>Don’t do your best.

I know! Right? The reality is, sometimes trying your best isn’t good enough. You know the scenario. Your favorite team has tried their hardest in a critical playoff game, but for some reason they just couldn’t achieve a win.

Doing your best in a competition is one thing, but most often it is not good enough in matters that involve character, relationships, and life-choices.

>You must not think in those terms in these areas.

I have heard a cheating spouse sum up their choices in the marriage saying, “I did my best.” Really? I get it. The marriage became difficult. Your spouse wouldn’t change in some important areas that eventually drove you away emotionally. But it’s hard to believe that cheating was your best.

I have listened as a parent described their choice to leave home finish with, “I did my best.” So not helping to raise your child is your best? Never being at games, plays, or birthdays was your best? Shame on you.

These individuals tell themselves they did their best so they can justify wrong choices and live with themselves. The truth is, in these scenarios, the person did what he or she was willing, or even able, to do at the time. I’ll give them that. But it doesn’t change the reality. And if they really did their best, the cold hard truth is: it wasn’t good enough.

“I did my best” is a defeatist statement that masks guilt and deflects responsibility. I know it sound hard and harsh. There are no apologies or spoons of sugar that can make some truths softer. Don’t get caught in this cycle.

Don’t do your best. Sometimes it’s not good enough. What’s the solution? Instead, do what’s right. Again:

>Don’t do your best, do what’s right. 

Let me make it clear, in a competition do your best, but in matters of character do what’s right.

>>>

Dear Christian, Don’t Do Your Best

I’ve been part of a lot of small group environments, and, with out a doubt, the most destructive people in those settings have been the ones who have called themselves ‘mature’ Christians.

>It’s a terrible thing to be in a group of people who simply want to work on spiritual growth, but a few just want to clobber others with religiosity.

Mature Christians are always the ones arguing about Harry Potter, rock music, baptism methods, versions of the Bible, and how to pray correctly. They are cold, judgmental, and gossipy.

>In the small groups I’ve been part of, it was the ‘mature’ Christians destroyed the intimacy of the group and ruined it.

They weren’t committed to the group or the relationships. They were only concerned with getting their needs met. Instead of spiritual curiosity, they possessed religious indignation. Instead of humble self-awareness, they were grossly self-satisfied (and maybe even a little self-absorbed).

I know this isn’t nice to say. I’m not trying to be critical, but sometimes some things just have to be said for fear of others falling into this mold (that’s me and you). So don’t. Please don’t.

I’m not perfect or even close. That’s why I prefer the term ‘seasoned’ Christian, if a term must be used. It is not so absolute. It implies that you’ve been through some stuff but haven’t necessarily arrived yet.

>Rather, a seasoned Christian is dedicated and devoted and still working on it.

Keep working on it, Christian.

>>>

Dear Christian, Don’t Be A ‘Mature’ Christian

When I was getting my theology degree my studies had a pastoral emphasis. Among others, I had to read a book about servanthood. It had a cover of a guy in a tuxedo holding a plunger. I thought it was stupid. And it was. The cover not the book, that is.

No, the book wasn’t about being overdressed for doody duty. It was a statement about remembering, as Christians, that no matter what capacity we occupy or position we hold, we are servants first.

>We hold the dual role of ambassadors…and servants.

In fact, service is our gift to this world. Let’s be honest, there are certain people we just don’t want to give that gift to. Too bad. Get over it.

As Jesus served us, we serve him by serving others. Husbands serve wives and vice versa. Loving parents even find ways to serve their children. Good managers serve their subordinates, which makes better employees. We can serve friends and incorrigible family members—especially them. Find ways. That’s our duty.

>Serving is sacrificial at its core.

It seeks to bring healing and enlightenment to a broken world. Christians should be the best servants. Many times they are. Countless hospitals, relief efforts, literacy programs, and recovery programs have historically been initiated and sustained by Christians serving. There is always room for improvement and reflection. There is never a time for boasting.

>Service must be at the very center of your faith.

Otherwise it is fake and hollow. It has no substance. As James the brother of Jesus said, “Faith without works dead.” (James 2:26) Be sacrificial. Be a servant.

>>

Dear Christian, Be A Servant

>We live in a day and place where ignorance is the most costly commodity there is, so to speak.

Start by realizing all media has a bias. As I like to say, if you have a pulse you have a bias. Much to their protesting, that goes for the news media as well. So work at informing yourself. Read multiple sources—the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. Watch Fox News and CNN.

>You also need to know the news media as a whole mostly votes for Democrats over 80% of the time–and always has.

I’m not saying that’s right or wrong, actually it’s left (Ha!). I simply think this is important to know when reading the ‘news’ and how facts are reported. There’s often a slant.

Part of the professionalism breaks down in philosophy. Too many journalists view their role as a means to “make a difference” or “report the truth” or “affect change.” I even remember hearing this while working on my Mass Communications degree from other students. The problem is, whose truth? Whose change? And for what difference?

