I wrote a little blurb about what this site is, here. It's subject to change, and probably will, but I wanted to give readers a little idea of what's going on here.
I came across this interesting article about the whole Miss California thing that happened at the Miss USA pageant this past weekend. If you've been living under a rock, then here's a quick recap.
Celebrity blogger/sleazebag Perez Hilton was one of the judges at this years Miss USA Beauty Pageant. During the question period, Perez asked Miss California Carrie Prejean about same-sex marriage, to which she responded that she believed marriage should be between a man and a woman. It was a bullshit cheap-shot question that may have been the reason she didn't win.
From Y!'s gossip site, OMG:
'During the show, Perez asked Carrie, "Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalize same sex marriage. Do you think every state should follow suit? Why or why not?'
'Well I think it's great that Americans are able to choose one or the other. Um, we live in a land that you can choose same sex marriage or opposite marriage and, you know what, in my country and in, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman,' Carrie said to a mix of boos and applause. 'No offense to anybody out there. But that's how I was raised and that's how I think that it should be between a man and a woman.'
In response to those remarks, Miss California 2003, Nicole Lamarche, minister at Cotuit Federated Church in Cotuit, Mass. had something to say that I find kind of interesting.
“As a pastor and a former Miss California, I am often asked to interpret what the Word of God has to say on a particular subject,” Rev. Lamarche says. “I am quite confident that God prefers that we human beings stick to speaking for ourselves. And yet there are occasions when God’s Word is used as a weapon, and I feel compelled to speak.
“In the past few days, much has been made of the words of Miss California USA, Carrie Prejean. She stated that marriage is between a man and a woman. I write not in response to her opinion, but rather about her comments that followed: that the Bible condones her words. She said, “It's not about being politically correct, it's about being biblically correct.” While this sentiment is shared by many who seek to condemn gay people and gay marriage, citing pieces of the Bible to further one’s own prejudice fails to meet the Bible on its own terms.
“Most people seeking to condemn gay people point to the Book of Leviticus, where we read that men lying with men is an abomination. However, we rarely hear of other verses found in the book of Leviticus that are equally challenging. For example, Leviticus also tells us that eating shrimp and lobster is an abomination. And that a person should not wear material woven of two kinds of material—an impossible mandate for a pageant contestant!
“In Paul’s letter to the community in Corinth we read, ‘For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church….’ And yet these words have not prevented Christian denominations from ordaining women, such as myself. Sadly, the Bible has been used to further prejudice throughout history. We have used it to permit ourselves to enslave people; to conquer and kill; and to denigrate the earth.
“The truth is that it is difficult to know for sure the intentions of the biblical authors, but we do know something about God. Those of us who know God through Jesus of Nazareth know that he went to great lengths to express God’s love to people who were labeled as outcasts. He spent time with children, prostitutes, and lepers, all of whom were labeled as outside of the grasp of the Holy. As we continue to seek God’s vision for us as a nation grounded in a love for justice, I pray that we might move closer to the cause of grace.”
Now what she is saying could easily picked apart theologically, but it is the message that I found I liked.
What do you think?
Celebrity blogger/sleazebag Perez Hilton was one of the judges at this years Miss USA Beauty Pageant. During the question period, Perez asked Miss California Carrie Prejean about same-sex marriage, to which she responded that she believed marriage should be between a man and a woman. It was a bullshit cheap-shot question that may have been the reason she didn't win.
From Y!'s gossip site, OMG:
'During the show, Perez asked Carrie, "Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalize same sex marriage. Do you think every state should follow suit? Why or why not?'
'Well I think it's great that Americans are able to choose one or the other. Um, we live in a land that you can choose same sex marriage or opposite marriage and, you know what, in my country and in, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman,' Carrie said to a mix of boos and applause. 'No offense to anybody out there. But that's how I was raised and that's how I think that it should be between a man and a woman.'
In response to those remarks, Miss California 2003, Nicole Lamarche, minister at Cotuit Federated Church in Cotuit, Mass. had something to say that I find kind of interesting.
