Ain’t No Reason

A Call to Prayer

The votes are in and it’s official: Barack Obama will be the 44th President of the United States. Whether you voted for President-elect Obama or not, one thing is clear as a member of Christ’s body, the church. We need to be praying for him as our leader, asking for God’s wisdom, discernment, and especially protection to rest upon him for the coming years. Pray that President-elect Obama will be diligently seeking the Lord’s guidance throughout his presidency and that his decisions will be honoring to the Father.

May we remember that our allegiance to Christ comes well before our allegiance to our politcal party and that our call is to pray for those in authority over us regardless of our political views.

And let us guard against division. The temptation is to be angry if things did not go your way on November 4th but things like anger, bitterness, and slander only cause more problems. We need to be a people who speak only uplifting words and not curses over our future president. Don’t complain but instead pray. There are going to be plenty of people groups giving the president flak and the church shouldn’t be one of them. We are, however, called to hold him accountable as a member of Christ’s body himself. I pray that we would be a voice of truth, calling President-elect Obama to make decisions in accordance to the will of God. May we remember the difference between honestly holding someone accountable and just straight up slander.

Endorse no one but advise everyone.

Enough with the letters from 2012 and references to the anti-christ.

And last time I checked, God is still reigning supreme from His throne in heaven. So some of you should stop acting like it’s the end of the world because of Obama’s election. Regardless of what happens within the political sphere of our nation the church’s initial response should always be to humbly come before our Father and pray rather than complain and bicker about how you didn’t get your way.

The Ordinary Radicals

Jamie Moffett has recently come out with a documentary that follows Shane Claiborne and Chris Haw on their Jesus for President tour that took place earlier this year. The movie essentially tells stories of regular people who have decided to embody the politics of Jesus and live as “Ordinary Radicals.” If you’ve read J4P then it’s a great one to watch simply because you get to put a face to some of the stories that were told in the book. It proposes a lot of great ideas and tangible ways we can live as loving representatives of the Kingdom of God. I do have one objection to the movie and the “Jesus for President” movement as a whole. This movement has begun in reaction to the church’s over-emphasis (I emphasize “over” simply because I believe a healthy emphasis is good) on the redemption of the soul when it comes to salvation. Basically, it’s a group of people who were tired of hearing Christians talk about just going to heaven after we die as opposed to doing something here and now or bringing God’s Kingdom to “earth as it is in heaven.”

I agree that this overemphasis does miss a huge part of what Jesus came to do. Jesus entered into the world to redeem every aspect of humanity. He desires to heal us physically, emotionally, intellectually, sexually, financially, and yes, spiritually. To overemphasize just the spiritual aspect of Jesus’ healing is to miss the rest. But the pendulum seems to have swung to the other extreme within the Jesus for President movement. This, I believe, is clearly illustrated by a quote from The Ordinary Radicals film itself. It’s a quote from a guy named Zack Exley, a secular progressive attempting to work with the J4P movement in hopes of making amends with the religious community and working together towards a common goal. Here’s the quote:

“I heard this guy…give this sermon about who’s in and who’s out. Who’s going to heaven and who’s not. And he went through every single passage that said anything about heaven and it was pretty clear–we’re not going to heaven. Jesus is coming here. Heaven is coming to earth. Now they don’t care about converting people. They just care about building this wonderful, beautiful community.“

The J4P movement has slid from one extreme to the other and lost sight of sound scriptural theology. It seems very obvious to me that the New Testament emphasizes the need for conversion. There needs to be some sort of spiritual awakening that takes place in order to be saved. The book of Acts is a story of a group of believers proclaiming the gospel message (and living it out by sharing, serving, and loving the community) so that those who didn’t know Jesus would come to know him.