>It’s unavoidable for ideology not to break through.

All these imply agenda and activism, and that is not the role of a responsible journalist. The fundamental role and purpose of a journalist is to report the facts, hence the name reporter. But I guess reporting facts gets boring, so ideology bleeds through. Don’t be offended. Just be aware.

>Be a responsible citizen and be an informed one.

Personally, I read around 100 headlines a day and about 10% of those articles from a variety of sources.

Being ignorant is dangerous. Being informed is effective.

>>>

Dear Christian, Be An Informed Citizen

I once read (ironically) that only 20% of the population actively and regularly reads. I’ll bet it’s less now.

Reading is different than anything else. Listening to things and watching things is great, but it is passive. Nothing engages you like reading. You use your eyes, imagination, and all corners of the mind. It’s introspective and cathartic.

>Nothing causes you to learn like reading. 

I know I sound like an old-timer on this—like this is something gramps would say. That’s fine with me. I’ll take it. I love being grouped with the old wisdom of the  seasoned generation. The fact is, this is true. There’s something about reading that becomes part of who you are.

>If there’s anyone that should be reading, it’s Christians.

Our whole culture revolves around Scripture. (You know, THE BIBLE!) Obviously, read the Bible, but also take in the reflections, experience, and studies of others. Read the inspiration of others, fiction, nonfiction, history, and news. And if you are rooted in the Word, you will be able to sift through and discern both Christian and non-Christian content. And don’t think that just because someone is a Christian, what they write is necessarily Biblically accurate or inspired, including Jason T. Berggren (that’s me!).

>Reading can literally increase you intelligence.

There are two kinds of people in this world. Those that read. And those that don’t. Be a reader. Be a Barean.

“Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”-Acts 17:11, NIV

>>>

Dear Christian, Be a Reader

This Message Is Awkward & Powerful At The Same Time

Anyway, Data was a brilliant character because he was always completely anomored with everything about the human experience. What humans took for granted, brought him thrills and excitement as he mimicked and experienced music, food, poker, and punch lines for the first time.

Why did he do all this? “I aspire to be more than I am,” he responded. It was so pure—so insightful. Too bad it was scripted.

>I have known, and still do, many people who are content with apathy, and, frankly, there is nothing more revolting.

An otherwise talented, intelligent, and unique individual whose primary character trait is that of being content with mediocre is a person that is disgusting. Sorry, but it is true. That is how marriages fail, families create unhealthy environments, and leaders destroy perfectly useful and productive organizations.

If you have any thought that Jesus is okay with this, quit now. If you don’t aspire to be more than you are, you will not grow or learn. If you don’t seek to be better, you will only hurt yourself and those around you. That status quo must go.

>As an authentic follower of Jesus, you must aspire to me more than you are.

Anything else is stagnation, disgusting, and eventually destructive.

>>>

Aspire To Be More Than You Are

I’m not like a lot of people. I don’t think all anger is bad.

>I have always thought that positive momentum begins with negative tension: As you see the situation around you, you get frustrated and a little angry, and begin to put a plan together to get beyond the mire.

This can apply to all areas of life. It can be a simple as remodeling a bathroom. It’s falling apart, makes you mad, so you grab the sledgehammer and go to town. Your new bathroom begins with a bit of negative tension. Likewise, your new career, marriage, or family plan all begin with identifying what must change—or what makes you angry.

>Sometimes anger can be good, but anger is dangerous.

It is like fire. It’s a great tool when you’ve got it under control. You clean up the yard and burn off the debris. No moving big piles of junk. You’re hungry and cook a delicious Rib Eye and baked potato out on the grill. But when fire gets out from under your control, it is a tyrannous villain and master.

Because of hidden anger you will hurt friendships, kill intimacy in a marriage, and crush the spirits of your children. It will cause harsh words and short-tempered outbursts frequently and for insignificant reasons.

>Anger will destroy your life like a wrecking ball if you don’t deal with it, keep it in check, and diffuse it.

If it is something, like me, that has fused itself to you and you’ll need help navigating it. But do it no matter what it takes.

Deal with it, because anger is a ferocious master. Don’t let it master you. It will make you subservient to it.

“…Do not become angry easily, because anger will not help you live the right kind of life God wants.” -James 1:19-20

>>>

The Danger Of Anger

I remember it like it was yesterday…

I was living with my wife in our first house in Ft. Lauderdale. I had taken a job at an insurance repair business as a supervisor of a small crew. We repaired water and fire damage, mainly. My wife and I were also deep in the process of helping start a church in Miami, FL.

This particular day I was working alone. My job was to go to south Miami(Kendall, I think) to do some punch-out on an apartment building that the company had the contract on. I have always been a news junky, so I had the radio on in my work van while driving.

Just as I had arrived there was a new flash about a small commuter plane that had accidentally flown into one of the World Trade Center buildings. Of course, in a short time I would learn that both those details were quite wrong.

