Archive | April, 2008

Gay Rights and Moral Non-Contradictions

22 Apr

George Barna:
“I have met a number of born again Christians who believe in “gay rights” — i.e. that gays
should have the same rights as everyone else — even while they
believe that homosexuality is un-biblical and a sin. To most people
reading this, that will seem a huge contradiction — can you shed any
light on what Christians like that are thinking”.
…
I am a “Christian like this”. Barna does a good job at explaining my thoughts.
…
Still Barna:
While it is true that you can legislate morality – after all, what laws do is define what is right and wrong, which is the essence of morality – a growing number of born again people are not staking their entire realm of influence on the legal and political systems. Instead, they desire to offer a theologically honest but emotionally compassionate reaction to proponents of homosexuality. In other words, they cannot ignore the fact that homosexuality is a sin from a biblical perspective, but also realize that Jesus’ primary exhortation was to love other people into a different way of understanding and living their lives
…
Dear Gay People, We love you. You know we disagree, but we love you.

How Long I Have Missed You

16 Apr


I have been growing out the hair on my chinny chin chin for as long as Carol, my fiance has been gone this semester.  I know its weird, but its one of the ways I deal with her being gone.

8 Days.  

A Christian Celebrity Sighting

15 Apr


Today I got a call from a friend telling me that Shane Claiborne was at Ivanhoe’s, which is our local ice cream eatery.

I hopped in my new car- a 1988 VW Cabrio, and went to see if it was true.
Sure enough he was there with some Taylor people and a couple of local ministers.  We all sat outside enjoying the sunshine and milkshakes.
Shane is a man who is doing his best to follow Christ.  Today he was soft-spoken and when he talked he had a think southern accent.
He joked about how they kept themselves entertained between speaking engagements by listening to “comedy” stations, which were political shows on satellite radio from both the far-right and far-left wings, with liquid-metal in between to keep it lively.  
I didn’t gain any new transcendent spiritual concept or new illumination.  It was nice to know that there is a real person behind the “Irresistible Revolution“, a book that challenged me, informed me, stretched me, made me laugh and cry uncontrollably, frustrated me, and gave me great great hope for the Kingdom of God.
May the Lord continue to prepare our sails to catch his wind/spirit.

Reason or Experience????

10 Apr

“The Judeo-Christian tradition is profoundly experiential, not to the exclusion of reason, but as the precondition of it.  That is, the material upon which reason exerts itself is precisely those experiences of ours which need ordering and coherence.”

F. Earle Fox.  “The Spiritual Core of Experiential Educations” The Theory of Experiential Education. 

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What Do Meat and Sweatpants Have in Common?

8 Apr

Recently I have been experiencing a good amount of ennui (French for blaaaahhhh).  The winter has stretched on longer than it should, and with Carol away I have felt it colder than normal.

~
The Lent season came, and passed.  I participated willingly, subscribing to a traditional discipline of no meat.  It helped me reflect on the life and passion of Christ, so it was worth it.
~
However, my college years are within a few weeks of escaping me.  Its been a good ride here, but I am a little frustrated with it right now.  I am leaving with more questions than answers, and many more frustrations with myself and evangelical Christianity (one is always harsher with those things with which he/she identifies closely).   I have little left to give to my studies– as I told Dauthan , my volition is wearing sweatpants. 
Last night my coPAs (RA) and I got together to discusses the game plan and pray about the rest of the semester.  As we prayed, there was a real moment of grace for all three of us.  
For me, I realized that I had sat through Easter service and had a big family dinner without realizing that the TOMB IS EMPTY.   Lent is over, yes, but the TOMB IS EMPTY.
The power that has risen Christ from the dead is at work within us!!!!
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Its Been Seven Years

2 Apr

     When I was fifteen I purchased my first car.  It was a 1985 Volkswagen Vanagon.  I took it home and started making it mine.  I changed the brakes, did some body work, and decided to repaint it “wind blue” to get rid of the less-than-appealing champagne/brown.  It became The Mystery Machine.

     She was not perfect, but she was mine.  
The summer after I graduated high school I had the opportunity to get a 1982 Vanagon Westfalia.  It was aircooled and came with all of the original camping equipment — even the kitchen sink.  I sold the mystery machine and bought the Yellow Submarine.  
Photo Courtesy of William Shirey.
Both Vanagons have been alot of fun, alot of work, and most the people I interact with each day do not know a me without a VW.   I sold the Yellow Submarine on Monday.  May it fare well with its new owners.  What car will I drive next?  
LEAVE YOUR FAVORITE VANAGON MEMORIES IN COMMENTS!!!!!
Example:  Remember that time we broke down on the way to a K.I.S.S. concert? 
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