“As a pastor and a former Miss California, I am often asked to interpret what the Word of God has to say on a particular subject,” Rev. Lamarche says. “I am quite confident that God prefers that we human beings stick to speaking for ourselves. And yet there are occasions when God’s Word is used as a weapon, and I feel compelled to speak.
“In the past few days, much has been made of the words of Miss California USA, Carrie Prejean. She stated that marriage is between a man and a woman. I write not in response to her opinion, but rather about her comments that followed: that the Bible condones her words. She said, “It's not about being politically correct, it's about being biblically correct.” While this sentiment is shared by many who seek to condemn gay people and gay marriage, citing pieces of the Bible to further one’s own prejudice fails to meet the Bible on its own terms.
“Most people seeking to condemn gay people point to the Book of Leviticus, where we read that men lying with men is an abomination. However, we rarely hear of other verses found in the book of Leviticus that are equally challenging. For example, Leviticus also tells us that eating shrimp and lobster is an abomination. And that a person should not wear material woven of two kinds of material—an impossible mandate for a pageant contestant!
“In Paul’s letter to the community in Corinth we read, ‘For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church….’ And yet these words have not prevented Christian denominations from ordaining women, such as myself. Sadly, the Bible has been used to further prejudice throughout history. We have used it to permit ourselves to enslave people; to conquer and kill; and to denigrate the earth.
“The truth is that it is difficult to know for sure the intentions of the biblical authors, but we do know something about God. Those of us who know God through Jesus of Nazareth know that he went to great lengths to express God’s love to people who were labeled as outcasts. He spent time with children, prostitutes, and lepers, all of whom were labeled as outside of the grasp of the Holy. As we continue to seek God’s vision for us as a nation grounded in a love for justice, I pray that we might move closer to the cause of grace.”
Now what she is saying could easily picked apart theologically, but it is the message that I found I liked.
What do you think?
It makes me sad when I read garbage like the following...
This was your life
How can anyone come to know the love of Christ when they are first told to cower in fear of Christ? There is little wonder people despise sidewalk evangelists who hand out tracts. Why have I never seen a tract that touts the love of Christ? I will say there is no other way to everlasting life than through Jesus, but I will not condemn you for choosing any other path.
How can someone learn about the love of the church if they come to Christ through reading this kind of hatred?
Are Roman Catholics Christians?
I don't think all the rites and rituals are required, but to say someone isn't Christian for following them? Christianity is about accepting Christ as your Lord and Saviour, and the last time I checked, Catholics believe Jesus to be the Son of God. Catholics use rites and rituals like the 7 sacraments because they feel it brings them closer to God and believe that they are REQUIRED in order to achieve salvation. They still believe in Christ, and while the sacraments aren't a requirement for salvation, there is nothing wrong with using them to bring yourself into closer communion with God. Saying that doing so is wrong is like saying that singing worship songs in a contemporary service to bring yourself into closer communion with God is wrong.
Is evolution vs. creation really that big of a deal? Big Daddy?I don't understand why it matters whether we evolved from a single cell organism or we just appeared as we look today. We were made in the likeness of Him right? Maybe he looks like a single cell organism, and we evolved from that into what we are today? Who knows how long those original "7 days" really were.
Oh, and for some reason these nut jobs also think that all bibles, with the exception of the King James Version, are of the devil and that we who read and follow them are being deceived and will be cast into the fiery lakes of hell. Just so you know. ;) It says so here...The Attack.
So if you are sitting somewhere and want to take yourself on a rollercoaster ride of emotions through disbelief, sadness, anger and ending up throwing your hands in the air and asking why God made Christians like these, then please go ahead and surf on over to Chick's Tracts, for all the evangelical bullshit you can handle.
This was your life
How can anyone come to know the love of Christ when they are first told to cower in fear of Christ? There is little wonder people despise sidewalk evangelists who hand out tracts. Why have I never seen a tract that touts the love of Christ? I will say there is no other way to everlasting life than through Jesus, but I will not condemn you for choosing any other path.
How can someone learn about the love of the church if they come to Christ through reading this kind of hatred?