At that point, I had no reason to be overly concerned or worried. I thought it was awful, but I had no idea. So I gathered my tools and went into the apartment building to work.

I set up and went to work. I put on my little portable radio and started painting a door jam. While I was working and listening a second plane suddenly hit the other World Trade Center building. That’s when I knew it wasn’t an accident.

From there, the news was patchy. I was lacking focus and momentum, because I was a little afraid by this time. I continued working. I was dragging, but what else could I do?

And then the first building collapsed.

The news wasn’t clear on this at first. That’s because it was so unbelievable. Eventually, the truth was clear: The building was gone. I was in shock and sick.

And then…

The other one fell.

By this time, I couldn’t work. I decided to take an early lunch. Mind you, I had only been working some 30 or so minutes. So I took my lunch in the van and listened to the radio. And listened. And listened.

Finally, I decided I couldn’t work. I was just so distraught. So I packed up, went home, and watched the TV coverage all day and late into the night. I couldn’t watch and couldn’t stop, all at the same time.

I went to work the next day. I also continued to watch the news coverage at night. But by the weekend, I couldn’t anymore. It was just too much. And that is the main approach I’ve taken since then.

I remember only when necessary.

Several years ago, I flew up to Connecticut to help my Dad move. He lived in the south west portion of the state, which functioned as a suburb of New York City.

Through the course of the day, neighbors would stop by to wish my Dad well (we were pushing out the next day). One neighbor got to talking. We all sat on the grass in the spring sun. They had a beer and I had a Coke (since I hate beer, and all).

He got to talking about his big brother. Stories of childhood, being best friends, best men at each others weddings, etc. ensued. So I asked if his brother lived in the area.

That’s when he told me all about September 11th. And I remembered it all over again. His brother worked in one of the buildings.

He proceeded to recount the events of the day—from his perspective. He cried all the while. This was a big dude. He was a construction worker, big and burly. So it had quite an impact on me. I looked at the situation totally different. I’m glad he shared his story. In that moment, it brought clarity and does just as strongly every time I remember.

Remembering the things we never want to remember is hard. But sometimes it is good to. It helps us think on what is most important to us.

What were you doing that day?

>>>

*Remembering Never is something I repost each year, since there’s no better way for me to say all this.

Sometimes I Hate Remembering

I think the idea builds on Scriptures like, “For the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23) Sure, every sin will lead us to hell if we don’t have the grace and forgiveness of Jesus.

>But it is wrong to assume God weighs every sin the same from this.

And believe it or not, it is important to understand this.

When contrasting the hypocritical permissiveness of the religious people (and their justification of it) Jesus said;

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices–mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law–justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel” -Matthew 23:23–24

And then there was the time Jesus’ seemed to want to ease the conscience of Pilate. Pilate wanted to release Jesus but the mob demanded his death. Jesus said:

“The one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin” -John 19:11

The apostle Paul emphasizes over and over themes like:

“Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.” -1 Corinthians 6:18

And let’s not forget the Old Testament. There were more costly sacrifices required depending on the severity of sin.

>Let me also make it clear, God does not love or value anyone any less based how more or less severe an individual’s sin is.

I believe He loves everyone equally. That is true. Perhaps this where the ‘all sin is equal’ idea comes from, but they are not the same.

Why is this all important? I’m not legalistic or some sinner basher or truth detector. We face danger, however, in attempting to justify our sins by their size.

>We suffer from what I like to call God is my buddy and Jesus is my pal syndrome.

All sins deserve God’s judgment, but not all receive the same judgment. We need to remember that God is holy.

Forgiveness is immediate and brings life, but the measure of consequence is different. It has different affects. My wife is going to treat me cheating on my taxes quite a bit differently than if I cheat on her.

We will fall into greater and greater sin if we think what we are doing is not so bad or not as bad as what so and so is doing.

Ultimately, sin will lead us away from God. That’s the bottom line. That’s why this is important. We need to look at it for what it is.

>>>

No, All Sins Are NOT Equal Or The Same

>The ability to sin is an echo of God’s goodness—it shows how good God really is. Actually, it screams of how great he is.

Yes, you read that correctly.

God created us to be loved and to love. For love to be pure and real, it must be built on choice. There’s no mystery or romance in a love that’s mechanical. There’s no sincerity in a choice that’s forced. That’s not love. The teddy bear that says, “I love you!” when squeezed does not actually love anyone.

God didn’t make robots.

>Because God is perfect, because he’s unselfish, because God is good to his core, because he’s great in all his ways, he gave us the ability to choose.

Only then can there be true and complete love. It was dangerous for God to do this, as we now know. But it was the only way for it to be real love.

Then and now, we can choose to love and trust God, his ways, and his goodness—or not. When we don’t, whether or not we realize it, it’s because we have an issue with God’s sovereignty.

>Questioning the goodness of God comes down to a sovereignty issue.

That is, will we respect him, his nature, and that things are the way they are for whatever reason He has decided?

