Despite the fact that I was extremely disappointed at not watching a movie about Lex Luthor (which was what I assumed the movie was about, due to the fact that I couldn't read the opening text very well), Luther was still an interesting movie. I have read about Martin Luther, of course, but this movie gave me a more in-depth study of his life and works. I was pleasantly surprised that the movie actually portrayed Luther as a real person, and not as a hero figure. They showed his struggles with Satan and his anger at his constant straying from God as well as his triumphs and successes.
Martin Luther was born in Germany, part of the Holy Roman Empire, on November 10, 1483. He was a brilliant scholar; however, he was also a disappointment to his father. Despite his father's wishes for him to be a lawyer, Martin instead opted for a religious vocation when, after having a near-death experience involving lightning, he vowed to become a monk and serve God. He kept his word, but eventually lost "the point", as many Christians even today are wont to do. In his own words, he "lost touch with Christ the Savior and Comforter, and made of him the jailer and hangman of my poor soul." (Kittleson, James. Luther the Reformer. pg 79)
Upon going to Rome and seeing the horrible corruption on the hands of the Roman Catholic Church, Luther was shaken from his stupor and called to action by God. As a result of this, he wrote his famous (though at the time infamous) 95 Theses. These theses were a combined criticism of the corruption in the Church and a doctrine of faith. Naturally, the Pope did not receive these criticisms well. What resulted was a near-catastrophic "revolution" of the common folk, who had misinterpreted Luther's message as one of condemnation of the Church. The Reformation, as it came to be called, was the first step in what I like to call "the Wussification of the Western Church".
See, here's how I see it:
For hundreds of years, the Roman Catholic Church has been telling people, "You have to do things to get into heaven because you're unholy sinners destined for hell and the only way you can get into Heaven is by paying us money and doing lots of things, and this is all in the Bible somewhere but we're not worried about you figuring out that it's not because you can't read the thing."
Then Luther comes along and says, "Uh, that's not anywhere in the Bible," and proceeds to explain to both the common people and to the papacy that Jesus, the kind and loving Savior of Man, would never condone such a thing, and in fact negated it by the very thing He's best known for: dying on the cross for our sins and conquering death three days later. And in a perfect world full of sensible and right-minded people, this would be the beginning of a better church.
But, as we know, both of those things aren't true. So here's my theory on what happened.
Because of Luther's boldness in standing up for the little man against the Big Bad Church, lots of other people got the same idea. All across Europe, people started to "stick it to the man", as it were, and say "Nuts to the Church, Jesus loves me, and you don't have to tell me how to worship!" Which is true, of course: no man's method of worshiping God is subject to another man's authority. If that were the case, we'd all be heathens. But this lead to something a bit worse.
Let me jump ahead a few centuries to 1960's America.
It's the mid of the Hippie movement, and everyone's getting caught up in the swing of free will--even the churches. New Age philosophies are turning everyone into pulp fiction machines. Pretty soon, we're all saying, "You can interpret the Bible anyway you want, as long as it means whatever it means for you." Sadly, I've seen this philosophy expressed even at our own school. The Bible doesn't say anywhere that you can freely interpret anything you want from it--if it did, it would defy its own purpose of being objective Truth, the Word of the One God!
But back to Luther...
Despite what I've said, I don't think Martin Luther's idea to say something about the atrocities happening was a bad thing--in fact, I applaud him, if he even cares anymore. If there were more people willing to stand up for what's right and speak out against injustices, there would probably be less reason for them. Luther set the precedent for a whole new uprising. No longer was religion mandated and regulated by the Church. No longer was Jesus made to be an idol, a tool of man for money and power. No longer was the Bible to be kept from the people it was meant to be sent to. I can tell you with certainty that without Luther's work, I would not be here right now.
But let's remember that Luther didn't just fight for the people. He fought for the reformation of the church, not the destruction of it. He wanted the bishops and the deacons and the archbishops and all the people to see the true nature of Christ: a nature of love, not of damnation and demands. It's sad that what happened was exactly what he didn't want--people to get angry with each other about God. But I'm happy (in general) with the Church today--we've got our bad spots, but we're generally a bit better off than we were half a millennium ago.
Unless, of course, you go to Westborough Baptist Church, in which case, you are a sad and warped person.
Anyway, goodbye guys. This year's blogging experience was pretty fun! I liked the whole deal. Thanks, Mr. M, for the move to technology-based assignments--it really helped me out this year.
Adios, amigops!
Your Friendly Neighborhood JesusFreak.