Are Roman Catholics Christians?
I don't think all the rites and rituals are required, but to say someone isn't Christian for following them? Christianity is about accepting Christ as your Lord and Saviour, and the last time I checked, Catholics believe Jesus to be the Son of God. Catholics use rites and rituals like the 7 sacraments because they feel it brings them closer to God and believe that they are REQUIRED in order to achieve salvation. They still believe in Christ, and while the sacraments aren't a requirement for salvation, there is nothing wrong with using them to bring yourself into closer communion with God. Saying that doing so is wrong is like saying that singing worship songs in a contemporary service to bring yourself into closer communion with God is wrong.
Is evolution vs. creation really that big of a deal? Big Daddy?I don't understand why it matters whether we evolved from a single cell organism or we just appeared as we look today. We were made in the likeness of Him right? Maybe he looks like a single cell organism, and we evolved from that into what we are today? Who knows how long those original "7 days" really were.
Oh, and for some reason these nut jobs also think that all bibles, with the exception of the King James Version, are of the devil and that we who read and follow them are being deceived and will be cast into the fiery lakes of hell. Just so you know. ;) It says so here...The Attack.
So if you are sitting somewhere and want to take yourself on a rollercoaster ride of emotions through disbelief, sadness, anger and ending up throwing your hands in the air and asking why God made Christians like these, then please go ahead and surf on over to Chick's Tracts, for all the evangelical bullshit you can handle.
What does it mean to be the spiritual leader in your household?
A few weeks during one of our weekly small group meetings the topic of spiritual leadership in the home came up. Our small group consists of 3 married couples, and we were discussing what this looked like in our households.
The topic of the "spiritual head of the household" stems from Ephesians 5:22-23 where Paul writes,
"Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything." (NIV)
In 1 Corinthians 10:31 Paul also says,
"3 Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God." (NIV)
So from these verses one could infer that since the "husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church," that man is the spiritual head of the household. This is a role I embrace, and think it has been perverted by many. So what does this role look like? What happens when the man is a new believer and his wife is a long-time Christian? What about when the woman is a pastor, or knowledgeable about Christian theology?
Being the spiritual head of the household doesn’t mean being able to recite various scripture verses on command or having mad prayer skillz, being more spiritually in-tune with God or having the knowledge to interpret scripture or read the New Testament in Greek.
Being the spiritual leader means keeping the well-being of your family, both spiritual and otherwise in prayer. Being the spiritual head of the household means loving your family as Jesus loved the church. This involves sacrifice and being a servant. It involves listening with your heart, not just your ears, and being patient. It involves loving unconditionally, and forgiving every wrong action or thought. It involves teaching your family about God, and allowing them to make their own choices. We are to teach and instruct, but not to impart our will, for God gave us all free will. Most importantly, it involves talking to God about our family; keeping them in prayer always.
Being the spiritual head of the household is a role that all men can, and should, gladly embrace. It shouldn’t be a burden, or a chore. It is something that even the newest brother-in-Christ can do, and will help to strengthen your relationship with both your family and God.
People enjoy using these verses to show that the man is the leader and that women should submit to their husbands and obey their every wish. Unfortunately they miss the equally important subsequent verses, thus perverting the message. I’ll look at that in a future post.
An interesting aside: as I was looking around the internet for insight into this topic I found less conversation from the point that it is degrading to women, and more from women asking what can they do to help their men be the spiritual leader that they require? Just something interesting that I came across...
Use the comments section to let me know what you think.
A few weeks during one of our weekly small group meetings the topic of spiritual leadership in the home came up. Our small group consists of 3 married couples, and we were discussing what this looked like in our households.
The topic of the "spiritual head of the household" stems from Ephesians 5:22-23 where Paul writes,
"Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything." (NIV)
In 1 Corinthians 10:31 Paul also says,
"3 Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God." (NIV)
So from these verses one could infer that since the "husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church," that man is the spiritual head of the household. This is a role I embrace, and think it has been perverted by many. So what does this role look like? What happens when the man is a new believer and his wife is a long-time Christian? What about when the woman is a pastor, or knowledgeable about Christian theology?