If you’ve ever read the stor of Adam and Eve in Genesis, you know they didn’t. And ‘forbidden fruit’ has become a metaphor for so many difficult choices in life.

Remember, if our Enemy can trick us into thinking God doesn’t know what’s best, or that God’s not really in control at all (or not doing a good job), or that he isn’t good, then it won’t be long before we stop believing God is real.

>The world is the way it is and things are the way they are because that’s the way God sees fit to let it be for now.

There may be a plan or reason, or, even worse, there may not be.

• So, can we (you) accept that God is good and that the world is fundamentally in a broken state?
• Can you accept that these may not be mutually exclusive—that both can exist, and often do, at the same time?

That means sometimes things are ordered and sometimes things just happen and are random. If we can do that, then there can even be purpose to our existence and value in each experience, whatever that may be—then we’ll mature and gain wisdom.

Why is it like this? I don’t know. This is why striving to be content is so important. It’s the precursor to wisdom and maturity—perhaps something Adam and Eve didn’t have the experience of life to glean from.

>But if I can let God be sovereign and not try to put myself in his place by deciding how things should be in the thick of my own emotions, I’m on the path to healing, rebuilding, comfort, and peace.

The idea that God is good is at the very core of creation. God started with “Let there be light.” And when he was all finished, he looked at everything, took stock of it, and declared it good. Creation—existence itself—is good by just being.

The very fact that there is life, the creative force set in motion by God, is daily evidence of his goodness.

>The bottom-line: Our understanding of the goodness of God will determine our journey.

If we don’t accept that God is good, our faith won’t survive the trials of life. It’s as unwavering as day and night are fastened in their places. Sometimes that’s not enough for us, but it’s always true.

Yes, sometimes you’ll wonder, but always come back to it:

God is good.

>>>

Read all these related posts in order here:

God Isn’t Good.

God Still Isn’t Good.

If God Is Good, Then He Will…

Let’s Make A Deal, God.

Good & Mad…at God?

Anger Management.

Good, God &, Evil.

God is Good, But…

Reconciling God & Why Bad Stuff Happens.

The Existence Of Evil Is Actually Evidence Of God’s True Goodness.

The Existence Of Evil Is Actually Evidence Of God’s True Goodness

I’ve been talking about our understanding of God’s goodness and how nothing affects our journey in life more (than how we view it).

I’ve gone though Anger Management, Good & Mad…at God?, Let’s Make A Deal, God, If God Is Good, Then He Will…, Good, God &, Evil.

Last week I said:

>God is good, but sometimes you’ll wonder, and it’s okay.

But we need to talk about the brokenness in this world because it is undeniable.

It is the result of sin. Yes, I know that is a very churchy and uncomfortable word. Too bad. It’s true. Call it brokenness, evil, or bad, but nothing says it better than good old fashioned sin.

Sometimes it’s because of a person’s sin, their choices—or sometimes our own. Like when someone chooses to drink and then drive. Then he ends up smashing into a car full of teens on their way home from a Friday night football game. They all die because of his sin.

>But then there’s evil that we’re the recipients of due to no one’s apparent choice.

For example, my son is had minor, but very painful, medical procedure a couple years ago. It will be one of several he has to have. He’s covered with strange bumps on his skin. It started as just one. Now there’s about a hundred.

One afternoon I had to reluctantly bring him to the doctor as, one by one, they’ll be scraped off. (Don’t worry; he got a chocolate milkshake on the way home.)

Why did my innocent little seven-year-old have to go through this? Why did he have to deal with a belly covered in scabs for days after? Why did he have to endure this whole process several times over? Why did he have to endure this pain? He didn’t choose it and fought off tears when just thinking about it.

It’s because of sin. Not his, of course, but an earlier one.

>This world is broken for the time being.

It’s a brokenness that entered just after the dawn of humanity. And it was a choice.

Most people know the story and the characters: Adam and Eve. God told them to enjoy all that he created. It was all good. He also told them to stay away from one tree, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. That was the one thing they shouldn’t choose. But they did.

With this one choice, sin entered the world. With this one choice, the goodness of God would forever be questioned and doubted.

>Choice was the gateway for sin and the fuel for all future doubts.

We all suffer from sin, whether we choose it or not. It surrounds us. But there’s also good in the world that brings healing. It battles the brokenness of sins past. It fights against sins present. That goodness is in God and from God. And it’s best expressed and represented in the life and sacrifice of his son Jesus.

But you might be thinking I never answered the question:

If there’s a God and he’s good, why does he still let bad things happen?

It may sound outrageous and counterintuitive, but the existence of evil is actually evidence of God’s true goodness.

But I’ll explain that next week…

>>>

Read all these related posts in order here:

God Isn’t Good.

God Still Isn’t Good.

If God Is Good, Then He Will…

Let’s Make A Deal, God.

Good & Mad…at God?

Anger Management.

Good, God &, Evil.

God is Good, But…

Reconciling God & Why Bad Stuff Happens.

The Existence Of Evil Is Actually Evidence Of God’s True Goodness.