(Sources)
Martin Luther's Wikipedia Page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther
Another site (mainly for his history): http://www.greatsite.com/timeline-english-bible-history/martin-luther.html
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Don't Waste Your Life: Chapter 8 Summary
Lots of times, we tend to put a big boundary between the "church" and the "world". In a way, this is as it should be, since we are supposed to be "in the world, not of it". However, we still need to be "in the world". We can't just shut ourselves off from the world because it's sinful, or because we're called to be holy. That's the problem I have with Amish communities, and people who think it's fine to be a "Christian Lite". How can you support your standing when Christ clearly says, "GO OUT INTO ALL THE WORLD and make disciples of all the nations, baptzing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit"? Being a Christian is all about being willing to step outside of your comfort zone because you love God and you love other people.
That's what John Piper is talking about in Chapter 8 of Don't Waste Your Life. He talks about jobs and how important yet simultaneously unimportant they are. This is a rather hard concept to bring across.
Allow me to explain: Christians should not make a huge distinction between "secular jobs" (e.g., insurance salesman) and "Christian jobs" (e.g., pastor). Neither should we judge people based on their vocation: for instance, the President and the guy who works in the landfill should be given equal respect, since they are both people created by God. This applies to the church as well: a pulpit does not make one any more in-tune with God.
As you can see, jobs are not important in that sense. This does not mean that you should quit your job because in the end it doesn't matter, because actually it does. Your job (or school, or whatever) is the place that you interact with people. Christians are called to interact with people in the same way that Christ did. That means showing love 24/7, even on your bad days, even on Mondays, even when you haven't had your morning coffee, even when you have three tests you haven't studied for, even when fill-in-the-blank. Your personal problems sometimes need to be put on the backburner.
Why? Why should we be loving and caring and genuine? It's not because people are nice to us. It's not because of anything we receive.
It's because we're created in the image of God. And God is love. Ergo, we should love.
That's what John Piper is talking about in Chapter 8 of Don't Waste Your Life. He talks about jobs and how important yet simultaneously unimportant they are. This is a rather hard concept to bring across.
Allow me to explain: Christians should not make a huge distinction between "secular jobs" (e.g., insurance salesman) and "Christian jobs" (e.g., pastor). Neither should we judge people based on their vocation: for instance, the President and the guy who works in the landfill should be given equal respect, since they are both people created by God. This applies to the church as well: a pulpit does not make one any more in-tune with God.
As you can see, jobs are not important in that sense. This does not mean that you should quit your job because in the end it doesn't matter, because actually it does. Your job (or school, or whatever) is the place that you interact with people. Christians are called to interact with people in the same way that Christ did. That means showing love 24/7, even on your bad days, even on Mondays, even when you haven't had your morning coffee, even when you have three tests you haven't studied for, even when fill-in-the-blank. Your personal problems sometimes need to be put on the backburner.
Why? Why should we be loving and caring and genuine? It's not because people are nice to us. It's not because of anything we receive.
It's because we're created in the image of God. And God is love. Ergo, we should love.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
One Million Reasons to Help People in Need
Just kidding, I don't really have a million reasons to help people in need. Really, there's just one reason: because God did the same for us, except times a billion, so we should do the same for others with love and compassion for fellow humans.
Anyway, what's up? Mr. M showed us a clip from the show Secret Millionaire, where this guy went to Skid Row and basically gave away a lot of money. I thought that was pretty cool, just because I saw a definite change in the guy from when he left. He had learned to look at things in a different light, I think.
The most moving thing for me was the guy who just gave the old man the shoes off of his feet. THAT is a picture of how loving we should be--THAT is the Spirit of God working. It just annoys me that us Christians are getting one-upped by these "heathen helpers". Let's up the ante, brethren...I'm thinking along the lines of leaflet-bombing a third-world country. Or maybe a Jesus Mob in New Orleans, where we just stalk the streets at night looking all shady, and when we see anybody on the streets, we just grab 'em and shove 'em up against the wall and say, "Repent, man! Repent today, 'cuz ya might not get the chance again!"
Completely joking, by the way...
Another thing, this one about that show: I don't have any problem with people giving selflessly to those who really need it, in fact, I love that! It makes me feel like there's some good left in the world. But it kind of ruins it when it's televised. I mean, sure, it's good that people watching at home are being given good examples such as the people on Secret Millionaire, but the whole "selfless" part of selfless giving kind of goes flush! when it's on national television. Plus, the guy was worth maybe $250 MILLION. That's MILLION with an M!, folks! That's a lot of money...and he only gave away 1 million dollars.
I like how I said "only", and then I put "1 million dollars" right after that...like that's even possible. I'm surprised the format-checker didn't pick that up, you know, with the error, "Adjective misuse, you moron".
But still...I think he can afford to give more than...than...
crud...hold on....
Thirty Minutes Later...
... 0.4%...
....really? 0.4%??? Dang...brother, let me tell you somethin'--if you were at a Baptist church, you'd be hung from the rafters if that was your tithes.
Now I'm not condemning the guy for not giving all his money--far from it! I'm glad he gave what he did. But it just seems kind of hypocritical. Kind of like the Pharisees in that one Bible story, where they went and gave huge amounts of money in the offering plates, and then the widow came with one coin, and Jesus said she gave more than any of the Pharisees, because she gave everything she had.