Jesus himself says in Matthew 7:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”

Prophesying, driving out demons, and performing many miracles in Jesus’ name. All very honorable acts. But the deciding factor is whether or not these people knew Jesus. This is what we need to be praying for. That we would truly know Jesus. That we would personally experience Jesus face to face. And that those we come in contact with would experience him as well. Yes, let’s serve those around us and love them with our actions, “working out our salvation with fear and trembling” as we show people that Jesus wants to meet every one of their needs, including their physical ones. But when all is said and done, what matters is whether or not we have a relationship with him. A deep, intimate, love relationship.

Anywho, a fair bit of thought stirring has occured within my mind since watching the film so I’ll go ahead and extend it as a recommendation.

Here’s the trailer just to wet your appetite:

Dear Christian, Stop Picketing for Prop. 8

I drove by yet another group of people today that were holding up the infamous “Protect Marriage: Vote YES on Prop. 8″ signs in the name of Jesus. I must say that I’m a wee bit flustered. I understand that the Bible speaks of marriage being between one man and one woman and I understand that this would lead you to vote yes on Prop. 8 but please stop ruining the opportunity to have a civil conversation with someone who opposes the proposition.

And please don’t feel like the battle has been won if Prop. 8 does end up passing. The truth is, people are still living in sin and need the love of Jesus. Let’s stop focusing all of our energy on picketing Prop. 8 and funnel it toward a conversation regarding how we are going to love gay people and share Jesus with them. More will be accomplished this way than if any law is ever passed.

Laws don’t change people’s hearts.

And what about poverty? Do we not care enough about poor people to picket on their behalf?

Why does gay marriage have to be the one issue that the church feels strongly enough to picket?

I’m sick of it…

For All You Batman Lovers Out There

I recently stumbled upon this Peter Rollins blog post (I have no idea who he is, by the way) and found it quite interesting. It discusses the whole concept of actually living out what we claim to believe by using the example of Bruce Wayne’s paradoxical lifestyle involving running a multi-million dollar corporation by day and then fighting crime by night. It is the capatalistic system, Rollins would say, and the corporations that fuel it, that have created the crime Wayne is attempting to combat.  The part of the article that really hits home for me is his analysis of our beliefs (I have bolded the section of the article that summarizes what I’m referring to). Are we actually living out the values and ideals that we deem important or are we just taking part in religious activities to clear our consciences and make us feel like we are actually making a difference?

Hmmmm…interesting thought…

Here’s the article:

Brecht once famously wrote, “what is the crime of robbing a bank compared to the crime of founding one?” Is this not the very sentiment that we must bare in mind as we watch Batman at work? By day he is Bruce Wayne, a wealthy industrialist, by night he is Batman, combing the streets of Gotham City for criminals to beat up and people to save.

His obsession with street crime arises as a direct result of witnessing his Mother and Father murdered by a thief. His Father was a philanthropist who attempted to help Gotham City by funding social projects and local charity work. Bruce, however takes a different approach and uses his wealth to fund a vigilante war on terror.

One could say that Bruce Wayne is fundamentally different from his Father in so much as the later concentrated on helping victims of crime while the former seeks to punish the perpetrators of crime. However, it would be more accurate to say that Bruce is merely continuing his Fathers business by different, but equally flawed, means.

Both are obsessed with the subjective violent eruptions that take place on the streets of Gotham City and both seek to address them. However, in the midst of all their activities neither pay attention to their own (sublimated) violence. This violence is that which has been objectified in the very economic structures that allow corporations like Wayne Industries to make such vast sums of money in the first place. Batman is unable to see that the subjective crime he fights on a nightly basis is the direct manifestation of the objective crime he perpetrates on a daily basis. The street crime is the explosion of violence that results from greedy, large industries obsessed with the increase of abstract capital at the expense of all else. It is not enough to hate subjective explosions of crime, one must turn ones attention to the ground that feeds these expressions.

Indeed one could say that it is the very philanthropic work of his Father and the crime-fighting of Wayne that actually provide the valve that allows them both to continue in their objective violence. What better way to feel good about yourself than volunteering at a local charity in the evenings (like his Father) or beating up on street criminals in the evenings (like Wayne). Such acts (like a prayer meeting, worship service or bible study) can recharge the batteries and make us feel like our true identity is pure and good when in reality it simply takes away the guilt that would otherwise make it difficult for us to embrace our true (social) self who is expressed in the activities we engage in for the rest of the week. The philosophy here is exposed as “do something so that nothing really changes”.

