or at least Moses, to come and deliver us from this mess. As a pastor, maybe I need to be more understanding and more compassionate. After all, the parents of my confirmands are probably just slaves.

So then I try this on. I suggest to people in Bible Studies and elsewhere that what we now have is essentially a slave society. I point out that despite all the rhetoric about freedom and opportunity, the evidence suggests something very different. I note that the capitalist dream that once seemed to promise so much has apparently created a society in which there are now classes of people--masters and slaves.

But then, just as I say something like this... Just as I accept that my people have no other choice but to sleep in on Sunday and offer the Lord whatever crumbs left after a week in the bricks and mortar... They become even more angry, insisting that I am wrong. They shout at me for saying such a blasphemous thing, dutifully citing the merits of the age--the access, the products, the services, the opportunities and freedom... They insist that all is well and that people who are not happy in this perfect world, can only blame themselves. They tell me that this is the best of the best of the best. They explain that they have more power and personal choice then any people who have ever lived. "We are responsible for our own lives.", they exclaim. "We are making our own way, writing our own story and making a name for ourselves. How dare you suggest that we are enslaved! We are not anything like slaves!"

OK, my bad... So then, what is it? What's going on? And which is better? Is it be better to be free and responsible yet selfish and deceived? Or is it better to just be blissfully bound?

Sufficient Grace

2010-10-11T06:56:00.000-07:00

...Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given to me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.’... (2 Corinthians 12:7-9)

There is a long and intriguing mystery about Paul's reference here in 2 Corinthians. What exactly was that legendary "thorn?" What was it that the devil used to keep Paul's comfort and joy at bay? That subject of torment...Was it a physical ailment? Was it a psychological disorder or a spiritual weakness? Was it a carnal desire or some deep-seated insecurity? Perhaps it was a loneliness that came from the constant travel. Or maybe it was a steady annoyance inspired by the company that he was forced to keep?

Whatever it was... We don't know. We will probably never know--unless by some chance event we catch the Apostle some day over a cup of coffee in heaven. Fat chance though--something tells me that Paul's heaven will not include time for coffee. I could be wrong though.

But I get the deal. I get the frustration and I get the answer. I live by the answer. My grace is sufficient... For Paul. For Me. For You. For whatever it is that ails us... The Lord has the remedy. And the remedy... it isn't a pill or a fortune or a get-outta-jail-free card.

And that has become the exact thing I was hoping to hear. I first heard it many years ago. I was suffering under my "torment of the year" or decade. At wits end and losing both my youth and strength. Knowing but not really knowing how faith works and all that. And God threw me a line. Pulled my head up out of the mire just enough to get me through. It wasn't complete--and thank God! Who wants to be completely rescued? Of course, I couldn't fully appreciate it at the time but it was enough. Enough to get me through and, more importantly, enough to learn that it is all about enough--just enough to see us through.

There is music in my world. And it's not esoteric harps in my head. It is the music of other people. People who seem awake and able to see and feel the pain and appreciate the wonder.

I don't have a wide list of things that save me but the short list is as precious as oxygen. An honest song or a great story. It's sufficient to see me through another day or at least a few more hours... Patty Griffin and Stephan Jenkins, Noel and Liam Gallagher, Jenny Lewis and Adam Duritz, Tracy Chapman and Jackson Browne... Did God send these folks into the world to keep me alive? No, but their voices have often reached me at the exact moment...

I can only trust that it is the same for the rest of us. Not that you are saved by my music or by any music for that matter. But that there is grace sufficient for you too. In whatever form works. Whatever language can break through the torment that keeps your comfort and joy at bay.

If you follow what I am saying here, here's to hanging on! We've made it through another stretch! If you feel as though the grace in your life is just not quite cutting it...Don't give up. Keep looking and keep bugging God about it. If the journey feels long and weary, let God know about it. You probably won't get the get-outta-jail-free card. But it might just be that you really don't want that anyway.

The Social Network

2010-10-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

I don't Facebook. I need to say that right off the bat. A person once sent me an email with links to some photos and the only way that I could view them was to fill out an online form. So I suppose my name is out there somewhere and I do, ocassionally, get "friend requests" but I don't respond to them and I don't use a Facebook account. The reason is twofold.

First, there is sort of an unspoken agreement between my sons and I. Part of this is simply maintaining a healthy distance. There are certain places teenagers just don't want to run into their parents. It's not merely privacy, it is also sort of a "dibs" thing--a belief that there is only so much cool stuff to go around. By the time I learned anything at all about Facebook, my sons were already pretty much insiders. And frankly, it wasn't that hard to pass on the intrigue. At least not for forty-something men. I can see how it is great for younger, single folks and women too because they like communication and all that. But most middle-aged men that I know can only get into trouble with this kind of thing.

The second reason that I don't do Facebook is because it is clearly a time-trap and I already have plenty of those in my life. And it is a unique sort of time-trap because it promotes a sedentary lifestyle. Of course, this isn't just Facebook. Techology generally and computers especially are blackholes for time and attention. There are a few differences between sitting on the couch and sitting in front of the computer but there are a lot of similarities as well. (I realize that we can now do both at the same time.)

While I don't do Facebook; I absolutely do use a computer a lot. And I do think Facebook is cool, just not that cool. So that's the caveat. I am not an expert on Facebook. But I do see a lot of movies. And "The Social Network" is a very good movie.

The story is interesting; the acting is excellent and the truth telling is subtle. The first two are straightforward enough so I will focus on the latter--and without spoiling the film for those of you who have yet to see it.

Good preaching doesn't feel preachy. Good teaching allows you to learn without feeling like you've been abused in the process. In the same way, good film-making portrays a story in such a way as to be both engaging and meaningful. "The Social Network" tells the story of bright, young men. Bright, young men are not gods. They are not even wise, old men. But they have something that neither gods nor old men have. We might call it passion or moxy or creative disatisfaction. But whatever it is, it allows them, sometimes, to do things that the rest of us are unwilling or unable to do. This is what makes Facebook cool and it is what makes "The Social Network" a very engaging film.

What we are really talking about here is adventure. It is taking a path, an uncertain path in a bold direction. For those who are given the chance and take hold of it, a youthful adventure is one of the highlights of human life. (I say one of because it is definitely not the only one. Raising children and seeing grandchildren are perhaps greater highlights. It is just that these are more common and, therefore, generally under-recognized.) Anyway, to set out or step out toward a vision--this is an amazing thing. And while adventure is the subject of countless stories, it is an experience in which only the few actually embrace.

The thing is though, in a true adventure, at least in a true human adventure, there are authentic challenges. Greatness is a mixed bag and the path to it frought with very real struggle and suffering. This is the aspect of "The Social Network" that really caught my attention. Without wallowing in it, the film captures the pitfalls and dark sides of success. It reveals, ever so subtly, the ways in which ambition threatens and even destroys things like friendship and joy.

It's a terrifying consideration really--that the very thing that moves us and motivates us can also potentially destroy us. And this is not some kind of black and white moral decision that we can easily make. It is almost as if the lesson invariably comes after the risk itself. And then sometimes it can be too late... Powerful stuff and real.

The last thing that I will say about the film is less universal but nevertheless connected. The film portrays a great deal of partying. Some of this is because the story is about twenty-something characters. And some is certainly because Hollywood now seems to feel that the best way to get young people to go to movies is to glamorize sex and drugs.

I went to the film with my seventeen year old son. My eighteen year old is already in college. I wonder what they make of all this, really. I wonder what they make of the ambition and the whole idea of success. But I also wonder about the real Social Network. I wonder what they make of the way in which the film portrays friendship, intimacy and sex. Do they imagine that this is what college should be? Do teenagers today believe that the pinnacle of social life is a world where they will have the means to embrace unbridled excess?

I have never considered myself a prude but I found the party scenes unsettling and not just because I was sitting next to my son. The one concrete example that I do want to point out is not to offend or overstate, and it is certainly not a spoiler for the film. It it rather to raise a question about cultural good...

There is a scene in the film in which characters have sex in a bathroom stall. I wasn't exactly sure what to make of the message? I knew how I felt about the scene... But I wasn't at all sure about the rest of the people in the theater. Particularly telling, I think, was that I wasn't even sure how the characters in the story felt about it. Is this evidence of the strength of the film--demonstrating the moral ambiguity plaguing this generation? Or is it simply evidence that I am now just too old and removed from what's going on out there?

Our kids are part of a generation that is being bombarded with a virtually endless range of goods. With so much access and so few boundaries, how can they discern what they should and should not want? "The Social Network" is a story about the most significant thing in many of their lives. I wonder what they made of it.

Christian Glory

2010-09-28T03:58:00.000-07:00

Each fall, Duke Divinity School sponsors an annual Convocation and Pastor's School. It is a three day event in which clergy gather for continuing education and fellowship. It is also a chance to see colleagues and friends outside the regular context of the parish. The event includes timely lectures by leaders in Theology or Science as well as brief classes offered by Divinity School faculty. There is also morning and evening worship. Typically, the worship is highlighted by guest preachers who, like the lecturers, have recently made a name for themselves in one way or another.

Each year that I attend, I marvel at the fanfare. The moderator will typically spend two or three minutes highlighting accomplishments. But this is merely to introduce the presenter of the presenter. And then, this person will spend another five minutes documenting the spectacular resume of the actual lecturer. Even the preachers are introduced this way. By the time the actual speaker reaches the podium, there is so much glory and expectation in the air that everyone in the room is sweaty and exhausted. Perhaps this is the point. After all that expectation, it must be great, right? And truth be told, it usually is.

It is a treat to listen to men and women with exceptional minds and oratory gifts. The lectures at Convocation are consistently interesting and I always return with a renewed spirit and some new theological insight.

The worship and preaching, however, are a bit more hit and miss. Probably for the same reason. While the showering of accolades and all that intoxicating glory might make sense and add credibility to a lecture hall, they seem out of place in a sanctuary. There is just something awkward about Christian glory. But it was actually out of this awkwardness that I gained one of my favorite preaching anecdotes.

It happened one year when the Convocation organizers decided to take a different tact. Rather than inviting the Minister to the University at Harvard or the Senior Pastor of Mega Church USA, the organizers decided to invite someone from within our own ranks. We showed up for worship that evening and looked at the bulletin. "Who is this guy?" We all wondered. "Oh, that's such and such. He serves First Church Albemarle..." You could hear the murmerings, almost see the wheels turning in the minds of the clergy. Each man trying to figure out how the organizers had passed over the best preacher in the room.

I was still a member of the Iowa Annual Conference back then so I had no skin in the game. I always came back to Duke to see a few friends, enjoy the October weather in Carolina, and clear my mind. But there were only a few of us--folks who came from distance. The rest of the 1000 or so others came from the two Carolina Conferences. These clergymen (and they were mostly men), came to Convocation not only for the lectures but also to be seen, to shake the right hands and maybe make a case for a better appointment next time around.

Worship began and processed pretty much the way it always did. We read thoughtful liturgies and sang bellowing cathedral hymns; someone offered a perfect prayer... And then came the moment of truth. Pastor Such and Such from Nowhere, North Carolina was introduced and began the coveted march up the steps to the great pulpit in Duke Chapel. I did not know the preacher personally but from the limited bullets in his introduction I gathered that this was a pretty young man. Although he was ordained and, from that standpoint, speaking to a gathering of peers, the fact was that many of these men had been serving churches since before he had even been born.

What followed was a forty-minute diatribe in which Pastor Such and Such condemned the entire gathering for all our misgivings. He scolded us for being weak, unfaithful and generally worthless pastors. Covering just about every area of ministry, he assured the clergy of both the North Carolina and Western North Carolina conferences that they were failing in their calling as shepherds of God's people.

By the time it was finally over, the place was more than ready to be emptied. As we were making our way out, I realized that I had been sitting just a few rows away from the man who had been my preaching professor while I was at the Divinity School. He saw me and simply said, "Never underestimate ridicule as an effective sermon technique." It was a perfect response to a perfectly horrible sermon.

It wasn't that the man was saying things that were not true. It was just that he was saying them without so much as a hint of grace. I wasn't sure which I felt more--anger or pity. The man had not only blown a great opportunity; he had almost certainly misrepresented himself. Back home in Nowhere, he was probably a compassionate pastor and a fine preacher. But all that had somehow been lost in translation for the sake of that glorious shot at preaching to his peers in Duke Chapel.

There was a lesson that night. It just wasn't what the preacher had to say. It was what he did--how he presented himself in the pulpit as a representative of Christ and the Gospel. I suspect that all those men who had earlier coveted the chance to stand in his place recanted before they left the chapel that night. And the Convocation organizers tool. Since that night, I do not recall seeing the names of my colleagues in the chapel bulletin. We Average Joes had had our chance and it was clear that we were not ready.

There are many symbols of Christianity. But the Cross remains the best one. It stands as a reminder--not only of God's love but also of the unique and compelling way in which it was revealed.

Hope at Ground Zero

2010-09-20T06:25:00.001-07:00

For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land. Jeremiah 32:15

The people of Saint Francis have done an amazing thing. Of course, some might say that it was irresponsible or even dangerous. But I believe that it is courageous, faithful and exciting. We have been building, painting, carpeting, and renovating... First our youth building and more recently, our main building. And just last night we made the decision to renovate the chancel area in our sanctuary.

What makes this amazing is that we are doing all of this in a down economy. Indeed, we are doing these things in what is without doubt the most challenging economic period that many of our people have experienced in their lifetimes. Nevertheless, out of faith in God and a commitment to the mission and ministry of the Church, we are preparing. To coin a Biblical phrase, we are "making ready" for the things that God has in store for us and for countless others that we have not yet met.

Praise God for his sovereign grace and generosity and thank you to the leadership of Saint Francis for their faith and courage!

Following is a reprint of an article that I wrote for the Saint Francis Newsletter back in July of this year. It is about another time in which someone did an amazing, reckless wonderful thing out of faith...

Chapter 32 of The Book of Jeremiah retells what might be the worst real estate transaction in the entire Bible. Jeremiah the Prophet is locked up in the courtyard for making unhappy observations and predictions that have irritated King Zedekiah. While in jail, he receives a word from the Lord that he is about to be visited by his cousin—a cousin that he has not seen in a very long time. It turns out that his cousin wants to sell him a spot of land on the family farm. Significant here is the fact that the spot is either currently or soon to be inhabited by the invading Chaldeans and Jeremiah knows it. The land is about to be taken over and Israel is soon to be turned upside down. Furthermore, Jeremeiah knows that things are only going to get worse; at least in the short run. So here comes Jeremiah's cousin hoping to get out while he can.

Remember now, Jeremiah, himself, is imprisoned and the land is well out of reach. In fact, he may never be able to use it or even set foot on it. Nevertheless, Jeremiah not only agrees to the purchase, he goes to great lengths to ensure that all the documentation is done correctly and that there are witnesses to seal the deal. The point of Jeremiah’s actions and, indeed, the point of the story itself is a demonstration of hope. Though Jeremiah understands that Judah is being judged and that there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, he also understands that God is faithful. The Lord will ultimately remember his people and keep the promises that he has made to them despite their unfaithfulness.

Like King Zedekiah, most of us would prefer to hear the good word from the prophet. We would like to hear how things are going to get better and soon. And sometimes that is the message. But sometimes the Lord has work to do, and sometimes that work is extended. Perhaps we have so turned away from God or gotten the world so far out of balance that it is going to take some time for God to set things right. The way that we respond to this says a lot about us.

Jeremiah’s actions in chapter 32 are a statement of hope and encouragement for his people. He wants to assure them that God is faithful though it might not seem that way in the moment. To those present that day in the courtyard, it surely must have seemed like Jeremiah was a complete fool. Nevertheless, he understood something that the people had forgotten.

There is a saying, “Live your life in such a way that it makes no sense apart from the existence of God.” The point here is not that we go out and make foolish real estate decisions or spend dwindling cash deposits on renovating our church buildings. It is rather to see, believe and act in ways that demonstrates our faith in God. It is to live as though we truly understand that no matter how things seem at the moment, God is good and God holds the future.

I commend the leadership of Saint Francis for acting courageously. We might have offered a thousand reasons why we can't or should not do such things but instead we stepped forward in faith, trusting God and one another. May God look with favor upon this courage, bless our fellowship and show us how we can serve Christ as we continue to move forward.

Porcelain

2010-08-30T07:40:00.000-07:00

I just finished an email. I've been corresponding with a friend about the "Restoring Honor" rally recently held in Washington, D.C. He's rightfully concerned over the use of language. People, and especially people of power, understand the importance of language. The words we use, the stories we tell, and the ways in which we bring the past to the present is powerful stuff. Or, to put it more directly, in any given argument, the one who controls the language tends to win the day.

This is why the rally and the storyline leading up to it has caused great deal of commotion. There is emotion tied up with our understanding of the past and the way that we name our histories. Following is a paragraph from the email that I sent to my friend. In an effort to avoid some of the sharper emotional edges of this debate, I have sought to avoid the details and focus on what I think is an important but largely missed component of all this...

...This is the political cynicism that I am increasingly disturbed by. It is one thing for people like you and I (folks who have no real power) to be cynical about the decisions and directions. It’s playful and helps us blow off steam… But it is quite another thing for folks like Rupert Murdock, Rahm Emanuel or Joel Osteen. These are people who have significant influence. I am concerned less by people with strong opinions than I am with whether or not these strong opinions are genuine. As strange as it might sound, I’d feel better if these people truly believed in whatever agendas they’re espousing. As it is, I am afraid that they’re a bit more concerned with public opinion--the new expediency.. This is the great secret of the political environment of our time. It is the secret of an unaccountable life. Do whatever it takes and paint it any way you like because no one’s really watching--except, of course, the people that you are trying to win over... This is the take I have on the current spectacle. That people get money and affirmation to tell others what they have “tuned-in” to hear... Something comes to mind about the world's oldest profession...

Cynicism is scary stuff... And it's sad because we work on it so hard.

Hey, you've got a lot of nerve
to show your face around here.
Hey, you've got a lot of nerve
to dredge up all my fears.
Well, I wish I could shake some sense into you
and walk out the door.
But your skin is like porcelain.
Yeah, your skin is like porcelain.

Just the other day I felt I had you by a string.
Just the other day I felt we could be everything.
But now when I see you, you're somebody else.
In somebody's eyes and your skin...
But your skin is like porcelain.
Yeah, your skin is like porcelain.

I don't know what I'm saying.
Well, I don't know if you're there.
In the words you are feigning.
Do you even care?

Well I wish I could kill you,
savor the sight.
Get in to my car, drive into the night.
Then lie as I scream to the heavens above.
That I was the last one you ever loved.
Yes, your skin is like porcelain.

"Porcelain" Better Than Ezra

Caring for the Soul

2010-08-16T08:19:00.000-07:00

Each week when I sit down to write my blog entry, I pause. I ask myself, now what did I write about last time... I tend to be just a bit paranoid about saying too much about what's wrong. It's not so much the content as the tone. I don't like to write too many downer articles in a row. I've only got a couple of readers anyway and I really don't want to drive them away with too much doom and gloom. I figure it's probably hard on me as well--dwelling too much on the negative. There's more than enough bringing people down already; we really don't need to be bathing in it. So as easy as it might be to rant week after week, I sincerely try to offer something constructive from time...really, I do!

It is hard though. When I think honestly about the difference between the things that make me feel good and the things that depress me, it is a rather sobering consideration. For example, think about how much time and energy we spend on things that really don't do much for our souls. After attending to things like work, worry, and the crisis of the moment, there just isn't that much time left in the day. We almost have to go out of our way to take a walk, enjoy a good conversation or make love. And even if we do take the time, it's usually the last time of the day. In other words, the things that might feed our souls often get the very least of our attention and energy.

What's especially discouraging here is that I'm probably in the top 10% when it comes to actually having time and energy to do these kinds of things. I've got a job that allows unique freedom. We pastors work largely on a schedule that we choose. We have the time to think and pray and converse. In short, we are set apart specifically to attend to the soul. We are given the space to pay attention to things that restore life. And as such, we have a real chance to invite others to do the same. Sadly, many spiritual guides run from the opportunity. Perhaps we are afraid that others will resent the freedom or perhaps we have bought into the same model of production that is plaguing the people that we serve.

So rather than embracing and celebrating the space and taking the opportunity to encourage others to do the same, many pastors just feel guilty about their unique callings. We anxiously strive to fill our space with the same kinds of energy-draining busy work that everyone else seems to be suffering under. All this simply to avoid the strangeness of not being driven by work.

Recently I received a survey. It was sent by a third-party company to research the health of Methodist clergy in North Carolina. The questions were interesting. They dealt with everything from physical fitness and eating habits to self-esteem and congregational support. The survey was trying to assess the overall health of people like me which, of course, includes mental and spirtual health as well as physical health. Although it seems that I am healthier than many of my colleagues, I didn't find this especially encouraging. Compared to the general public, Methodist clergy have higher instances of heart disease, asthma, high blood pressure and depression. At some point, I am sure someone will explain why this is. But I suspect that it has something to do with the fact that the ministry seems to draw a lot of people-pleasing workaholics who don't pay enough attention to their own lives and families. And in this environment, there are very few voices suggesting that they do otherwise.

There is something not quite right about unhealthy spiritual leaders. An old saying about the blind leading the blind comes to mind...Like I said, I honestly think that I am doing better than average. I work pretty hard at not working hard. And yet, I still sense that I still pour too much time and energy into life-sucking rather than life-giving activities. So pray for us. If for no other reason than to make sure we are taking the time to pray for you.