The guy who went to Skid Row...not saying his gift ain't kosher or anything, but honestly, one million clams isn't going to hurt this guy at all. I think that if someone really wants to give selflessly, they're going to give everything they have.
Here's a little tip for you--the pastors who are filthy rich and comfortable aren't the ones who have a Sudden-Link connection with God. It's in the ones who have nothing and yet still give everything they've got that you can find the Holy Spirit. There's a hole in your heart, and it's kind of hard to fill that hole with God (like it's supposed to be filled) and be rich. Money isn't the solution to the world's problems, but most of the solutions are kind of costly.
Until next time,
--JesusFreak
Anyway, what's up? Mr. M showed us a clip from the show Secret Millionaire, where this guy went to Skid Row and basically gave away a lot of money. I thought that was pretty cool, just because I saw a definite change in the guy from when he left. He had learned to look at things in a different light, I think.
The most moving thing for me was the guy who just gave the old man the shoes off of his feet. THAT is a picture of how loving we should be--THAT is the Spirit of God working. It just annoys me that us Christians are getting one-upped by these "heathen helpers". Let's up the ante, brethren...I'm thinking along the lines of leaflet-bombing a third-world country. Or maybe a Jesus Mob in New Orleans, where we just stalk the streets at night looking all shady, and when we see anybody on the streets, we just grab 'em and shove 'em up against the wall and say, "Repent, man! Repent today, 'cuz ya might not get the chance again!"
Completely joking, by the way...
Another thing, this one about that show: I don't have any problem with people giving selflessly to those who really need it, in fact, I love that! It makes me feel like there's some good left in the world. But it kind of ruins it when it's televised. I mean, sure, it's good that people watching at home are being given good examples such as the people on Secret Millionaire, but the whole "selfless" part of selfless giving kind of goes flush! when it's on national television. Plus, the guy was worth maybe $250 MILLION. That's MILLION with an M!, folks! That's a lot of money...and he only gave away 1 million dollars.
I like how I said "only", and then I put "1 million dollars" right after that...like that's even possible. I'm surprised the format-checker didn't pick that up, you know, with the error, "Adjective misuse, you moron".
But still...I think he can afford to give more than...than...
crud...hold on....
Thirty Minutes Later...
... 0.4%...
....really? 0.4%??? Dang...brother, let me tell you somethin'--if you were at a Baptist church, you'd be hung from the rafters if that was your tithes.
Now I'm not condemning the guy for not giving all his money--far from it! I'm glad he gave what he did. But it just seems kind of hypocritical. Kind of like the Pharisees in that one Bible story, where they went and gave huge amounts of money in the offering plates, and then the widow came with one coin, and Jesus said she gave more than any of the Pharisees, because she gave everything she had.
The guy who went to Skid Row...not saying his gift ain't kosher or anything, but honestly, one million clams isn't going to hurt this guy at all. I think that if someone really wants to give selflessly, they're going to give everything they have.
Here's a little tip for you--the pastors who are filthy rich and comfortable aren't the ones who have a Sudden-Link connection with God. It's in the ones who have nothing and yet still give everything they've got that you can find the Holy Spirit. There's a hole in your heart, and it's kind of hard to fill that hole with God (like it's supposed to be filled) and be rich. Money isn't the solution to the world's problems, but most of the solutions are kind of costly.
Until next time,
--JesusFreak
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Chapter 6/7 Questions
G'day mates! Today I'll be answering some questions posed by Mr. M about the book Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper.
1. Would a non-Christian be able to discern a difference between you and the world, and what diference would they see?
2. What is the common theme to these verses? (Mark 10:21, Luke 6:20, 24, Luke 18:25)
1. Would a non-Christian be able to discern a difference between you and the world, and what diference would they see?
Sadly, I can't say that they'd see much of a difference,
other than the fact that I go to a Christian school and I go to church.
Outwardly, there's not much about my life that's
radically different from the standard American teen's life.
2. What is the common theme to these verses? (Mark 10:21, Luke 6:20, 24, Luke 18:25)
If you make money more important than following God,
your heart is not in the right place.
How do these texts apply to you?
I can give more of my time and money to others,
showing them that there's more to life than ourselves.
I can go on mission trips more often.
I can give of my money to those who need it more.
3. What verse means the most to you at this point, and what do you understand from it?
The verse that strikes me the most is Luke 14:33. It basically says,
we worry too much about our earthly possessions,
when in Heaven we will have much greater. To follow God is
to abandon all else we hold dear, or at least make these things second fiddle.
4. Are you more like the Queen Mary in peacetime or wartime? What luxuries do you think of as needs?
Peacetime.
Luxuries that I think of as needs:
- Christian Education
- Christian Parents (family, etc.)