Reconciling God & Why Bad Stuff Happens

I’ve laid out a lot of emotions that I sift through to get back and eventually accept that God is good, and the consequences if I don’t (Anger Management, Good & Mad…at God?, Let’s Make A Deal, God, If God Is Good, Then He Will…, Good, God &, Evil). And if all this doesn’t help me accept it, I try to keep in mind what will happen if I don’t. I may stop believing anything at all.

>Although we might be hurting, upset, let down, confused, frothing with frustration, questioning, doubting, scared of future pain, or filled with skepticism, we can learn to accept that God is good.

This is an essential survival skill for our faith.

Even though we might not be fully convinced or totally believe it while in our mess, we’re capable of accepting it.

This is, perhaps, the flipside of these emotions. It’s when they can be positive and a good thing. Specifically, passion can fuel you to pursue, achieve, and endure. It can fuel you to finish graduate school, stay committed to your entrepreneurial idea, and make a bad relationship better—or accept that God is good when times are tough. This passion for God, his nature, and his character can be the determination we need to get through.

>God is good, but sometimes you’ll wonder, and it’s okay.

You can still learn to accept the premise.

There’s evil in our world—that much is undeniable. It’s the source and reason for our pain. Why is it here? This cannot be left unanswered, since it’s actually what battles what is good. It always has.

But more on that next week…

>>>

Read all these related posts in order here:

God Isn’t Good.

God Still Isn’t Good.

If God Is Good, Then He Will…

Let’s Make A Deal, God.

Good & Mad…at God?

Anger Management.

Good, God &, Evil.

God is Good, But…

Reconciling God & Why Bad Stuff Happens.

The Existence Of Evil Is Actually Evidence Of God’s True Goodness.

God is Good, but…

“We are very much supportive of the family — the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives…” [online source]

AAAHHHHHHHH! THE HATE! DIE CHRISTIAN SCUM FROM YOUR FATTY HEART-ATTACK INDUCING FAST FOOD!!!!

Seriously though, have we come to a place that an opinion like this is considered hate-speech? Chick-Fil-A serves anyone who comes through the doors, and even hires homosexuals. If they didn’t that would be bigotry.

It’s gotten to the point where cities want to prevent Chick-Fil-A from opening shop in their city. This week New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn sent a letter to New York University president asking the school to immediately end their contract with the fast food restaurant. She said:

“I write as the Speaker of the NYC Council, and on behalf of my family. NYC is a place where we celebrate diversity.”

Unless, you have a Christian world-view I guess. In response, yesterday was an unofficial “Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day.” I talked to someone last night who ate there 3 times that day. It was freakin’ HUGE, which, ironically, has gotten basically no media attention. But if 10 stinky hippies protest in front of Chick-Fil-A it makes the news cycle all week. Craziness.

What is happening to us? Can we all discuss controversial issues, like same-sex marriage, without hanging each other on the gallows?

I want to try to. Don’t you?

This weekend while the kids were watching an episode of Good Luck Charlie I decided to see what people were saying. That’s when I saw one of my friends on Facebook post:

Hey Christians, please remind me why gay marriage is”wrong”? And there’s this little thing called “proof” that I expect for each and every one of your claims. : )

The questions didn’t make me mad. It didn’t even make me squeamish. And it was clearly in response to this Chick-Fil-A issue that’s been building.

>I actually think this is a fair question to pose to Christians.

But I also think we must all agree on the starting point for this discussion.

There were, as usual, dozens of comments posted very quickly. It is a discussion I don’t usually get into, but for some reason I posted a response. Why? Did I want to mix it up? Nope. I just think we all need to be able to talk about things–even heated ones.

>Curiously, I have found any time that someone has been discussing this issue, the premise is never established.

A few times I have tried to establish a premise to build this discussion (and issue) on. The interesting thing is that I have NEVER had a response. Not once.

What do I mean? What’s that premise? Well, let me explain by quoting the comment I posted in my friends thread. I simply said:

I accept the challenge. But first, define the term “marriage”.

Immediately, my Facebook friend ‘liked’ my question. And predictably, it has been a week with over 50 comments and no one has answered my question. And I have to wonder why?

>There’s no question that gay marriage is an issue worth discussing no matter how uncomfortable it makes us feel.

But if I, as a Christian, am going to answer this and get in to this discussion, then we need to establish the starting point. My point is, Christian, you do need to be able to answer this question in a way that is creditable and respectable.

>In fact, no matter what side you are on with regard to this issue, you need to answer it in a way that is creditable and respectful. 

That means for Christians (or any supporters of traditional marriage), we have to say more than, “Well, because the Bible says…”

And if you are a supporter of gay marriage, you’ve have to build on more than an emotional basis.

And it must be said, that just because someone has a different value system than you, doesn’t make them prejudice or a bigot.

>We’ve all got to develop enough strength of character to be able to take challenges to our beliefs and values. Let’s stop being so touchy.