For further reading about this, here's a link to an article that explains pretty well why so many pastors and congregations are as sick as they are right now http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/08/opinion/08macdonald.html

Double Speak

2010-08-09T05:28:00.000-07:00

During the announcements prior to our worship service, I asked the congregation for prayer concerns. One of our members simply said, "We need to pray for the families of the martyrs." The announcement caught me a bit off guard. I assumed that I knew what the man was referring to but Martyr is a big word in the Christian tradition. I hadn't heard it used to describe anything recently so I asked the gentleman to elaborate. He continued, "the ten people who were killed in Afghanistan, they were Christians and it is my understanding that they died because they were accused of proclaiming Jesus."

I had heard about the massacre. I am sure that most of the people in the congregation had as well. But this was the first time that I had heard anything about them being Christian or even that they were there as part of Christian Mission. Of course, part of that was probably me. Perhaps, I hadn't read the story closely enough. But still, I thought it curious. How did I miss that? The media--typically reveling in any news of bloodshed and horror, making the most out of every tasty crumb of pain and suffering--how could I not have heard somewhere that these people died because they were part of a Christian mission effort?

I got up this morning to read more about the incident. The story was already gone from the start page for Google News. The words Afghanistan and Aid appeared on CNN's Homepage but not Christian. I finally found a link that took me to The Washington Post. According to the article there, ten people were slaughtered while working with an organization called Internal Assistance Mission. In fact, it turns out that this is an openly Christian mission effort that has been operating in a deeply conservative Muslim country for forty-four years. Whether they were preaching (unlikely), rendering medical aid or simply offering a cup of water, it would seem that these ten people were doing so in Jesus name. They died for their faith. This would make them Christian Martyrs.

"We are heartbroken by the loss of these heroic, generous people," Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said in a statement. "We condemn in the strongest possible terms this senseless act. We also condemn the Taliban's transparent attempt to justify the unjustifiable by making false accusations about their activities in Afghanistan." From http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/08/AR2010080801338.html

Not a word about why these people were there... Hillary Clinton is a lifelong Methodist. I have always respected her work ethic and I like her. However, today I'd like to call her cell and tell her that she ought to be ashamed. Failing to honor these people for who they were is a sad commentary on our government and its paranoia and priorities.

While I do not expect the media or the government to use words like "martyr," I would imagine that they would care enough to get the story right. Which they most certainly did at some point. The media and the government knew what had happened. But in the interest of keeping somebody somewhere happy, they made a point of avoiding the references to Christianity--at least as much as they could. The Secretary of State certainly knew that these people died because they were Christian Missionaries. She purposely chose not to mention this in the briefing, probably because she believed that it might be potentially inflammatory.

I understand the paranoia but I suspect that it is both unfounded and finally self-defeating. Many people believe there is an anti-Christian spirit afoot in our country. This kind of thing only serves to fuel the suspicion.

It goes without saying, but let's go ahead and say it anyway...Imagine the outcry had this been a story about Muslim Missionaries slaughtered by Christians...

What is perhaps most important here is taking a moment to honor the good and peaceful work that these people were doing. I haven't heard anyone saying that the Internal Assistance Mission was really a front for the CIA. So I think it is safe to assume that it was not. So what these people were doing was apparently what they've been doing for the past forty-four years. Namely, they were serving others in the name of Jesus Christ, offering hope and peace in the Lord's name. Someone found this threatening enough to take their lives.

Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy.

Deflation

2010-07-27T05:12:00.000-07:00

Now there's a little known term that seems to be gaining traction these days. I noticed the word appearing in a number of recent economic articles. Unlike inflation that is a reference to currency, deflation seems to be a more expansive term used to define a larger economic trend. While inflation means that your money isn't worth much. Deflation means that most of us don't have any and those of us who might can't seem to do much with it. Inflation sucks buying power out of the hands of individuals. Deflation sucks the life out entire economies.

Where does it come from and how does it happen? If I understand it correctly, it is kind of like an old movie I once saw called, "Fate is the Hunter." [Spoiler Alert! I am about to tell you how the movie ends so stop reading this if you have not seen the 1964 classic...] In the film, a plane crashes. The authorities are not sure why so they blame it on pilot error. An investigator begins looking into the accident, partly because he knows the pilot and his reputation and he does not want to see his friend falsely accused and historically responsible for something so horrible unless there is adequate reasons to do so. Toward the end of the story, the investigator puts together a reenactment in which he is careful to recreate everything leading up to crash. It turns out that a spilled cup of coffee was the critical catalyst setting off a chain of events that led to the loss of many lives.

Deflationary trends in economics seem to be something like this. Something goes wrong. And then something else goes wrong. Pretty soon it feels like everything is going wrong. But the real problem is the overriding response to all this. [And understandably so, when the plane starts to go down, it seems like a reasonable time to panic!] But, of course, as more and more people pull back for fear of a spiraling economy, it becomes something of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Things actually begin to get as bad as people are fearing them to be...

Deflation is a dangerous and scary thing and not only for economic systems. Fear can send us scurrying away from everyone and everything--sometimes from the very people and places that might otherwise bring us hope and joy. Don't get me wrong, there is plenty to be concerned about. And for some, there is more than enough reason to pull back from investing and stepping out into a world where things might go wrong. But what happens when we pull back? What happens when more and more people cease to look for the hope and the opportunities? What happens when everyone allows fear or panic to guide their lives?

Remember Mr. Potter? While all of Bedford Falls was slipping into panic, he was just smiling and waiting to pounce. Even George was sweating and very close to giving into his own fear and deflation. But as we are watching, we know what he needs to do. We know that he needs to keep the faith--to keep on keeping on. Right? Because otherwise, Bedford Falls becomes Pottersville.

Oh yeah, Justice

2010-07-22T07:44:00.001-07:00

He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8

I just returned from accompanying the youth on a trip to Washington, D.C. The week prior, our young people had left The Portico to travel about in the inner city of Charlotte. They engaged in a unique ministry that allows participants to see and meet and work directly with some of the poverty missions within the city. At the end of the week, the group boarded a train and headed to D.C. for something called "The United Methodist Seminar."

The seminar takes place at the United Methodist building. The first thing that strikes you about the building is the location. It sits across the street from the US Capitol and a stone's throw from the Supreme Court, offering a bird's eye view on all things moving and shaking. No mistake here. When the United Methodist women bought the land and paid for the building back in 1923, it was a clear statement to the powers that be that they would be watching. And they would be speaking, especially on behalf of those who had little voice in the decisions effecting their lives. And for almost 100 years now, the UM church has sought to be a voice of justice to the powers of this land.

The seminar itself was a take-no-prisoners look at homelessness. The presenters explained how common it is to look upon poverty rather than behind it. With a brief nod to the importance of pity and generosity, our teenagers were quickly told that charity is not enough. The Church needs to be a voice of justice on behalf of the poor. The Church needs to act, to work on the root causes and seek to eradicate the factors that give rise to the conditions that we are so good at feeling bad about.

The focus of the seminar fit well with the sermon that we had heard the day before. At Asbury UMC, we listened as Fred Smith likened our time to the days of the prophet Amos. Citing everything from interest rates to global warming, Fred noted the apocalyptic tones ringing all around us. Like Amos, the preacher denied any confident credentials in the matters of God, simply noting, "I'm just saying..."

For me, the trip was a bit of a trip down memory lane. This was Christianity as I had known at an earlier point in my life. In college, I used to gather with a group of people who would get together specifically to pray about peace and ways to work for nuclear disarmament. During seminary, my roomate volunteered a couple of times a month at the men's shelter in Durham, staying overnight with the homeless men who took refuge there. When I first entered the ministry, I worked with two inner city organizations in Des Moines, Iowa. My closest friends were people that Micah and Amos would have been happy to hang out with. These were pastors who worked in the farm-workers movement and met regularly with city councilmen to make sure the poor had a voice. They seemed to have boundless energy, fighting for every justice issue they encountered.

It's not that I no longer believe in such things, it's just that it all seems so much harder now and maybe a little more complicated. While the seminar leaders and our youth director, Matt Smith, kept using the word uncomfortable, the word that kept coming to my mind was overwhelming. There is just so much to do--so much need. Like eating the proverbial elephant, I am not sure where to take the first bite.

Meanwhile, the signs of tempest swirl around us. The preacher's analogy to Amos and his time was a fair warning to any of us who might be listening and who might be able to figure out what we might do. And perhaps the most challenging part of all this is the subtlety of it all. No one intentionally sets out to be unjust. People are not trying to purposely ignore or disenfranchise the folks on the fringe. Nobody plans to tear up the planet. It just sort of happens. Maybe it's a by-product of our broken humanity. Not to offer an excuse but some kind of explanation. The self interest, the ambition, the excess...it adds up. And it does do damage, even if unintentional.

I like the words from Micah. I like them because, unlike the overwhelming nature of injustice, the Lord's answer to the question here actually seems doable. Perhaps we can commit ourselves to something as simple as this--to doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly... Perhaps this is something that we can keep in front of us as well--maybe write it on our hands or stick it to the regrigerator with a magnet. So often justice seems to be a monolith--an impossible problem that we all have to fix. And perhaps that's part of the problem. Rather than trying to eat the entire elephant in one bite, maybe we just have to hear and respond to these words from Micah. Each of us hearing and committing ourselves to a simple formula that invites us to live a little more lightly, a little more decently. I think I might be able to do that.

LeCircus

2010-07-12T12:13:00.000-07:00

For those who heard my sermon yesterday, the comments here will not be especially new. If you missed it, the sermon centered upon Micah 6: What does the Lord require...but to do justice love kindness and walk humbly with your God...

My sermon contrasted the Scriptural expectation of humility and justice against the me-first values of our time, depicted most recently in the spectacle of Lebron James' free agency as well as the hype and media circus surrounding it. ESPN aired a special entitled, "The Decision" in which Lebron publicly announced that he would be taking his talents to South Beach. The entire process was so over-the-top that it actually drew criticism from the media itself (or at least from rival networks and commentators). My favorite quote came from Eric Stangel, the head writer and executive producer for The Late Show with David Letterman, who wrote, "I'm keeping my 2 yr old up to watch the Lebron James Special. I want her to see the exact moment our society hit rock bottom." Naturally, he posted the comment on Twitter.

All this has little, really, to do with Lebron James. Except that he now represents the latest example--one more symptom, really--of a society that is very, very sick. Celebrities are lifted up and worshiped to the point that they cannot help but believe that they really are the heroes we imagine them to be. It's all a ridiculous circus but no one seems particularly able to point this out. Instead, we just play along. Turn on our televisions and watch as our society slips into the dust of narcissistic history. Even though we might sense the absurdity, it seems that we are nevertheless destined to play out a drama in which the logical conclusion is complete and utter catastrophe. What does the Lord require has been replaced by an unquenchable appetite that begins with a very different question...What's in it for me? We really cannot blame Lebron or anyone else who appears to blessed by all of this because we're all failing to offer any real alternative. Go get yours we say. Because, frankly, that's the best idea we've got...

The Church has failed greatly in this regard. More than anything else, we have failed in memory and imagination. We've forgotten our own story and we lack the courage to explain to one another that every society that has headed down this road has ended in ruins.

Surely the Church has something interesting to say to a society that is tumbling headlong into the abyss of the self... Yet where is that voice? Indeed, some corners of the Church have gone so far as to actually join the circus--promoting the very narcissistic values that are polluting our culture. Some of the fastest growing churches in our society right now are promoting values and practices that are diametrically opposed to the central teachings of the Gospel and the Scriptures. It is difficult to blame the faithful when the very institutions that they trust to tell the truth have sold out to cheap and easy answers simply because they seem popular.

And that's really the thing. If we fail to ask questions like the one that Micah is asking in Micah 6, who will? If we forget the lessons of our own story, who do we expect to remember them? It is one thing for the world to lose its mind but the Church is without excuse. For we do have an alternative story. We do have an alternative message that is compelling and reliable enough to challenge the prevailing nonsense of our time... But will we muster the imagination and courage to recall it and speak it? If we do not, then we deserve Lebron and Lady Gaga.

This is a central tenet of my own leadership at Saint Francis. I want to invite us to be a community that attends to an alternative way of living in the world. I want us to be a community that asks questions about God, about life, and about the world in which we live. I want us to seek that unique path of humility and courage--a path that is revealed in people like Micah and Jesus and Francis of Assisi.

Bottom Feeding

2010-06-21T07:02:00.000-07:00

We all know that things are tough and we all wish that they would get better. But that's the easy part. The hard part is trying to keep track of what matters most and resisting the temptation to take our anger and frustration out on the wrong people.

A business friend of mine helps me keep up with the details--the more subtle aspects of what happens during an economic downturn. Perhaps the saddest thing that I have learned through this is what happens when there is less and less to go around. We treat each other pretty well when there is plenty but when things get a little more scarce, we not only fight like fish over the last few crumbs, we begin to bite at one another as well. Not because we are hungry to eat them but because we can't bite anyone else.

None of this is new. It has been a sad side-effect of poverty since people had to leave the Garden and make a go of it in a world where things don't just grow on trees... Struggling people look around them and begin to resent and blame not those who hold the power and make the decisions but rather those who seem to have it as bad or worse than they do. In Germany, poor Christians come to resent poor Jews. In America, poor white folk learned to resent their poor black neighbors. Misplaced anger... We humans have a tendency to take our frustrations out on whatever might be in striking distance.

The best example of this is domestic abuse: You're mad at your boss. You're getting older and less attractive. The bills are piling up and no one listens to you... So what do you do? Why you beat your wife, of course; or your kids; or both!

Naturally this is wrong but people just keep doing it. What else are they going to do? ... Watching the latest on the Gulf Oil disaster, I see that rich people get into this too. Congress is dragging BP execs in so they can take some swings on behalf of the country. Nothing like a good public display of vengeance to clear the soul! Sheeeesh.

Here's an idea. How about some peace? Or some good will? If we're gonna have to suffer through this ______ anyway, why don't we try to make the best of it? How about we recognize that we actually have more in common with the people we can reach than those we can't? There is nothing wrong with a little anger, let's just work a little harder at directing it at the right people.

BTW, that poor fellow there is The Weather Man. He's just been pelted by another chocolate shake thrown from a passing car. Killing The Messenger--another tried and true practice of the downtrodden. Sure... but let me see you hit God with one of those things!

Celibacy and Other Things The Clergy Probably Shouldn't Be Doing For Us

2010-06-08T05:50:00.000-07:00

In response to the sex scandal in the Roman Catholic church, a group of women have apparently written an open letter to the pope. The woman are Italian Catholics who have had affairs or relationships with priests. However, unlike the harsh criticisms that has characterized other such letters, these are letters in support of the priests and others who have been caught in a system that has some very real problems. Some have said that the letters will reopen the discussion about celibacy. While that remains to be seen, I do feel that the letter is an important document. Many people have sensed (myself included) that the cause of much of the pain and suffering that we have seen in the Church around the issue of sex is rooted in the strangely applied expectation of a celibate and unmarried priesthood.

The current Pope, along with many before him, has responded to questions of this kind by referencing that celibacy has been the historic practice and expectation of clergy for a very long time (though curiously not since the beginning of the Church). I think it is a bad idea to ask entire groups of people to refrain from sex on the basis of their loyalty to God and to the Church. But what I really think is a bad idea is doing this out of some kind of queer loyalty to values and faith positions that the Church does not promote.

What I mean by this is that the Church certainly does not believe that marriage is a bad thing. Moreover, despite the strange and mixed messages that we've heard from time to time, the Church does not believe that sex is dirty or evil. While there have been times when both Protestant and Catholic Christians have entertained such ideas, the Bible does not support it and as Christians we have largely gotten past our awkward feelings about sexuality. Indeed, in the more recent past, the Church has made it a point to proclaim that sex is a part of God's created order and therefore a good thing. Of course, we also believe that there are more and less appropriate ways of expressing this particular gift but there is no official position in the Church suggesting that sex is a bad thing. Herein lies the twofold problem.

First, by setting a unique standard for the priesthood, the Vatican is indirectly making a strange statement, both to the Church and to the larger world. By implying that marriage and sex are OK for lay people but not OK for Church leaders, the Vatican is suggesting these things are some kind of vice. The unspoken lesson here is that real Christians should not be interested in lesser things like marriage and sex.

Second, and this is the really sad part... The truth is, the Church doesn't believe this. It doesn't believe that sex is dirty. In fact, marriage is actually a sacrament in the Roman Catholic tradition--on the level of Baptism and Holy Communion. Why would you deny something that is upheld as good and desirable from leaders within the Church? Again, in the proper context... Or to put it in the darker context: could it be that we are seeing perversion of sexuality in these men precisely because they have not been allowed to enjoy healthy expressions of it?

This issue is actually just one of a number of double-standards that we have applied to clergy at one time or another. Of course, part of this is helpful; we want our servant leaders to serve as examples of the faith and holding them to a higher standard makes sense in this regard. However, sometimes there seems to be something else going on. Sometimes, we sort of imagine that we want the clergy to live out our faithfulness for us. It seems that we ask them to be pure or poor or nonviolent so we won't have to.

This, it seems to me, is a poor way to live out our faith together. By asking some to carry the disciplinary burden of all might sound attractive but like the Church's expectation of celibate priesthood, it not only sends a mixed message, it also paves the way for some rather bizarre side effects. I am thinking here especially of the Church's confused and compromised relation to war and nonviolence. Although Jesus himself was nonviolent and early Christian disciples were taught to avoid vocations in which there might be shedding blood, the Church today has moved far away from this expectation. Of course, clergy are expected to be peaceful in both personal and collective ways, that expectation is seldom applied to the faithful. Another example, of course, is money. The people in the pews feel that it is their God-given right to pursue and protect wealth to any and all degrees as long as our servant leaders remain nice and poor.

Interestingly, these two examples are somewhat different from the example of celibacy. Whereas the Bible clearly recognizes sex (at least within marriage) as a good and important part of life, violence and the pursuit of riches are generally not regarded as Godly behavior. So what's going on? Does the Church really want to continue to underwrite things like violence and greed while hypocritically judging something as natural as sex?

Enough

2010-06-01T06:50:00.000-07:00

Occasionally, I have this image of a plow. It is hooked to an immense tractor and turning the soil over upon itself and that soil is me. It is, in a sense, a dark image I guess; but strangely comforting for me. It is not that I am in a hurry to be returned to the dust from which we all come. It is just good to know that there will some day be an end to it. All the disappointments, failures and damage that I see being wrought upon the earth and my part in it. I am glad that these things will at some point be finished--everything turned back to dirt. And then used for something new--I hope for something better.

This perhaps reads as reincarnation of some kind. But it doesn't feel that way. Reincarnation tends to focus on the I part in all this. What will become of me and all that... But my interest is more in the end of the me--the end to the us as cruel butchers of beauty and one another. It seems that all that focus on the self is sort of the part of life that I find most distressing. So my interest in the soil is not because I am in a hurry to be something or somewhere else. I just like knowing that there will be something else--something beside all the self-seeking that characterizes so much of this life.

Of course, as a Christian, I am also drawn to the image of eternal life, to the vision of paradise. And for the same reasons. Whatever paradise might be, it must be more than an endless parade of personal consumption. It is not that I don't like things or pleasure; and, again, I am not in a hurry to become fertilize for the next generation of whatver. I'm just getting tired. Or, at least I am tired today. I am tired of disappointment. And I am sick to death of the cruelty of people. It just seems there is no end to the self-seeking and death that we humans can visit on one another.

As I was thinking about this, I remembered something that Jesus said about God's people:
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! Mt. 23:37

Jesus uses that word, brood, in only one other reference.
You brood of vipers! How can you speak good things, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Mt. 12:34

Strange isn't it? Snakes and harmless chicks--two pretty different images, indeed. Jesus likens the former to those who imagine themselves to be good and holy when, in fact, they are evil and vile. The latter he uses to name the Father's love for his childrenl.

The Weight of Want

2010-05-17T06:31:00.001-07:00

We are now beginning to see the scale of the oil spill in the gulf. It will probably turn out to be worse than we are hearing today. But even at this point, it is pretty awful. As I think about the environmental destruction and general horror of the whole thing, I do not feel righteous or judgmental at all. Whatever happened out there, I figure that I did it. Or, we did it anyway. There's no escaping the guilt here--the greed maybe but not the guilt.

Of course, it is ridiculous and wrong that BP has made hundreds of billions in profit already this year. And we probably ought to judge them for that at some level. But the fact is they've made all that money mostly by just giving us what we want. And now the ocean and countless creatures have suffered a pretty horrible injustice because of that same degree of want. Sure, the spill will cost us something. It will cost the people who make a living in and around the coast. It will affect the stock market and probably the cost of gasoline at some point. But to suggest that we are going to suffer for what BP has done is a little like Peter blaming Judas for betraying Jesus. Nah, this is something that I've done. And it is awful.

The awful part is not that we've spilled oil in the gulf. It is the way that we spilled it. This wasn't just a tragic accident. It was the byproduct of runaway self-interest and sin. All we cared about was getting what we want. And we would have gone on caring about nothing else had we not been inconvenienced by this embarrassing little accident in the gulf.

But now that we are being made to look and see what has become of us, we have a window of opportunity. We have an opportunity to tell the truth and consider the weight of our want. The first bit of truth telling is admitting that this is not merely an accident. It is a disaster, a real disaster, and it has come upon us by our own hand. The second bit is pretty standard moral stuff. Namely, it is a matter of what now? What will we do? Will we figure out a better way to get what we want--maybe take a real look at wind power or wave power or solar power? Will we rethink the whole want thing--or at least want at the level that we have been practicing it of late?

I recently began reading a book entitled, "Being Consumed: Economics and Christian Desire." It was recommended to me by a friend. He's an intellectual so the book is pretty heady. And it's not a perfect book. Nevertheless, the author is struggling with some pretty important questions. There are people out there that are struggling with these things. Just like people once struggled with things like slavery and child labor and women's suffrage, it is time that we start sincerely struggling with things like consumption, globalization and the environment. These aren't political issues. These are moral issues.