- food (in abundance)
- shelter
- clothing
- music education
- Christian friends
Well, friends, I think that's it. And just because I think you guys are cool, here's a funny video to keep you guys happy:
Titled: The Revenge Song, by Heywood Banks
Ciao, lads!
--JesusFreak
Thursday, February 24, 2011
"Beauty Pageant" for Kids? WTF(ail)?
Hello, fellow students!
Today, I'm going to be talking about something I found the other day...something I just think is weird, sad, and exploitive--Toddlers in Tiaras, on TLC.
Okay, so if you've never heard of this, basically what they do is they go to "beauty pageants" that are designed for girls under ten years old. The parents (who pay butt-loads of money for gowns, travel, and makeup by the way) dress their girls up in the most ridiculous outfits, then send them up on a stage where the girls prance around and look pretty.
All this is fine and dandy...normally, I wouldn't care about this (except to make fun of the whole idea, of course), but when I saw the way that the moms literally worshipped the ground their kids walked on...that disgusted me.
One of the girls treated her mom like crap, saying stuff like, "MoooOOOm! You hurt me!", "Shut up, woman!", and "You're not supposed to PRESS SO HARD!!!" (something about nails). The worst part of this was that the mom just took it! She later said the following:
"Once her medication wears off I just.........run!"
That's not ringing any alarm bells at ALL?!?! The kid is in control? Talk about the degredation of America, but that's just wrong!
But you know what else was wrong? When some of these kids went up on the runway, they were wearing less than girls who perform on the Vegas Strip! I'm not kidding, in some states that would qualify as child pornography! And there's parents and grandparents and aunts and uncles and great-aunts and great-uncles and God-knows-who-else watching this and cheering it on!?
I'm sorry, but this is a great sign of the sin of this country--when displaying underage children in skimpy clothing and allowing them control over their parents becomes a TV show that people are entertained by.
Just yesterday, the Enid Police Department talked to us about child pornography, and how illegal/just-plain-wrong it is. I don't think it's any coincidence that right after that chapel I heard about this stupid show. I sincerely hope that the people reading this realize how dumb stuff like this is, and work to change America's interests for the better.
Here's to the Sane,
--JesusFreak
Today, I'm going to be talking about something I found the other day...something I just think is weird, sad, and exploitive--Toddlers in Tiaras, on TLC.
Okay, so if you've never heard of this, basically what they do is they go to "beauty pageants" that are designed for girls under ten years old. The parents (who pay butt-loads of money for gowns, travel, and makeup by the way) dress their girls up in the most ridiculous outfits, then send them up on a stage where the girls prance around and look pretty.
All this is fine and dandy...normally, I wouldn't care about this (except to make fun of the whole idea, of course), but when I saw the way that the moms literally worshipped the ground their kids walked on...that disgusted me.
One of the girls treated her mom like crap, saying stuff like, "MoooOOOm! You hurt me!", "Shut up, woman!", and "You're not supposed to PRESS SO HARD!!!" (something about nails). The worst part of this was that the mom just took it! She later said the following:
"Once her medication wears off I just.........run!"
That's not ringing any alarm bells at ALL?!?! The kid is in control? Talk about the degredation of America, but that's just wrong!
But you know what else was wrong? When some of these kids went up on the runway, they were wearing less than girls who perform on the Vegas Strip! I'm not kidding, in some states that would qualify as child pornography! And there's parents and grandparents and aunts and uncles and great-aunts and great-uncles and God-knows-who-else watching this and cheering it on!?
I'm sorry, but this is a great sign of the sin of this country--when displaying underage children in skimpy clothing and allowing them control over their parents becomes a TV show that people are entertained by.
Just yesterday, the Enid Police Department talked to us about child pornography, and how illegal/just-plain-wrong it is. I don't think it's any coincidence that right after that chapel I heard about this stupid show. I sincerely hope that the people reading this realize how dumb stuff like this is, and work to change America's interests for the better.
Here's to the Sane,
--JesusFreak
Aaaaannnd....Go!
Hello, guys! I'm back!
This post isn't serious in any way, it's really just me trying to get a rant out cuz I feel like it.
...starting...now!
Okay, so you know how we always get soooo worked up when people treat animals badly? Like when that one lady in Britain threw a cat in the trash and just walked away? Or when the girl in Sweden or wherever was tossing puppies into a river and acting like it was a sort of sport? Let's face it--when a cute/cuddly animal is in danger due to human cruelty, it's something we don't like to watch.
Why are humans cruel to animals? I think it's because sometimes humans get bored hurting each other and decide to practice hurting something else. Sadly, that something else usually ends up being cute and cuddly (i.e., a puppy). It's the same reason that after WWII (when we discovered that if war technology escalated any more, we could potentially fight ourselves to death) aliens became such a huge thing in Hollywood. The basic idea was simple--we found something that can kill a whole race, but we can't use it on us. Let's find someone who we all hate to use it on. I know, aliens!
