Politics and Faith

Hola...Well, it's been a little while (once again)....But I just re-read a section of this book earlier today, and thought it was worth putting up here. No original thoughts from me, but good one's from a guy named Shane Claiborne. The reason I looked it up is because I met someone this weekend who thought it was a good idea that a certain church was reciting the pledge of allegiance...This after I had mentioned how disappointing that was to me. I said that well before I had any idea where this fella was coming from, but to be honest, I couldn't and wouldn't have said anything different had i known. Oh well....Take a read and tell me what you think.

"I have become well acquainted with the dualism in the North American church. Once, after taking a trip to Iraq to protest the war, I went to Willow creek and gave a talk titled “The scandal of Grace.” Afterward, they explained to me that the pulpits are not for political messages. I thought about what would have happened if Reverend King hadn’t allowed the gospel to get political. My heart sank as I walked into the foyer and noticed something I had never seen before: the American flag standing prominently in front of the auditorium. And never before was I so heartbroken that the cross was missing. For the flag and the cross are both spiritual. And they are both political. It is a dangerous day when we can take the cross out of the church more easily than the flag. Now wonder it is hard for seekers to find God nowadays. It’s difficult to know where Christianity ends and America begins.[1] Our money says, “In God We Trust.” God’s name is on America’s money, and America’s flag is on God’s altars.

"For those of us who grow instantly nauseated at the mention of the word politics, maybe we can break it down a little bit. The English word politics derives from the Greek word polis, as in “metropolis” or “Indianapolis.” The word is rooted in the concepts of “city,” “civil,” “citizen,” “civic,” basically what it means to be a society of people. Anything involving humans living together purposefully is political, a polis. As the people of God, we are building a new society in the shell of the old, a new polis, the New Jerusalem, the city of God. This is essentially a political act. Without a doubt, envisioning the radical countercultural values of God’s kingdom is by its essence political. Imagine the Gospels with every mention of king, kingdom, Lord, Savior, crowns, banners, and thrones (all words from the imperial lexicon) all edited out. A gospel that is not political is no gospel at all. The root of the word allegiance means “Lord”; that’s exactly what the early Christians were executed for, for pledging an allegiance to another kingdom, another Lord — treason. In 2004, as the presidential election rolled around, many of us studied the Scriptures and considered what it means to claim Jesus as Lord, or as president. When people asked who I was voting for, I would say, “My president has already ascended the throne and has already delivered the State of the Union address. I don’t believe that God needs a commander-in-chief or a millionaire in Washington, and I have little faith that either of the likely options will incarnate the Beatitudes, the Sermon on the Mount, and the fruit of the Spirit. I will declare my allegiance from the mountaintops, joining the chorus of the saints and martyrs. And I will raise the banner of love above all flags.” After all, we vote every day by how we live, what we buy, and who we pledge allegiance to, so I just resolved to write in my vote, as I did not find it on the national ballot. And I was determined not to let my vote be confined to a private booth, secret ballot, or taboo conversation."

LATER IN THE SAME CHAPTER, CLAIBORNE CONTINUES….

Shortly after September 11th, I traveled to speak to a large congregation in the Midwest (And no, it wasn’t WillowCreek). Before I got up to preach, a military color gurard presented the US flag at the altar. The choir filed in one-by-one, dressed in red, white and blue, with the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” playing in the background. I knew I was in big trouble. The congregation pledged allegiance to the flag, and I wished it were all a dream. It wasn’t. I got up to speak, thankful I was standing behind a large podium lest anyone try to pelt me with a pew Bible. I went forward to preach the truth in love with my knees knocking and managed to make it out okay with a bunch of hugs and a few feisty letters. This is a dramatic (though painfully true) illustration of the messy collision of Christianity and patriotism that has rippled across our land.

–Shane Claiborne, The Irresistible Revolution
[1] Two of the more troubling signs I’ve seen are a red, white, and blue T-shirt that says “jesUSAves”…and a new line of old-school Christian fish symbols you can put on your car, but instead of “Jesus” in the middle of the fish, it has “Bush.” Truth is stranger than fiction: see http://www.bushfish.org/

OSU v. Michigan: My story Part 1

Ok...well, I've held off posting until the game was over. Some of that was just business, and some of it was just the fact that I didn't have much to say...I'm always nervous before these games and pretty much expect to lose. All that said, I hope folks got to see that game.

For basic highlights here I go: I happened to get up really early on Satruday morning (6:00)...Had actually fallen asleep at 9:30 the night before with my little boy, Michael, so I had slept plenty long. Getting up early was perfect though because I wanted to head down to my favorite place on campus, Buckeye Donuts....I lived at this place in college, especially between the hours of 10:00pm-2:00am for studying after I got off work. Hole in the wall place and quite the diverse crowd flowing in and out, always has been. Anyway, as I drove down Lane Ave., the main road leading into campus from the west, vendors were already fired up and hundreds of people already lining the streets. The Varsity Club (one of the classic campus bars) had probably 150 people waiting to go in. Turning onto High St. (OSU's main retail strip) the large amounts of people already out and tailgating in parking lots was a comical scene--it was still 6:15am mind you. As I drove past Eddie George's 27 restaurant on South campus, I saw another 100-150 peopl waiting to enter...It was hilarous, and I've never seen the environment here like this.