I feel responsible for what has happened in the gulf. I am not sure how I've done it and I am not at all sure how to make it right but I think I'm ready to learn. I want to start wanting something else.

Swing Slow; Hit Hard

2010-05-03T05:31:00.000-07:00

O.K., I can now say that I am officially connected to the city of Charlotte! I tried getting excited about the Bobcats and the Panthers but it never really took. I went to the Wachovia a couple of years back and enjoyed it but nothing to call my mom about... And then this weekend, a friend invited me to go to the Quail Hollow event. I got to see some amazing shots and catch a bit of the atmosphere on Saturday to keep me interested. And then yesterday...

For a sports enthusiasts, today is a pretty good day to live in the city of Charlotte. Millions of people are going to see and remember what Rory McIlroy accomplished yesterday. They will be talking about this for a long time--and well beyond the city of Charlotte.

I am not much of a golfer but I do have a history with it. One of my closest friends in high school was probably the best player that ever went to our high school. I caddied for him in a number of opens and club tournaments. John was an unlikely golfer. He was the only guy that I knew with a bigger chip on his shoulder than mine and he had a horrible temper. Additionally, John was an exceptional athlete. He was only 5'11" but he could dunk a basketball and probably could have run a 10.8 hundred yard dash had the track season not coincided with golf. John ended up getting a partial scholarship to the University of Northern Iowa where he had a break out tournament at some Playboy Invitational in the Midwest where for 3 days he outplayed the best golfers from several of the Big Ten schools. After that, he sort of turned to more familiar college pursuits. He left college before he graduated and has worked as a greens-keeper and landscaper for twenty some years now. His shoulders are shot from all the manual labor but I still believe that John DeVault might been the Will Hunting of golf. If only someone would have caught him while there was still time to curb all that self-destruction.

Anyway, it was really great seeing Rory win. I was just as happy for Billy Mayfair the day before and was rooting for him until it was clear that it just wasn't going to happen. It will be interesting to see how things go from here on out. We're already hearing those inevitable comparisions to Tiger Woods. It's sickening; why can't we just enjoy the golf? Why does it all have to be about astro-heroics?

This weekend I was reminded that it is good to be a student. I went to the tournament with no pretense about golf or about the culture that surrounds it. I let my friend teach me as much as I could pick up in the few hours that we were out there. And it was great! I found myself surprisingly excited about the whole thing. I am never going to be a big-time golf enthusiast but still, it was a blessing to have my mind expanded and to share in the joy of others who were absolutely thrilled to be a part of this thing. One of my favorite scenes of the whole weekend was watching the crowd react to Rory's putt on the final hole. It was, of course, like watching a movie--how else could you describe a 40-foot birdie putt to ice the cake? But all those people--they couldn't have been happier for this kid! And that is wonderful thing. To be satisfied with simply being there--happy to see someone else have their day--that's special.

I hope that I can extend this attitude to other areas. It seems that some folks just can't figure this out--if they're not the deal, they don't have time for it... I've been like that myself sometimes. But the fact is, that's a pretty sorry way to approach life. There is only so much joy we're going to be able to squeeze out of our own stories. So why not learn to celebrate it in others? Just being there when someone else is having a good day can be a blessing in and of itself.

You First...

2010-04-26T09:16:00.000-07:00

I was recently sitting in on one of the Sunday school classes here at the Portico. They were studying John Wesley's, Three Simple Rules. We have a banner hanging in the sanctuary with these rules inscribed:

As I listened to the class discuss the second rule, it struck me that simplicity actually threatens the modern world. Seven billion people on the planet trying to survive. Everyone out to make it...to get theirs... We live in the age of "what's in it for me?"

And we know it. We sense that it is tacky. We know that it is contrary to the teachings of Jesus. We probably don't even want to live this way. But we're afraid of living any other way. We figure that it is just about the time that we let down our guard and start thinking about the other guy that whatever is left of the rug we're currently standing on will suddenly be ripped from beneath us and it will be over.

Of course, for all practical purposes, it is over already. As long as we remain enslaved to that fear of what will happen if, we are certainly not winning whatever game that the modern world has taught us to play. Our salvation lies in something other than the "me first" model that has brought us to this place. Yet, for whatever reason, we can't seem to shake the addiction... My daughter has a hamster. They say it runs something like six miles a night on that wheel on the outer side of the cage. It doesn't really go anywhere but it usually gets tired enough to sleep through most of the following day. It's back at it each night though...

Wesley lived in a far less complex era. Nevertheless, he still saw the value of offering the faithful a simplified version of the faith. Here, try this... here are three simple rules to live by. See if this helps with the craziness...

The way I see it is that we are all waiting for the other guy. We'd be glad to take the plunge--embrace a more simplified, just and selfless existence--just as soon as everyone else agrees to do the same. But that's just it, isn't it? It doesn't work that way. And, of course not...

I remember listening to a millionaire talking about what it took to become as wealthy as he had become. He said, "Don't kid yourself. It's not easy to get to where I've gotten in life. If it were, everyone would be doing it. But that really doesn't matter, does it? Because this isn't about everyone else. The question is how much do you want it."

Though there is certainly a difference between being materially rich and spiritually rich, I suspect the lesson still applies. It is not about the other guy. As long as we are waiting around for everybody else to get excited about living decently, we're probably not going to get too far ourselves. If we desire to be rich in spirit even just simplify our lives a bit, then we will have to take the first step... and probably the second and third as well. The fact is, if these things were easy, everyone would be doing them. So it comes down to you and I, doesn't it? Have we had enough of the "me-first" model? Are we willing to try something else--even if we can't get everyone around us to agree to the same?

Crazy Stuff

2010-04-12T05:54:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite Biblical stories takes place in 2 Kings 5. It is the story of Naaman. Naaman is a commander in the army of Aram. The Scriptures tell us that he is a good man but he suffers from leprosy. Aram and Israel are neighboring nations who have fought in the past but are currently enjoying a fragile peace. The King of Aram hears through his Israelite slave-girl that there is a prophet in Israel who could cure Naaman of his leprosy. The king of Aram sends a letter to the king of Israel on Naaman's behalf in hopes of healing. Of course, the king of Israel sees this whole thing as a setup: ‘Am I God, to give death or life, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Just look and see how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me.’

But Elisha hears word of the request and tells the king to send Naaman on. This is where the story gets especially interesting. When Naaman arrives with his party at Elisha's house, the prophet shouts instructions out through the door. He tells Naaman to go and wash in the Jordan seven times. The commander is furious. He is especially angry about the simplicity of the answer and the fact that Elisha didn't even come out to see him and raise some kind of religious spectacle. But his associates manage to calm him down. They tell him basically, "why not?" Why got give it a try? Just because a solution is not complicated does not necessarily mean that it won't work. Of course, when he finally goes and washes the seven times in the Jordan, he becomes clean.

Last night I was thumbing through the channels and I came upon an infomercial. It was Kevin Trudeau selling a series of books written by Robert Barefoot. Both of these people have come under enormous suspicion and criticism by the federal government. The two men were having a conversation about the benefits of Coral Calcium and Vitamin D. At one point, Robert Barefoot said something to the effect of 90% of all disease could be cured by taking Calcium and spending two hours a day in the sunshine--without sunscreen.

The claims coming out of Barefoot's mouth seemed preposterous. I could scarcely imagine that he was making them on television and with a straight face. He was talking specifically about the suppression of scientific evidence proving the benefits of Calcium and Vitamin D in battling everything from MS to cancer. When asked about why people don't know about this stuff, he pointed to the Pharmaceutical Industry and its financial connection to everything from the national media to the FDA. When pressed on how something so simple (and inexpensive) could possibly work better than hundreds of billions of dollars worth of drugs, Barefoot simply said, "God knew what he was doing."

I've seen those Velcro straps that people wear just below their knees. They look like nothing more than a strip of cloth but people swear by them.

In the movie, "Idiocracy," Joe Bauers wakes up 500 years in the future to find that the gene pool has worked its way to the least common denominator. While an average person in 2006, Joe is far and away the smartest person on earth in 2506 but his intelligence only serves to get him into trouble. At one point, he notices that the people are using a Gatorade-like product called Brawndo to irrigate their crops. Consequently, all the crops are dying and it is posing a national crisis. Joe tells them that they could solve the crisis if they would use water instead but the proposition is ludicrous to the people of the twenty-sixth century. Clearly quoting some advertisement that he had heard over and over again, the Secretary of State, proclaims, "But Brawndo's got what plants crave. It's got electrolytes."

I've recently been reading the book of Acts. And I came across something that I had never really noticed before. There are two separate stories in which the Gospel message comes into conflict with the way that people make money (Acts 16:16ff and Acts 19:23ff). The stories are telling in that in each case there is a clear conflict between God's message breaking in to a community and the financial stress that this new reality creates.

Our society says that it wants to be healthy. But I sense that there are some crazy problems that stand in the way. One of these is money. The other one is a misappropriation of faith. We have been led to believe that health is complex and costly. We have been led to believe that we need experts to tell us and sell us on what our body needs. And the assumption driving this escalating race is the belief (and I suspect a false belief) that the more complicated something is, the more likely it is to be helpful in our vain pursuit of health. Curiously, for all the expertise, complicated drugs and expensive treatment, our people seem to be sicker.

Naaman didn't want to believe that his leprosy could be cured by the simple suggestion of a prophet in Israel. Happily though, he had a few friends who helped him understand that his health was really more important than his pride.

The Weight of the World

2010-04-08T10:32:00.000-07:00

...And there he came to a cave, and lodged there; and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" He said, "I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the people of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thy altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away." 1 Kings 19

I've always enjoyed the stories about the prophet, Elijah. He is truly the man who stands at the very intersection of earth and heaven. One moments he is boldly proclaiming the Word of God. And the next moment, he is running for cover in fear of his life. The text above takes place shortly after what is perhaps Elijah's greatest moment as a prophet. He has just taken on all the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel. He calls upon the name of the Lord and indeed the Lord comes in mighty power. The statement and the lesson are clear--there is no god like the Lord! Nevertheless, as soon as the contest is over, Elijah immediately begins thinking about the consequences. He knows that Ahab and Jezebel will soon be gunning for him for what has happened. So Elijah scurries to a cave, apparently to hide out from all those people that were out to get him.

The Lord comes to Elijah and ask him about all this. Elijah's response is wonderful--at least for those of us who are able to laugh at ourselves. Here is a paraphrase of Elijah's response: Lord, you cannot imagine how incomprehensibly hard it is to be me. I am the only person in the whole world who cares enough to remember you. It's just a matter of time Lord. They'll be coming soon. I'm finished here.

Now to be fair, prophets do feel like this sometimes and Jezebel probably did want to see Elijah dead. But Elijah had just seen the power of God in an unusually dramatic display at the contest on Mt. Carmel. So what's the deal?

Sometimes we misjudge our role. Whether it be as servants or parents or leaders or simply people on the planet--sometimes we imagine that everything turns upon us. I call it the "thank God for me" syndrome. Religious people seem to be especially susceptible to it. And the reason here is because religious people tend to be conscientious.

Being conscientious, of course, is generally a good thing. Conscientious people feel the weight of the world and they want to do their part to carry the load. However, this can also lead to trouble, particularly when we start comparing ourselves to other people. It begins when we start noticing that other people don't seem to be paying as much attention as we are. We begin to tell ourselves that these people don't care as much as we do or that they simply cannot do as good a job as we can. And sometimes this is true. And this further complicates the problem. We already believe that we care more than everyone else so if we also believe that everyone else is doing a poor job anyway, then we might just as well do it ourselves. And the longer this goes on, the more we get the idea that we're carrying the weight of the world all by ourself.

This is sort of what happens to the prophet Elijah. In his noble effort to do the right thing well, he finds himself further and further isolated. To the point, if fact, that Elijah believes that he is the only one left--the only faithful person on the planet. And once you become the last faithful person left on the planet, there is little else to do but run away to a cave somewhere and wait for the inevitable.

This, btw, is a common theme in zombie movies. You can only fight zombies alone for so long. Sooner or later, something has got to give. Either they overwhelm you with their sheer numbers or you discover (as they do in the movies) that they're not all zombies. There are always others who are willing to stand beside you and hold off the dead people. You just might have to leave the cave to find them. And you might have to accept the fact that their concern and technique might not be exactly the same as yours.

Oh, here's how that story ends:
And the LORD said to him, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, you shall anoint Haz'ael to be king over Syria; and Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel; and Eli'sha the son of Shaphat of A'bel-meho'lah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. And him who escapes from the sword of Haz'ael shall Jehu slay; and him who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Eli'sha slay. Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Ba'al, and every mouth that has not kissed him." So he departed from there, and found Eli'sha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing, with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Eli'jah passed by him and cast his mantle upon him. And he left the oxen, and ran after Eli'jah, and said, "Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you." And he said to him, "Go back again; for what have I done to you?" And he returned from following him, and took the yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the yokes of the oxen, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Eli'jah, and ministered to him.

For Us All

2010-03-29T07:07:00.000-07:00

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:1-2

It was a tough choice this week--deciding what I would be writing about. What with Duke winning the South Region and making it to the Final Four and all... But given it's Holy Week, I felt that I should probably demonstrate some discipline and offer something a little more universally applicable. The number of folks out there excited about the Blue Devils heading to Indianapolis is fractional even among the handful of people who read this blog. But those who have a stake in what happens to Jesus this week... The interest here extends from one end of this world to the other, at least according to the writer of 1 John.

The generic version of this message is pretty familiar: Jesus died for the sins of the world. This is great news. And sometimes, it is enough to break through and give us the peace and the hope to carry on. But sometimes, we need to hear the full meaning of this message with a little more oomph. Sometimes we need to hear it as it relates to us and sometimes we need to hear it as it relates to others. I am thinking here especially of those people who like to fence-off the grace. Sometimes people want us to fit a certain model before they are willing to allow us into the fellowship of the saved.

There are, of course, all kinds of problems with this. First, we need to remember that our salvation does not rest on what the neighbors say! But what might be the biggest problem with this kind of thing is that it fails to fully honor what is accomplished in the life, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. When we fail to see our neighbor's redemption, we indirectly deny the saving work of Christ. Although we may not mean to do so, refusing to accept Jesus' capacity to redeem others is a refusal to accept Jesus capacity to redeem us as well.

Now that is mostly a sermon consideration. And sermon considerations are often just that--they are considerations that are considered but not necessarily heeded. So we will not want to leave this up to that neighbor of ours who always seems to be looking down at us. That is, we don't want to leave the condition of our soul up to people who hold it in doubt. So this is something that we probably will want to take on personally. Sometimes we have to assert our inclusion in the message. Sometimes we have to say, this promise belongs to me too!

And it is not just that annoying neighbor who looks down on us. Sometimes, we are telling ourselves that we're not worthy or that there is something about us that makes it impossible for our lives to be reclaimed. And it is the same thing here... We may have to assert the Gospel message even to ourselves, even against our own experience or to the demons inside of us telling us that we're irredeemable.

The Scripture teaches that Jesus has died for our sins--and not for ours only but for the sins of the whole world. This is a monumental claim--a claim that might make all the difference in the life of someone. Just remember... that someone is you too.

Reaping What We've Sown

2010-03-22T06:57:00.000-07:00

This is one of those entries that I am sort of hoping will not be read by many people. The reason for this is twofold. First, I am not an expert in the subject matter. I am liable to not only be imprecise but perhaps judgmental as well. Second, it is not going to be particularly entertaining. It is going to take some time and words to explain some of this so the entry is likely to be long. I hope this is enough to deter the playful readers. At the same time, for those who have perhaps been thinking about this stuff, I hope that my comments here make some sense.

For some time now, small towns have been diminishing across our country. Small-town businesses have lost market share to big-box stores. Local restaurants have been replaced by cookie-cutter chains. Family farms have been sold or taken over and ultimately converted into large-scale, corporate production models. Meanwhile, manufacturing jobs in America have been drying up and/or moving overseas. Initially these were primarily blue-collar jobs. More recently, however, more technical positions have been farmed out as well. All this has been going on for some time but it has gone largely unnoticed or at least unconcerned by much of the population that has found refuge and success in cities and suburbs.

So blind were many professionals to all this that they were actually surprised when the economic crises reached them a couple of years ago. I remember coming to St. Francis and hearing nothing but bullish reports. No matter how bad things were getting outside Charlotte (see the history of textiles, furniture and tobacco), the people here seemed unfazed and exuberantly confident about the future. It was only when the banks failed and the handwriting was on the wall that many urban and suburban professions began to admit that the suffering might actually reach them.

Of course, at this point, all of this is old news. There is no going back and "preparing" for what has already come to pass. However there is still a future out there. There is still something on the horizon--something that we might want to begin thinking about before it reaches us and there is no longer anything that we can do about it...

Before I explain what I suspect is on the horizon, I want to draw attention to something--perhaps an unlearned lesson from the past: It seems to me that the reason we are where we are now is because the people of the cities and suburbs refused to understand that their lives were connected to the people in the hinterlands and small towns of this land. That is, as long as things were going well here, they didn't give much thought to how things were going out there. In fact, it would seem that many professionals carried on as though those other places and people didn't even exist. It seemed to me very much an attitude of "as long as I get mine..." Even during the so-called "boom years," there was a lot of suffering out there but most people paid it absolutely no mind.

So what might we learn from this? It seems to me that we need to understand that a person who lives in a different place and carries on at a different pace might just be our best friend. Some people don't need a 5,000 square foot house. Some people don't need a high profile job. Some people don't want to live in the city. But they still want to be free. They still want to have a life and be able to make a living and have some autonomy in their lives.

As long as we are competing with people like this, professionals are probably going to be able to get what they want. Which is kinda nice. Some people want the small town experience; others want a more fast-paced, urban life. That's what was economically good about the twentieth century. There was enough room and enough opportunity to go around. The competition fit the variety and the labor force well enough to keep most people satisfied.

When things began to change and globalization was initially breaking in, it seemed an even better situation for those who were able to benefit from it. Though it might have been tough on the hinterlands, professionals saw the advantage of farming out all those blue-collar jobs. Cutting costs was good for the corporations and those who were able to invest in them. While once the privilege of only the very wealthy, suddenly middle-class people were able to enjoy the miracle of passive income. Capitalizing on all that labor was profitable. Globalization was good...

But here is the thing... What happens as the competition increases--not just a little but exponentially? What happens when other hungry wolves catch a whiff of all this? It is one thing to compete with a couple hundred thousand farmers and small-town business owners who don't really want what you want anyway. It is another thing to compete with a billion people who are actually more driven than you.

You see, what is happening now is that this is all catching on. It is no longer just the labor money. The people that I am talking about are not interested in cutting your lawn or saving you a couple of bucks an hour. These people have come for the real jobs. They're sending their sons and daughters over here at a pace that we have yet to comprehend. And they are coming with an intentionality that makes even driven professionals look lazy. Take a look at the lists of valedictorians. Stop by an ER or a pharmacy. Look at the students that are going into accounting and finance... These are not people who came from rural North Carolina.

My point is not racist or nationalistic. It is simply to draw our attention to the horizon. The world is moving and it is moving against urban professionals in exactly the kind of way that it once moved against farmers and small-town business folk.

It is far too late to stop all this. And it would probably be wrong to do so anyway. However, I do imagine that we need to approach the future differently than we handled the past. That is, it seems to me that our lives are far more connected to our neighbor than we might now understand. The freedom and quality of life of all those farmers and small-town business folk is intricately tied to our own.

The economic world that we have known was closely tied to a political world that offered a quality of life to the individual that was somewhat independent of how much that individual earned. I think that this is important--something that we would want to hold on to. Many of the people who are now competing for the jobs of the future are coming from places that are less like this land in that regard. I do not know that this will matter but I suspect that it will. These people are coming from places that are also less inclined to tolerance. I fret to consider a world where the people at the top have little or no regard for those at that bottom.

Right Brain; Left Brain

2010-03-10T05:14:00.000-08:00

I took a series of psychological tests as part of my candidacy for ministry--a good idea I think. It can be annoying to spend three hours getting your head examined but if you have a need to get up in front of people every week to talk about God, then it seems a reasonable request... I heard somewhere that Jim Jones wanted badly to be a United Methodist pastor but he got derailed somewhere in the process...

There are a lot of tests out there. You take them for work or for personal growth or curiosity. Now some of these are a little invasive for me. [Hmmm, Mr. Evans, tell me more...] But I find the personality tests interesting. They're just about everywhere today. They range from complicated, detailed and expensive to simple, ten-question forms that you can fill out on the Interet. BTW, you kinda get what you pay for here. If you really want to know what makes you tick, it will probably cost you at least a little time and money.

I am not promoting the tests here but I am often fascinated by the realities that they seem to reveal. If you're fairly honest in answering the questions, you can learn a little about the wiring and the preferences that drive you. There are, of course, a handful of groupings and many subtle subcatagories but generally all this takes place across a continuum revealing our need and/or appreciation for structure. Some of us like our desk orderly while others of us have yet to notice that we have a desk. [Did you notice that I just took a pretty complicated subject (human personality) and reduced it to a yardstick.]

Like most people, I do not fit entirely on one side of the yardstick but I certainly have tendencies. I am a word guy, an idea guy. I can talk about four things at the same time and seemlessly fit them all together. But ask me to do something with them... Let's just say that I struggle a bit with the romance.

Nevertheless I've come to appreciate those on the other side of the ruler. I may not get excited about the process itself but I do see the value of the person who plans and I am fascinated by their capacity to turn goals, objectives and drawings into something that actually appears in the world. That's a very cool thing!