Being the spiritual head of the household doesn’t mean being able to recite various scripture verses on command or having mad prayer skillz, being more spiritually in-tune with God or having the knowledge to interpret scripture or read the New Testament in Greek.
Being the spiritual leader means keeping the well-being of your family, both spiritual and otherwise in prayer. Being the spiritual head of the household means loving your family as Jesus loved the church. This involves sacrifice and being a servant. It involves listening with your heart, not just your ears, and being patient. It involves loving unconditionally, and forgiving every wrong action or thought. It involves teaching your family about God, and allowing them to make their own choices. We are to teach and instruct, but not to impart our will, for God gave us all free will. Most importantly, it involves talking to God about our family; keeping them in prayer always.
Being the spiritual head of the household is a role that all men can, and should, gladly embrace. It shouldn’t be a burden, or a chore. It is something that even the newest brother-in-Christ can do, and will help to strengthen your relationship with both your family and God.
People enjoy using these verses to show that the man is the leader and that women should submit to their husbands and obey their every wish. Unfortunately they miss the equally important subsequent verses, thus perverting the message. I’ll look at that in a future post.
An interesting aside: as I was looking around the internet for insight into this topic I found less conversation from the point that it is degrading to women, and more from women asking what can they do to help their men be the spiritual leader that they require? Just something interesting that I came across...
Use the comments section to let me know what you think.
This year for Lent I gave up my “lust for gear.” I decided I would stop spending so much time dreaming about basses, amps, effects and all that other wonderful stuff that comes along with being a gear head. For those not familiar with the term, GAS or Gear Acquisition Syndrome is the more commonly known form of “lust for gear.” I would spend hours thinking about the next bass I wanted to buy, like that Custom Shop 1968 reissue Fender P bass...$2500 of pure beauty. It played like butter, and sounded like liquid smoothness pouring out of the amp. I’d dream about bigger and better amps, 1500W of pure pounding low-end coming out of an 8x10 and 2x15; enough power to make the souls of anyone standing in front of it throb. Or even the new effect that I wanted to try out, Boss’ Octaver, or a nice muff or overdrive, and maybe even some distortion. Nothing I’d actually use in any capacity with what I’m involved in, but it’s just so much fun to think about and play with.
So I gave all of that up. Most people use Lent as a time to sacrifice something that they would miss, and whenever they missed it they would think about God. This year, I realized that Lent is more than that, it is about giving up something that is getting between me and God; something that is keeping my relationship from growing. So I chose something that I spend a fair amount of time doing, and gave it up for 40 days, 40 days that are almost up.
The first couple of weeks were tough and made me realize just how much time I used to spend on my GAS. I would spend hours surfing talkbass.com; the premier forum for bass players worldwide. I would surf the classifieds, looking at the cool shit people were selling, browse the reviews for the latest amps and basses, and follow the debates about picking vs. finger-style. I would go to the music store after work some days and look at the basses and dream. I would try out some new effects pedal, and look at the massive amount of power the new amps could produce.
So with all of this free time on my hands, I realized I could start doing things I otherwise didn’t have time for. I started spending more time practicing my bass playing instead of just reading about it. I started reading more. And I started this blog. By giving up all the time I spent lusting for stuff, I found I had more time to devote to God and to learning more about my faith, and growing in Christ. It caught me off guard at first, this growth. I didn’t realize that what I had given up for Lent was actually bringing me closer to God. Sure that was the initial idea, but I didn’t actually think about it. This blog is the result of my sacrifice, and it is turning out to be a real blessing. I have started learning about new concepts and ideas. I’ve started reading cool things people have to say about the Christian faith. I’ve come to the conclusion that by spending all this time writing and reading, I am going to be a much better student when I eventually go back to school, and a much more knowledgeable pastor when I’m done.