I spent a good hour in Buckeye Donuts talking with three guys I'd never met about music, with, amazingly enough, a Huey Lewis and the News song getting us all started. The music conversation went from Led Zeppelin and The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, to Bob Marley and Flock of Seagulls(this final one brought a round of well deserved ridicule by the way). While we were all talking, one of the guys, "Hawk" did a sketch of me in ten minutes that was pretty amazing. What was really cool about the conversation was when, at one point, for some unknown reason, one of the guys asked me what I did, and when I said "Pastor," he replied "No S***! That's awesome. Oh, sorry; and sorry for everything bad I've said up to this point." I told him it was no big deal and it didn't really bother me. Once the "pastor cat was out of the bag," I loved the fact that our conversation took a more deliberate turn toward spiritual things, but was no less colorful and real on these guys part. Hawk shared with me how he had been, and sometimes still was, a con artist, and had spent a little time "in the pen" for some of the things he'd done. Anoter of the guys started talking about where he was and where he has been in his faith journey. He'd accepted Christ many years ago and knew he wasn't living right now, but really seemed to have a good understanding of God's grace and his own necessary response. He even said, "Oh yeah, and I've been reading that book by that guy, you know, from California...Really good, oh what's the title....?" "The Purpose Driven Life," I suggested. "Yeah, that's it....It's great."

Anyway, after two of the guys left, the other guy, who happened to be homeless, sat down and we hung out for another hour and half. Tim sat down next to me and said, "You know, it's really funny that you're here today and that you're a pastor...." The conversation went from there and I found out many things about Tim--major heart issues; divorced, but didn't talk bad about his wife; seeing a married woman currently, knowing he shouldn't be. After sharing that he asked very earnestly, "But can I really be responsible for who I fall in love with? Can any of us?" My answer to him was "No and Yes," and that he should stop seeing her. And that, even though you know you should, that doesn't make it any easier to do. Well, we talked all about faith, Jesus, churches, why he didn't like taking advantage of living in homeless shelters, and what he might have to offer some of the other guys at the homeless shelter. We finished with a little bit of OSU v. Mich. pregame analysis and then I bought him a hot chocolate, wrote down Hebrews 4:14-16 on a little piece of paper for him, gave him a couple bucks and let him know I hoped I would see him again next time I was in town. It was a great morning and it helped keep the rest of the day in perspective. Which of course was not easy considering it was now only about 9:00am, and the campus area appeared as if the game would be starting in two hours...Of course it was still six and a half hours to kick-off. (TO BE CONTINUED)

Great website...

This is a great site....especially if you have a dry sense of humor like myself.
www.dullmen.com

Even the aesthetics of the site are perfect....enjoy

Music worth hearing

Just want to provide you with a place to go get some good music. My favorite musician is Derek Webb. I was fortunate to see him here in Knoxville this past weekend. Great music. Real guy. Honest. I'm thankful he's out there. The first link is to a video of his called "A New Law." Listen to the words....Prophetic. Especially for us in the American Church.

http://www.theworkofthepeople.com/index.php5?ct=store.details&pid=V00044

Check him out. And then got to www.freederekwebb.com and download his entire new album "Mockingbird" for FREE.

Election 06

Well...Yesterday was election day. Interesting political times of late; not that this is not always the case. But I think for me, I've been especially trouble (?), confused (?), frustrated (?) over the last year when it comes to politics, especially in relation to faith.

I have loathed the way in which faith--and Jesus in particular--has continued to be used as a pawn in people's/parties political aspirations. I think the ways in which the right has thrown around Jesus and morality on behalf of their causes has bothered me more than the ways in which the left has, but since the left "found religion" after the last presidential election I've been frustrated with them as well. I feel like every time a candidate would talk about their desire and our need for them to be elected, I was getting an (all too familiar type of) email that had as it's last line, "You can show your love for Jesus and pass this along to every one you know, OR you can just delete it and know that you're denying him in your heart." And like such emails, these candidates have loaded their exhortations with a good amount of false facts and/or half truths.

All that said, I am deeply disappointed that Harold Ford was not able to defeat the Bob Corker machine in the Tennessee Senatorial race (I think he started campaigning for this in about '98, after frustration from losing in '94 and boredom from making his millions in Chattanooga). It's not like I really expected Ford to win....but I really did want him to win. Don't get me wrong...I realize that Harold Ford has his own machine, as well. I don't believe Harold Ford to be a saint or have all the correct views on particular issues. It's more that, in Corker, we get more of the same in Washington. An avoud economic conservative cloaking himself in social conservatism. And more of the same pretty much seems to sum up the political philosophy of President Bush and the more stringent proponents of "republicanism." "If it aint broke (for me) then don't fix it", eh?

With the House balance of power moving to the democrats, at least there will be some challenge to the bullying through of policies on the part of President Cheneyrumsfeldbush. We'll see about the Senate. More thoughts to come....

A Layoff

Well....Seeing as it's been almost four months since my initial post, I'm sure there's no one out there who cares at all what is to be written now. But I am going to try and be more active on this...Let it be a bit of an online journal for me. This is the beginning...More interesting(hopefully) thoughts too come.

The First Time

Well...It's my first time to blaaaag on blogger. How exciting! Well, this particular blog won't say much. But if you're looking for something deeply insightful, letting you know what's in my soul, well, here goes....My philosophy on intelligence and books:

Really smart people like to read lots of good fiction as well as intense biographies.

Fairly smart people like to read lots of good non-fiction and a piece of fiction or biographical piece thrown in every now and then to fell more intelligent or creative, or artsy.

Intelligent enough to read, but not that interested people read some non-fiction and People magazing, US magazine, email, and text messages.

I would love to say I place myself in the top category...Alas, I can't. I'm probably in the 2nd, with occasional dips into the 3rd category(though I hate even the idea of text messaging and don't ever use it)....Well, you've learned so much about me haven't you? And remember, my tongue is partially planted in cheek.
--DM