Perhaps then the next film will not have Batman running around beating up drug dealers and pimps (an impotent project anyway as there is only one Batman for the whole city), but rather dissolving Wayne Industries, setting up free health care and campaigning for radically different socio-political structures.

Mind you, it might not be as fun to watch (and I am very much looking forward to seeing the new Joker in action).

I have a crush on…

Pam Beesly. What a babe...

A Jubilee Celebration

In Shane Claiborne’s most recent post on God’s Politics he tells a story that I thought was especially relevant and thought stirring. He touches on the concept of Jubilee, a Biblical celebration discussed in Leviticus 25 in which there is a redistribution of land and cancellation of debts. It’s a celebration that is had for the marginalized of a given society; a chance for people to be freed from their financial bondage and remember that ultimately, YHWH is the owner of all earthy possessions. This video is a glimpse of what it may look like today:

Eight Things To Remember This Election Season

With the upcoming election happening in less than a month I can’t help but post something on the topic. I have been reading Jim Wallis’ God’s Politics: Why the Right is Wrong and the Left Doesn’t Get It. Earlier this year I read Shane Claiborne and Chris Haw’s Jesus for President: Politics for Ordinary Radicals. As a result, I’ve gained some new insights that I would like to share as well as some insights of my own:

1. God is not a Republican or a Democrat. Contrary to popular belief, this is indeed the Biblical truth. Although the Republicans, over the last few decades, have somehow claimed the exclusive right to Christian spirituality (albeit a muddled version of it), there are “religious” and “moral” issues on both sides of the spectrum.
2. The church is a counter-cultural voice in a world that puts everything into the two extremes of left and right. The politics of Jesus turned the world upside down. People must have been amazed to hear teachings like, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”, “Turn the other cheek”, and “Do not resist an evil person.” And then there are Jesus’ economic policies of Jubilee which seem to be especially foreign in a country that promotes the rich and oppresses the poor. These politics do not fit into the traditional “liberal” or “conservative” ideologies. As members of the church we are to devote ourselves to the teachings of the Slaughtered Lamb, not the teachings of the Elephants or Donkeys.
3. This November we are voting for a President, not a Messiah. In a country that upholds the belief that ultimate change happens through D.C. alone, this truth can be easy to forget. We can choose to vote for either candidate, knowing that that particular candidate will not change the world in the way that Jesus came to do so. Taking this truth into account, we need not withdraw from voting simply because “neither one matches up to the politics of Jesus.” Although this is true, we should recognize that the reason we are voting is not to advance the Kingdom of God through the president. Only the church, under the power and authority of the Holy Spirit, can do this.
4. Protest is good. Advocating an alternative is better. Complaining about how the government goes about doing things doesn’t help anyone or solve any problems. If we disagree with the actions of the “Religious Right” over the last eight years then we are to take that protest to the voting booth. Let us be the change we want to see in the world.
5. As Christians, we do not vote in a way that merely promotes our own well being or even our own country’s. We must vote in a way that takes everyone into account, for we are all God’s children. The beautiful thing about the Good News of Christ is that it embodies itself in love. As we grow in our relationship with Jesus our love for people grows as well. We must care for people, especially the poor and marginalized. It is also important to remember that we are apart of the global church. The bride of Christ is something that transcends national boarders and our ultimate allegiance lies with the church…not America. We must not forget about our Christian brothers and sisters in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Japan, or Mexico. These truths should significantly impact the way we vote.
6. God is not pro-war. The teachings of Jesus clearly indicate otherwise. The Sermon on the Mount makes it unbelievably clear: “Blessed are the peacemakers.” The foreign policy of the Bush administration has been one of American imperialism, preemptive war, and unilateralism and has led to the death of almost 100,000 innocent Iraqi people. Any theology that supports such action is a bad one, to put it lightly.
7. God is not pro-rich. In fact, he’s quite the opposite. May we not forget that the Kingdom belongs to the least of these. Beside idolatry, poverty is the most talked about issue in Scripture. We have been commanded to care for the poor and we must take them into account when we vote.
8. God is not a selective moralist. Homosexuality and abortion are religious issues. But so are war, poverty, how we spend our money as a nation, torture, racism, etc. How did the two issues mentioned above end up being the only issues considered in a debate concerning morality?