But back to the animal cruelty thing...I'm all for stopping stupid people from hurting animals. I volunteer at the SPCA during the summer, and it twists my gizzard to see some people bringing in dogs that would rather be dead. But there's a point when I can't go any further.
Let me give you a hint..."animal rights".
Take a good long look at that phrase..."animal rights". I don't know about you, but that kind of puts animals on the same level as humans, don't it?
I mean, think about it--humans have "certain unalienable rights", such as Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, right? "Well," says PETA, "Shouldn't animals get the same thing?"
At first thought, it's OF COURSE! We want to be nice to animals, right? Animals deserve Life, Liberty (to an extent...defecation is strictly forbidden on my carpet), and the Pursuit of Happiness?
Sure. Tell that to the "Angus" Burger from McDonalds you had for lunch. Or maybe the unborn chickens you ingested for breakfast, along with that molecularly altered pig fat. Or how about the turkey you had for Thanksgiving? I don't think he's pursuing any happiness at the moment...
The point is, if we give up our dominion over animals (which GOD GAVE US, by the way), we end up giving up a lot of things we like, too. I like cows. I've got nothing against them. I'm all for being humane in treating them and all. But no "animal rights" activist is going to separate me from my steak.
(sorry, Chik-Fil-A)
From a Christian perspective...God specifically gave MAN dominion over the earth. If MAN is more important than animal, then why do we get so choked up when a shark gets caught in a tuna trawler's net accidentally, but we find it okay that thousands of human babies are murdered every year on purpose?
Also...in the Bible, Man (and Woman) are capitalized when talking about the human race in general (i.e., Man is sinful, Woman will bear child, etc.). A major hint that God doesn't put humans and animals on the same level is that while Man and Woman are capitalized, sheep, dog, pig, whale, and shark are lowercase...some food for thought.
Tidings of Comfort and Joy!
--JesusFreak!
This post isn't serious in any way, it's really just me trying to get a rant out cuz I feel like it.
...starting...now!
Okay, so you know how we always get soooo worked up when people treat animals badly? Like when that one lady in Britain threw a cat in the trash and just walked away? Or when the girl in Sweden or wherever was tossing puppies into a river and acting like it was a sort of sport? Let's face it--when a cute/cuddly animal is in danger due to human cruelty, it's something we don't like to watch.
Why are humans cruel to animals? I think it's because sometimes humans get bored hurting each other and decide to practice hurting something else. Sadly, that something else usually ends up being cute and cuddly (i.e., a puppy). It's the same reason that after WWII (when we discovered that if war technology escalated any more, we could potentially fight ourselves to death) aliens became such a huge thing in Hollywood. The basic idea was simple--we found something that can kill a whole race, but we can't use it on us. Let's find someone who we all hate to use it on. I know, aliens!
But back to the animal cruelty thing...I'm all for stopping stupid people from hurting animals. I volunteer at the SPCA during the summer, and it twists my gizzard to see some people bringing in dogs that would rather be dead. But there's a point when I can't go any further.
Let me give you a hint..."animal rights".
Take a good long look at that phrase..."animal rights". I don't know about you, but that kind of puts animals on the same level as humans, don't it?
I mean, think about it--humans have "certain unalienable rights", such as Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, right? "Well," says PETA, "Shouldn't animals get the same thing?"
At first thought, it's OF COURSE! We want to be nice to animals, right? Animals deserve Life, Liberty (to an extent...defecation is strictly forbidden on my carpet), and the Pursuit of Happiness?
Sure. Tell that to the "Angus" Burger from McDonalds you had for lunch. Or maybe the unborn chickens you ingested for breakfast, along with that molecularly altered pig fat. Or how about the turkey you had for Thanksgiving? I don't think he's pursuing any happiness at the moment...
The point is, if we give up our dominion over animals (which GOD GAVE US, by the way), we end up giving up a lot of things we like, too. I like cows. I've got nothing against them. I'm all for being humane in treating them and all. But no "animal rights" activist is going to separate me from my steak.
(sorry, Chik-Fil-A)
From a Christian perspective...God specifically gave MAN dominion over the earth. If MAN is more important than animal, then why do we get so choked up when a shark gets caught in a tuna trawler's net accidentally, but we find it okay that thousands of human babies are murdered every year on purpose?
Also...in the Bible, Man (and Woman) are capitalized when talking about the human race in general (i.e., Man is sinful, Woman will bear child, etc.). A major hint that God doesn't put humans and animals on the same level is that while Man and Woman are capitalized, sheep, dog, pig, whale, and shark are lowercase...some food for thought.
Tidings of Comfort and Joy!
--JesusFreak!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Lord Save Us From Your Followers: An Apt Title
Greetings, Comrades in the Fight for Civility!
Today's blog is about the poignant movie "Lord Save Us From Your Followers". The movie addresses a key point: Why is the Gospel of Love becoming synonymous with "breaking America in half"? Why is it that Christians are being labeled as ignorant, posh know-it-alls?