So many good things have come from my Lenten sacrifice, and I think that is the point of Lent. It is an opportunity to grow closer to Him, and it’s so cool to see how that has happened over the past 37 days. Now the question poses itself, if we give up something for Lent that is getting between us and God, then shouldn’t we continue to sacrifice it? Shouldn’t it stop becoming a sacrifice and just become natural? For me, with all the growth that’s happened, the answer seems obvious. But does that apply to everyone? I’m not talking about those people that gave up coffee, or cheese, or some random thing that they like to use it as a reason to think of God. I’m talking about people, and sacrifices of things that are getting in the way of their relationship with Him. Shouldn’t these things be given up forever?
For example, Todd has been suffering from a porn addiction and it is getting in the way of his relationship with Christ. He decided that beginning Ash Wednesday, he would not look at any porn for 40 days. If, during Lent, Todd finds things improving due to his absence from porn, wouldn’t it make sense that he should continue this trend past the end of Lent?
It would make sense that if you have given something up for Lent that has been impeding your relationship with God that you would continue to give it up after Lent is over.
Now I’m not denying the importance of the sacrifice that others make for Lent. Those that give up things that are important to them like coffee, video games, junk food etc., if done for the right reasons, can also get also reap the benefits of growing closer to God through this sacrifice. These types of sacrifices are great for providing regular reminders that it is Lent, and that something is being sacrificed, but I don’t think they have the same long term effect that giving up something that is actually interfering with your relationship with Him, and continuing to give it up after Lent is over.
God has used Lent to teach me a lot, and I am thankful for those lessons. I am going to continue to reign in my GAS, and use that time to further my spiritual growth. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still in need of a solid 4 string and an additional 15” cab would make a wonderful addition to my rig, but I am not going to spend copious amounts of time obsessing about it, and endless hours researching something I’m not going to buy anytime soon anyway. When I do decide to make a purchase I will spend the time to do the proper research, but until then I have better things to spend my time on.
So I gave all of that up. Most people use Lent as a time to sacrifice something that they would miss, and whenever they missed it they would think about God. This year, I realized that Lent is more than that, it is about giving up something that is getting between me and God; something that is keeping my relationship from growing. So I chose something that I spend a fair amount of time doing, and gave it up for 40 days, 40 days that are almost up.
The first couple of weeks were tough and made me realize just how much time I used to spend on my GAS. I would spend hours surfing talkbass.com; the premier forum for bass players worldwide. I would surf the classifieds, looking at the cool shit people were selling, browse the reviews for the latest amps and basses, and follow the debates about picking vs. finger-style. I would go to the music store after work some days and look at the basses and dream. I would try out some new effects pedal, and look at the massive amount of power the new amps could produce.
So with all of this free time on my hands, I realized I could start doing things I otherwise didn’t have time for. I started spending more time practicing my bass playing instead of just reading about it. I started reading more. And I started this blog. By giving up all the time I spent lusting for stuff, I found I had more time to devote to God and to learning more about my faith, and growing in Christ. It caught me off guard at first, this growth. I didn’t realize that what I had given up for Lent was actually bringing me closer to God. Sure that was the initial idea, but I didn’t actually think about it. This blog is the result of my sacrifice, and it is turning out to be a real blessing. I have started learning about new concepts and ideas. I’ve started reading cool things people have to say about the Christian faith. I’ve come to the conclusion that by spending all this time writing and reading, I am going to be a much better student when I eventually go back to school, and a much more knowledgeable pastor when I’m done.
So many good things have come from my Lenten sacrifice, and I think that is the point of Lent. It is an opportunity to grow closer to Him, and it’s so cool to see how that has happened over the past 37 days. Now the question poses itself, if we give up something for Lent that is getting between us and God, then shouldn’t we continue to sacrifice it? Shouldn’t it stop becoming a sacrifice and just become natural? For me, with all the growth that’s happened, the answer seems obvious. But does that apply to everyone? I’m not talking about those people that gave up coffee, or cheese, or some random thing that they like to use it as a reason to think of God. I’m talking about people, and sacrifices of things that are getting in the way of their relationship with Him. Shouldn’t these things be given up forever?
