We are the Body

God knows, and some of you do too, how much I've been struggling recently with the church. I've witnessed far too much hypocrisy, poor leadership, and dare I say, "pharisaic" attitudes within the body. Yesterday, however, God showed me and reminded me of what the church is all about.

A dear friend and colleague of mine was in dire straits. She had to have emergency surgery and the doctors weren't confident she would survive. It was in this context I witnessed the power of the Body of Christ. I saw it instantly mobilized through prayer. I saw my friend's husband, also a colleague, inundated with love and support from the church. In his hour of crisis, when he was weak, the Body of Christ lifted him up. I heard the prayers asking for God to guide the doctors and to heal our friend. I saw his grace be poured down on us like the rain that we see this season, giving new life to all. I saw the strength provided by a common love, confident in His ability to heal, and at worst (for us) confidence that ultimately He would provide the victory over death.

I was but a bystander yesterday, one of many praying and expressing support. I can only guess at what God did for my friend and her husband yesterday. I know, however, what He did for me. I wasn't the one in the operating room, yet I was healed yesterday. I needed reminding that the church is fallible. We are human and prone to error. Unfortunately, I've been looking too much at the error and not enough at the grace and love which still abound in His Body.

I think I've allowed myself to be a victim of Satan's deception. He wants me cynical. He wants me to lose faith in the Body; it's only a short trip then to losing faith in the Father. Yesterday, God boldly announced His presence in my world. Thank you God for doing that.

Death, Be Not Proud

Death surrounds us. It envelopes us like the heavy air of an August evening. From the moment we are born, the countdown has begun. We are all aware of the undeniable certainty that all things that live must die.

Death comes in and out of our lives, never ceasing to remind us of our own mortality. Remember that pet when you were a kid? Maybe your grandparents? Your parents? A trusted old friend? Maybe the specter of death has even approached you! Maybe you have realized just how temporal this "mortal coil" really is. Yes, Death wants us to know how powerful he is, that one day, no matter how hard we fight, no matter what we do, he will come calling for us.

Two thousand years ago, Death came calling on a hill in Jerusalem, Golgotha. It seemed like another victory, as Death followed the victim to the tomb. The tomb belonged to Joseph of Arimathea, but Death craved the body inside, a man known as Jesus of Nazareth. But this was no ordinary man; this was the Son of God. Unlike with every other man who has or ever will live, Death could not claim Jesus. He had power over the grave.

Today, we can share in that power. We can celebrate the fact that His followers found an empty tomb. We celebrate that angel's victorious words: "Why do you seek the living among the dead?" We can celebrate because Jesus' victory wasn't for Him, but for us. Because He lives, I do...and so do you! As Christians, we can be thankful that when Death comes for us, Jesus will be there waiting, saying, "You can't have this one. He's mine. I paid for him with with my blood. He is ransomed."


John Donne

72. "Death be not proud, though some have called thee"

DEATH be not proud, though some have called thee

Mighty and dreadfull, for, thou art not so,

For, those, whom thou think'st, thou dost overthrow,

Die not, poore death, nor yet canst thou kill me.

From rest and sleepe, which but thy pictures bee,
5
Much pleasure, then from thee, much more must flow,

And soonest our best men with thee doe goe,

Rest of their bones, and soules deliverie.

Thou art slave to Fate, Chance, kings, and desperate men,

And dost with poyson, warre, and sicknesse dwell,
10
And poppie, or charmes can make us sleepe as well,

And better then thy stroake; why swell'st thou then;

One short sleepe past, wee wake eternally,

And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die.

Hallelujah!

Did the Bengals just have a good draft?

The Rays were in the World Series last Fall, we elected an African-American president, Arizona made the Super Bowl, and now...the Bengals had what can only be termed as a "smart" draft. The Mayans might be a couple of years late! Contrary to recent form, the Bengals draft this weekend a) actually addressed positions of need b) contained picks in which they got exceptional value for the position, and c) contained no "reaches" or players thought to be picked way beyond their draft slot. In other words, the Bengals braintrust actually resembled a solid professional football franchise. Yes, their second sixth-round pick has some "baggage," but even he has been clean for two years while attending a Christian college. No Chris Henry's or AJ Nicholson's in this draft for the Bengals.

I'm encouraged especially by the first three rounds. They got a potential Pro Bowl offensive tackle, a stud middle linebacker who could anchor the defense for a decade, the best past rushing defensive end in the draft, and the Mackey Award winner at tight end. Then, in the fourth round, they addressed a glaring need at center with the kid from Arkansas. They picked up Huber, a local product, to compete at punter, and got some guys who will actually compete at training camp rather than just be training camp practice fodder. For the first time in a long time, I'm actually encouraged about training camp.