Lastly, I share something that I think you will find very interesting, maybe shocking.

I clicked on the link and typed in “marriage”.  And here’s what came up first:

Did you see that? The first definition, and don’t ask me why it all came up like this, was the definition for gay marriage. So where is the traditional definition of marriage? You know, the one that most cultures have held to for the past 4,000 years?

The traditional definition of marriage came up 10th. That’s dead last.

Just thought you should know.

XXXX

So What About Gay Marriage?

If there is a God, and He is good, then what about all this evil in the world?

Makes sense. And besides the disappointment and pains of life, I don’t have everything I want. I’m not living in my dream house. I’m not as smart as I want to be. There’s so much, and so many ways, to wonder if God is good.

So how can we be convinced that God is good in the midst of our personal misery or frustrated desires?

We probably can’t.

>Actually, my purpose in raising this objection is not to convince the unsure to be certain that God is good.

Although I would love nothing more than to always be fully convinced of this, and to fully persuade others, I also recognize that my confidence will likely change with the next pain. I’m not trying to convince.

What’s possible is to learn to accept the premise even though we might question it, find it hard to believe, or aren’t fully convinced in the moment. This comes down to navigating the dangerous waters of emotions we go through in that gap—the Happiness Trap, depression, anger guilt, fear, etc. We can’t pretend they’re not there. We can’t ignore them. We must watch for warnings, mark the course, and weather through them. Only this way will they not consume us.

Thousands of years ago, the prophet Jeremiah warned his fellow Hebrews:

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9 tniv)

He knew that so much of where we end up in life hinges on how we process those risky emotions. After thousands of years, it’s still true. They can trick you into buying stock on a tip that’s obviously too-good-to-be-true. They can get you believing you don’t love someone anymore (since love is, of course, a choice).

>Even worse, feelings can even get us wondering if God is good.

In Gethsemane, Jesus’ flesh was weak. Part of him didn’t want to let him believe that God was still good. But his spirit knew it to be true, accepted it, and moved forward.

Can we do that? We have to learn to or our faith will not endure.

>>>

Read all these related posts in order here:

God Isn’t Good.

God Still Isn’t Good.

If God Is Good, Then He Will…

Let’s Make A Deal, God.

Good & Mad…at God?

Anger Management.

Good, God &, Evil.

God is Good, But…

Reconciling God & Why Bad Stuff Happens.

The Existence Of Evil Is Actually Evidence Of God’s True Goodness.

Good, God, & Evil

Rob wrote a book called Love Wins which I wrote a fairly scathing review title Love Wins, Christianity Loses, & God Lies. I didn’t want to, but I felt I had to be honest. Rob has recently left his church to move to LA to work on a show loosely based on his life.

Anyway, Rob is out with a new video called Rediscovering Wonder. Watch it below. Is it me or does it kind of seem like a parody?  Maybe I’m just getting old and grouchy. Maybe I’m jealous of his success. It’s worth a watch:

VIDEO: Rob Bell Is Back And Wondering Why

>Often, when I get mad there is a pervasive thought and feeling that something isn’t right.

It’s true. Something isn’t right. The world is broken, and we all suffer the results. We’re made to live in it and navigate the consequences, even the ones that aren’t self-inflicted. It’s easy to get angry about it.

What’s dangerous is that when a person is mad, he or she tends to do things they wouldn’t normally do.

>Anger skews perspective, clouds judgment, and rattles self-control.

Ever known anyone who has let pain set them on a course that has completely changed them for the worse? It’s when a person can suspend principles, ethics, and standards of morality in order to indulge one’s self. No one just all-of-a-sudden ends up a good-for-nothing, a completely different person. Sometimes it begins with a simple happiness fix. But more often, underneath it all is the strange and misled vengeance of trying to get back at God, or to hurt God, for letting all this happen. The irony is that we end up hurting only ourselves and the people around us.

>Anger untamed and unresolved turns the heart bitter and cold.

A bitter person refuses to see anything good at all in life. Constant complaining and seeing the negative side of everything is the norm. What’s worse, it only perpetuates and amplifies the original pain. The best solution is to find a way to face the situation and deal with it rather than making deals, inebriating, or trying to get God back. Who knows, maybe even look at the bright side of life?

How do I deal with anger?

When I’m ready, I aggressively pray (honest and frustrated praying, that is). I talk to God, to friends, to my wife. I go to the movies and briefly get alone. I read a fiction book. I eventually also read the Bible and pray for wisdom and comfort. All this helps me change my normal way of thinking and makes room for better ideas and insight. Through small changes in my routine I’m able to change my perspective.

The point is, I don’t stay alone and fester, letting my mind stray and skew my view of reality. I’ve figured out the pattern by which I get to productive solutions. Everyone has to do that, because bitterness is just over the horizon.

>We can’t pretend we aren’t mad at God for not making things easier or better.

Sometimes it’s confusing and messy—all relationships are. The point is, at whatever cost and effort, work it through. That’s how relationships end up working out in the end, even a relationship with God.