Of course, we need each other--we dreamers and doers. I am grateful for the many people who have to put up with me on their road to accomplishing things. And I hope that in some way I am making their trip a little more meaningful or enjoyable or at least funny.

here comes the sun... right?

2010-03-01T06:06:00.000-08:00

Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter  
Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here  
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun  
and I say it's all right...
(G. Harrison, et al)

Weather.. It's a legitimation for complaining, right?

I talk to my mother almost every day (...golf clap...). Usually I call her on the way to work or traveling from one place to another during the day. Cell phones are great for things like this--it makes it very easy to stay in touch. Of course, the downside is that we used to use this time for thinking... Anyway, no matter how short the conversation, we always mention the weather. Part of this is because my mom lives in Iowa and people in Iowa have earned the right to not only talk about but complain about the weather. Of course, I live in North Carolina so I am generally countering my mom's pain with "No, actually it's blue skies and perfect here again today."

Less so lately though!

Frankly, I am hesitant to complain. I've seen lousy weather and this ain't it... Even so, here some interesting facts that I have learned this week:
• In the month of February, Charlotte had 4 days at or above average temp for this month and 24 days below average... I couldn't find reliable precipitation data but it seems safe to say that the drought is over...
• My sister lives in Sand Point, Idaho where the annual rainfall average is 34" and the annual snowfall average is 71". They have had next to nothing this winter...
• Meanwhile, Iowa is enuring the second worst winter on record and it might reach #1...

Of course, all this means next to nothing. But it does give us something to talk about.

When I was serving a parish in Watauga County, there was a woman in the church who used to get physically sick during the winter. The cloudy days would literally make her depressed. She would typically lock herself in her home for much of December and January. I think she probably had the money to spend those months in Florida but it never seemed to dawn on her to do that...

So I guess the point here is that if you are getting a little sick of all this, don't be surprised. And hang in there. I suspect that it will be warming up here one of these days. Although not this week--the weatherman said that there is another cold front coming to North Carolina this week...

One final complaint. It's not weather related... The Olympics are over. They were good as always... But NHL players, really? Who wants to see professional Americans playing professional Canadiens for the championship of what used to be amateur competition?

I was 15 in 1980 when USA won the gold. I played hockey and it was great to see college kids competing against the world's best. Seeing NBA and NHL Dream Teams just makes me tired. They could at least make them play outside or something. Now that would be interesting, how about they get a firetruck out to the Field of Dreams (there really is a place btw) and have those guys go at it in a frozen corn field. Or get Kobe and Lebron to play the Summer Olympics on a dirt court in Kenya. I'd watch that...

Compost

2010-02-22T08:04:00.000-08:00

Some time ago, I caught a show on the Discovery Channel entitled, "Life After People." It started, I think, as a one-time documentary on what would become of the world if/when humans were removed from the equation. Using a combination of known examples of decay and computer generations, the documentary revealed the startling power of nature to reclaim order. Given enough time, nothing is permanent.

Curiously, some of the early casualties are the very things that we might imagine to be most lasting. Buildings, roads, bridges... Known monuments such as the Eiffel Tower or the Golden Gate Bridge break down within the first century. Information on CD or DVD is lost faster than ancient etchings on clay. Concrete does better but plastic and stainless steel are the true survivors and gold.

The documentary was so successful that there are now mini-versions. The follow-up series takes a more in depth look at specific areas and how these will decay. What is interesting in these subsequent stories is the inclusion of real places that are already going through this... once thriving people-infested environments that have since been abandoned. Some of these sites are truly shocking. Within just twenty years, forests and swamps have returned. In certain environments, roads, playgrounds and even buildings have been vanquished. It appears that, given time, everything becomes dust and compost.

I am curious about the popularity of the series. Are we fascinated with the technology involved--seeing entire cities laid-waste through computer modeling? Are we simply dumbfounded by the prospect of a human-less world? Are we struck by the relatively short and ultimately vain nature of the human reign on earth? Or do we find a strange comfort in all this--an ironic peace in the revelation that we are not really the deal.

I must admit that I sometimes feel this way. I find a strange comfort in the fact that at some point I will be recycled in one way or another. Part of this is the weight of 45 years of inflicting myself on the planet. At some point, I will not be able to cause any more damage than I already have.

I realize that this sounds environmentally melodramatic and probably self-loathing. But this is not really what I mean. Of course, we all do some good and we all do some ill. We all make some kind of footprint and all that... I get that and, as humans, we have to sort of learn to live with that. But at the same time, I like the idea of whatever ill that I have done not being permanent. I like the starting over factor--not only for whatever lies ahead for my spirit but for everything else as well. I also think that at some point (although hopefully not any time soon), the earth would do well to reorder itself after the impact of billions of others who are probably a lot like me.

Eye Strain

2010-02-15T05:56:00.000-08:00

I am not seeing very well this morning. Actually I have not seen well for a few days now. Yesterday, I broke down and went to the doctor and I am currently being treated for conjunctivitis so I hope that in a day or so, I will be back on track. But while it lasts, I am trying to pay attention.

I have often had the notion that God works through the uncommon periods in our lives. Perhaps God is trying to teach us something specific or perhaps God is using the experience to give us a broader view of the world or the faith. I learned to do this during a rather long stretch of dental problems during my senior year in high school. There was a period when I had something like 3 root canals in a period of a few months. I spent hours on end with my mouth stretched open to its limit. I learned to anticipate the various sounds when the dentist changed the drills and files toward the finishing process. I had to find a way to distract myself from the process so I started imaging that this was my penance. I figured that I probably deserved the discomfort in one way or another and because it wouldn't last forever, this actually helped. It was almost like a prided myself on how much I could take. Perhaps you are hearing masochistic overtones here but I assure you that is not it. I did not enjoy the dental work at all. I simply figured out a way to get through it. In a way, I learned to make the suffering work for me. Specifically, it made me stronger--more able to get through uncomfortable and inconvenient times...

Now the eye thing here has been different. The main thing is that it has been much more indeterminate. I don't know that it will be over in the next hour and a half and this has been frustrating. So the lesson here has been harder to appreciate because it is not merely about patience or endurance. The biggest challenge that I have noticed is eye strain. I cannot look at a computer screen or watch tv for more than about a minute a time. The light sensitivity is brutal and my eyes tear almost constantly. These are annoying symptoms for someone who's work depends largely on looking at people, paper and light of one kind or another. Even as I am writing this entry, I have had to take a number of breaks.

The fact that it has been hard to look at things has been a strange experience. It is not that I can't see so much as it just hurts to see. It's made me think a little about folks whose eyes hurt just from seeing the world around them. And maybe that's the lesson this time. Most of the time, I enjoy what I see but maybe that's because I only look in certain directions. Feeling the discomfort in my own vision the last few days, makes me wonder about folks whose eyes must be really tired.

Doctor, my eyes have seen the years
And the slow parade of fears
Without crying;
Now I want to understand.
I have done all that I could
To see the evil and the good
Without hiding;
You must help me if you can . . .

Doctor, my eyes—
Tell me what is wrong!
Was I unwise
To leave them open for so long?

'Cause I have wandered through this world
And, as each moment has unfurled,
I've been waiting
To awaken from these dreams.
People go just where they will;
I never noticed them until
I got this feeling
That it's later than it seems . . .

Doctor, my eyes—
Tell me what you see.
I hear their cries . . .
Just say if it's too late for me.

Doctor, my eyes
Cannot see the sky—
Is this the price for having learned how not to cry?
[Jackson Brown, "Doctor My Eyes"]

Time and Treasure

2010-02-08T05:24:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I had the opportunity to help out in one of the adult Sunday School classes that gathers here at the Portico. They had been studying a book entitled, The Treasure Principle. The chapter dealt generally with Jesus' admonition in Matthew 6:
‘Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also..'

The class had no problem with the basic premise. We all seemed to understand that life is fleeting and unpredictable. These are people who are conscientious about their faith so I hadn't really been asked to help them swallow the sometimes large pill of Christian giving. What I had been asked to address was something else that the author seemed to be saying--namely, that God is keeping some kind of score in all of this. The writer suggested that every good deed (and we assume every wicked one as well) is tallied in some great ledger in order to be summed, balanced and pronouced on the day of reckoning.

As I prepared for the class, I was a bit surprised by the book. Not by the argument so much but the motivation. I was curious as to why someone would write a book on this topic. To the point, Jesus does make reference to God's watchful eye, especially in terms of how we live and how we treat our families, neighbors and enemies. But to suggest that God is some kind of Great Accountant is a bit of a stretch, at least in terms of the overall picture. The message of the Gospel is especially about God's remarkable concern and devotion to a people who are often uninterested and largely uncapable of returning that concern and devotion. Most of the class, myself included, were not too excited about the idea that God might be keeping some kind of score. Yet, it ocurred to me that we are certainly facinated with keeping score everywhere else. Jobs, houses, kids, spouses... How much here... How well there... Did you meet the quota... Did I get the bonus... Where are they sending junior to school...

And this was probably the answer to my curiosity about the author's motivation. He was, perhaps, looking around at the quasi-Christian world around him and wondering about our motivation. That is, what (or who) are we doing this all for? It would appear that we are frantically working on some kind of tally-sheet. So what exactly is it that we are trying to win? Who exactly are we trying to win over? Or, as the writer seemed to be saying, "if we insist on working to some kind of scoreboard, let's at least make it the right one... In the end of the day, the only one you're really going to have to impress is God.

O.K., I can see that. I still don't like the idea of God keeping score. Mostly because I sense that sincere spirituality is motivated by something more than rewards and punishments. Nevertheless, I can appreciate the writer's point. Because the fact is we do sometimes look a little like rats in a laboratory--running whatever maze it is that leads to the sugar water. And frankly, most of the rewards out there are nothing more than that. Of course, in the moment, it seems otherwise. But when we've only got 60, 70, 80 years to live, stuff and pats-on-the-head are really not much of a prize.

In this way, eternity gives us a priceless perspective. Jesus suggests that whatever it is that we do, we need to keep in mind the end toward which it is given. Whether it be time, resources or energy, we spend it toward some end. And if what we have is finite (as in 100 years or less), then it makes sense to spend it wisely... toward an end that has some staying power. Or as Jesus' puts it, 'store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal.'

Jesus concludes this sentence by adding, 'For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also..' This is where Jesus has my atttention in regard to this whole treasure business. I have little understanding and appreciation for keeping score and building up treasure but I do understand and appreciate passion. One way to look at 60, 70, or 80 years is to see how short this time really is! But another way to look at it is that we really do have something here! What an opportunity! To have the chance to live in this world and to do something with your life... Why would you want to waste something like that on mazes and sugar water?

This, it seems to me, is the real motivation for living a good life. Jesus suggests that whatever it is that we turn our eyes upon, wherever it is that we go and however it is that we spend our time, energy and resources... these are the things that reveal our hearts. This is how we identify what matters to us... This alone should clear our minds to think bigger than sugar water! Look around at the wonder and the beauty of Creation... Behold the blessing and the mystery of family and friendship... See the power of the human mind and its capacity to create and work for good in the world... Then ask yourself if you really want your life to be defined by a job or a house or even a degree.

Of course, we want to finish this thing well. Of course, we want God to pat us on the head when it is all said and done. But what will this mean if we have not lived a passionate life? What good is a bunch of tally marks if they refer to something less than a fully engaged and courageously spent life?

Coming to Jesus

2010-02-01T04:47:00.000-08:00

Every thought that I repent
there's another chip you havent spent
and you're cashing them all in
where do we begin
to get clean again
I wanna know, can we get clean again...
("God of Wine" Third Eye Blind)

Sometimes it feels like we just can't get a break. There is just not enough time or not enough day or not enough opportunity or not enough patience or love or whatever. We find ourselves under a gun of some kind. We begin to rethink the steps and realize that of all the possible explanations for the trouble, this is most likely a place that we have brought ourselves to--perhaps even driven ourselves to.

This, of course, is the beginning of a good sermon or a good self-help book. Good success stories always start at the bottom--or at least get there soon enough. They are then followed by that all imporant moment of taking personal responsibility. In the days of Christian Revivals, this was called confession. I had a friend who used to call it the come to Jesus moment.

Char was a pastor that I knew back in Iowa. Her name was actually "Charlotte" but she was no Charlotte. She was just Char or Pastor Char--and it should have been pronouced "ch" as in charred steak or charred remains. Because that is generally how you felt after she got done speaking to you.

We all knew that Char was German. She had to be because whenever my colleagues and I would gather at her house for a minister's meeting, she would be cooking up some obscure German dish--you know, the kind tht you set on the stove at 6am and then eat sometime in the middle of afternoon. What is that Rabbit? She didn't really look German though or at least not only German. She really seemed more Celtic--not in the sentimental way but more in the uncivilized, we eat our own young, sort of way. She had sandy-red hair and she was huge. She was physical and intimidating. I once challenged her in a room full of colleagues and she literally pushed me into the next room where she proceeded to give me one of her legendary come to Jesus lectures. For Char, coming to Jesus pretty much meant having your @$$ kicked. It was a ministry to which she seemed uniquely called and genuinely qualified. However, on this particular occasion, I am pretty sure she was wrong so it turned out to be the beginning of the end of any respect I might have had for this particularly German-Celtic bully.

We typically do not need someone else to help us come to Jesus. The arrival generally coincides with our readiness. We've usually worn out every possible alternative. We're usually pretty alone and desperate. And frankly, we don't need someone else telling us all the things that we have done wrong because chances are we've been reliving them over and over again in our minds. It seems to me that when it comes to keeping track of our own sins and failures, most of us are more than capable accountants--especially when we're nearing the bottom of the latest hole in our lives.

So to all the Char's out there... thanks but no thanks. We've got this. Most of us are beating ourselves up plenty well here without your help. If all you've got for us is self-righteous torment, save it. But if you know someone who might actually help, you can send them... That's what I thought.

Right? Because that is the nature of this thing. We call it "the pit" precisely because the point is to sort of not fall into it. Therefore there aren't lots of people in here with us and no one really jumps in on purpose. Well almost no one...

That's the real come to Jesus moment isn't it? It is accepting that even thought we are the person most responsible for the current situation, we are, nevertheless, not likely to be the person to resolve it, at least not alone. BTW, this is also familiar fodder for sermons and self-help books. And there is good reason for this but it can be deceptive.

You see, just because you think you've heard something before doesn't necessarily mean that you understand it. And there is no understanding something like a pit until you find yourself in one. People can talk about the saving power of Jesus all day long but until you need it, it really isn't going to make much of an impact. In the same way, people can tell you how much you need Jesus or how much Jesus is there for you but it's just noise until you actually see him there with you in that pit.

The Church teaches us that the Lord actually dove headlong--not only into this world, but indeed into the pit of all pits. This is that strange part of the historic Creed that claims Jesus actually "descended into Hell." We usually read this part with a bit of confusion and awkward trepidation. But there are times when such a claim has unique meaning for us... For those of us who have found the bottom, it is not simply about coming to Jesus. It is about Jesus coming to us.

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 8:38-39)

The Power of the People

2010-01-20T05:12:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week I heard a familiar statement. It came from the food industry but it theoretically applies across the board. A farmer was being interviewed about the generally unhealthy nature of the food that we eat and especially the conditions under which poultry and lifestock are mass produced. The farmer said something like this... We could produce healthier food sources. We could feed cattle what cattle were meant to be fed. We could raise free range chickens. We could produce, market and distribute whole grains. All it would take is demand...

Behind the farmer's comments is an idea, an ideal really. It is the ideal of the free market economics. In free market economics, no one is ultimately responsible. The individual is but a dot on the page, a fraction of a data point. What matters is the aggregate. The sum of many data points and how they trend. The farmer's explanation for the unhealthy food that is produced and consumed in our society is us. Look, he is saying, if people didn't want things like soda and potato chips and cheap beef, then it just wouldn't be produced. If there is not a market for it, then it is wouldn't be here.

I'm going to set the reasoning aside here while we consider some of the other things that we must really, really want... Things like exhorbitant health care costs and NBA players with guns. Things like eight-hour school days and thirty-percent tax brackets. Things like ten-percent unemployment and jobs that pay seven dollars an hour with no benefits. If free market economics is truly the best decision making mechanism that we've got, then it seems to me that we need to get a little bit more excited about things like sweat shops and gang crime and homelessness. Right? Isn't that the way the argument works? If we've got it, then this must be what we're demanding...

While I think that I understand what the farmer is trying to say, I also think that it is not especially imaginative. Essentially, he is saying, Look, give me something more wholesome to do with my time and energy and I'm glad to change my ways. O.K., but is not part of the responsibilty also on the producer and business man or woman? Aren't they supposed to help us with our tastes? Because it sure seems that they spend a lot of time and money trying to influence them. What I mean here is how exactly do things like advertising and lobbying fit into the whole free market thing? How is that the people can be both the data and the the excuse for it?

For example, I recently gathered with a group of people in a Bible study and we were talking about the recent disaster in Haiti and some of the bizzare comments that have come out about the earthquake. We noted that there was certainly some corruption going on down there. While none of us were ready to suggest that the earthquake was connected to this, we did imagine that perhaps something better could rise from the rubble... But as we discussed this, I immediately thought about the lobbying system in our own country. Lobbies are real and they are very powerful. Even though most people would not equate them with corruption, it seems to me that they certainly skew the free market.

Lobbyists do not represent the people. They represent the people who are trying to sell things to the people. Of course, this is perfectly legal in our society but my question is this: don't things like power and influence affect the data? The farmer seems to suggest that someone is holding out a chicken to us. He knows that it is poisonous and he knows that he could offer a better example but also knows he doesn't have to. Because we appear to be quite happy with the poisonous one. Never mind the fact that most of us don't know the difference. Never mind the fact that he's got billboards and radio spots and television ads dolling up that chicken and sitting it next to our favorite movie stars and professional athletes. Never mind that he is paying lobbyists untold millions to make sure that no one ever raises issue over whether or not we should be eating this stuff.

I am not saying that it's not our fault. I'm just saying that it's not really as it seems. It's not ONLY about supply and demand, markets and taste...

"Poison in the Well" 10,000 Maniacs

Tell me what's gone wrong.
I tilt my head there, under the faucet, but when I turn it on -- dry as paper. Call the neighbors.
Who's to blame for what's going on?
In the dark without a clue I'm just the same as you.

O, they tell us there's poison in the well,
that someone's been a bit untidy and there's been a small spill.
Not a lot, no, just a drop.
But there you are mistaken, you know you are.

I wonder just how long they knew our well was poisoned but they let us just drink on.
O, they tell us there's poison in the well,
that someone's been a bit untidy and there's been a small spill.
All that it amounts to is a tear in a salted sea.
Someone's been a bit untidy, they'll have it cleaned up in a week.

But the week is over and now it's grown into years
since I was told that I should be calm, there's nothing to fear here.
But I drank that water for years, my wife and my children.
Tell me, where to now,
if your fight for a bearable life can be fought and lost in you backyard?

O, don't tell us there's poison in the well,
that someone's been a bit untidy, that there's been a small spill.
All that it amounts to is a tear in a salted sea.
Someone's been a bit untidy, they'll have it cleaned up in a week.

Damned if we do

2010-01-12T05:16:00.000-08:00

...'But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, "We played the flute for you and you did not dance; we wailed you did not mourn." For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, "he has a demon"; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, "Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners!" Matthew 11:16-19

Jesus gets us, doesn't he? Although I do not know the specific circumstances to which he is speaking here, it is not hard to imagine, is it? We're kinda like this aren't we? We may not know what we want but at least it won't takes us long to get over it.

It was 14 degrees in Charlotte yesterday. The view from the Portico is bleak. So I figure it's either Lou Reed or Tiger Woods. It's been a day or so since I've heard a talking head or read an Internet headline referencing our latest hero turned villian so perhaps it's safe to offer some considerations about this blood bath.

Actually, I did see one blurb about Tiger, it was a quote by Mel Gibson. "I feel sorry for Tiger Woods...Why are we talking about this when we're sending 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan? ... He's being used as a diversion, and it just drives me crazy."

I came by this via a CNN headline but the link took me to an article that had actually come from "People" Magazine which was apparently quoting Britain's, "Mail on Sunday Live." I will save all that for a warmer day but you might want to go back and read that last sentence just so you can see it in your mind... That's CNN tagging "People" on a juicy connection in which it was citing a lesser known tabloid. In case you're counting, that's fourth-hand news reporting. And what's the news? That would be one recent media-maligned celebrity commenting on another.

Anyway, I liked the quote. Not that the statement is terribly profound but that it is coming from one of the last guys we crucified. It looks like Mel Gibson is still kicking and he has a new revenge movie out so he's either been resurrected or at least sufficiently mutilated to merit our collective satisfaction.

I recently heard someone say that if Tiger would just "confess and repent" then the American people would forgive him. The person was entirely serious--as though Tiger might stand up on public television and tell us all how sorry he is and that by doing this, it will allow us to get back to the good ole days where he is winning and he is our hero. I heard someone else say that Tiger is a Buddhist. Is that right? (I'll check "People.") Anyway, let's set that aside for now. So this must be how it works. We, the attentive public are the new priesthood. Guided by the tabloids, we worship. We learn when to look up and when to look down... When to gather stones for the altar and when to cast them at whoever we've placed upon it...

I suspect that what is really going on here is just some kind of vile consumption--of anything and everything. Celebrities have become both the saviors and the sacrificial lambs of our time...

If i could stick my pen in my heart
And spill it all over the stage
Would it satisfy ya, would it slide on by ya
Would you think the boy is strange? ain't he strange?

If i could win ya, if i could sing ya
A love song so divine
Would it be enough for your cheating heart
If i broke down and cried? if i cried?