May we go into this election prayerfully and thoughtfully, never releasing our gaze from the King of kings and our true Commander-in-Chief, Jesus Christ.

The Ushering in of a New Era

Aaron Rodgers

Green Bay Packer fans can take a breath. Aaron Rodgers looked half way decent in his start on Monday night against the Cincinatti Bengals. Granted, it was an exhibition game. Rodgers’ stats included 9/15 passing, 117 yards, a touchdown, and an interception that wasn’t his fault. He kept his composure in the pocket and made some solid passes while also showing off some of his skills as a mobile quaterback.

As a Packer fan, I’ll come right out and say that I support the teams decision to let go of Brett Favre. I love Favre and I am confident that there will never be another Packer quaterback that inspires the world of football like he did. However, I have lost a bit of respect for him as a result of this whole ordeal. I’m not a fan of come-back-from-retirement sort of decisions to begin with but this one in particular caused a certain unrest within me. I don’t really agree with the way Brett decided to go about coming back. It seems that he waltzed back into Green Bay expecting the team to take him back with open arms and when they didn’t the drama began. I understand that Favre is a legend but when you say you are going to retire then there isn’t much more you could expect out of a team than to begin building around their new quateback. Aaron Rodgers has more than paid his dues. Sitting on the bench for three years behind Favre and learning from the best, Rodgers had to be crushed when he found out that number 4 was scheming his comeback. Let’s remember that. To tell Rodgers that he was going to have to sit on the bench for another year after being named the new starter of the Pack would be wrong.

I welcome the new Era of Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay. I look forward to seeing him lead the Packers this next season. As for Jet Favre, well, I suppose he deserves a ‘good luck’ as well.

Thoughts on the Olympic Games: Beijing 2008

As I watch the Olympics this year I must say that I am filled with joy and excitement. The energy and intensity of the competition is unlike anything else. I love it all: the comeback stories of athletes who were injured and have made it back into the Games, the diversity of different sports, the race for gold. It’s all so exhilarating.  But beyond all of this, what I love most is the unity that the Olympics bring. In a world full of violence, injustice, oppression, hatred, senseless bloodshed, and disagreement it isn’t often at all that you see us come together and take part in something as a planet. That’s the great thing about the Olympic Games. They bring us together. Every two years, even if it’s only for a few days, we are unified. We realize that, contrary to the way we interact with each other outside of the Games, we are not that different from one another. Despite our different cultures and beliefs and languages we can all agree that competition is something that we all love and that it’s worth celebrating. It’s a beautiful thing.

'One World One Dream'

Concerning the current total medal count, the United States of America has eleven with China in a close second with nine. Korea and Australia both have five. Now, I could choose to sit here and brag about the fact that the country that I happen to a member of is leading the pack but I am not going to. I have found something quite odd happening within me thus far regarding which countries take home medals. The truth is, I love it when I hear of Kirsty Coventry taking home the silver for Zimbabwe in swimming or Abhinay Bindra receiving the gold for India in shooting. It’s not America or China or Australia. It’s different and fresh and I love that. Call me crazy, but I don’t feel like I’m bound to root for only the United States of America simply because this world calls me a citizen of that country.

I won’t lie though. Despite of all of this strange passion that is welling up within me for countries other than my own, I must say that seeing the U.S. men’s 4×100 freestyle relay team defeat the trash talking French by eight hundredths of a second was pretty hilarious.

Soak it all in while it’s here. The stories, the great perfomances, the unity. At least that’s what I plan on doing…