Well, it's pretty simple, actually: for the longest time we've had a generation of Christians in America who take the easy way out of the arguement. In any argument, there are always at least two simple ways to the end: the first ends up being an intelligent and civil discussion of two people's beliefs, and the second one is just two people yelling at each other with their fingers in their ears. Obviously, the second one requires the least effort, and sadly it's the option that many people have been taking recently. So it's no wonder that after a while, people just stop caring about God's message: the "debate" between Christianity and every other religion just becomes a huge mosh pit of "I'm right, you're wrong, that's it, I'm done".
The problem is, neither God, nor Jesus, nor any prophet or preacher or apostle in the Bible made a point of always being right about everything! In fact, if you want an example of our "modern" strategy of being right, take a look at the Pharisees. They were constantly arguing with Jesus on every point, giving Him hell left and right. It doesn't take a biblical genius to figure out that the Pharisees aren't the fluffiest loaves in the bread basket.
So the problem isn't the Gospel, it's the way it's being presented! We have sorely twisted the idea of "preaching the Gospel" into "standing at the pulpit and screaming abuse at sinners". God is a personal being, concerned with people, not numbers. If at my death I have nothing else to show God than helping one person know Him better, my life is worth no more and no less than the man who converts an entire country. St. Patrick and the homeless guy under the bridge who comes to church once a month are no different in God's eyes. It's time that Christians learned the most divine truth of all: people are people. The people that we look at as the "best" (the richest, the nicest, the best-looking, the purest) don't need much help, just like the healthy person doesn't need a doctor. It's the "poor", the "mean", the "ugly", and the impure who need God most. So it cheers my heart to see people going to those whom life has abandoned and engaging in conversation with them, loving them, and basically doing exactly what Christ did thousands of years ago. I can't believe it took two thousand years for us to figure out what we were supposed to do. Let's not waste the time that we have here--let's be friends with the friendless.
Until next time,
--JesusFreak
Today's blog is about the poignant movie "Lord Save Us From Your Followers". The movie addresses a key point: Why is the Gospel of Love becoming synonymous with "breaking America in half"? Why is it that Christians are being labeled as ignorant, posh know-it-alls?
Well, it's pretty simple, actually: for the longest time we've had a generation of Christians in America who take the easy way out of the arguement. In any argument, there are always at least two simple ways to the end: the first ends up being an intelligent and civil discussion of two people's beliefs, and the second one is just two people yelling at each other with their fingers in their ears. Obviously, the second one requires the least effort, and sadly it's the option that many people have been taking recently. So it's no wonder that after a while, people just stop caring about God's message: the "debate" between Christianity and every other religion just becomes a huge mosh pit of "I'm right, you're wrong, that's it, I'm done".
The problem is, neither God, nor Jesus, nor any prophet or preacher or apostle in the Bible made a point of always being right about everything! In fact, if you want an example of our "modern" strategy of being right, take a look at the Pharisees. They were constantly arguing with Jesus on every point, giving Him hell left and right. It doesn't take a biblical genius to figure out that the Pharisees aren't the fluffiest loaves in the bread basket.
So the problem isn't the Gospel, it's the way it's being presented! We have sorely twisted the idea of "preaching the Gospel" into "standing at the pulpit and screaming abuse at sinners". God is a personal being, concerned with people, not numbers. If at my death I have nothing else to show God than helping one person know Him better, my life is worth no more and no less than the man who converts an entire country. St. Patrick and the homeless guy under the bridge who comes to church once a month are no different in God's eyes. It's time that Christians learned the most divine truth of all: people are people. The people that we look at as the "best" (the richest, the nicest, the best-looking, the purest) don't need much help, just like the healthy person doesn't need a doctor. It's the "poor", the "mean", the "ugly", and the impure who need God most. So it cheers my heart to see people going to those whom life has abandoned and engaging in conversation with them, loving them, and basically doing exactly what Christ did thousands of years ago. I can't believe it took two thousand years for us to figure out what we were supposed to do. Let's not waste the time that we have here--let's be friends with the friendless.
Until next time,
--JesusFreak
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Jesus Camp: Good or Bad?
Salutations, fellow barn animals!
Today we're going to talk about the movie Jesus Camp, a documentary on a radical kid's camp that focuses around training kids to be "conservative, pro-life warriors of faith and love". The methods used by the people and the reactions the kids have are rather strange, but the ultimate goal is Biblically sound. So what do we think about this?
Let's look at the pros and cons of this camp:
Pros! :D
1. The kids are learning something about God on a personal level.
I can't tell you how many times I wish that my early childhood years had been spent on growing in and nurturing my faith with God. One of the most valuable things to do is make sure that kids understand what they're believing. Young kids sometimes don't really understand the bigger points of Christianity (complicated things, like predestination and such), but when they do it's huge, because it gets stuck in their brains forever. If you can teach kids from a young age how to experience God personally, it has a huge impact on their later life.