For example, Todd has been suffering from a porn addiction and it is getting in the way of his relationship with Christ. He decided that beginning Ash Wednesday, he would not look at any porn for 40 days. If, during Lent, Todd finds things improving due to his absence from porn, wouldn’t it make sense that he should continue this trend past the end of Lent?
It would make sense that if you have given something up for Lent that has been impeding your relationship with God that you would continue to give it up after Lent is over.
Now I’m not denying the importance of the sacrifice that others make for Lent. Those that give up things that are important to them like coffee, video games, junk food etc., if done for the right reasons, can also get also reap the benefits of growing closer to God through this sacrifice. These types of sacrifices are great for providing regular reminders that it is Lent, and that something is being sacrificed, but I don’t think they have the same long term effect that giving up something that is actually interfering with your relationship with Him, and continuing to give it up after Lent is over.
God has used Lent to teach me a lot, and I am thankful for those lessons. I am going to continue to reign in my GAS, and use that time to further my spiritual growth. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still in need of a solid 4 string and an additional 15” cab would make a wonderful addition to my rig, but I am not going to spend copious amounts of time obsessing about it, and endless hours researching something I’m not going to buy anytime soon anyway. When I do decide to make a purchase I will spend the time to do the proper research, but until then I have better things to spend my time on.
Rev Katherine Hancock Ragsdale, the new Dean of the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts recently gave a sermon saying that abortions are a blessing. She lays out four examples, and ends each with the statement, "the abortion is a blessing."
She started off with an example that many would find they agree with. Maybe not that it is a blessing, but that it is semi-acceptable.
"When a woman finds herself pregnant due to violence and chooses an abortion, it is the violence that is the tragedy; the abortion is a blessing."
Her next example will find fewer supporters, yet it is still something that many would find to be an acceptable option, though maybe not a blessing.
"When a woman finds that the fetus she is carrying has anomalies incompatible with life, that it will not live and that she requires an abortion – often a late-term abortion – to protect her life, her health, or her fertility, it is the shattering of her hopes and dreams for that pregnancy that is the tragedy; the abortion is a blessing."
There are far fewer supporters for her last two examples, with many saying that abortions should not be allowed as a "get out of jail free" card to those who make poor decisions. Though it is still a woman's right to make that choice for herself and we cannot judge the experiences that lead to the decisions she is making, nor can we judge the decision itself.
"When a woman wants a child but can’t afford one because she hasn’t the education necessary for a sustainable job, or access to health care, or day care, or adequate food, it is the abysmal priorities of our nation, the lack of social supports, the absence of justice that are the tragedies; the abortion is a blessing."
"And when a woman becomes pregnant within a loving, supportive, respectful relationship; has every option open to her; decides she does not wish to bear a child; and has access to a safe, affordable abortion – there is not a tragedy in sight -- only blessing. The ability to enjoy God’s good gift of sexuality without compromising one’s education, life’s work, or ability to put to use God’s gifts and call is simply blessing."
The bible does not specifically address the issue of abortion, and I don't think any amount of Christian dogma or doctrine can make up for what the bible says or doesn't say.
Jeremiah 1:5 is often quoted as a verse that shows God's view on abortion, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you," along with Psalm 139:13-16, another verse that talks about God's role in our creation in the womb. But that is just talking about the role of God in creation, not in the placement of the soul in the body at that moment. God has his hand in the creation of everything. He knows everything before He creates it.
Exodus 21:22-25 is another verse that is used to show how God punishes those that cause (perform) abortions,
"If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, Eye for eye, tooth for tooth . . ."
While I don't think this verse has anything to do with abortion, both sides of the debate have used it to either defend, or condemn the act.
The pro-abortion side says that it clearly states that if the fetus dies, then a beating is due, but if the woman dies, then it shall be a life for a life, thus showing that the fetus isn’t a “life”.
The anti-abortion side likes to say that certain words have been mistranslated and that if you read it in the original Hebrew there would be no way you could use it for a pro-abortion argument.
Whether we interpret the verses as pro, or anti-abortion, it doesn’t matter. We can all twist scripture to say whatever we want through all sorts of arguments, but that isn’t going to help any.