I said i know it's only rock 'n roll but i like it...

If i could stick a knife in my heart
Suicide right on stage
Would it be enough for your teenage lust
Would it help to ease the pain? ease your brain?

If i could dig down deep in my heart
Feelings would flood on the page
Would it satisfy ya, would it slide on by ya
Would ya think the boy's insane? he's insane

I said i know it's only rock 'n roll but i like it..
(m. jagger/k. richards)

The Generation X Pop Quiz

2010-01-05T13:29:00.000-08:00

It seems like yesterday when the culture was flooded with Baby-Boomer themes. Hippies, Yuppies and Dinks... "The Wonder Years," and "Thirty Something"... Bill Clinton and George W. Bush... Remember when everything was about "them?" Of course, if you're one of them, you probably didn't notice but the rest of us sort of had to suffer through what seemed to be an endless stretch of indulgence.

Occasionally, we'd hear talk of the "next" generation. This, of course, meant people born after the Boomers; Generation X as it has been so affectionately named. These were kids who were known primarily for what they were not. Specifically, they were not part of the greatest generation to have ever graced the planet. Due to their (our) unfortunate point of birth, the expectations have proven to be appropriately low... Low ambition...Low SAT scores... Low standards... In contrast to our energetic elders who seemed to be shaking things up since they came out of the womb, Xers are typically known for our lack of enthusiasm. While the Boomers were collectively making the world after themselves, we have tended to prefer individual sports like playing video games and watching MTV. Although perpetually harangued over the disappointment, prior generations are getting used to the response...Whatever.

This has all been a curious experience for me, perhaps because I was born in 1964--the very year that neither generation wants to claim. Some mark 1964 as the end of the Baby Boomers; others insist it is the beginning of Generation X. And I've got to admit it, at times I have identified with both groups and their respective causes. And now, as the world passes to yet another generation (they've been dubbed The Millennials), I find this whole generation thing a bit overstated. But before we find our world completely turned over to folks who were raised on Barney and Hip Hop, let's revisit the lost generation one last time.

Here is a quiz to see what we know about Generation X. It is not exhaustive and you will have to keep your own score. Disappointed? Shut Up Beavis!

1. What was the first video ever played on MTV? (5 points)

2. Who are the latch-key kids? (3 points)

3. Name one or more members of Nirvana not named Kurt Cobain? (5 points for each)

4. Which of the following were Gen X styles? (5 points if correct, none if incorrect)
a. leather ties
b. plaid shoes
c. flannel shirts
d. a and c
e. all of the above

5. What are the names of the Pacman ghosts? (1 point per correct, minus 1 for wrong answer)

6. Who are Steve, Stephen and Bill? (5 points if entirely correct)

7. Name four films starring Eric Stoltz (1 point per correct)

8. Who were the original MTV VJs (2 points per correct)

9. Name the only Heather who wasn't named Heather? (5 points)

10. What is a Mallrat? (1 point or 5 points)

11. Who taught American History at Ridgemont High? (5 points)

12. True or False: Most Gen Xers are more interested in owning a PC than they are in being PC? (5 points)

13. What are the first and last names of the two main characters of the X-files? (2 points each)

14. What was Jeremy's nickname in the 1991 Pearl Jam hit? (5 points)

15. Name the eight typically cited members of the "Brat Pack." (1 point for every correct)

Answers...
1 "Video Killed The Radio Star" If you didn't get this one, it might be a long quiz
2. The Xers! If you came home from school and no one was there, you might be from my neighborhood
3. Krist (or Chris) Novoselic and one of several drummers but most notably Dave Grohl
4. The answer is E. Gen X fashion included many styles from new wave to grunge
5. Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde [Sue belonged to Ms. Pacman]
6. Steve Jobs, Stephen Wozniak and Bill Gates... These guys are Boomers but most Gen Xers would recognize thier names
7. He was born in 1961 but we will claim him.
8. Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter, J.J. Jackson and Martha Quinn
9. "Veronica" Winona Ryder works too
10. If you said a kid hanging out at a mall, you get one. If you reference the classic 1995 film, you get five!
11. Mr. Hand!!! Don't ya remember learning about Cuba and having some food? C'mon Dude!
12. True. If you missed this, your not from th th th their generation.
13. Fox Mulder and Dana Scully
14. King Jeremy The Wicked
15. Anthony Michael Hall, Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Andrew McCarthy, Demi Moore, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald and Ally Sheedy

How did you do?

Above 50: Not Bad
Above 60: Pretty Good
Above 70: Careful Now
Above 80 Whatever

Morning After Blues and Reds

2009-12-28T05:50:00.000-08:00

I figured that I would be writing on "AVATAR" this morning. But I saw that the film grossed $212 Million in its first five days so it would appear that there's no one left for me to tell about it. I praised the story in my sermon yesterday and now kinda wish I hadn't. Not because I have had a change of heart but because the scope of the film really doesn't lend itself to five minute summaries. I only hope that the people in the parish pursue any questions that the comments might have inspired.

One interesting thing that I will share is that the film immediately reminded me of "Dances with Wolves" not only because the subject matter was similar but because of the way that I felt after the film was over. I saw Costner's film the night it opened with my wife and another couple who were close friends. I remember feeling strongly that what we had just experienced was much more than a movie. That there was a mythical transcendence about the story and the message (or messages) within it. I felt as though I understood. I also sensed that understanding would demand a lingering sense of sadness and regret. And I frankly doubted that my movie-going companions would be up to this. And indeed what most people recall about that film was the cinematography.

"AVATAR" is a little different because twenty years later, it is nearly impossible to make a film that is not first about entertainment. And yet, the elements are still there. This is a story that people should experience. It is transcendent. But unlike "Dances with Wolves," the transcendence is more hopeful. I am not yet sure what this means but if $212 million worth of people have already seen this story, it will be interesting to see if its legacy transcends the dazzling technological marvel. The element of hope that the story offers is quite powerful and well beyond the cheesy examples that we have come to expect from feel-good movies. People will no-doubt feel good after seeing "AVATAR" but they will have also witnessed something pretty new in the process. I hope people allow their hearts to weigh the story.

Speaking of which... We just finished the annual pilgrimage to Bethlehem--which for many is a lot like going to the movies. And because most people don't see the need to see a movie more than once a year, my expectations are generally pretty low for the Sunday after Christmas. Yet much to my surprise, the Whos were out in numbers yesterday. Despite the commercial overkill and the now familiar anticlimactic thud that arrives on the 25th, the faithful of Saint Francis were there to greet the actual season of Christmas... The fanfare had come and gone; yet, the people returned. Puzzling...

And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store? What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more?

Here are some more comments on the wonder that is Christmas.
http://quotations.about.com/od/specialdays/a/christmas5.htm

What is real

2009-12-21T05:58:00.000-08:00

I watched the final episode of Survivor last night. I'd never seen the show before. But as I was flipping through the channels looking for a mindless way to conclude a long Sunday, I came upon a compelling picture of a tropical paradise. Nothing like big screens and HD to change your value system. I am always raging against the evils of television but seeing that crystal clear image of white sands and turquoise waters, I happily sat my butt down for two and a half hours. I am sure the tan bodies had nothing to do with it.

I have mixed feelings about the digital age. I am amazed by the clarity. My television works better than my eyes do. And that is not an exaggeration. I honestly do not see well enough to fully appreciate things like 1080i (whatever that means) but what I can see--especially on channels like Discovery and Smithsonian--simply blows me away. But at the same time, if I think much about it, I always get creeped out. I have serious doubts about digital representations of the world. Something tells me that they are not real.

Part of the reason for this is that I shot film photography for years. When digital cameras started showing up, I held them in disdain partly because I was something of a purist and a zenophobe but also because something told me that digital photography was completely unreal. Of course, my holdout didn't exactly slow the transition. Technology sort of works like that. It's kind of like an invading army or a virus. It sort of has to run its course. And sometimes that means completely taking over. I watched as the pixels went up and up. I saw how handy it was to put pictures on computers instead of paper. And most of all, I could not deny the quality. It was a trifecta. Quality, Convenience and Price... I purchased a Nikon D90 earlier this fall and I have not been disappointed. Still though. It's all sorta creepy. I am not sure how it works but the image sure looks a lot like what I am pointing the camera at--just better.

A woman named Natalie won Survivor. It was an upset. She appeared to be the meakest person left on the island, cowering behind Russell the arrogant and manipulative alpha male. But all that expediency came back to bite Russell as he sat before the jury. Of course the jury was made up of people Russell had lied to and disposed of earlier in the contest. In the end, the jury had little to work with. The nine judges had to choose a winner from three dispicable people. It was either going to be Russell who plowed his way through and over everyone else on his way to the finish line or one of his two coat-tailed submissives. Mick was apparently a non-option altogether receiving zero of the nine votes. Natalie was finally chosen because her cowardess appeared more forgiving than Russell's arrogance.

As I said this was the only episode that I saw. I am sure that there were other people in the contest that might have been more deserving of the million dollar prize but given that these folks had long been eliminated, I guess Natalie was the best choice. I have this theory about good-looking women who sell pharmaceuticals and copiers... Perhaps the saddest moment was the very end of the show. After the votes had been cast and everyone had the opportunity to go home, shower and return to the LA studio for the final announcemnt of the winner. Mick, Russell and everyone else showed up pretty much as we remembered them from the show but Natalie was frankly unrecognizable. She had her hair done and enough make up to smother every tiki torch on the island. I tried to imagine who had made this decision. Was she hoping to parlay her 39 days on Samoa in to somekind of Hollywood acting contract or did she really believe that she looked better as a Barbie? And how does the answer to that question relate to this whole business of surviving?

At the beginning of the show, I sort of got hooked. I told my wife that I thought I could do this "Survivor" thing. But as the show wore on, I was reminded of what was really happening. In the end of the day, these people were on TV. I think I might be able to handle eating the bugs and suffering the elements and even dealing with the personalities. But being turned into a zillion dots of light simply for entertaining the masses? That would probably kill me.

Peace on Earth

2009-12-14T06:38:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was the third Sunday of Advent. Perhaps you have witnessed the progressive lighting of candles either at your current place of worship or at some point in your spiritual past. I first encountered the Advent wreath as a child. Our family was asked to light the candles and do the readings a couple of times. I remember trying to figure out all those weeks and themes. Even as a pastor, I often have to check back to make sure that I have it right. After briefly consulting the sources out there, it appears that the prevailing order of the themes are: Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. While each of these are worthy postures and celebrations, today I want to say a word or two about the second. I am probably doing this as much for confession as anything else.

When I began my ministry some twenty-plus years ago, peace was a central theme not merely of Advent but of my deepest understanding of Christianity. Three wars and twenty years later, I am not even sure I deserve to say the word anymore. Our world, and the Church as well, have gone in for a way of life that is decidedly not peaceful. Whether or not this is acceptable in God's sight remains to be seen. But for someone who's call to the ministry was closely tied to the coming and reign of the Prince of Peace, our contemporary comfort with war, violence and discord is a quieting reality. I live in this world and I accept that I am certainly contributing to the horrors but if the truth be told, I am far from comfortable with this.

Last week they gave the Nobel Prize for peace to the commander in chief. This has happened before. So what I say here is not so much about the chief as it is about us and about the world in which we live. What does it mean that the most peaceful person we can find is a war-time leader of the most powerful empire in the world? And did you read some of the comments from that speech? It takes rhetorical skill (and sizable kahunas) to thank the world for a Peace Prize while simultaneously laying out an argument for war. I was also a little concerned about his reference to "rules of conduct." Of course, this was an entirely political statement and perhaps understandable given the recent past. But it is still tragic, especially given the context. When we're listening to a man of peace suggest that there are rules to war, we can probably trust that we are listening to the voice of the empire.

I hope that this is not offensive to anyone. It has frankly been a long time since I have said something worthy of offending the powers of this world. But that is really the point of the blog here. It is a confessional. Where is the Church of Peace? Where are the peacemakers of our time? Where are the followers of Christ who believe that the path of discipleship is greater than the path of might?

Saving the Planet

2009-12-08T08:23:00.000-08:00

This is an important week, at least in terms of world politics. The gathering in Copenhagen to address the issue of climate change is an important event no matter what we might think about the question. This is a gathering of world figures around a discussion that apparently concerns us all--not all the people in the room or all the people in the nation or in a particular region but in the world. Again, I do not know whether or not the gathering merits the urgency that seems to surround it but in some ways it makes no difference. The fact that there are this many people, representing this many countries gathered to one place to discuss anything at all is monumental. Or so it seems to me.

The title of my blog is purposeful to the extent that I wanted to echo the emotional tone of the discussion. I recently was listening to a radio news show that was covering the summit in Copenhagen. It began with the voices of children. They were clearly representing different countries and many were speaking a language that was not their native tongue. Yet, each child said the same thing, and in English: Please save the world...

It is always a risk to get children to do our bidding for us. The image of children spurs strong emotions. But it is not easy to predict which emotions will emerge. For example, consider the "Children's Crusade" of the middle period. Sending children to do the bidding of the Church or bring the message of God might initially sound charming but give it some time and it turns a bit--mostly in the stomach. The picture of kids entering the Holy Land to face the same hostile forces that already slaughtered thousands of adults is likely to inspire a few descriptives but charming is probably not one of them.

Such was my impression of hearing the voices of children proclaiming the urgency of the Conference on Climate Change. Not so much because it was personally dangerous but because it was such a blatant example of exploitation. Whatever comes out of Copenhagen is destined to be both controversial and politically charged. There are going to be some people who are happy and some people who are furious about whatever happens next. Why would you want to associate children with this. No matter what it is going to appear exploitative... because it is...

But some might argue that why not play every card available. After all, isn't this a matter of life and death? Should we not use every resource at our disposal to drive home the serious nature of this issue???? My answer here would be "no." Using children is not OK for any crusade--no matter how righteous it might appear. In addition to the example above, here are two more reasons.

First, my point here has nothing to do with the question of global warming or its urgency. Of course, children are going to suffer whatever the future brings. Reminding delegates or watchers of this only insults their intelligence and calls their integrity into question. Call me idealistic but I just sort of assume that anyone who is attending something called, "The United Nations Climate Change Conference," has at least some authentic interest in future generations.

Second, "Please Save The World" is a hugely unfaithful thing to say. Therefore, putting such words in the mouths of children is especially despicable. I think most Christians would accept that humans cannot save the world. But it is equally true that humans cannot destroy the world. We might wreak havoc on the plant but just as we did not make the world, it is neither our's to destroy. That work belongs to God.

This point was brought home to me twice in my lifetime by two very different people. The first was a liberal Christian pastor. The second was an orthodox Christian theologian.

Some twenty-five years ago, I was driving in a car on the way to Colorado with a friend. He and I and a number of others were going to Estes Park to climb Long's Peak. I had just finished college and was attending Divinity School so my mind was alive with ideas and my spirit was filled with purity. At one point, I began talking about the environment and how humans tear it up so well. I don't know what sparked my enthusiasm exactly; perhaps we were passing a feed lot or something. There are certainly plenty of examples of the topic on the road from Des Moines to Estes Park.

Anyway, I raged on for a few minutes about everything from water pollution to strip mining. I finally stopped to catch my breadth and wait for an atta-boy from my mentor. But instead he said something that rather surprised me. He said, I think you underestimate the earth. It's taken everything that we've thrown at it thus far. The planet has a marvelous way of healing itself...

WHAT?! I thought to myself. How is this helping? Why isn't this guy sharing my righteous indignation? But I had just enough humility left to think a little about what I had just heard... And I've been thinking about it ever since.

Then about a year later I was sitting back in class at the Divinity School. Our professor was talking to us about the arrogance of modern Christianity. He said, many people in the Church would have you believe that it's all up to us--the proclamation, the poor, the planet--it's not. We're just creatures here. This is God's world to make, to judge, to redeem... We don't have the authority to destroy the world. That's God's business.

The first time we hear something like this, we say, "of course but." The of course means that while we acknowledge God...it is sort of a mute point because we're the only ones here--the only ones who can have an impact... But the real of course is that this is an unfaithful thing to say. If we truly believe that this is God's world then does this not mean that it will always be God's world? That at any given moment it remains God's world? And so, while our influence might appear profound to us; all is probably not as we imagine.

Now, does this mean that we should not be concerned about things like Global Warming? Or, that we should not gather with other nations to discuss better and worse ways to live and work and behave on the planet? Of course not. But it does change the starting point. While I am not especially excited about an urgent gathering to "save the world;" I can certainly see the value of an urgent gathering to rethink our place on it and our relation to it... To speak of our role as faithful stewards and humble servants of the God's generous trust.

Things like exploitation and pollution are just plain wrong quite without threatening the end of civilization. These things should have our attention long before we hear the voices of children or threats concerning the end of the world. That's the confession--that it takes such hyperbole to capture our interest... But the Good News is that God is God and this really is God's world. And the earth, which is part of God's world, is pretty amazing. Though we humans tend to be quite impressed with ourselves and, in this case, our ability to break things; the fact is, we have only been around for a few thousand years. The earth has seen things that we have never seen. It has endured things--truly catastrophic things--that we might not even be able to imagine.

As humans, we surely might be in danger of destroying ourselves...we always are... But we're really not in a position to destroy God's world.

2012

2009-11-30T06:43:00.000-08:00

I went to see the film...twice. If you're readings this, chances are you already know that I am a film junkie but you may not know that I am especially fond of adventure stories and science fiction. I have seen just about every disaster film ever made!

I've seen the classics; "Towering Inferno", the original and the remake of "The Poseidon Adventure." I've seen the more technologically-enhanced offerings like "Armageddon" as well as the films that have tried to tell the more personal sides of crises such as "Deep Impact" and "The Day After Tomorrow." And I liked them all! Of course, I watch disaster films on the Sci Fi Channel so my taste here is not exactly refined. I think I just like to see things break down.

"Independence Day" had set a pretty high bar. It would be hard to imagine a better "worse-case scenario" than what Bill Pullman and Will Smith had to deal with. But "2012" takes breaking down to a whole new level. It is a disaster movie of planetary proportions. The death toll is never cited exactly but at one point in the film, one of the characters makes the statement, "...that we might be able to save 400,000 people is nothing short of a miracle." Happily, we don't have to watch the other 6.5 billion perish but we do get a unique opportunity to use our imaginations as we watch the crust of the earth literally turn inside-out.

The story behind the story, of course, is the date. December 21, 2012 represents a curious convergence of science and religion. The scientific side has to do with planetary positioning and the Milky Way galaxy. The religious side has to do with the Mayan Calendar and some interpretations of Nostradamus. There is ample reading for all of this on the Internet and beyond so I will not get into it here--except to say that it is interesting--a bit more intriguing, I think, than say Y2K which came and went without inspiring even a modest disaster film.

As far as the meanings or predictions associated with the date... Or to a lesser degree, the possibilities suggested by the film... I say why not. Not in terms of digging a hole and waiting for the end or worrying about what will or will not be. But rather, why not pay attention--as Christians are called to do BTW. Jesus says, "watch." So why not ask a few questions? For example, in a universe that appears to be billions of years old, how is it that human civilization only appears to be a few thousand? Or, how is it that an ancient civilization like the Mayans could possibly understand the stars and planets so well? Clearly there is more to this amazing world than we understand. And clearly we are not going to ever fully understand it but why not widen our vision a little.

Jesus has already made it clear that no one knows "the day nor the hour." So it would seem ill-advised to turn our own worlds upside-down. If there is something to all this, then any amount of worrying (or digging for that matter!) is not going to change anything.

On a final note, I better make it clear that I am not professing to believe anything about December 21, 2012. The fact is, I wouldn't know where to begin. I am not a big fan of belief anyway. Belief, it seems to me, is a poor substitute for faith. Ultimately, it doesn't matter what we believe. What matters is what is true. Or specifically, whether or not our faith in God is grounded in something more than our minds. I believe (for lack of a better word) that it is. I have faith that whatever happens or does not happen two years from now is in God's care. This not only seems to help with the regular anxieties of life; it also allows me to sit back and enjoy a good disaster film.

This is the Feast

2009-11-20T05:27:00.000-08:00

We will soon gather for the annual Thanksgiving Feast. Now there's a phrase that has sort of lost it's meaning. Not only has Thanksgiving become more about vacation than giving thanks, it is no longer understood as a feast, at least not in the traditional sense. For the last two-thousand years, feast days have had religious meaning. Christians, especially have tended to tie remembrance to the practice of sharing in a meal. In addition to being a happy and practical means of celebration, this also served as an opportunity for teaching the young--again, usually something meaningful about God or some religious conviction.

Christians, of course, did not come up with this idea. The Jews were doing this long before the coming of Jesus and pagans held similar feasts to celebrate their own religious holidays--which were often tied to season events such as planting and harvest. What Christians did do was familiarize the practice. That is, the Church made these practices more common. The most obvious example of this is through the feasts of the saints. The Holy Eucharist of Lord's Supper is celebrated regularly within the life of the Church.

At Saint Francis we celebrate the Eucharist weekly but the truth is that somewhere in the world, at any given time on any given day, the Church is breaking bread in honor of the Lord's sacrificial death. It is important to remember that the Church is One. So even though we may be not be participating personally in the feast, we are still tied to it's observance. I had a professor who used to say that if the Church ever ceased this practice, God would destroy the world. While I am not sure about that, I do find it compelling that at any given moment in time some body of the faithful are reciting the words of the Holy Eucharist.