Be honest, be mad, work it out, be done with it, and move on. That’s the best way to manage your anger. That’s the right way to manage your anger.

>>>

Read all these related posts in order here:

God Isn’t Good.

God Still Isn’t Good.

If God Is Good, Then He Will…

Let’s Make A Deal, God.

Good & Mad…at God?

Anger Management.

Good, God &, Evil.

God is Good, But…

Reconciling God & Why Bad Stuff Happens.

The Existence Of Evil Is Actually Evidence Of God’s True Goodness.

Anger Management

It’s an old sea shanty song. Sailors would go round and round through the verses to help the time pass as they worked through their duties.

The song is about what to do in the event you discover a sailor drunk and passed out on the ship in the morning. All the remedies involve either teaching him a lesson or getting rid of him—like shave his belly with a rusty razor or tie him in knots and throw him over. Why? Because he’s either a complete reprobate or very angry.

Most people don’t know any drunken sailors. But we know someone who shares similar characteristics of one. Maybe we’ve acted like that a time or two in a rough patch ourselves.

>We all get mad at God.

I think it’s all part of the process of dealing with the deep pains of life while we’re living in the gap between the situation that has caused the pain and deciding if God is still good. The question is, what do you do from there?

My wife was recently sick, real sick. Laid up in bed and weak. I changed my work schedule to take care of her (and to keep the kids on the other end of the house). Mainly, I was just trying to leave her alone and let her relax. Actually, I had to force her to do nothing. She’s not very good at it. She’s a bit of a busybody. Rather than having her be sick for several days, I was trying a new strategy. I made her stay still to see if the sickness would go away sooner. And it did.

The kids started to miss her during the day. Dad is just not as patient, creative, or attentive with them as she is.

We were watching TV when my oldest son looked at me and reluctantly shared his thoughts. He said, “I know we’re supposed to think about God the most, but when Mommy’s sick I think about her more.” It was a connection he made on his own. So I told him, “I understand. I do the same thing. It’s okay, God understands.”

It scared me. Whether or not he understood it, he’s on the way to questioning the goodness of God. He’s also on his way to having to deal with anger. In his own way, he was caught up in the process I’ve been describing: Mom is sick (life’s hard and I’m disappointed), I want her to feel better (God, can you change this situation and bring a ray a sunshine?), she’s not getting better and I keep thinking about it (when will God do something about this?), I don’t know what to do. My son’s not old enough yet, but one day he’ll understand that something isn’t right, and it will evolve into getting mad.

>I only hope he’ll figure out how to work through it before it turns into bitterness.

And that’s the real challenge for all of us: How we view God’s goodness in the middle of our pain can be the determining factor in our faith and if it endures.

>>>

Read all these related posts in order here:

God Isn’t Good.

God Still Isn’t Good.

If God Is Good, Then He Will…

Let’s Make A Deal, God.

Good & Mad…at God?

Anger Management.

Good, God &, Evil.

God is Good, But…

Reconciling God & Why Bad Stuff Happens.

The Existence Of Evil Is Actually Evidence Of God’s True Goodness.

Good & Mad…at God?

*Last week I started this subject with part 1:If God Is Good, Then He Will…. Today is part 2 of 2.

Let’s Make A Deal, God

VIDEO: Hilarious Kid On Lie Detector Kimmel Skit

Recently I’ve written God Isn’t Good and God Still Isn’t Good. In these I discuss the dilemma of understanding the goodness of God. Since this is such a HUGE topic, I’m continuing this theme.

>Because the bottom line is: Your understanding of the goodness of God will determine your journey.  

Thanksgiving memories are usually fond ones, aren’t they? Turkey, gravy, smashed potatoes, stuffing, apple pie. But what about the other side of the holidays? The less popular stuff? The things we try to gloss over and forget because we hate them, like the consequences of eating too much, spending too much, fighting too much.

Thanksgiving 2008 reminds me of one thing: vomit. (Unfortunately, that’s not the only Thanksgiving that reminds me of this—but that’s another story from my other book.)

That night, one by one, my wife, my one-year-old, my four-year-old, my six-year-old, and I began what would become a 24-hour cycle of violent vomiting. We were all lying in beds and on floors near the bathrooms surrounded by towels and blankets. We ran out of clean ones in no time.

Physically and emotionally, I felt terrible. Movements that normally would require little to no effort became monumental undertakings. I was constantly on the verge of passing out. Even worse, I was helpless to assist my fatigued wife and frail children.

It wasn’t long before I started making deals with God while curled up on the bathroom floor:

“God, if you just make this go away, I’ll never again eat appetizers of chips, shrimp cocktail, cheese and crackers, three plates of food in a row followed by apple pie and a hot fudge sundae. In fact, I’ll never overeat again. Do you hear me? I’ll also NEVER eat unhealthy things again. I vow this day to never again eat two dozen chicken wings and a full basket of onion rings while washing it down with a chocolate milkshake. No more Coke, chips, ketchup, French fries, or cheese popcorn. From now on I’ll only eat granola, egg whites, brussel sprouts, and carrot juice. No bad carbs. Only transfat free. And all organic. No more synthetic food for me— if you just make all this go away.”