Abortions are going to happen. Whether we label them as right or wrong, they are still going to take place. This is not the time to condemn; this is the time to show love. The Christian stance on abortion is one of the major issues that is showcased to the world when describing the ignorance and out-datedness of Christianity. Now I’m not saying we need to change our beliefs to be more popular, but I think we are making the wrong thing the center of attention.
When people think of Christianity and abortions, they think of those selfish assholes that stand outside picketing abortion clinics. What a travesty this is! Christians shouldn’t be known for their arrogance, their ignorance and their hatefulness. This is the perfect opportunity to reach out, to show people that we are caring, loving people that aren’t going to judge you for the decisions you make. We should have support groups, counselling services, and an open, accepting invitation to all women that make the decision to have an abortion. We should be known for our love and support, not our hatred and judgement.
Christianity is about love. Picketing abortion clinics is not love. Judging people for the decisions they make is not love.
Now I'm not arguing statistics here. I know that the majority of abortions are for the reason of convenience. And I’m not going to say that abortions are a “blessing.” Abortions will always be a contentious issue, and I just think that gives us all the more opportunity to change this image people have of Christians. Lose the picket signs and hateful slogans and pickup an attitude of love and forgiveness. It doesn’t matter what you believe, whether you are pro-choice or pro-life, what matters is how you love those that are making the decision.
She started off with an example that many would find they agree with. Maybe not that it is a blessing, but that it is semi-acceptable.
"When a woman finds herself pregnant due to violence and chooses an abortion, it is the violence that is the tragedy; the abortion is a blessing."
Her next example will find fewer supporters, yet it is still something that many would find to be an acceptable option, though maybe not a blessing.
"When a woman finds that the fetus she is carrying has anomalies incompatible with life, that it will not live and that she requires an abortion – often a late-term abortion – to protect her life, her health, or her fertility, it is the shattering of her hopes and dreams for that pregnancy that is the tragedy; the abortion is a blessing."
There are far fewer supporters for her last two examples, with many saying that abortions should not be allowed as a "get out of jail free" card to those who make poor decisions. Though it is still a woman's right to make that choice for herself and we cannot judge the experiences that lead to the decisions she is making, nor can we judge the decision itself.
"When a woman wants a child but can’t afford one because she hasn’t the education necessary for a sustainable job, or access to health care, or day care, or adequate food, it is the abysmal priorities of our nation, the lack of social supports, the absence of justice that are the tragedies; the abortion is a blessing."
"And when a woman becomes pregnant within a loving, supportive, respectful relationship; has every option open to her; decides she does not wish to bear a child; and has access to a safe, affordable abortion – there is not a tragedy in sight -- only blessing. The ability to enjoy God’s good gift of sexuality without compromising one’s education, life’s work, or ability to put to use God’s gifts and call is simply blessing."
The bible does not specifically address the issue of abortion, and I don't think any amount of Christian dogma or doctrine can make up for what the bible says or doesn't say.
Jeremiah 1:5 is often quoted as a verse that shows God's view on abortion, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you," along with Psalm 139:13-16, another verse that talks about God's role in our creation in the womb. But that is just talking about the role of God in creation, not in the placement of the soul in the body at that moment. God has his hand in the creation of everything. He knows everything before He creates it.
Exodus 21:22-25 is another verse that is used to show how God punishes those that cause (perform) abortions,
"If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, Eye for eye, tooth for tooth . . ."
While I don't think this verse has anything to do with abortion, both sides of the debate have used it to either defend, or condemn the act.
The pro-abortion side says that it clearly states that if the fetus dies, then a beating is due, but if the woman dies, then it shall be a life for a life, thus showing that the fetus isn’t a “life”.
The anti-abortion side likes to say that certain words have been mistranslated and that if you read it in the original Hebrew there would be no way you could use it for a pro-abortion argument.
Whether we interpret the verses as pro, or anti-abortion, it doesn’t matter. We can all twist scripture to say whatever we want through all sorts of arguments, but that isn’t going to help any.