So what exactly is happening here? The practice is first about the holy commandment of the Lord, "Do This In Remembrance of Me." But in some traditions, it is also an opportunity to teach the faith by retelling the story--not only of Jesus but also of the faithful men and women who have sought to follow him down through the ages. So, for example, in the Catholic tradition, the regular observance of the Mass might be called "The Feast of St. Francis" or "The Feast of St. Anthony." The options are rather surprising. If you have never seen it, the list will likely shock you. See http://www.catholic.org/saints/f_day/nov.php

Protestant Christians might find this a bit overdone. And sometimes we hear the suspicion... --so many feast days for so many different people... celebrating The Lord's Supper over and over... reciting those same words... doesn't that make it lose it's meaning?

But of course it is more than mere words and recitation, isn't it? The prayer of the Holy Eucharist is, after all, called "The Great Thanksgiving." It is a remembrance and celebration of what God has done, is doing and will do in Jesus Christ. It is an act of Thanksgiving in the truest sense--which is an opportunity for us to re-posture our lives. It is a chance to reorient ourselves toward God and neighbor. To give thanks is to be humble as well as grateful. It is to take time to celebrate the good blessings of life and to make room for others who God also blesses and desires to bless. How can something like this possibly be done too frequently?

As the nation takes time out for it's annual day of giving thanks, let us join them. May we share in the food and the fellowship and the time off work. May we joyfully laugh and enjoy the company of friends, family and others...

But let us also remember that such things are not to be reserved. God desires us to be humble, grateful and joyful each and every day. And God has made it so that we can be. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwdZGPK6iTQ

Not-quite Instant Karma

2009-11-12T08:08:00.000-08:00

Occasionally, we hear people judge God. Actually what they are doing is judging God on the basis of things that take place on earth. They will claim that God must not exist because innocent children suffer or they will claim that God is irresponsible because there are clearly horrible things going on. The fact is, most people say these kinds of things not because they are looking for a meaningful conversation but rather to offer a veiled excuse for not taking their own faith more seriously.

But for the sake of those who might actually raise such questions in good faith, I want to share a story. But before I do, I need to offer a little context and a few caveats. First, things like the Holocaust or Rwanda or the history of slavery in America are complex and frightful matters. They involve not only the reality of human sin but also the evils of secular structures like nation-states and economic ambitions. Second, the story I am about to tell is trivial and silly. It is in no way meant to be equated with the kind complexity and urgency involved with real human suffering. Rather, I offer it precisely because it is so small and silly and therefore, safe. If we can perhaps see God or at least signs of God’s nearness in tiny things, then it seems to me we can be more assured that God is very near to what we might call big things.

I bowl on Wednesday nights. This is after our regular mid-week meal and programming here at Saint Francis. Though most of the folks in the league know that I am a pastor, no one attends the church so it serves as an opportunity to wind-down and decompress. My teammates are a Korean couple, Young and Chung, and a friend named, John who has a healthy understanding of people and the world in which we live. They are all great. We always have fun and generally bowl well enough so as not to embarrass ourselves.

Last night we were bowling a team that has been doing very well. We won the first game and were mid-way through the second when Chung lost her balance while throwing her first ball in the fourth frame. She didn’t fall but she did step forward into the right gutter. Meanwhile, the ball hit for a strike. Chung was excited but as she made her way back from the alley, I could already see that the opposing team was not going to let this stand. Officially, stepping over the line, even into the gutter, is a foul. Two of the bowlers on the opposing team wanted to ignore the infraction as did John and I. After all, this is a fun league and the woman just threw a strike! But the other two bowlers saw that it might change the outcome of the game and as they understood it, a rule was a rule… So I had the joy of explaining that her strike would not count and that she would have to throw a second ball. Meanwhile, the opposing team captain corrected the score. Afterwards, I walked to the table and almost at the same time John and I said the word “Karma.”

Chung is about the sweetest person you could meet—if that reference is still acceptable. She is always respectful and cheerful and you cannot help but hope that things will fall her way. And they don’t always. But John and I both sort of sensed that this time they might…We ended up winning the second game as well.

Then came the third game. None of us were bowling very well and we ended up being down by over 50 pins in the tenth frame. The opposing team bowled well extending the lead a bit further but Chung and I still had a chance and we were both working on a strike in the ninth. Chung then threw what appeared to be a perfect shot but rather than a strike, it turned out to be a split. She was unable to make the spare. I remember thinking at the time that it seemed wrong. I am no Karma expert but it seemed to me that she should have at least had a chance to make it close—but a split???

Anyway, I got up to throw the last frame of the night. At this point, the opposing team was finished and I figured that they were well out of reach. My first ball was a solid strike—fun, because it seemed to send a message of what might have been… But my second ball was another strike. I heard a cheer in the back but I honestly didn’t know the score. My third ball was a final strike with the seven-pin wobbling and then falling with the rest. I walked back to John’s outstretched hand. We had won the third game by a single pin.

Now I am capable of throwing three strikes in the tenth frame. I’ve done it before although certainly not often—and certainly not to win a game by a single pin. In other words, this might be considered nothing more than a cheesy, self-aggrandizing story. And you are welcome to take it that way, I guess. But that’s not the way it felt. John and I wanted to see our opponents pay for needlessly hurting our friend—not a lot—we certainly didn’t want anyone to get hurt but we did want to see Chung vindicated. And truth be told… that was just about right. You could see the look on the faces of the two guys…A rule is a rule, I guess, even in God’s sometimes mysterious sense of justice…

Age Before Beauty

2009-11-12T05:25:00.000-08:00

O.K. This one is primarily for all the basketball junkies out there... And for old people like me. The truth is I can barely stand the NBA. I only watch the games on television when there's is absolutely nothing else on--which sadly is more and more often.

Steve Nash is once again leading the NBA in assists. He is currently averaging 12.9 per game. These are assists, mind you, not points. In order to average 13 of them, a player has to make a pass that leads directly to a basket. And these aren't like the assists in soccer where you can pass it to a guy and he can then dribble the ball for 30 yards and kick it in. A true assist in basketball occurs when the last thing that happens before the shot is a pass. A good high school guard will average 5 of these per game. Bobby Hurley (hmmmm, where did he play?) still holds the NCAA record for most assists (1076). That record has stood since 1993. As good as Hurley was, he never averaged more than 8.2 assists per game in a single year. I think that he had 13 just once.

A few years ago, Allen Iverson and Carmello Anthony were battling for a scoring title one year. They were both flirting with the magical number of 30 points-per-game. Someone consulted Michael Jordan about this (Jordan averaged 30.1 over his entire career). Jordan just chuckled. He rhetorically asked, do you have any idea what it takes to average 30 a night? Here is a recollection/paraphrase of the conversation: Let's say you have an off night and you only score 20--which is still well above what the average NBA player can score in any given night--but you want to average 30 so that means you have to score 40 the next time out. Or, let's say you've got the flu and you get 15--now you're looking at a 45 point outing... just to keep pace. And, of course, you are playing against the best competition in the world. They know full well that you are the leader so while you are doing your best to average 30, they're doing their absolute best to keep you under 20.

So, we get it. Michael Jordan's accomplishments are even greater than we thought... But Steve Nash is no Michael Jordan...Right? He's that pale, anorexic guy from Canada. He looks more like a guy who works at a mom and pop video store than a serious athlete. And he's getting old or at least older for NBA point guards...

And yet--there it is--almost 13 assists per game. Once again, Nash is setting the bar. At 35-years-old, Nash, along with 37-year-old Grant Hill (hmmm, where did he play college ball?) have led the Suns to an 8-1 start this year. Nash is outplaying younger and seemingly more talented players, sometimes to the disgust of what my dad would have referred to as all the Prima Donnas out there.

So hat's off to Steve Nash and to all those folks out there who are making other people shine, Assists are great and so is playing the game with respect and style at 35! Here's a link to the article that inspired my blog http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/ian_thomsen/11/11/steve.nash/index.html?eref=sihp

Elegance

2009-11-06T08:42:00.000-08:00

A friend took me trout fishing yesterday. I had a great time and we caught a few fish but it was hard not to notice the sophistication. If I were a lesser man—which would be hard to imagine—I could probably write a pretty funny blog about all the sophistication that goes into fly fishing. But instead, I thought I’d write about how little sophistication goes into so much of religion these days.

I mean, of course, there’s a point at which you begin to fall over the edge. I am not exactly sure how much the average fly fisherman spends on his/her passion but it is clearly more than say the average worm fisherman. You’ve got the rod, the flies, the extra license and the exotic location… And these are the absolutes. But very quickly you need to be thinking about vests and waders and hats and shirts and sunglasses. You should probably be thinking about a guide and digital camera and maybe a surgeon to safely remove the hook should you happen to actually catch one of these precious things. That would be unlikely though. What is the average SAT score for a trout anyway? It’s gotta be higher than most NCAA athletes.

As off-putting as all the regalia might be for some people, I’m a little drawn to it. It's kinda nice to be reminded that the whole world is not made out of particle board and cheeseburgers. Of course, I don’t have the time nor means to fund a fly fishing addiction at this point in my life but I do like the fact that those who do seem to genuinely respect their pursuit. They take the fish, the process and themselves pretty darn seriously… O.K., maybe a little too seriously.

There was a day when Christianity was more like this. The buildings were gargantuan structures of mystery and wonder. The priests wore the finest linens. In some places, even the service was offered in an exotic language that only a few people even understood. So when someone came into the sanctuary, they would quickly understand that there was a grace about the place. Worshipers and adherents were reverent and respectful because that was the nature of the world that they had now entered. The process might be elaborate and the learning curve a little extensive but this too was part of the value.

Contrast this with the consumer-driven examples out there today. There is no longer any danger of asking too much of the worshippers and adherents, at least in these most modern expressions of Christianity. If anything, the Church has fallen over backward in its effort to strip-out anything that might come across as exotic or exclusive. For many Christian bodies, mystery has become more an enemy than an attraction. Whereas worshippers and adherents were once humbled to come before the presence of God, it would now seem that God has been humbled before the appetites of consumers. I think of Kurt Cobain’s timely assessment, “Here we are now, entertain us!”

Of course, we are never going back to the days when the service took place in a foreign language and the priest was the only person who understood what was going on--and for good reason… But at the same time, I hope that the Western Christianity can recover some of the elegance and respect that it has traded away in the name of reaching people.

What's Funny

2009-10-20T05:08:00.001-07:00

Last night I showed "Year One" to our Monday evening Bible study. It seemed fitting. I thought it would be fun to take a break and laugh together. Besides, we had just spent five months working through Genesis and had not yet decided on what we would study next.

I had been dragging my feet on watching the film. I had seen the previews so many times that when it actually released, I didn't even want to see it. The over-promotion just killed my interest. The bits they showed over and over in the previews just made the story seem slapstick (which of course it was). I wondered if I would even laugh. My second son, Jackson felt the same way. He avoided it in the theaters and still has not sat down to watch it. My elder son, Will, did see it. And he had told us both that it was "pretty good." The problem, he said, was that the film came out at the exact same time as "The Hangover." So what ended up happening was the critics went in for the raunchy Vegas film to the expense of what probably appeared to them as a tired story about cavemen. Oh, and "The Hangover" was rated R which is always a bit of an advantage. In comedy, pitching to the absolute lowest point is generally a sure win, although I did recently see an exception. "Miss March" is perhaps the most low-ball sexploitative comedy ever made and it is really not funny.

When I finally picked up the DVD for "Year One" last Friday at Blockbuster, I saw that Harold Ramis directed the film. That's all it took, really. I wonder why they wasted all that advertising money on redundant previews when all they really needed to do was leak a story stating that this film was directed by the same guy who gave us Caddyshack, Stripes and Groundhog Day. He also wrote Ghostbusters and was one of three writers responsible for Animal House. Here's a rule: If the guy who wrote Caddyshack is Jewish and he makes a film that essentially retells some of the more curious parts of the book of Genesis, go see it. "Year One" is not the best movie ever made but if you know anything about the book of Genesis, it will make you laugh... and probably think a little as well. Which brings me back to my initial statement and/or confession.

I showed this film to my Bible study... in my office... which is in the church. It was rated PG-13 so it certainly could have been worse but there were a few words and plenty of suggestive humor. I struggled with whether or not I should show it but I wanted us to see it together... especially because we had just finished reading the very stories that Ramis was having fun with. Being able to laugh about your own story is a pretty healthy thing to do. Being able to laugh at your own religion without cheapening it is a very healthy thing to do.

The fact is we are funny creatures. Life is a funny thing. Of course, it's not all funny. I actually had to close my eyes during the scene in which Cain kills his brother Able. But the fact that Ramis did not ignore this and was able to carry Cain's character forward and allow us to laugh a bit at him, to see that the line between the monsters and the people runs right down the middle of most of us... that seems like a pretty interesting thing.

Of course, in making the film, Ramis told a story that was not exactly accurate (Sodom somehow avoids the hellfire pelting that it receives in the older version) but I sense that those who know the story understand this. They understand that a film like this is going to show things in a different light. The point is not to re-educate us. It is to entertain us--to allow us to look at ourselves and our beliefs with a little merriment.

Bang for the Buck

2009-10-15T05:02:00.000-07:00

I recently changed my start page. I had been using CNN on and off for several years. On because I like the convenience. Off because it feels more and more like I am watching Entertainment Tonight than reading from an actual news source. So last week I decided that my brain was probably turning into that gooey stuff they use to preserve ham so I ran a super-creative search: "Best Online News Sources."

The first three suggested were BBC, The Christian Science Monitor and Voice of America. I'd never really heard or read much about Voice of America so I decided to try that for a while... The problem now is that I am so addicted to the shiny-happy-people format of CNN, I can hardly force myself to tackle all those words on the VOA homepage. I guess this means that I'd like to imagine myself as someone who really cares about solid news and reporting but I just don't have the time and attention span. UGHHHH!

Now that the confession of the day is over, on to even lighter news... CNN has those cool links that take you to the main sites of partners like Sports Illustrated and Money Magazine. I must admit, this is pretty clever and a great example of that networking thing that everyone else seems to understand. Of course, in order to participate in all that cross promoting, the companies agree (happily, I'm sure) to dummy down all the material on their sites. For example, Money does these cheesy lists--top ten this and the best and worst of that... The articles are little more than pictures and tag lines. But naturally, I am right there clicking through them. Chalk it up; they've hit the target audience right in the middle of our vacant foreheads.

This morning, Money ran a list of the best and worst places to find housing deals. Not surprisingly, the best deals are in places like Detroit, Michigan and Youngstown Ohio; the worst are in New York and Los Angeles. The funny (read annoying or irksome) thing was the houses they pictured in the article. The article boasted about how much house $105,000 will buy you in Detroit but the picture showed a house that costs $239,000! What is that? In fact, every example showed a house that cost way more than than the average they had listed for the area and well beyond the medium income of people living there. So what was the message supposed to be? ....You can find some great housing deals out there as long as your interested in the kinds of houses that are so nasty that our corporate partners won't even let us show them on this website...

This got me thinking about real bargains--you know, things that might fit the criteria of say, desirable AND affordable. Right? 'Cause a fire sale on yachts or a yard sale in front of a strip club really only appeal to small or curious subset of people. So here's my list:

BEST BARGAINS for people who don't furnish their yacht with used brass from foreclosed strip clubs:

10. A sensible key chain: By this, of course, I mean something that you can lift. But beyond that, how about something that has some meaning to you. I admit, it seems a bit insignificant. But think about it. You touch these things every day. Why not get something meaningful? You have to have this thing in your pocket or purse so why not make it something that lifts your spirit or reminds you who you are? At the very least, keep it simple so you don't wreck your ignition.

9. Carbonated Soda: It's not good for you and I am by no means suggesting you start drinking more of it but it is actually less expensive than it was when I was growing up in the late 1970s and early 1980s. And I am not talking about inflation; a can of pop literally cost less than it did 30 years ago. The same is true for Levi's and many other things but I am pretty sure the reasons are different. I think Coke and Pepsi are produced stateside and do not involve the messiness of child labor. The exceptions here are craft sodas made with cane sugar rather than corn syrup and diet sodas of any kind. I know a lot of you drink diet soda but I don't know if you're really getting a deal here.

8. Calvin Klein Underwear: This is sort of the other side of #7. Jones Soda is without question better tasting than Coke or Pepsi but one bottle of Jones for the price of twelve Cokes? A treat maybe but not really a bargain. So how can $20 underwear be a bargain? I am not sure where they get the cotton and I'd rather not know who is sewing it together and under what conditions. But I'm saying, the stuff is better. But, Mark, you can get so much more for your money at Wal-Mart or even Target. How is a $20 pair of grunders a good deal? All I can say is, have you ever worn this stuff? It's only the TOTL boxers though--not the weird and crazy stuff that's everywhere at Marshalls.

7. Fish Food: This one almost doesn't qualify. But the obscurity is overcome by the math. How many fish (even Betas which are pretty durable) will you be flushing before you need another batch of this stuff?! You could go through a lifetime (yours not the fishes) and never need another one of those containers.

6. Air Purifier/Humidifier: Huge difference in price and purpose but both can be well worth the money. This rationale is similar to the underwear. As a rule, you shouldn't really skimp on things that go on your body or pass through your lungs.

5. FJ80 Series Toyota Land Cruiser: Of course I have one; this is a blog, right? These were produced from 1991-1997. But what about the "no yachts!" objection? I hear ya, but these things are like fish food. You don't want to buy one new--unless, of course, you can. But look at the value now. At $60K they were worth every penny--they'll go anywhere and outlast years of abuse... Today, you can buy them for under $10,000. Sure, you will probably get a vehicle with worn seats and a few scratches but remember these are the same vehicles they are still driving around the deserts in Africa and yours has spent the last fifteen years parked in some doctor's three-stall garage. Caution: This is not a politically correct bargain. And don't buy the Lexus version. Those are just decadent.

4. The National Park System: Biggest bargain in the world, at least in terms of size and it will be here for millions of years...provided we resist the temptation to trade it away... You can buy an Eagle Pass for less than $100 and visit every National Park, Monument or Historic site in the country for one year and you can return as many times as you like. The experience will bless you in the moment and spawn memories that will last a lifetime.

3. Pie and Coffee: O.K., it doesn't have to be this exactly... But taking time to enjoy a conversation with a friend or a moment of peace and quiet... UNDERRATED! This is the bees knees people! Call a friend and meet them. Call your mother or your dad or pick you kid up from school in the middle of the day. This is the stuff that Mastercard commercials are made of. Apart from my Land Cruiser and Swiss Army key-chain, I'd trade just about anything for coffee, pie and a good conversation. Or I should anyway.

2. An Education: Make no mistake--Schooling can be a terrible deal. Lots of people borrow or spend tons of money to go to college and then waste the investment. The truth is that most learning is actually free. [Stick your finger in a spinning blender sometime and you'll see what I mean.] But sometimes an education does cost money. College, especially, can be very expensive. So when can we call it an actual "bang for the buck?" Two answers: When it helps you follow a dream and when you begin to appreciate learning for its own sake. The real deal is not in the diploma or credentials. It's in learning to value education itself.

1. A Pet: I am thinking of dogs and cats but as long as we're talking about companionship, the return on the investment is unquestionable. You can even get a pet for free but there will be a maintenance cost that you really don't want to avoid. I know that people sometimes have trouble with their pets. But these folks are probably excluded by the "companionship" rule. Besides, the carpet stains and obedience issues are probably their fault anyway.

Happy hunting! Now let's hear some of yours...

The Kingdom of God

2009-10-05T06:24:00.000-07:00

On Sundays, we have an 8:30 and a 10:30 service here at St. Francis. Sunday school meets between the two services. I have been visiting in the adult classes the last few Sundays and discovered that two of the four classes are using curriculum that is led by the same person, John Ortberg. In addition to his work as a pastor, Ortberg has had success writing and teaching on Christian formation. While the Sunday school studies were different, both dealt with real-world challenges and offered practical suggestions on how we can live more fully and faithful as Christians in the world.

There is a hunger for this kind of teaching in the Church. People sense that we live in a secular age. There are many aspects of our lives that mitigate against spiritual health and, because of this, believers are grateful for any kind of practical advice that will help them navigate the challenging spiritual climate of modern society.

As I watched Ortberg's discussion of pride on the class' DVD, it struck me that what he is doing looks and sounds a lot like modern psychology. In that, what he is offering believers are helpful and practical coping strategies. And in a way this makes a lot of sense. We live in a time that has a corrosive effect on people's lives. The values, practices and patterns of modern secular life are not only antithetical to the Christian life, they are in a lot of ways destructive and inhumane regardless of what people might believe about God. Pointing to Jesus' life and teachings, Ortberg explains central Christian values and practices such as humility and service. Embracing and employing these not only helps believers live more faithfully, it also helps us cope with the inhumanity around us.

For example, Ortberg notes that pride, an age-old sin, often parades as a value in our time, even though it ultimately serves neither our spiritual health nor our happiness in the world. Ortberg suggests that the way that we cope with pride is by becoming a servant. He suggests that nothing overcomes our tendency toward pride more effectively than the practice of service.

In this way, we cope with the challenges of the secular world through the employment of Christian principles. Nothing wrong with this and it is certainly understandable why Ortberg's books and curriculum have sold so well. Modern people like practical answers. We like the idea of coping strategies. And I celebrate what leaders like John Ortberg are doing here. At the same time, I have a slightly different take on all this.

The underlying assumption behind Ortberg's approach, and, indeed, a great deal of strategy or self-help counseling is that it imagines the world as a largely God-less place. That is, the world is a place where God isn't so it is up to us to sort of fight it off through our faith and our coping strategies. The assumption here is that we are largely on our own against the inhumanity or the world.

While there is certainly an inhumanity about the world. Christians also believe that God is working to redeem the world. Indeed, the Church teaches that the Father has sent the Son into the world to save it. Jesus himself proclaims that the Kingdom of God has come near. Other translations read, "The Kingdom of God is at hand." The reference is specifically to Jesus--his coming, his teaching, his authority and leadership.

