I really hate debating. And I really hate politics. I shared this article on Facebook (I may be really starting to hate Facebook), and (as I should have expected), I got some backlash...
http://www.salon.com/2012/03/28/where_are_the_normal_christians/singleton/
So this was my response. I had to do it. I friggin' hate arguing - hopefully I was to the point, not un-kind, and clear:
Wow. Sorry you feel that way Jake. But people do judge Christians by the loudest ones. That's the truth. I don't want to be lumped in to that category. I happened to share this article because I liked it. Because I strive to be like Jesus. Because he told us to do 2 things: love God, and love our neighbor as ourselves. He did not tell us to judge, that is God's job. He did not tell us to convict people of their sin, that is the Holy Spirit's job. He told us to love. I work in a clinic that is specifically for HIV+ patients. I choose to work here because Jesus said 'when I was sick and in prison, you visited me'. I choose to work here because I want to 'be kinder than necessary for everyone is fighting some kind of battle'. I choose to work here because (I think it was Mother Teresa who said) 'If you judge people, you have no time to love them'. I choose to work here because God loves them. And I would like them to know that we're not all political and angry. Some of us just want to love, and share love. Having said that, the last paragraph really summed it up. I shared it because it spoke to me. That is all...
The last paragraph: He said, “Your truth is different from my truth. And we’re both right.” In a culture of arrogance and self-righteousness on either end of the dial, it’s a tough concept to embrace. But coexistence is only possible when we’re not screaming at each other, smugly pronouncing the other guy either sinful or stupid. All that many of us, as non extreme Christians, want is to simply be treated with the same respect and tolerance that our faith teaches us to give to others. Because whatever else we all believe, how can we ever go on as a diverse, thriving culture if we don’t believe first in each other?
Friday, March 30, 2012
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Lent - continued...
It's been exactly a month since my last post - I suck at daily writing...
I am doing Lent, though.
Finished my book - Francis Chan's Forgotten God. Deep stuff. A lot like his other book - Crazy Love - which i highly recommend. I wanna have the guts to live radically for God. I've been asking for more stuff lately - not material stuff (for me anyways) - but more insight, discernment, leading by the Holy Spirit. And waiting expectantly... It's the listening part that I have a hard time with. I pray, and then I do - when I should just wait...
Still reading the daily Lent devotional on You Version. Very good. Thinking about starting another reading plan as soon as this is over...
Hitting the knees at least in the morning or at night. Today I got a major head rush when I stood up, though. Gotta watch that before eating. :)
Fasting: I kinda suck at this, too. Wait, not really... I've been sticking to the 'no meat on Fridays' deal - except one dinner, two weeks ago... and it was a judgement call - I was just dropping by someone's house, and they had the table all set, and invited me to stay - I felt like I should, and so accepted. Because of this quote & Matthew 6:16-18.
(of course that brings to mind - why am I writing this at all? Well, for one thing, no one really reads it...)
Here's the quote (it's from the website mentioned on the Ash Wednesday post).
Let humility be your guide. Resist the temptation to explain that you are fasting and so refuse. If you can politely refuse without hurting the person's feelings, then do so. But if someone has prepared something for you to bless you (a special desert at the end of a meal, cookies for a visit, or a big steak dinner right after you gave up meat), then perhaps the more humble response is to accept gratefully. After all, the point of Lent is not the elimination of a specific food, it is sacrifice. Sometimes the greater sacrifice is to give up the idea of a perfect day of fasting for the sake of another.
But it is also supposed to be more than just avoiding meat - it's supposed to be about eating less. And I am no good at that.
On the upside, I've been cooking a lot of vegetarian and gluten free meals. The better to take care of this temple with, my dear.
peace & love,
tc
I am doing Lent, though.
Finished my book - Francis Chan's Forgotten God. Deep stuff. A lot like his other book - Crazy Love - which i highly recommend. I wanna have the guts to live radically for God. I've been asking for more stuff lately - not material stuff (for me anyways) - but more insight, discernment, leading by the Holy Spirit. And waiting expectantly... It's the listening part that I have a hard time with. I pray, and then I do - when I should just wait...
Still reading the daily Lent devotional on You Version. Very good. Thinking about starting another reading plan as soon as this is over...
Hitting the knees at least in the morning or at night. Today I got a major head rush when I stood up, though. Gotta watch that before eating. :)
Fasting: I kinda suck at this, too. Wait, not really... I've been sticking to the 'no meat on Fridays' deal - except one dinner, two weeks ago... and it was a judgement call - I was just dropping by someone's house, and they had the table all set, and invited me to stay - I felt like I should, and so accepted. Because of this quote & Matthew 6:16-18.
(of course that brings to mind - why am I writing this at all? Well, for one thing, no one really reads it...)
Here's the quote (it's from the website mentioned on the Ash Wednesday post).
Let humility be your guide. Resist the temptation to explain that you are fasting and so refuse. If you can politely refuse without hurting the person's feelings, then do so. But if someone has prepared something for you to bless you (a special desert at the end of a meal, cookies for a visit, or a big steak dinner right after you gave up meat), then perhaps the more humble response is to accept gratefully. After all, the point of Lent is not the elimination of a specific food, it is sacrifice. Sometimes the greater sacrifice is to give up the idea of a perfect day of fasting for the sake of another.
But it is also supposed to be more than just avoiding meat - it's supposed to be about eating less. And I am no good at that.
On the upside, I've been cooking a lot of vegetarian and gluten free meals. The better to take care of this temple with, my dear.
peace & love,
tc
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