But if the Cubs win the World Series this year, I'm heading for the hills.

The faith of a mustard seed

I've discovered that the size of a mustard seed is proportional to the amount of uncertainty in one's future. For me, right now, that mustard seed seems to be the size of Jupiter. I just can't seem to garner enough faith.

I tell myself all the right things. I have others similarly encouraging me, and I'm grateful for that. Even still, doubt lingers around every corner. You see, no matter what scripture teaches me, no matter what other say to encourage me, I still have my own record. That record shows me too many times failed, too many poor decisions, too many times when my wisdom was proven to be folly. God is great, but is He big enough to save me from myself? That's what I wonder.

Dialogue (kind of) with a liberal

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to engage (briefly...liberals, in my experience are "one and done" in debates) a liberal. The point of contention was my link to the post below. Here's an excerpt:

Liberal: You behold the recent "tea parties" as if they were some new movement. If that's the case, then where were the surprising numbers of Obama voters who attended those rallies in support? In the coverage I saw, there were just tax complainers (who almost certainly never voted for this President). And that's not surprising since the last election was only 53-47, and THAT in the wake of the Bush albatross. But new? Only seems like repackaging to me. You say it's not about the present taxes for you, it's about the future. But if simple patriotic Americans like you can see our economic future so clearly, why didn't you also see that the sub-prime mess & credit-default swaps might nearly bring our entire economy down? Oh, right, that realization might've involved government regulation & stifling free market enterprise/profits. I don't want government "staying out of the way" in such instances. So, thanks, I guess, but I'm going with the other guy. I think he's smarter & more prescient than your side. No, taxes and government will not create wealth. But then if you & I talk about wealth, I doubt we're talking about the same things. Reading Herman E Daly's "Beyond Growth" might provide a starting point, but I digress. I believe Obama's aim, through tax credits, small business loans, public emphasis & much cheerleading is to help launch a smarter, leaner, more eco-friendly wave of entrepreneurship that will redefine & recreate American business, and how it's regarded in the world. My hope (& I think his) is that such a renewal will help support a tax system that attempts to provide the truly critical services for its hundreds of millions of citizens. Tea parties? Please.

Me: There probably would've been more Obama voters turn out if the organizers had gotten some hip bands to play. That seemed to work during the campaign. We've been over and over the subprime mess. Yes, the Bush administration has to shoulder their share of the blame. So does a Democratic Congress and previous administration that provided the incentives through their involvement to create the sub-prime lending problem. You conveniently ignore the fact that it was NOT a free market that got us into this mess. Rather it was the government's overinvolvement in the market that discounted what would've been normal market forces. Most of the lenders simply wouldn't have given the loans to such risky clients. But the govt. made it worth their while to do so in order to accomplish some grand scheme of social engineering. Had the govt. stayed out of the way in the first place, we wouldn't be talking about the need for more regulation. But then again, that's the nature of liberal policy: create a need, and then fill it.
I don't doubt that you're after some overhauled sense of the American economy. It most certainly will "redefine" American business. History shows me, however, it will not promote growth. I'll invite you to read any of Paul Johnson's historical works, particularly "Modern Times" as well as Thomas Sowell's "The Vision of the Anointed." Indeed, your side isn't trumpeting anything new either. These failed policies have been tried in the past to disastrous ends.

Liberal: Now I wouldn't presume to speak for any other Obama supporter, but I am certainly one. And I admit I take a fair amount of pleasure in seeing the near-apoplectic reactions that spew forth with each new thing this President does. At least I bet we can agree that it hasn't been a dull first 100 days. And there's been little that Obama's suggested or pursued in this time that he hadn't indicated he favored before the election. With each new enraged complaint, I'm seeing more of the change I can believe in.

Me: I've never questioned Obama's not sticking to his agenda. It was clear for anyone who wanted to see it during the campaign. He's just a little more brazen about it now. I believe in his desire to change things as well...and it frightens me for our future, as it should anyone who has even the slightest knowledge about history.

Liberal: Just wait till the health care legislation debate reaches full volume. The cries of socialism will be deafening. Oh, I didn't notice health care reform & insurance among the critical government services you see a need to rely upon. How convenient. Maybe it's because I worked so long in healthcare related fields & with the disabled & had to witness so many lives and families ruined by lack of adequate insurance that provision or availability of such insurance is a big deal to me. While my own insurance is still perfectly adequate, such is not the case for many average, patriotic Americans. You really want to talk about "For the People"? Then explain to the perhaps 20% of workers w/o healthcare coverage or to those families who have no way to pay for coverage or their medical expenses just how your tea parties are going to help them. Good luck with that. Perhaps this is an area where Republicans & Democrats in Congress can reach some compromise. If private health insurance companies really want to address availability of coverage & preexisting medical conditions, then talk of bipartisan approaches may yet yield some benefit.