2. The kids are getting good thoughts put into their brains from the start of their lives.
In a culture where ads feature everything from naked women to dirty jokes and beer bottles, and where "kids" shows feature sexual innuendoes and other sundry references, getting a say in what your kids learn is pretty hard. It's good that someone at least is trying to make sure kids know what's right and what's wrong at an early age.
3. The kids are learning how to be radical in their faith.
One of the biggest problems facing Christians today is the fear of their faith. Lots of times we are afraid to do what's right because we fear what people might think of us. This is brought about most likely by early experiences as children where we do something right and people look down on us for it. It does my heart good to see that someone has the balls (pardon the expression) to get out there and teach kids that there's nothing wrong with believing something and being passionate about it!
Of course, with good comes the bad, so let's go to the...
Cons! :(
1. It comes off as sort of scary, almost cultish.
Something that the leader of this camp, Becky White, said really struck home to me: "If you look at every other religion or organization, you will see that they also go after the kids." And that's true--take a look at the Muslims. From an early age, Muslim kids rigorously learn and memorize the Koran daily, even if they're not in one of the infamous "terrorist breeding grounds". Does this mean that we should stoop down to the Muslims' level? Should we brainwash our kids into becoming broken records that spew what we want them to? It's the simple phrase "everybody's doing it" that leads into sin and debauchery. Why should children's ministry be separate from that unwritten law of the world?
2. The thoughts that kids get put into their brains might also be the wrong thoughts.
While the motivation behind the camp may be sound, caution should be taken with how and what is taught to the kids. Christianity is already a hard enough religion for many people to accept. I mean, look at it--the main teaching is that since some guy a thousand years ago was perfect and atoned for our sins, and because He loved us so much, we need to give our lives to Him and serve others, even unto death? That's not something that many people want to believe. Now, we could go the route that many people take, that is, sugarcoating it. But I am no fan of sugarcoating things. If the truth is there, and it's really as important as we say (which it is), the ugliness of the truth is something that shouldn't block us from telling it. But make sure that what you're teaching is really the truth. Don't make it too ugly. For instance, telling kids that they are warriors, and that the "sinful government" is the enemy, isn't a good idea. Government and politics, for all their faults, are preferable to anarchy. I would rather live under Communist rule than a society where every man is equal in power. Such a society only leads to destruction, and surprisingly, it leads to destruction faster than others.
3. Beware of false prophets.
One of the most basic principles in a person's mind is that he is sane. Without this realization, a man's life is meaningless. The single-most frightening realization for me is not that there are crazy people in the world; rather, that the utmost conviction in a crazy man's mind is that he himself is sane. You can tell someone who is doing something wrong a thousand times that they are doing it wrong, and human pride will usually tell them they're doing it right. Likewise, if you tell a radical teacher that they're not teaching their kids right, they will come back swinging with accusations and evidence of their own. Sometimes, the evidence is good, too. You can give Biblical evidence for the early indoctrination of kids, and make it sound good. Heck, I could give you a few verses and make you believe that God supports murder! The important thing to do is make sure that you're reading verses in context, and make sure that your principles are based on Biblical principles. And remember--Biblical principles are prevalent throughout the whole Bible, not just parts of it.
Well, that about does it for me today--hope you've come out of this with a more educated view on life, Christianity, and the human mind!
With love and Turkish Delights,
--JesusFreak
P.S. Here's a funny picture, because I'm a good person:
Today we're going to talk about the movie Jesus Camp, a documentary on a radical kid's camp that focuses around training kids to be "conservative, pro-life warriors of faith and love". The methods used by the people and the reactions the kids have are rather strange, but the ultimate goal is Biblically sound. So what do we think about this?
Let's look at the pros and cons of this camp:
Pros! :D
1. The kids are learning something about God on a personal level.
I can't tell you how many times I wish that my early childhood years had been spent on growing in and nurturing my faith with God. One of the most valuable things to do is make sure that kids understand what they're believing. Young kids sometimes don't really understand the bigger points of Christianity (complicated things, like predestination and such), but when they do it's huge, because it gets stuck in their brains forever. If you can teach kids from a young age how to experience God personally, it has a huge impact on their later life.
2. The kids are getting good thoughts put into their brains from the start of their lives.
In a culture where ads feature everything from naked women to dirty jokes and beer bottles, and where "kids" shows feature sexual innuendoes and other sundry references, getting a say in what your kids learn is pretty hard. It's good that someone at least is trying to make sure kids know what's right and what's wrong at an early age.
3. The kids are learning how to be radical in their faith.
One of the biggest problems facing Christians today is the fear of their faith. Lots of times we are afraid to do what's right because we fear what people might think of us. This is brought about most likely by early experiences as children where we do something right and people look down on us for it. It does my heart good to see that someone has the balls (pardon the expression) to get out there and teach kids that there's nothing wrong with believing something and being passionate about it!