In this way, perhaps our problem with things like pride and competition and selfishness is less about coping and more about seeing. That is, if the kingdom is indeed near to us, then perhaps we simply need to believe in it, embrace it and, thereby, enter into it. If we can do this, then the world is no longer a place where we have to cope so much as it is a place where we can enjoy our fellowship with God and serve as ambassadors of Christ to those who do not yet see what is in fact very near to them.

The example that I used to explain this to the class was the monastic life. When we think of those who intentionally seek to embrace and live the Christian message full-time, we might think of a monastery or an abbey. We imagine monks or nuns living extraordinarily faithful lives because we assume that it is only in such a protected place that this could even be an option. We believe the world to be simply too compromised, competitive and inhumane for full-time Christianity. We figure that whatever the Kingdom is, it certainly must be very different and very far from the harsh, secular world that most of us know.

But what if Jesus really is correct? What if the Kingdom has come in Jesus and continues in the life of the Church? What if we really can follow Jesus and embrace the ways of the kingdom--not merely to cope but to celebrate God's good work in our midst? In other words, perhaps what we need is not a good set of coping mechanisms but rather a bunch of monks and nuns who have the faith to leave the monasteries and abbeys. Men and women who are willing to make their homes in the world, trusting that the real kingdom is beyond those protective gates and, in fact, among the very people who are suffering the inhumanity of a world that simply does not yet see.

Stress and Process

2009-09-21T06:51:00.000-07:00

My eldest son, Will, is a senior in high school this year. For all of the things that he does or doesn't do that drive his mother and I crazy, I have to admit that he has done a truly remarkable job in school. He has made good grades, challenged himself in terms of the workload and stayed out of trouble. Because of these things he is now in a position to entertain some exciting options for the next step in his life. Given this, you might expect our family to be celebrating and enjoying this final year that Will is living at home.

And there is some of this. But the joy seems to be increasingly competing with stress. The stress is coming through something that Will's high school counselors have termed the college-application process.

A full year ago, the school sponsored an informational meeting to make sure that the parents of the junior-class were sufficiently anxious about college preparation. One of the counselors began the meeting by saying, "Your children are getting ready to begin the college-application process. As parents, I am sure that all of you are already stressing." I remember thinking to myself, "actually no; but thanks for getting me started."

Last night, it dawned on me that I actually am sort of stress about all this. I suppose that this is fair and probably even expected. My son is getting ready for the next step in his life and his mother and I certainly want it to go well for him. So if I am stressed about this, I figure that is either my prerogative or my fault. And I can appreciate that. What I can't appreciate is seeing that my son is stressed as well.

I certainly want him to be awake. I want him to be responsible for getting the information. I want him to fill out the applications and attend to the logistical expectations and deadlines. But the thought of him being stressed out not only makes me sad, it actually angers me. Will has done the work. He has put in the time and effort demanded by the high school process. So it gripes me to imagine that the reward for this would be a new level of stress tied now to the next process.

I suspect that part of my anger here has to do with this whole language of process. [See me last blog entry] The suggestion that education can be reduced to some kind of process is equally appalling and familiar.

In addition to my work here in the parish, I have also had the opportunity to work as a part-time instructor at Appalachian State University. For a number of years, I taught in the School of Education at ASU. The course was entitled, "Foundations of Education," and was required of all education majors prior to their student teaching. In teaching those courses, I learned something disturbing about college students. I learned that many of them approached their classes, and their education generally, as a means-to-an-end. That is, most of my students were far more interested in their grade then they were in whatever it was that they might learn in the course. The revelation should not have surprised me because many students go to college to get the degree to get the job... It was just disappointing to learn that teachers do the same thing. How depressing to consider that the people who would be teaching my children were already cynical about education.

Acknowledging this, I would make it a point to explain to them that we teach who we are. That is, their own appreciation for learning, or lack thereof, will not be lost on their own students. Furthermore, I explained that their own students were likely to treat them and the classes that they would soon be teaching in the same way that they treated me and the course that they were currently taking. Some of them seemed to get it--the irony of representing something that you can't be bothered with. But the vast majority either didn't understand or didn't care.

This was hard for me to see. I imagined my own children someday sitting before these students as teachers themselves who had lost all sense of appreciation and passion for learning. Of course, it happens. Things get reduced--school, work, marriage, family, faith... Nothing is completely safe from the decaying effects of process and means-ends.... So we have to be vigilant. We need to be awake and grateful. We need to maintain that sense of fascination with life and the world and the people around us.

This is what we should be up-in-arms about--the fact that our children are growing up in a world of reduction. If we're going to stress about something, it should be this--the danger of having beautiful things degraded into nothing more than the next process.

The Spoken Word

2009-09-14T07:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I preached a sermon on the human capacity for speech. It was based on a passage from James in which the apostle suggests that the tongue is a grave and dangerous tool. "With it," He contends, "we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing..."

How true. Words can be used for good as well as for ill. So many of the great things that have come upon the earth have begun and ended in the spoken word. Remember that this is actually how God creates-- "...and God said..." Perhaps this is the likeness that we share with God that is mentioned in Genesis 1... our own capacity to create by way of words and language. To name, communicate and reason our way together... It really is a gift, a power that God has given to us...

I remember when I first started to understand this. It was during my sophomore year in college. I read a series of books about language, culture and religion; the most notable was entitled, The Human Condition. Hannah Arendt was female, German and Jewish--probably all mitigating factors in 1958 when The Human Condition was published. None of this mattered to me when I read the book some twenty-five years later. After all, I was a young, free, Christian living in America and enjoying the care-free world of higher education. I could sit back and listen to Arendt's speech without fear of jail or even censorship. Nevertheless, the argument that she was making set me free--it set me free from something I didn't even understand.

The way that I explained it in the final paper for the class was that she had set me free from the process train. Reading her words, listening to her voice, it struck me that many people are taught and come to believe that life is merely process--that we simply find ourselves on the train and we have no choice but to ride this thing out. [Of course, most of us never even notice.] But Arendt suggests that human beings are capable of action--authentic action in the world. It is this action that creates the world and ultimately tells the story of life and history. And speech is the primary form of human action. It is our capacity to name, discuss and reason together that enables self-disclosure and allows us to enter into and take action in the world.

I still don't fully understand everything that I read in that book. But reading it offered to me one of those moments in which we are offered a chance to be reborn, into a world much more interesting than the one we've known.

Twenty-five years have now passed since I read The Human Condition. Sadly, I feel that much of that time has been spent riding the process train. Of course, that's what most people say when they reach their mid-forties. But still, I feel like I should know better. I understand, at least conceptually, the meaning and import of speech and action. I can only hope that even in the midst of my disappointment, I am still speaking toward a world that is more interesting than the one to which we seem to be settling.

Present Company

2009-09-10T06:38:00.000-07:00

I have an eight-year-old daughter. This means that we have pets--more than one and always the chance for more. You see this in movies or read it in books about children. Little girls love animals, especially young ones, and will freely inquire about taking them in.

I should have seen this coming. Even before my daughter was born, my wife, Diane--a grown woman who readily complained about dog hair and cleaning the litter box--could not resist taking in a stray kitten who found its way to our porch in Watauga County. We already had a cat at the time and my wife insisted she was allergic. But it didn't matter. It was a long-haired calico, it belonged with us!

Not long after, a group of raccoon triplets were making their way across our front lawn. Diane was enthralled. I tried to explain to her that things were not as they appeared. "But they're so cute!" She insisted, reaching down to pick up the nearest. The ensuing scene was telling. Raccoon babies don't look quite the same when their backs are raised up and they are hissing and bouncing around like Taz. I am not sure who was the more angry, though. Diane seemed to imagine that the thing should be ashamed of itself for not letting her cuddle with it. The experience left her momentarily disgusted and she steered clear of nature for about a week. And then she discovered that den of bunnies in the shrubbery...

Apart from a few butterflies and a brief stretch with a clam, our house has lately been reserved for more domesticated creatures. Here is an update on some of the other members of the Evans' household:

Atticus is a Sheltie. Sheltie is an abbreviation for Shetland Sheepdog. But to most people it means miniature collie. There is actually no such thing as a miniature collie but if there were, this is exactly what they would look like. Atticus has been the subject of a few of my sermons. This is probably a compliment because it means that he is capable of things like attitude, behavior and personality. I used to get angry at him because he would always bark and make a scene around other dogs but act perfectly normal around any human. But I've figured out in the last few months that this is not a personality problem. Atticus just does not know he is a dog. It sounds weird and that's probably why it took me so long to get it but I am pretty sure that it is true. And it makes sense if you think about it. The pack that he runs with are all people and the only times he sees other dogs is when he is out for a walk or a hike or maybe at the vet. He even barks at his own reflection... Do you suppose there are people who think they're dogs?

We don't have any cats right now. Diane swore them off when we left Watauga County seven years ago. If you're a cat person, that's a long time to go without a cat. But since 3/5 of our family are not, it will probably a lot longer before I see another cat.

My daughter is responsible for the rest of our animals. These are what I call quick-decisions pets. Right now, we have a fish (Beta) that now lives in the office here at the church and two dwarf hamsters that live in a plastic mansion in my daughter's bedroom.

The Beta is named Ruby, mostly because our last fish was Turquoise and Mallory wanted to stay with the precious-gem theme. Ruby has really grown on me, mostly because he (I know, but it's not like you can see anything) is so resilient. Not only has he lasted for nearly two-years, Ruby has suffered the experience of fading affection. Right? Because that's what happens. A little girl gets a pet, a kitten or a mouse or whatever... But soon enough the newness wears off. Or, worse yet, her affections fall in the next adorable direction... And we're talking about a fish in this world. I mean, imagine competing with things like kittens and bunnies. Heck, stuffed animals can probably draw more affection than a Beta... And yet, Ruby soldiered on. He was even expelled from the house. But God is good. He landed in the church office, right next to Michele, our administrative assistant. She's probably the nicest little girl in the world so Ruby is just fine.

Obviously I am partial to Ruby. And for all kinds of reasons--not the least of which being low-maintenance. So you can imagine my disappointment [Sheltese for disgust!] to learn that our Beta had been replaced by a rodent. Hamsters, even dwarf hamsters, are pretty much everything fish are not. Unless, of course, you fail to clean their bowl.

Enter Peanut and, just a few days later, Chestnut. This is why parents need to avoid commercial pet stores. We need to just stay away because this is what happens. Of course, they have dogs and cats and birds at places like this. But who buys a cat or dog from Pet-mart? If you take a child into one of those places, parents have got to know that they are going to be confronted with guilt and pleading. You're almost certain to leave the place with something that poops. So unless you can discipline yourself and get a fish, it's like choosing to live in Calcutta.

Diane must have sensed this would have been one of those rare times when I would have tried to play my man-of-the house card. [Like it would have mattered...] So the girls went on their own--twice! And now we've got a room full of plastic and two hamsters. [I keep trying to put a "p" in there because it would then rhyme so easily with dumpsters. But the spellchecker won't have it...]

Now to be fair, the rodents have worked out pretty well. We bought an air freshener and Diane actually takes the time to get the critters out. It sort of works as a mother-daughter bonding time. I let Atticus in there when they have them running around in those little balls. But I'm really hoping my daughter starts noticing kittens!

All in all, it is a bit of a microcosm--a little of this and a little of that. Not unlike the world in general. And, of course, it's not over. I wonder sometimes what other creatures will share my time on this planet. It's a good thing--even the rodents. Diane likes to go on and on about how cute they are when they "clean themselves." Is that what they're doing?

That was then...this is now

2009-08-31T07:29:00.000-07:00

Occasionally someone will make note how popular ideas reflect the philosophies of the ancients. People today probably think little about Antisthenes, Epicurus or Zeno. Many moderns have probably never even heard of these guys. Yet, their ideas seem alive and well in the Cynics, Epicureans and Stoics of our time... Here are some commonalities I've noticed. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

The first thing to note here is that the ancients tended to believe that we live our lives through ideas. Those who had the time and the means were compelled to pick a philosophy and live by it. There were competing "schools of thought." So adherents were advised to look at the world around them, choose a philosophical path and live life accordingly.

Our age is similar. When people talk about themselves, they speak in highly personal and intellectual ways. They might reference their identity, their beliefs, the meaning in their lives. They will talk about goals or political affiliation and can occasionally offer a rational argument to explain their pursuits. If asked about God, they will instinctively tell you about their beliefs, perhaps referencing a few guiding principles or an overarching philosophy of life. Moderns tend to assume that life is a smorgasbord of ideas and explanations. As a mentor of mine used to put it, you pay your money and make your choice...

And we see it, don't we? Modern-day cynics, skeptics, epicureans, stoics or hedonists selecting the ideological paths that seem most accurate or fitting or expedient.

Like us, the ancients knew a changing world. It was a world of good times and bad, joy and suffering, peace and war. Not surprisingly, the ideas and philosophical paths waxed and waned accordingly. One philosopher would follow the next, often reacting specifically to some weakness that was demonstrated by the turning of the globe.

So can the Portico offer anything to such a world? Do we have anything better than a salad bar of ideological options? Does the Church merely watch and judge the citizens of the world as they pass by on those streets of change?

I am a citizen of the modern world. I like ideas too. But I also have come to see their limitations. There's more to life than pay your money and take your choice.

What the Church has to offer is Christ. But offering Christ is not offering just another idea. It is an invitation to connectivity, to living life not as an individual making decisions but as a community sojourning through life together. We still live in the same world, with the same ups and downs, the same war and peace, the same joys and disappointments. But we've come to understand that this is not something that we do alone.

We sojourn with God and with one another. Of course, we still share ideas. We have our cynics and our skeptics and our hedonists but they are part of our family. In the family, we not only help each other see and accommodate the weaknesses in our respective philosophies, we teach one another to understand that our souls do not rise and fall on whether or not we have chosen the right one. http://www.8notes.com/show_video.asp?video_id=23880

Standing in the middle

2009-08-24T06:45:00.000-07:00

Late August...schools... It's a great time of year and always a signifier of new beginnings.

Like so many young people, my daughter recently received word on her new teacher and which of her fourth-grade classmates would be in her homeroom. Through the process, I found out that my wife was actually anxious about all this--not so much on the teaching side but on the classmate side. Specifically, she felt for my daughter who has friendships across the familiar grouping lines of the playground and cafeteria. All this was somewhat lost on me. Apparently, who's who and what's what starts pretty early now. Go figure... I assumed that we had at least until middle school before the demons of grouping would begin taking hold.

Everything turned out fine. Mother and daughter were both thrilled with the teacher as well as the class list. All in all, I guess you'd call it a successful lottery.

I hear a lot about this though--the way that kids pair off and treat one another accordingly. My daughter is only eight but she already feels this. She has already felt the pulling force of the grouping process. Although she doesn't really understand, I know that she doesn't like it--the pressure to choose between one friend or another. I pray she never does. But it will be hard. It is not just pressure to fit in; it's that illusion of being special. I suspect that it drives us to trade in our decency, insisting that we make choices...who is worthy and who is not...who we will love and who we will hate.

It's the same for adults, although generally more subtle. We wouldn't want to use such extreme language to describe our behavior. We wouldn't want to admit that we have chosen one group of friends over another or that we have closed the door on some people simply because someone told us that we should.

But just like my daughter, we might also resent the demands. Something within us might be telling us that this is not such a good thing--that it is counter to our humanity to choose between this person and that. But the pressure and that illusion of specialness can call to us--the stamp of approval from one side or another. And it can move us to do unwholesome things...

Here's to resisting it! As we begin a new year, here's a prayer for all of the children there together on the playground and in the cafeteria. Here's to the men and women who are willing to reach out a hand in both directions and take the time to understand more than one side. Here's to people everywhere who still have a healthy disrespect for this whole business of who's who and what's what...

Oh hell

2009-08-17T07:48:00.000-07:00

A little over a week ago, the Charlotte Observer ran an article entitled "What Happened to Hell." http://www.charlotteobserver.com/479/story/876121.html?storylink=omni_popular A couple of people in the parish asked me about the article and since then I have been working on a sermon that will address the issue. Of course, it's reactionary but it's also interesting. The world might actually be served by hearing what a Methodist has to say on the subject. Besides, I couldn't stand the thought of the people of St. Francis being harassed at work because their pastor is afraid of the subject.

The question is fair--why is it that many churches do not talk about hell? However, the answer might be far less conspiratorial than many imagine. The reason is simply that the Bible doesn't talk all that much about it. According to my concordance, the word "hell" appears only 15 times in the Bible and two of the references come from the Apocrypha. Compare this with the word "help" which appears 250 times or the word "mercy" 246 times. "Love" appears approximately 540 times. Not that this determines the subject matter, but from a biblically-proportional standpoint, we might expect to hear 1 sermon on hell for every 40 we hear on love. Another way to think about this is that the word "usury" appears approximately the same number of times as "hell," although I haven't heard much clamoring for sermons addressing the evils of lending money at interest...

One of the challenges that we preachers face when it comes to talking about hell is that despite the fact that there is very little Scriptural information on the subject, there seems to be volumes of ideas, images and details floating about in the larger culture. This is a challenge because even when preachers try to offer meaningful commentary on the subject, we are generally speaking to people who have already made up their minds. This, of course, is the irony. Sometimes people want to hear sermons on things like hell but it is not so much to learn something new but rather to reinforce ideas and opinions that they already cherish.

In the eleven references made by Jesus, hell certainly does not sound like anything or anyplace that we would want to encounter. And the fact that he does speak of it, not only jars our attention; it also invites the question, "why are some churches reluctant to talk about it?"

In Jesus references, hell is typically cast as a threatening prospect, as a deterrent to certain kind of attitudes and behaviors. It is, by all measure, something that we would want to avoid. And this, of course, begs the question and perhaps helps us to understand Jesus point. How do we avoid this frightening place of which we really know very little? Let's hope that the answer lies in the kinds of things that we learn from the Bible...the kinds of things that our preachers and churches are talking about on all those other Sundays.

The Health-care Debate

2009-08-10T05:55:00.000-07:00

I haven't heard many comments about my blog lately...probably because no one's reading it... So it seems as safe a time as any to share a bit of unbridled commentary.

I recently listened to a conversation about the current health-care debate. I was struck by the extreme difference of opinion. I was also taken by how quickly the tone of the argument escalated.

People who generally agree about many things can find themselves on opposite ends of this discussion and passionately so. It's been kinda nice for me to sort of sit this one out. Too often, I find myself overly invested and overly vocal about things like this. (You know, things over-which we have little or no control.) But not here. I mostly couldn't care less about whether or not the health-care system gets nationalized. It's not because I don't care about health, it's just that my expectations are so catastrophically cynical and small that it's hard for me to imagine it making that much difference one way or another.

My reasoning has nothing to do with socialized medicine. Clearly more people will get more care if it's free. I am just not sure that this is really a good thing... I must be wrong...but it seems to me that the medical industry creates more suffering than it relieves... I feel for everyone who suffers under it.

Here is what I mean...but in reverse, back-masked order:

Everyone suffers. I learned this in college. It was one of those epiphanies in my educational and spiritual journey. Suffering is part and parcel to life in this world... Of course, some people suffer more than others. But nobody misses out. Everyone has to carry or endure various crosses in this lifetime. This is not to say that we shouldn't try to alleviate the hurt. It is rather to stop ignoring some of the less obvious ways in which people suffer in this world.

So here is the deal: Of course, sick people suffer. And, of course, people who cannot get adequate health-care suffer. But so do people who sort of imagine that the health-care that they have is something great. These people are suffering and they don't even know it. Maybe not from a physical ailment but from a profound condition of self-deception. Do you ever hear people say things like: We have the best health care system in the world These are also the people who like to say things like America is the greatest country in the world... Both might actually be true but how would they know?

Consider the very phrase "adequate health-care." In the current debate we hear a lot about the need for this. But what exactly does it mean? What is adequate health-care? A recent article suggests that $210 Billion is wasted annually on unnecessary tests. This, it seems to me, is a central interest in the debate--what's the best way to ensure that more people will have access to this unnecessary testing?

Maybe adequate health-care is less about access and more about actually helping people get whatever it is that they really need. Again, some suffer because they do not have enough; others suffer because what they have is not nearly as valuable as they imagine.

Why I don't like the medical industry...
1. It's ridiculously expensive: For all the money we throw at health-care, how healthy are we, really? Or, how much is what we've got really worth? From my peculiar spot in the universe, it seems to me that a grapefruit is more valuable than a visit to the doctor. (This is not really the doctor's fault.)
2. It's consistently bureaucratic: More than anything else, medicine is characterized by waiting, processing and disappointment. (This is not really the receptionists fault.)
3. It's dehumanizing: Dealing with the medical industry makes people feel worse. Whether it is suffering the indignity of various procedures or the arrogance of the experts, the overwhelming experience of the sick is a consistent reminder that they have little or no power of the situation. (This is not really the nurse's fault.)
4. It's arrogant: People in medicine too often carry themselves with an unjustified sense of greatness. (This probably is the University's fault.)
5. It's run by insurance companies... (This is definitely our fault.)

If we could only find a way to remove this last bit from the current debate. But... So whether we move to a more nationalized system or keep something similar to what we have now, medicine will still be determined and driven by people very far from the clinic. And here too, I feel for those who have as much as I do for those who have not. Even doctors are beholden to powers that are not primarily interested in health.

Thank God nobody reads this thing...

Rhythm and Blues

2009-08-03T06:16:00.000-07:00

I fight authority, authority always wins...