Me: Here your rant reaches full throat. I too have worked in health-care related fields. I'm sure there are those who are not adequately covered, many of whom are so through their own volition and some through their own negligence. That is tragic, but there will never be a system that makes up for poor decision making. That's the nirvana that liberals have been trying to accomplish for decades, only to produce the opposite of what they intended (see the War on Poverty). You all don't understand the people. That is apparent now, and is always apparent with the policy. You look down on them to be pitied. You then try to control their behavior through some misplaced sense of compassion. You ignore these facts: This cannot be done, and even if it could, you rob people of their essence: their liberty.
It's pretty simple: you want some sort of pie-in-the-sky preconceived outcome for the people (your version of equality). I want, and what the American experiment is based on, is individual liberty...the innate ability for the individual to determine his own destiny. That is worth more than silver and gold.
So you and your colleagues may continue to laugh all the while. The essence of liberty will never die, and people like me will continue to champion it in the face of those who would like to limit it, whatever the cost.

Lessons to be learned:

1. Liberals really can't do logical debate. Generally, they're starting from a flawed premise, so further rejoinders are out of reach for them.

2. Said flawed premise is usually something quite well-intentioned. By no means do I believe liberals are "evil." Deluded perhaps, but not evil.

3. At the root of liberal policy is a need to condescend. "Those who know what's best for us must rise and save us from ourselves." To be sure, there are those on the right with this mentality as well (the "church ladies"). But these "anointed" to use Sowell's term, regularly seek the power to implement their condescending policies. Sadly, but not surprisingly, they produce the opposite effect of what they seek.

What the left needs to understand about conservatives

Key graph:

"Many of our detractors point out that the original Tea Party in 1773 was about taxation without representation and it is our duly elected Representatives who are doing what we elected them to do. Their point would be valid if we were protesting present day taxes. That's not what we are doing. What we are protesting is the taxes our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren will be forced to pay to service the debt Obama and company are incurring today. Our grandchildren aren't asking for this. They don't even know it's coming and before they are old enough to drink from a cup, they are already tens of thousands of dollars in debt."


http://www.violenceworker.com/my_weblog/2009/04/an-open-letter-to-our-liberal-friends.html

More liberal fun with language

A government "bailout" of newspapers? Holy crap! Have these people completely taken leave of their senses?

"[I] can't imagine anything more dangerous than a society in which the news industry has more or less collapsed."

I can. It would be a society in which the government controlled the news media. Our founding fathers thought so, too. They included a small codicil in the Constitution addressing this very situation: the First Amendment.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/16/obama-appointee-suggests-radical-plan-newspaper-bailout/

I can't decide whether to laugh at these folks or weep for my country.

h/t Sandra K.

They did it their way

"My Way" is the most requested funeral song according to a British poll. That says all that needs be said about our contemporary culture.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090416/ennew_afp/entertainmentbritainfuneralsmusicoffbeat

Tea Parties a success: What's next?

By all accounts (at least outside the CNN newsroom) the tea parties yesterday were a success. Thousands of Americans peacefully showed their disgust with this administration's fiscal policies all around the country. The turnouts were very good, and even better was the behavior, especially in contrast to that of ANSWER and Code Pink rallies we've seen over the past 8 years. What's more encouraging are the obvious signs of fear on the left: CNN and MSNBC were in full attack mode and Nancy Pelosi was quoted spinning these demonstrations as "astroturf" not "grass roots." When the Democratic spin meisters are operating at this level, something's afoot. What it is is the left's worst nightmare: a mobilized, outraged conservative base. That's exactly what has been missing the past few years.

The question remains: What happens next? If conservatives are indeed able to maintain this level of involvement and mobilization heading into the midterm elections, that could spell trouble for the current Democratic majority. Without a majority to rubber-stamp his legislation, Obama could be looking at some serious problems during the second half of his term. Already we've seen his "bipartisan" campaign rhetoric was merely so much smoke being blown up the collective backside of America. Obama's actual ruling philosophy is more in line with his "I won" statement.