Of course, with good comes the bad, so let's go to the...
Cons! :(
1. It comes off as sort of scary, almost cultish.
Something that the leader of this camp, Becky White, said really struck home to me: "If you look at every other religion or organization, you will see that they also go after the kids." And that's true--take a look at the Muslims. From an early age, Muslim kids rigorously learn and memorize the Koran daily, even if they're not in one of the infamous "terrorist breeding grounds". Does this mean that we should stoop down to the Muslims' level? Should we brainwash our kids into becoming broken records that spew what we want them to? It's the simple phrase "everybody's doing it" that leads into sin and debauchery. Why should children's ministry be separate from that unwritten law of the world?
2. The thoughts that kids get put into their brains might also be the wrong thoughts.
While the motivation behind the camp may be sound, caution should be taken with how and what is taught to the kids. Christianity is already a hard enough religion for many people to accept. I mean, look at it--the main teaching is that since some guy a thousand years ago was perfect and atoned for our sins, and because He loved us so much, we need to give our lives to Him and serve others, even unto death? That's not something that many people want to believe. Now, we could go the route that many people take, that is, sugarcoating it. But I am no fan of sugarcoating things. If the truth is there, and it's really as important as we say (which it is), the ugliness of the truth is something that shouldn't block us from telling it. But make sure that what you're teaching is really the truth. Don't make it too ugly. For instance, telling kids that they are warriors, and that the "sinful government" is the enemy, isn't a good idea. Government and politics, for all their faults, are preferable to anarchy. I would rather live under Communist rule than a society where every man is equal in power. Such a society only leads to destruction, and surprisingly, it leads to destruction faster than others.
3. Beware of false prophets.
One of the most basic principles in a person's mind is that he is sane. Without this realization, a man's life is meaningless. The single-most frightening realization for me is not that there are crazy people in the world; rather, that the utmost conviction in a crazy man's mind is that he himself is sane. You can tell someone who is doing something wrong a thousand times that they are doing it wrong, and human pride will usually tell them they're doing it right. Likewise, if you tell a radical teacher that they're not teaching their kids right, they will come back swinging with accusations and evidence of their own. Sometimes, the evidence is good, too. You can give Biblical evidence for the early indoctrination of kids, and make it sound good. Heck, I could give you a few verses and make you believe that God supports murder! The important thing to do is make sure that you're reading verses in context, and make sure that your principles are based on Biblical principles. And remember--Biblical principles are prevalent throughout the whole Bible, not just parts of it.
Well, that about does it for me today--hope you've come out of this with a more educated view on life, Christianity, and the human mind!
With love and Turkish Delights,
--JesusFreak
P.S. Here's a funny picture, because I'm a good person:
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Don't Waste Your Life: Chapter 3
Well, it's been a while, hasn't it?
Sorry it's taken me so long. My work hours are long, you know, what with the war and everything.
Anyway, let's get down to business! I'll answer the venerable and mysterious Mr. M's questions quickly, to save you the time of listening to me ramble.
1. Boasting only in the cross is when the only thing you're proud of is Christ's sacrifice and His love. If we truly understand how miraculous that love is, we won't be hesitant about spreading it to other people.
2. The "I" of "I no longer live" is the fleshly desires, or man's sinful nature. Paul is saying what has been said many other times: that he has died to himself and now lives in Christ. His life is now being lived for Christ, and not for himself, a goal that we should all strive for as Christians.
3. Right now, not a lot of my "faith" is actually being lived "by faith". I tend to ask lots of questions, which is good at the right time. It's really hard for me to stop asking questions that I can't answer right now and just give God the benefit of the doubt.
Well, I'm sorry this was a little short, but then again, I haven't blogged in a while, and I'm a little rushed. Happy holidays!
--JesusFreak
Sorry it's taken me so long. My work hours are long, you know, what with the war and everything.
Anyway, let's get down to business! I'll answer the venerable and mysterious Mr. M's questions quickly, to save you the time of listening to me ramble.
1. Boasting only in the cross is when the only thing you're proud of is Christ's sacrifice and His love. If we truly understand how miraculous that love is, we won't be hesitant about spreading it to other people.
2. The "I" of "I no longer live" is the fleshly desires, or man's sinful nature. Paul is saying what has been said many other times: that he has died to himself and now lives in Christ. His life is now being lived for Christ, and not for himself, a goal that we should all strive for as Christians.
3. Right now, not a lot of my "faith" is actually being lived "by faith". I tend to ask lots of questions, which is good at the right time. It's really hard for me to stop asking questions that I can't answer right now and just give God the benefit of the doubt.
Well, I'm sorry this was a little short, but then again, I haven't blogged in a while, and I'm a little rushed. Happy holidays!
--JesusFreak
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