Abortions are going to happen. Whether we label them as right or wrong, they are still going to take place. This is not the time to condemn; this is the time to show love. The Christian stance on abortion is one of the major issues that is showcased to the world when describing the ignorance and out-datedness of Christianity. Now I’m not saying we need to change our beliefs to be more popular, but I think we are making the wrong thing the center of attention.
When people think of Christianity and abortions, they think of those selfish assholes that stand outside picketing abortion clinics. What a travesty this is! Christians shouldn’t be known for their arrogance, their ignorance and their hatefulness. This is the perfect opportunity to reach out, to show people that we are caring, loving people that aren’t going to judge you for the decisions you make. We should have support groups, counselling services, and an open, accepting invitation to all women that make the decision to have an abortion. We should be known for our love and support, not our hatred and judgement.
Christianity is about love. Picketing abortion clinics is not love. Judging people for the decisions they make is not love.
Now I'm not arguing statistics here. I know that the majority of abortions are for the reason of convenience. And I’m not going to say that abortions are a “blessing.” Abortions will always be a contentious issue, and I just think that gives us all the more opportunity to change this image people have of Christians. Lose the picket signs and hateful slogans and pickup an attitude of love and forgiveness. It doesn’t matter what you believe, whether you are pro-choice or pro-life, what matters is how you love those that are making the decision.
The ability to leave comments has been fixed...I hope. :)
Here are some things I've been thinking and writing about:
~The things we give up for Lent, they are supposed to be things that have been getting between us and God. So wouldn't it make sense that we give them up for good?
~What does it mean to be the spiritual leader of the household?
~Is the emergent church watering down the gospel?
~What are the advantages to the cyber-church? What is more important, the evangelical or pastoral aspects?
~The things we give up for Lent, they are supposed to be things that have been getting between us and God. So wouldn't it make sense that we give them up for good?
~What does it mean to be the spiritual leader of the household?
~Is the emergent church watering down the gospel?
~What are the advantages to the cyber-church? What is more important, the evangelical or pastoral aspects?
Have you ever had God talk to you? I don't think I've ever felt God tell me something. Not the way some people say. Maybe I'm not listening.
What does it mean when someone says that God has talked to them? Does that mean they literally heard his voice? Or maybe He imparted thoughts directly into their brain. I've never really understood how that works exactly as I don't think I've ever experienced it.
Maybe I'm not listening? Maybe I'm too busy with "me" stuff, and I'm not listening to "Him" stuff? I like to think I'm living His will, not mine, but sometimes I don't really understand what that means. Someone once told me that God doesn't talk to me because I'm a heathen for not believing in a sexist, hateful God who prefers rules over love. Granted that was on a forum, as I don't tend to have discussions like that in real-life (not for lack of not wanting to, more because I just don't associate with people like that).
I'd love to hear from Him. Hear what He has to say to me. For my life. I just kinda roll with things, and pretend like what I'm doing is His will for me. Whether it is or not I really don't know, but then maybe He is at work in my life and I just don't know it?
It's weird. I'm going to learn how to listen. Maybe He's been saying stuff all along and I'm just not listening.
What does it mean when someone says that God has talked to them? Does that mean they literally heard his voice? Or maybe He imparted thoughts directly into their brain. I've never really understood how that works exactly as I don't think I've ever experienced it.
Maybe I'm not listening? Maybe I'm too busy with "me" stuff, and I'm not listening to "Him" stuff? I like to think I'm living His will, not mine, but sometimes I don't really understand what that means. Someone once told me that God doesn't talk to me because I'm a heathen for not believing in a sexist, hateful God who prefers rules over love. Granted that was on a forum, as I don't tend to have discussions like that in real-life (not for lack of not wanting to, more because I just don't associate with people like that).
I'd love to hear from Him. Hear what He has to say to me. For my life. I just kinda roll with things, and pretend like what I'm doing is His will for me. Whether it is or not I really don't know, but then maybe He is at work in my life and I just don't know it?
It's weird. I'm going to learn how to listen. Maybe He's been saying stuff all along and I'm just not listening.
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