Bottom line: Obama has done a pitifully poor job of uniting Americans behind him during his first 100 days. Rather than providing "hope" as promised, he has moved a significant portion of the population to outrage. Polls are showing that some of these folks probably even voted for Obama. All the more reason for outrage, in my estimation. Just about every politician in my experience disappoints to some extent. Campaign rhetoric gets so ramped up, no one can sustain what he/she promises on the trail. Obama, however, may just be treading new ground in this department. At best, he has clearly shown himself to be a hollow shell of "the one" who promoted so much change before the election. At worst, he's shown himself to be duplicitous, running on one agenda, and now governing from a far different place. To those of us who were paying attention during the campaign, this comes as no surprise.

The tea parties may just be a beginning. By 2012, we could see a feeding frenzy as more and more disenchanted voters voice their displeasure.

How to Beat Up Anything

Check out the new blog I found. http://www.howtobeatupanything.com/

Outstanding! Here's a sample:

"A sock full of nickels is invaluable in a brawl. It's compact, easy-to-wield and handy when heading to a fight on the opposite side of a tollbooth. Consider it your new best friend... Sorry, Derek.* (Immediately tell Derek your friendship is over.)
Grip the sock close to the the nickel-end. Don't allow too much slack as that can cause the weapon to get out of control. Target the back of the head and, if facing your adversary, the point of the chin. Swing away!
If you feel the fight slipping away from you, slice a small hole in the sock and dash it against the ground, sending nickels flying everywhere. Immediately, a flock of hobos will descend on the nickels, obscuring everything in a grubby cloud of motion, allowing you to safely make your escape.
*Even though sock-filled-with-nickels is your new best friend, resist the urge to draw eyes and a smiley mouth on it with a magic marker. It's just gonna creep everyone out. And don't talk to it, either."

Neo-Utilitarianism

We need to call post-modern logic what it is: neo-utilitarianism. Whatever works at the time is the logical thing to do, future consequences be damned. Bonnie Erbe's column below is a perfect illustration. Remember when the abortion argument was a matter of "women's health"? Remember when the "pro-choice" movement was up in arms about women's health and being pregnant by rape or spousal coercion? Oh, for those halcyon days. Now we've reached the point where having an abortion is being argued as a wise economic decision. Aborting a child, apparently, is on par with moving one's 401K funds over to cash reserve.

http://www.usnews.com/blogs/erbe/2009/04/01/in-a-recession-abortions-are-not-a-bad-choice.html

Bonnie asks: "But in the long run, can we not agree that an unwed couple's decision not to bring a fourth child into the world when they are having trouble feeding themselves and three children is no tragedy? It's actually a fact-based, rational decision that in the end benefits the three children they already have and society as well."

In a word, Bonnie...NO! What is tragic is the lack of self-control and planning on the part of this couple that places them in this situation. We can safely presume they were aware of the "birds and the bees," and yet chose freely to engage in what, for them, was risky behavior. What is tragic, Bonnie, is that not one mention is made in your piece of adoption. Is it too much to ask that this struggling couple contact an adoption agency who would pay for all the mother's pre-natal care and delivery expenses. They could even find some who would even pay the couple a stipend for giving away their parental rights. Meanwhile, the child would be allowed to live and some blessed couple would be able to realize the joy of parenthood.

Sorry, Bonnie. Every single time an innocent life is snuffed out, it's a tragedy. What is more tragic is the "logic" of folks like yourself that enables you to justify what is, in my mind, the single greatest atrocity ever committed by humankind.

They found the body

Yesterday, Christians all over the world celebrated Easter, the commemoration of the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. I'm sure most of you reading this are well-versed in the story of the Passion. Still, the significance of this annually recognized event (weekly for many churches through the communion ritual) may be going largely unnoticed. Jesus Christ arose. Do we really grasp what this means for us?

First as Paul lays out in his epistles, the resurrection is the linchpin of the faith. Everything depends on His rising from the dead. If Jesus body was stolen, like many in the first century claimed, or if this was all some sort of elaborate hoax, then where is our hope. Jesus merely becomes another Socrates or Aristotle: a great teacher whose ideas, in the end, went to the grave with him.

No Jesus resurrected, in bodily form. Not just as spirit, as was claimed by the Gnostics, but in a tangible form; tangible enough that Thomas was able to actually touch His nail-pierced hands. After appearing to the disciples, he then ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of His Father. But as we are instructed, He left His body behind. That's us.

I'm in the middle of reading "unChristian," a book written by Barna group president David Kinnamon and Gabe Lyons. The Barna group is well-known in Christendom for their market research work for churches. They are the "Gallup" of the Christian world. The quality of their research has been recognized now for decades. What Kinnamon has found and recorded in this book is this: the Body of Christ is still here, but it's vital signs are weak. In the eyes of the emerging generations, the Body is viewed as being critically ill.