"Authority Song" was released in 1983. The song probably represents a turning point in John Mellencamp's personal life as well as his career. Early-on, the artist recorded under the name John Cougar, then John Cougar Mellencamp and then simply his given name. "Authority Song" appears on the album "Uh Huh" during the era when John Mellencamp was using all three names.

I fight authority... is repeated 16 times during the song. Apart from the refrain, there are only two verses to the song. The first is a clever commentary on what it feels like to have aspects of your life in the hands of other people. Most of us have known this feeling at one time or another. It is not a good feeling and our response to it often takes one of two avenues. Either we force ourselves to ignore the frustration and try to get along. Or we rage against the circumstances--usually in vain. The latter is, of course, the subject matter of Mellencamp's song.

The image that comes to mind here is that of a salmon swimming upstream...straining against all odds... willing itself to some distant destination. But the metaphor is not entirely congruent. While the salmon is struggling with purpose, seeking intently to return to a specific place in order to spawn, sometimes our fights are more like a flailing against the universe in general. The energy for the rebellion is there but the cause is largely undefined.

The second verse of Mellencamp's song is a picture of this. It is the singer poking fun at himself. He can see the source of his pain and frustration but he is not quite ready to accept the antidote:
So I call up my preacher
I say: gimme strength for round 5
He said: you don't need no strength, you need to grow up, son
I said: growing up leads to growing old and then to dying,
And dying to me don't sound like all that much fun

How true...When we are raging against the world in general, we really don't want to be bothered by the facts.

The good news here is that at some point Mellencamp moves beyond his vain struggle with everything that is not right with the world. Officially dropping "Cougar" from his name, sort of marks a moment of maturity in his life. Though many of his most successful songs came early in his career when he was perhaps a bit angrier, Mellencamp has nonetheless continued to release meaningful music throughout his life. I have more than once heard people say that their lives actually parallel the stories that the artist has told of the course of his career. The same is often said in regard to Bob Seger and Mary Chapin Carpenter.

Growing up is not always linear. Even now, I sometimes just want to flail. One of the playlists on my Ipod is simply called "Blue." I even have one called "Black" to match those poignant moments of rage that still run through the veins from time to time.

But happily it is not that often. And it is not a matter of caving-in or giving-up. At least I hope it is not. I rather like to think that there is a rhythm that invites us. If we are willing... It is a rhythm that transcends the limited options that children are so easily drawn to. It is a way of living and being that is something other than mere caving-in or raging-on.

Holiday Road

2009-07-20T06:50:00.000-07:00

I have missed a few weeks--mostly because I have been on the road. This will be my son's senior year of high school. So it made sense to pitch the family on a good ole Griswold style vacation. We had already planned to return to Iowa to see family and friends but decided to go ahead and commit to the additional thousand miles and get back to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone.

It was a good and noble idea but driving 6000 miles in 12 days is not for the faint of heart...really more a quest than a vacation. As Clark would say, we were on a #!*$%in quest for fun.

And it really was fun but in a different sort of way. Different from our daily routines and certainly different from the familiar avenues to entertainment that young people are used to today. Simply being within speaking distance of your children for hours at a time is a nice change and probably the very thing that we were looking for. A 6'3" kid can't hide in a Toyota, even a Land Cruiser... not for 12 hours in a row.

The other piece was getting back to the West. I love North Carolina. I love our mountains and I love the breadth of geography across the state. But I also love the West. To be able to look out a car window and literally see forty miles in every direction gives me a sense of freshness and freedom that I have not been able to find elsewhere. We hiked and camped and got tired--all things that work to remind you that fun is a much broader term than we often realize.

There is a lot to see and do in this world. I suspect that I will never be completely satisfied in my quests to see and do. But at the same time, periods of satisfaction are readily available to us--if we are just willing to give them a chance. Even though getting there was a trial in patience as well as endurance; and even though we only stayed a couple of days, I did leave renewed and refreshed. Even though it was modest, it was enough...at least for a while. It was good to simply behold and reconnect with a stretch of earth that is particularly powerful and meaningful. It was also good to spend time with my family...

Of course, there were also those moments when I could have tied Aunt Edna to the roof.

Curbing Enthusiasm

2009-06-22T07:38:00.000-07:00

Caveat: I watched "Fight Club" this week--twice I think. Consequently, my psyche is a bit tortured so take what follows for what it's worth...

Yesterday I struggled to preach a sermon dealing with humanity, and especially masculinity. I likened it to trying to create an ice sculpture with a chain saw. I sort of had in mind what I wanted to get across but it was pretty chunky work--like trying to make delicate cuts without lopping off entire limbs.

We are animals at some level. Our physicality and drives are central to who we are as men and women. Indeed, it would appear that God made us this way. At the same time, this is not a license to run roughshod about the planet. As believers, or even as conscientious people, we want to be mindful and respectful of the larger world.

So what do we do with all that stuff--the thoughts, the passions, the hormones... Where's the line between appropriate expressions of manhood or womanhood and vain self-indulgence? I suspect the question is harder to answer than we realize. Some of us err on one side--overly prudish and suspicious of all forms of sexuality and worldly interest. Others of us err on the opposite side--driven entirely by one base desire or another.

It's safe to say that it's a matter of finding a balance that we can live with but the "we" here refers not only to the self but to the community around it. As we embrace our nature, we need to do so within the context of others--other people, other creature and the otherness of God. Of course, this was the part of the sermon that I was hoping would not break off as I was chiseling away at the carnal side of things. I suspect that the Church needs to hear that it is o.k. to be male or be female. And I want to be someone who is willing to say so. I just don't want to say it so loudly that people lose their minds... or their patience with me.

We are for sure earthly creatures. But there are better and worse ways to be in this world. As believers, we understand that enthusiasm is a good thing. It just needs to be appropriately applied.

Quality and Convenience

2009-06-15T08:21:00.000-07:00

This morning I have been on the Internet looking at albs. An alb is the basic vestment worn by clergy and others during worship. I have two albs. One is a wheat colored, wool-blend that I purchased right after I received my first appointment as a pastor back in 1989. The other is a white polyester garment that I bought with some money that my mother had given me for my birthday about five years ago. There is a marked difference in the quality between the two.

The wheat alb has held up beyond my expectations. Of course, it is worn and that is partly the reason that I am looking for a new one. But the fact that this garment has served me for twenty years now, I couldn't be more impressed. I honestly hate to replace it.

On the other hand, my white alb has been a great disappointment. I purchased it because it looked great in the catalog. Embroidered bands in the sleeves and at the bottom making make the robe look very stylish. When it arrived, it looked as good as it did in the picture. It was about twice as heavy as the wool-blend so I expected that it would hold up well. It has not. The hems are breaking down. The cloth is fraying badly. The polyester is much heavier than the wool and it breathes very poorly so the beautiful white color is now stained with rings of sweat.

By all measure the older, thinner fabric has outperformed the newer, fancier garment. As I look to purchase my next alb, I see that I am going to have to spend some money. The natural fabric costs about a third more even though it looks like it should cost less.

I suppose it is a lesson that we have to learn more than once. It is always tempting to go with the picture on the box... Besides that, it's getting harder to find the quality. Even brands that were once reputable and reliable are not necessarily producing that same stuff they were a few years back... [The difference in Ralph Lauren chinos is subtle but definitely there.] Of course, the consumer is supposedly the one with the power. Theoretically, if we don't buy the junk, sooner or later they will have to stop making it.

Enthusiasm and Discipline

2009-06-08T06:05:00.000-07:00

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.’ Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, “One does not live by bread alone.” ’ (Luke 4:1-4)

It seems that we are living in a languishing age. While the earth's population is growing rapidly and resource demands are being pressed to an all time high, little has changed in terms of the way that we live. This is particularly true when it comes to understanding and utilizing energy. Oil leads a cast of familiar suspects with which we have an increasing problematic relationship. For four decades we have been hearing about "breaking free" from our dependence upon fossil fuels but the truth is our addiction has only gotten worse.

Human history is closely related to our capacity to identify and employ various forms of energy. Almost without exception this has meant burning one or another source of carbon. From the wheat metabolizing in our bodies to the wood burning in our stoves to the gasoline driving the engines in our cars, human civilization has benefited and advanced largely because of that curious atom that bonds so readily in our world.

It is a true Catch-22. We have this great thing going; and yet, we sense that we are really starting to try the relationship... Reluctantly, many of us are starting to believe that it is time to do something else--something besides burning up carbon. But few of us have even the slightest idea of where to begin.

I suspect that sometime in the not too distant future we will figure this out. We will unlock some new secret in the universe that will allow us to identify a new energy source. Odds are, it will have something to do with hydrogen--perhaps an efficient harvest of solar energy or a practical application of fusion. Of course, I don't know the details and I really have no foundation for making such a prediction--except that it seems that we are just sort of due for such a breakthrough.

And when it comes, it will come swiftly. Once practical, it only took a hundred years for the internal combustion engine to make its way across the entire planet. And the world today is vastly smaller than it was a in the 19th century.

With the change, there will come a great enthusiasm, and rightfully so. After all, we have been imprisoned by the limitations of oil for a long time now. We are addicts who have only just begun to realize that we are suffering. So the deliverance from all this can not help but come as a salvific event. We will want to be careful here. Energy is a great and glorious thing. As we have witnessed, it is something that can be easy to worship. We will want to be careful about this.

Nagging Doubts

2009-06-01T07:14:00.001-07:00

My sister, Angie, had her tonsils out over a week ago. Remember when this used to be a common procedure? Children everywhere lined up for their introduction to the center of modern medicine--surgery...

Turns out that something is off here or something has changed or something...Angie is just now getting better. She has been miserable for ten straight days. The only reprieve is that she has a great sense of humor so I have been able to give her a few laughs via a few timely texts about filling in for Axl Rose and Brian Johnson.

Of course, this is really nothing to laugh about. Angie told me this morning that she was working in her yard yesterday when her neighbor (an attorney) came over and said, “Now this is mostly over, I can tell you…I have been involved in two separate cases in which women died after having their tonsils taken out….Both adult women with children who bled-out while they were sleeping…”

Those who know me well have probably heard an occasional barb about hospitals, insurance or modern medicine. I can’t really say where it comes from but I have forever had this nagging suspicion about the way that our age considers and addresses health. At the very least, it strikes me as the proverbial little man behind a curtain pulling levers that produce a lot of smoke and noise. I am afraid to admit, even to myself, how I really feel about it.

You’d think that by now we would have figured out something a bit more creative than surgery. I always think of one of the middle Star Trek films in which Bones McCoy refers to our era of doctors as “butchers.” Of course, he would then just get out some kind of magic wand that he simply waved over the patient. Science Fiction...but still... Can we not come up with something a bit less invasive than the presumption and practice that has dominated medicine for the last hundred years?

Angie, sorry about your throat. Next time, you might want to just go with the vitamins.

Nuggets of Wisdom

2009-05-26T09:01:00.000-07:00

A friend forwarded this to me earlier this week. It is attributed to Regina Brett, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio. It seemed fitting to pass it on.

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is
all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never
blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up
to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an
answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words, "In five years, will this
matter?"

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or
didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab
ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come.

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Daily Bread

2009-05-19T06:33:00.000-07:00

There are several references to bread in the Bible. Two of the more familiar deal with sustaining life. While in the wilderness, Jesus is no doubt hungry. The devil suggests that he turn stones into bread--a rather extreme but perhaps practical proposition given that he is the Son of God and would apparently have this kind of power at his disposal. But Jesus' responds, "One does not live by bread alone..." What follows are the words "but by every word that comes from the mouth of God."

What exactly is the word that comes from the mouth of God? Is it the Bible? Is it the Spirit that blows upon the faceless void and creates life? Is it the narration of a Great Storyteller? Whatever it is, it would appear that our lives are indeed dependent upon it.

Another common reference to bread comes to us from the Lord's Prayer...Give us this day our daily bread... In light of the story above (Jesus' temptation), the reference to daily bread seems to be twofold. First, it refers to God's sustaining word in our lives. And second, it seems to be a request for food or whatever it is that we need to keep going.

I appreciate that Jesus invites us to ask for the things that we need. Although we may not necessarily know what it is that we need, I like the fact that we seem to have a Lord who wants us to have this.

According to Jesus, our lives are especially dependent upon the word of God. In addition to the more familiar ways in which the Word comes to us (Scripture and Christian Conversation), I suspect that God reaches us in other ways as well. For example, there are times that music has literally breathed life into what has become a very dry spirit within me. Walking in the woods, smelling fresh air, seeing an old friend... I suspect that God not only makes do but indeed enjoys lifting our lives in ways beyond what we put into our mouths.

Blessings

2009-05-13T06:09:00.000-07:00

Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, ‘Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.’ But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, ‘Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.’ He answered, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ But she came and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, help me.’ He answered, ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’ She said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.’ Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed instantly. (Matt. 15:22-28)

I have always been drawn to this story. It all seems just about right. The woman is seeking a blessing but the timing and circumstances are working against her: It's the wrong place. The timing is inconvenient. And she's not the right brand... Nevertheless, she is determined. Her daughter needs help and she is convinced that Jesus can do something for her.

According to Matthew, and apparently Jesus, it is precisely this determination that makes the difference. She wants a blessing and she is not going to let the familiar blocks get in the way.

The two pieces here are important I think. First, it is good for us to admit that we are all looking for a blessing. Call it would you will...a break, a surprise, a second chance... There are times when we are really looking for some relief. And we hope that God is the kind of God who is willing to help out.

Right? Because in the scheme of things, our unique challenges probably don't seem like all that much. So we would probably understand if God is simply too busy with things like World Peace and making sure the planets stay in orbit. Yet, at the same time, we are still hoping that our personal problems can somehow find a place on God's radar screen.

This brings us to the second piece. The story of above suggests that sometimes we have to make a little noise. We might have to be a little annoying and ignore the barbs and blocks that might otherwise send us fleeing back to our hovels. The picture, a portrayal of Jacob wrestling with the angel at Peniel, suggests that we might even have to fight for those blessings. Which is really not so bad... If something really matters, we should probably be willing to make something of a scene anyway.

Besides, if we are talking about a real blessing, then it's gotta be worth it. Doesn't it?

I Remember Joe...and John

2009-05-04T08:40:00.000-07:00

"I Remember Joe"
Oh, your golden lights of America
Joseph sought your prairies and your buffalo
And the humming of the rails down through Kansas
They brought Joseph in from Baltimore

The Cavalry, the Indians, and an Old Dan were his only friends
Then the Old Dan died and the Indians' plight
Made the Cavalry young Joe's enemy

Oh, the outlaws spilled the blood across the
Kansas plains back in the '70s
Joseph took a badge for America
To defend you from your fantasies
Joseph wore that badge across the Kansas prairies to save the railroads.
But the heroes that we made, well, they were ruthless soldiers who'd kill for gold.

With a broken heart for the frontier plains
Joseph sat a-rocking in his front-porch swing
That old tin badge is tarnished now
You know it was just a young man's dream.
And old man's tales are hard to reach when you
Don't believe in your American Dream.

The Indians, the buffalo and old Joe Mason
They died from memory.

Oh, your golden lights of America,
Joseph sought your prairies and your buffalo.
And the humming of the rails down through
Kansas, they brought Joseph in from Baltimore.

The Cavalry, the Indians, and an Old Dan...
Forsaken old man.
Oh, your golden lights of America.
(Nanci Griffith, from the original recording, "There's a Light Beyond These Woods" 1978)

Nanci Griffith is one of my favorite singer-songwriters. She has an exceptional gift of capturing the subtleties of the human experience. "I Remember Joe" is the first song on one of her early albums. It's a sad song but it's a sadness to which I am drawn.

I had a friend in high school who was kind of like this. His name was John. It still is...I just haven't seen him for a while. For a lot of reasons, John was sometimes tough to get along with--but mostly because he wasn't much for pretense. John was the kind of guy who just wouldn't go in for the usual things that people like to do in order to be accepted. He just hated pretense. And because there is so much pretense in people, it sometimes seemed like he actually hated people. He loved animals though. And he was immensely loyal to his friends. I count myself blessed because I was one of them.

It was an ongoing question that I never really understood. How could a guy who could be so compassionate to animals and so loyal to friends be so generally abrasive to most of the world around him? Looking back, I suspect that it has something to do with disappointment or, more aptly, disillusionment. In this world, if our eyes and heart are open, it doesn't take long to get dust and dirt in them. I suspect that John just learned a bit earlier than the rest of us that the worst of the world's dust and dirt comes from the attitudes and actions of people. Of course, it isn't all dust and dirt and there's more than one way to respond to our disillusionment but it's hard to blame the folks that turn their backs on all that pain and cruelty...

We all feel like that sometimes. We see something or run into something, maybe a stream of things that just turns everything sour. It can be hard to find cause to take another look or focus on something else. In this regard, I remember John. And I will never fault somebody for listening to sad music.

At the same time, I want to avoid those pits that don't seem to have an exit. And just like there is plenty of disillusionment around, there are also great signs of hope. There are blessings everywhere. And they will often come to us from the most unlikely places.

For example, did you see the race yesterday? Did you see the spirit of that horse coming from dead-last to win the Kentucky Derby? If you didn't, run a search. There are plenty of videos out there. The best part is the narration. The announcer doesn't even see Mine That Bird. The horse is well in the lead before he even acknowledges that he is coming on. Even the jockey is obviously shocked. He had been runnin' the horse down for being small. A $9500 horse winning the Kentucky Derby...Awesome.

This time of year, I always go back and reread the story of Secretariat. I watch again that amazing run at Belmont and listen to the people who were close to that horse. Of course, Secretariat was never a $9500 horse. But that doesn't matter. Here was one of God's creatures that was just not going to let the world take away his spirit. What a story. Of course, it's easy to like animals--especially the great ones. But even the unsung heroes--the ones living in our homes or trying to survive in the the natural patches still left in our suburbs--they can inspire us as well.

There's people like that too... We probably won't find them on television but they're out there...

Desert Time

2009-04-28T09:01:00.000-07:00

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven… Ecclesiastes 3:1

I just returned from what has become an annual post-Easter retreat to Las Vegas. Actually, Sin City is not really the destination. It ‘s just that the airport there is conveniently located for anyone who enjoys the Southwest and might be open to spending time away from crowds and air conditioning.

This year, my acting spiritual director led us on a 3-day odyssey that included hiking, climbing and mountain biking. It was demanding on the legs but it was worse on the sinuses. The desert is, of course, a challenge on the spirit as well…But in a good way. Exerting ourselves, whether it be in physical rigor, thoughtful consideration or prayerful exertion almost always leads to some kind of blessing provided we are willing to suffer whatever price being asked of our body, mind and spirit.

This year, my price came by way of an age old enemy, time. I have always struggled with time, especially the singular direction in which it appears to move. The desert was a constant reminder of time. From the petrified sand dunes and scarred mountains to the images of animals and symbols that had been etched upon them, the desert seemed a chorus with a compelling refrain...“this too will pass.”

I was especially surprised by a walk through what’s left of a ghost town at the far end of Lake Mead. In 1938, the people of St. Thomas were forced to abandon their homes and community for the sake of Hoover Dam. For many years, the town was covered by the waters of Lake Mead but because of increased pressure placed on the reservoir, the remnant of the town is now visible again. Except for the occasional dish or bottle, little is left beyond the concrete foundations and its rusting rebar. Two of the foundations were considerably larger than the others and my friend and I tried to figure which one had been the church. Walking through the ghost town, it initially seemed only depressing—a forgotten town now largely reclaimed by the sand and sage. Yet, in the midst of the ghostly refrain, there also seemed to be a distinct voice of hope. It was a hope that seemed connected to the challenge of the desert itself. I tried to imagine making a home in such a place. It would have been hard but this somehow seemed encouraging.

The town of St. Thomas is no more. Time and change have seen to that. Yet, it is still very good that these people once lived there in that valley. Looking at the foundations and trying to imagine how things once might have looked reminded me of the petrified dunes and petroglyphs that also remain and bear testimony to time gone by.

I believe that whatever lies ahead—whatever God has planned for eternity—it will somehow preserve the good of the past. Beholding the beauty of the desert, a beauty that challenges our mind, body and spirit… it makes me wonder. Perhaps we are wrong about that age-old enemy. Perhaps, time is actually our friend.

He is not here

2009-04-14T06:05:00.000-07:00

Early Cave Drawings

Keeping it real on the way to the Cross

2009-04-07T08:08:00.001-07:00

As Easter approaches each year, I often get sense of anxiety. I worry that I will not be able to preach a sermon that is worthy of the mystery and joy of the season. After all, the Resurrection is really the high holy day of the Christian calendar, if we preachers don't have something to say on Easter Sunday, then we might as well hang it up.

Of course, theoretically, the pressure really isn't on us. It sorts of boils down to whether or not God gives us something to say. Or, perhaps more accurately, whether or not God can break through all my blocks and distractions to get out whatever message needs to be proclaimed. This is sort of rule #1 in preaching and ministry generally. It's either God's work or its not. And if its not, its pretty hard to justify, at least over any length of time. Yet, even though preachers should know this, it is still easy to forget. It is easy to sort of buy into the ole cliche' "if it's to be, it's up to me."

One helpful aspect of all this is that Easter comes at the end of Holy Week. So by the time we are expected to be "real," we've already had a fairly substantial dose of reality. Thursday and Friday help pastors and congregations alike remember that Sunday isn't so much about us. Except to the extent that we are surprising beneficiaries.

Coming to understand ourselves as a sinners is both a burden and a blessing. It is a burden to the extent that we aren't necessarily the people that we imagine ourselves to be. It is a blessing to the extent that we realize that no one else is much surprised by all this. It can be tough to live with though. We want to be good. We want to avoid the betrayal. We understand the nails and the thorns, we would just prefer to imagine that they have been placed for the sake of someone else.