Fear of Association

On several occasions recently I experienced a desperate urge to distance myself from the designation of Christian. This does not mean that I have been ashamed of Christ. Rather, I have been ashamed of those who claim to follow Him.

You may say that I am over reacting, but I was thoroughly repulsed by two church signs I saw recently. The first said, “Heaven is cool.” Beyond being a really bad pun (assuming hell is hot), this sign depicts a very limited and trivial understanding of God’s desire for man and the gravity and awesomeness of the Gospel message. Non-Christians reading this sign, I feel, get a very stuffy and trite view of Christianity.

The second sign said something to the effect of, “Do not let your eyes tell your heart what to believe.” Say what you like about the intent of the message, this is heretical and very poor epistemology. Our human nature (made in the image of God) has a tendency to believe what it sees. Scripture says that creation declares the existence and glory of God. Why should our eyes not inform our heart of what it believes. Perhaps the sign should say, “Do not let your heart tell your eyes what they are seeing.”

We must not allow a disconnect between our ways of determining truth and we must not act in blind faith. We are called to believe based on something. Blind faith is reckless, dishonest, and impotent to convince others of the truth. We are designed to and able to see and hear and feel and smell and taste and intuit and reason about God’s truth and then accept the message of God’s communications to us.

I recently read a brief but brutally honest account of church history in Myth of a Christian Nation by Gregory Boyd. (This is a book I highly recommend.) This account focused on the denial of the way of the suffering Christ and the use of the sword by “Christians” for most of Church history. The almost endless saga of war, torture, rape, forced conversions, persecutions, recreational killing, and inhuman slaughter all in the name of Christ and Christendom made me literally sick on my stomach. To be identified with such a legacy of blatant denial of the teachings of Christ was almost more than I could bear. I did find myself able to proudly identify myself with one of the few groups who denied this legacy. The Anabaptists were listed as one of the groups who did not practice these things.

Profound Statement from a Computer

“Strange game. The only winning move is not to play.” – stated after simulating hundreds of war games in the movie WarGames (1983), written by Lawrence Lasker and Walter F. Parkes

A Remarkable Surprise

http://www.homecomers.org/weblog/index.php/islam-and-christianity/

A Friend’s Wonderful Summary

A friend sent me a paper he read as a commencement address at a local Mennonite high school. He told me that it was very satisfying because it was the big picture view of all the things he has been referencing and trying to say to the graduates for the last four years. It is a masterful piece and it is available for reading here or for download as a pdf here.

London’s 2012 Olympic Logo

Imagine the planning that went into this logo. This will be used to represent probably the most international event on the planet. It will show up all over the world and especially in Britain for the next five years. The artist needed to create something that would appeal to most, be easily recognizable, and match the newest graphic designs in 2012. So, will this logo be a prophecy of where the graphic arts will go, or will it be a definer of where they will go?

Evangelicals Try to “Keep America Christian” When it Never Was

By Justin Webb

The current US presidential debates are almost certain to see the candidates asked to comment on spiritual issues, but some Americans are worried about the trend towards religiosity in public life.

Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton will be challenged on their beliefs

At my twins’ annual school camp in West Virginia, you are meant to leave your troubles behind.

It is an idyllic couple of days – a communing with nature which my wife gallantly insists is simply too enjoyable for her to take part in – it has to be a dad’s experience.

Actually it is not that uncomfortable. The tents are sensible structures with plenty of room to stand up. There are rudimentary bunk beds you can bang your head on in the early morning.

The setting is a reminder too of the size of the United States – only two hours from the nation’s capital, these are woods and fields as empty and isolated as any in the Scottish Highlands.

Taleban Fighter’s Boat Sinks

BBC breaking news reported that a boat on an Afghan river sank, killing 60 people including Taleban fighters.

What is your gut reaction when you read that? Do you inwardly cheer?

What is your gut reaction when you hear of American soldiers dying in Iraq? Are you disappointed because of the American losses?

The American soldiers are fighting to preserve their god: America and what they consider to be a basic human right, freedom. The Taleban fighters are fighting for their god: Islam and the pious command to destroy heretics. As a members of the Kingdom of God, can we be consistent in cheering when Taleban fighters die? Are we not cheering because we have become idolaters? We have set up our way of life, our personal security, and our nation as our gods.

The Kingdom of God needs to cry every time death visits anyone, particularly those who have a God other than the King who conquered by surrendering all His own rights and dying.