Kinnamon's research mirrors many of my experiences in the Church. He finds, among other things, that the prevailing attitudes toward Christianity by the emerging generations (defined roughly as 18-39 year-olds) are almost uniformly negative. What this generation sees in the Body of Christ is not Christ, but legalism, hypocrisy, judgmental attitudes, extreme politicization, a lack of compassion, and perhaps most alarmingly, a distinct unwillingness to extend the love of Christ to "outsiders." He does address some of the mitigating factors concerning these attitudes, but a sobering and disappointing conclusion still remains: an overwhelming majority of young people today do not see Christ in the Body of Christ. They have found the body, and it's vitality is in question.

This information should be a wake-up call for all of us who wear the name of Christ. Jesus' resurrection continues to be the linchpin for our faith. But the event not only assures us of our hope in Him, it provides the foundation for His continued influence among those who do not yet know Him. I know, more than once, I've found myself sincerely singing "Lord come quickly, Alleluia" during worship. The pains of this world can be great and it is tempting to merely focus on the reward to come rather than on the work yet to be done. Do we truly understand that if our hope was realized today, if Christ returned to take us home, that many of our friends, neighbors, and loved ones would be on the outside looking in? Are we content with that fact? If we are, then I'd submit the Body of Christ has lost its heart.

There is undeniable truth in Kinnamon's findings. The Body of Christ has been found...and it's not doing well.

Taking the weekend off

I'm taking the weekend off to spend some time with family and get some things done around the house. Let all of us remember what we celebrate this weekend. Yesterday was the commemoration of the greatest sacrifice we've ever known. Christ fulfilled his earthly mission and suffered on the cross for us. Tomorrow, the world rejoices as we celebrate His resurrection: the ultimate victory over sin and death. He is risen. Hallelujah!

Is Tiger killiing sportsmanship

http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_12111710

Remember when our star athletes were having fun? Did Jack Nicklaus ever scour, slam his clubs, and scream out the "F-word" after a bad shot? Arnold Palmer? Michael Jordan could smile while putting the dagger in the chest of an opponent. I'll never forget Pete Rose, perhaps the ultimate "competitor", saying to Carlton Fisk after the latter had just hit his famous Game 6 winning home run, rounding third base: "Ain't this great?"

Have we lost all sense of fun in our sports? Have guys like Tiger and Bill Belichek become the norm? Are rings and jackets all that matters? If that's the case, what's the use of sport? Sports are supposed to be a release, an escape from the seriousness of life. Watching dour winners and boorish losers does nothing to provide that outlet. If I want that, I'll turn on C-Span.

Are we a Christian nation?

In principle and precept, most definitely so. The evidence is undeniable.

http://townhall.com/blog/g/8d04dc1a-2023-459a-9bfb-69c390d21df0

Great piece by Greg Hengler. Be sure to watch the clip of Ken Blackwell and Christopher Hitchens debating this topic.

Key graph:

"Both “clauses” are addressing Congress. Congress shall make no law and Congress shall not prohibit the free exercise thereof. This was written so American government would not be like British government where the King decried which denomination of Christianity his country would practice. How does this Amendment apply to a kid thanking Jesus at graduation? How about a little girl who draws a cross with crayons in art class? The list of stupidity around the “separation” issue is endless."

I would add that the prohibitions in the instances cited above are blatant violations of the "free exercise" clause of the 1st amendment. If we as Christians are going to be politically involved, I'd argue this is a great place to start.

What in Heaven's name is going on in Iowa?

After Kevin Costner's Ray Kinsiella has completed his "Field of Dreams," the ghost of Shoeless Joe Jackson queries him as to if this baseball paradise in the middle of a cornfield is indeed "Heaven." Ray famously replies, "No, it's Iowa."

After this week's Iowa Supreme Court ruling allowing same sex marriages, the gulf between the standards of Heaven and those in Iowa couldn't be greater. Unsurprisingly, yet another state's Supreme Court has struck down the traditional definition of marriage and allowed that term to be applied to same sex couples. Christians everywhere are up in arms as they see the foundations of the faith, the very foundations which have also provided for the success of this nation, come under attack at every corner. What is not clear is what we should do about it.

I think it has become all too clear that the effort of Christian America to preserve and defend the faith through the political process is in vain. This should be axiomatic, both from a scriptural perspective and a common sense one.

After all, Jesus himself had access to political figures. He very well could have chosen to advance His Kingdom through political means. His ministry could have focused on reforming the Pharisees and Saducees, the political "machine" in the region. He had an audience with Pilate, the Roman governor in which he could have proclaimed his opposition to the abuses of the Roman Empire. No, instead, he chose to build "ecclesia," His church, a body of believers acting on the local level, as the instrument of change. What Jesus, in His perfect wisdom saw, was the power of "grass roots" change. To paraphrase the nature of some parables, "if the lawn is dying, you don't just mow it and cut off the dead tips. You treat the root system. If necessary, you dig it up and put in new sod."

Christians have been attempting for decades now to engage change through the political system, to little or no avail. Cal Thomas puts it well in his column this week about the events in Iowa:

"To those on the political and religious right who are intent on continuing the battle to preserve "traditional marriage" in a nation that is rapidly discarding its traditions, I would ask this question: what poses a greater threat to our remaining moral underpinnings? Is it two homosexuals living together, or is it the number of heterosexuals who are divorcing and the increasing number of children born to unmarried women, now at nearly 40 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention?
Most of those who are disturbed about same-sex marriage are not as exercised about preserving heterosexual marriage. That's because it doesn't raise money and won't get them on TV. Some preachers would rather demonize gays than oppose heterosexuals who violate their vows by divorcing, often causing harm to their children. That's because so many in their congregations have been divorced and preaching against divorce might cause some to leave and take their contributions with them.
The battle over same-sex marriage is on the way to being lost. For conservatives who still have faith in the political system to reverse the momentum, you are -- to recall Harold Hill -- "closing your eyes to a situation you do not wish to acknowledge.'"

http://townhall.com/columnists/CalThomas/2009/04/07/trouble_in_river_city?page=full&comments=true

The power to change and revolutionize our culture for the cause of Christ can no more be found in Washington, D.C. than it was in Rome. What is demanded by Christ, the lifestyle of personal sacrifice, of loving one's enemies, of true "agape" love, run contrary to our sinful human nature, and thus will never be a platform from which populist politicians can benefit. Politicians, by nature, soothe the "itching ears" of their short-sighted constituents. The gospel message, while indeed "good news" to all who will hear it, is not good news at all to those who insist on living self-absorbed lives.

More troubling is the fact that the church is not living out this message herself. How can we expect non-believers to respect the Word of God when we are living in violation of it ourselves. As Thomas mentions above, it's more than a little difficult for the church to take a stand on the sanctity of marriage when Christian marriages are failing at the same rate as the rest of society. Until we as Christians get our house in order, we're not going to be able to advocate effectively for others to clean up their houses. I believe Jesus had something to say about that as well.

Yes, the Iowa ruling is disturbing, as were the rulings in Massachusetts, Vermont, and Hawaii. I really doubt this will be the last one. What Christian can honestly read the scripture and have faith in the civil government to save this world? More likely to happen (what has happened) is for the corruption of the political process to poison the church.

If we want to do something about the sanctity of marriage, let's begin in our own homes. Wives, submit to your husbands. Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church. (Submission becomes easy when your spouse is willing to die for you). Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, but instead bring them up in the fear and admonition of the Lord.

The Christian community must stabilize its own homes. Only then will we become the "city on a hill" that Jesus calls us to be. When we, through our lives, are able to show the light of Christ, there will be no need to engage in politics. Those in power will engage us, seeing the brilliance of the light we're producing.

So don't fret about what's happening in Iowa or D.C. Take care of your home and display authentic Christian leadership.

My Epiphany

Most of my readers (maybe 2 out of the 3) know that this has been a pretty rough past 6 months for me and my family. In September, I found out my mom had terminal colon cancer. She died in November. As all that was going on, my board decided to close down my school, leaving me with the task of shutting down the operations, helping staff and families find alternatives, and, oh yeah, finding a new job for myself.

Needless to say, this has been a great test of my faith. There have been times when it feels as if the ground underneath me is giving way. Too many times have I allowed myself to wallow in self-pity, questioning God and His ability to provide for me. Yesterday, I believe God spoke to me, in the form of my own son.

It was a seemingly insignificant moment. My son came to me in need. He and his sister had been playing around when they should have been in bed and she accidentally popped him in the mouth with a toy, resulting in a bloody lip for my son. He came to me for help. We got a paper towel and wiped away the blood, revealing just a small cut, nothing major. He still needed comforting, though. He continually came to me, telling me about the stinging and how that was keeping him from sleeping. I assured him that it was just a small cut. We went to the mirror and looked at it. I told him that it was the small cuts that sometimes stung the most. If he would just close his eyes and allow himself to sleep, he'd be fine in the morning.

What spoke to me were his eyes. All the while he was seeking out his father's help, his eyes were fixed on me. He listened to everything I said. He gave himself completely over to my care. Even when it still hurt after the blood was gone, he trusted in my diagnosis of the situation and went to sleep. My child had a problem, a hurt, and came to his father for help. He trusted his father's every word and followed his instruction. And his father was there for him. He provided for his son, rewarding his trust.

I need to focus on my Father the way my son focuses on me. Jesus was clear about this in Luke 11:13:

"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?"

My Father WILL provide for me in this moment of need. Through my blindness and inexperience, I can't see the perfection of his care; nonetheless, His care and providence is there and will be perfect. In the end, it's just a small cut. Even so, it stings quite a bit. My Father is busy, however, caring for my pain.

Father, help me to keep my eyes focused on you.

Obama supporters' rose-colored glasses

It would appear from this Pew Research data that President Obama's support is more partisanly derived than any other president in recent history. The study finds thusly:


"For all of his hopes about bipartisanship, Barack Obama has the most polarized early job approval ratings of any president in the past four decades. The 61-point partisan gap in opinions about Obama's job performance is the result of a combination of high Democratic ratings for the president -- 88% job approval among Democrats -- and relatively low approval ratings among Republicans (27%)."

This would suggest to me what I've been saying all along: Obama's supporters are seeing what they want to see. Obama is not enjoying any sort of popularity based on objective factors (as much as objectivity can be present in gaging popularity) but is instead being viewed through heavily partisan blinders. One has to wonder, given the early events of his presidency, just how bad will it have to get before these blinders come off?

Read the study for yourself:

http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1178/polarized-partisan-gap-in-obama-approval-historic

Opening Day

This blogging thing is tough. My goal was to post every day, but life gets in the way. In any event, today is my "New Year's Day": the opening of the baseball season. Yeah, the Braves and Phillies played last night in ESPN's made-for-TV opener, but any self-respecting baseball fan knows that the season officially begins in Cincinnati, when the Reds, baseball's first team, throw the first pitch.

The weather is typically grey and unpredictable here in the Queen City. It may rain, it may even snow. Nobody knows whether they'll get the game in. Even so, the city is alive. As I type this, the Findlay Market parade is gearing up, and hope springs eternal (if not cautiously so) for the Reds to finally make the playoffs for the first time in 13 years, or at least finish above .500 for the first time in 8 years.

They have the pitching, maybe. Can Harang and Arroyo stay healthy? Can Volquez repeat his success of last year? Is this Cueto's breakout year? These are all big questions to be answered, but at least we're not saying, "Who's the 5th starter? I thought he retired three years ago."

The real question marks are on offense, where a group of young stars will be depended on to provide the pop. Gone are Griffey and Dunn. Votto, Bruce, and Phillips will be expected to produce the runs. It would appear that the days of the Reds resembling a beer league softball team are in the past. We should see some actual baseball down at GABP this season, replete with stolen bases, hit and runs, and maybe even a sacrifice bunt or squeeze play thrown in.

I don't really know whether this young Reds team will have enough steam to overcome the evil "store bought" Cubs team. I do know that I will enjoy watching this young team develop. Finally, the Reds seem to be going about the baseball business the right way: drafting and developing home-grown talent and filling holes with strategic free agent signings. This is the only approach for the Reds, who will never be in a Manny Ramirez or CC Sabathia sweepstakes. Trying to depend on free agency has only netted the Reds bloated contracts for players past their prime (see Eric Milton). This team will be young, energetic, and play an exciting brand of baseball. That much I'm sure of.

But hey, it's Opening Day. This is the day where everyone believes "this could be our year."

Play Ball!

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

America has always been a nation comprised of communities. As time has marched on, those communities have become more widespread and far flung, but they are still the bedrock of this nation nonetheless. With the advent of the internet, a new type of community has developed: the virtual community. On countless internet message boards covering every interest under the sun, people gather, much like they used to do in the old town square or down by the general store, to discuss the events of the day. They are drawn together by their commonalities. I have been a part of several of these communities over the past three years. What follows are my impressions on what I have encountered in these virtual communities.

First of all, let me disclose the communities of which I have been active, either as a participant or as a "lurker"(internet speak for one who reads the board, but never comments). I started "lurking" on two message boards right after 9/11. The discussion about this monumental event in our lives was riveting and provocative. On Yahoo! I found a bunch of college football fans who had started an "off topic" board to discuss the events of the day. On "The O-Zone" I found a similar community that had cropped up after 9/11. Later, I would start participating with fellow Kentucky basketball fans on "The Cat's Pause." This board was only devoted to Kentucky basketball. What I've observed and encountered on these boards is a mixed bag of scintillating discussion, limitations due to the text-based format, and some of the most disrespectful human interaction I've ever seen.

The Good: The internet has created an avenue where people from all walks of life can instantaneously get together and share common interests. It is not bound by geography, or even by more traditional barriers like class and race. On the internet, with most operating under aliases or "handles," there is no way to know whether a particular poster is rich or poor, black or white, young or old, unless it is disclosed by the poster. This has produced a never before seen authentic "melting pot" in these communities where individuals are truly judged by the "content of their character" (at least as expressed in their posts) and not by some external factor.

Another positive byproduct of message board communities is the nature of the dialogue. The anonymity allowed there reduces many of the peer-induced inhibitions that might be present in traditional face-to-face communities. The remote quality of communication also forgoes many social constrictions like waiting one's turn to speak. One does not have to worry about being "shouted down" or not being able to "get a word in edgewise." On message boards, one's two-cents may be spent liberally and without interference.

The Bad: As liberating as internet communication might be, it also brings some new challenges with it. If these unique qualities of purely text-based communication aren't considered, this type of community can become chaotic and self-defeating. Non-literal communication, such as irony and sarcasm, are hard to interpret. Many utilize icons (;-) or :-)) to emphasize that they are "just kidding," but these are often forgotten by the poster or misinterpreted or missed by the reader. This can result in a thread of debate based on false assumptions.

Equally problematic is that lack of outside knowledge of other posters most have on these anonymous boards. In our face-to-face communities, we usually interact with people in a variety of settings. Over time, we develop a "history" with these people which serves as a sort of filter for their communication. We know their backgrounds, what agendas they bring to the conversation, and through what lenses they are viewing a particular problem. The anonymity of the internet often limits that important knowledge. While that anonymity can liberate the poster, it can create ambiguous perceptions in the communication process. Where does the poster live? What does he/she do for a living? Are they married? Do they go to church? All of these pieces of basic information are often missing from the message board community. We know they share something in common with us (i.e. a love for football or politics) but there is much we don't know that would help us to understand where they are coming from.

The Ugly: Unfortunately, I've also witnessed some very ugly moments on these boards as well. The same qualities discussed above can contribute to a most uncivil dialogue in these communities. Those social constructs which restrict authentic dialogue in face-to-face communities also can act as a brake on uncivil behavior. In internet communities, "flamers" and "trolls" come on board with the sole purpose of inciting the community with inflammatory posts. The anonymity of the message board allows them to do so with relative impunity.

Authentic dialogue also has its downside. For me, there was a kind of "ignorant safety" I have developed within my face to face communities. There, some things are left unspoken. Any underlying ugliness that exists in a community's attitude or world view is often kept well hidden. Not so on message boards. We get to see some of the underlying motives for posters' positions and all too often, that's not very attractive. I've learned a great deal over the past three years about people and their positions. I can summarize it in this statement: Those with whom I disagree are not demons motivated by evil, and those with whom I agree are not angels motivated by truth. Much of the veneer surrounding philosophies and world views gets stripped away; the "niceties" of face-to-face communication are often absent. What's left, even if it's a position that I hold, is often not very pretty.

These discoveries have caused me to abandon all my message board participation, save one place: The O-Zone. This board is much different than the others. On this board, there is a greater sense of community. Many of the posters voluntarily associate outside of the board. There is a genuine sense of concern here. There are "prayer threads" where members disclose needs for other members to pray about. There is professional networking in which folks help others find jobs, or solve problems related to their jobs. Home repair, relationship advice, and just good old fun are the order of the day most days on the O-Zone. Yes, there are difficulties there. There are the "trolls" and "flamers" and some folks are more "likeable" than others...in other words, it's pretty much like a regular community.

I give a lot of the credit to the "mods" of the O-Zone, the volunteer moderators who are the de facto "government" and "police" of the internet community. On the O-Zone, the moderators are active posters who interact in other ways with the posters. They are not promoted above other posters, nor are they solely there as disciplinarians. The "government" of this community is truly derived from the consent of the governed. They are also pretty even-handed and mindful of keeping a civil community. On other sites, I've found either no moderation, which quickly deteriorates into anarchy, or inconsistent moderation, which allows certain "favored" posters carte blanche, while others are deleted or "banned" seemingly indiscriminately.

This new phenomenon in our culture can be a positive one. As we become more mobile in our work and travel, these message board communities can serve a valuable social purpose. Let's hope the norm becomes the type of community I've found at the O-Zone and not the chaos and incivility all too present elsewhere.