If God is good, then he will… Right?

Ever make deals like that with God when life isn’t turning out like you want? I have. I do.

>Making deals with God is destructive and disappointing. 

>>>

Read all these related posts in order here:

God Isn’t Good.

God Still Isn’t Good.

If God Is Good, Then He Will…

Let’s Make A Deal, God.

Good & Mad…at God?

Anger Management.

Good, God &, Evil.

God is Good, But…

Reconciling God & Why Bad Stuff Happens.

The Existence Of Evil Is Actually Evidence Of God’s True Goodness.

If God Is Good, Then He Will…

“Let’s get ready to RUMBLE….in Jesus name of course.”

Old Busted: Fight Club. New Hotness: Fight CHURCH!

PS-The last one is the best.

VIDEO: Even Perfect People FAIL Too

*Last week I started this subject with part 1:God Isn’t Good. Today is part 2 of 2.

Over the last few years, my wife and I have developed a friendship with a lady who relocated to the Atlanta area after Hurricane Katrina devastated her home and her life, not long after cancer had taken her son.

Having not been able to evacuate, on the night of the storm she woke up to a cracking noise. She stepped out of bed into a house filled with water. A tree had fallen into her bathroom. She waded across the street to her elderly neighbor’s house, which was on higher ground.

The next day, looking out her neighbor’s window, she watched the water rise to the roof of her house. She could see her possessions washing away. Parts of her house crumbled. The storm also claimed several of her pets.

Is God good?

Sometimes she still wonders, in times of deep reflection.

I could go on and on with story after story. Everyone has one or two, or three or four, or five or six. A person doesn’t have to live long before he or she starts facing disappointment, tragedy, or pain that tests the foundation of the soul. These experiences create an emotional and mental burden that’s often difficult to navigate and impossible to carry.

>Sometimes life crushes us. Sometimes life breaks us.

How does one reconcile the innate skepticism that seems to be the only consistent company during misfortune and heartache? It’s as if the steel of every soul and foundation of every person’s faith has a few hairline cracks that an experience or two can break.

This leaves me asking myself if our questions disappoint or offend God. Is it wrong to challenge his intentions, or his very nature? Is he displeased with our apparent variance of soul? With the pause in our devotion? With the rough patch in our otherwise absolute faith? How can I possibly think God is good, or wants the best for me, in the midst of the personal misery that life is peppered with?

I think it’s good to question that premise.

I know it sounds like crazy talk, but if we never wonder if God is good, how will we know?

How can we be sure if we don’t honestly ask? After all, even God’s own Son wondered about it.

While suffocating in gruesome peril on the cross, Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:45).

>Although sinless and flawless in how he lived, in this terrible moment even Jesus wondered: Is God still good?

Never has anyone questioned the premise more passionately.

The shortest verse in the Bible simply states, Jesus wept. But perhaps even more potent is what we hear in his words on the cross about being forsaken.

Jesus wondered.

So here we are, left to live on, trying to figure it out, still wondering if it’s wrong. So many times I’m stuck in the thick of needing solace and healing, and it doesn’t arrive.

So many times I find myself with raised fist damning God in my heart because I think he isn’t good. I so much want to sort this out, return, and mature. How do we make sense of it and put it all back together?

There’s often a range of emotions I have to sift through before I’m willing to consider that God is good again. Sometimes I go through several. Sometimes it’s just one. If the pain is deep, I’ll wade through them all. And within this gap, there’s much that can undermine my faith.

Yes, question and doubt. But pursue.

The point is: never give up and I never give in.

>>>

Read all these related posts in order here:

God Isn’t Good.

God Still Isn’t Good.

If God Is Good, Then He Will…

Let’s Make A Deal, God.

Good & Mad…at God?

Anger Management.

Good, God &, Evil.

God is Good, But…

Reconciling God & Why Bad Stuff Happens.

The Existence Of Evil Is Actually Evidence Of God’s True Goodness.

God Still Isn’t Good

In any event, I had a friend (and a Strongarm fan) email me about some ideas of God and the origins of human life that Prometheus seems to delve in to. He had some great questions which is why I want to hit on the ideas briefly here.

Joshua asked:

“From what I have read, this movie will explore the idea that God may not have been our Creator, but “aliens” or extraterrestrials did. What do you think of that?”

This is a great question. Sure, there were a few other things he said, but this was the important part. This question also alludes to many other interesting thoughts as well, which is why I wanted to post the highlights of mt response to him.

>The idea of aliens seeding life on earth, is nothing new.

Even Richard Dawkins (the famous atheist) thinks that may be the case. Which is interesting considering atheists pride themselves on disavowing foolish theories and obvious ‘myths’ for what is scientifically able to be proven (often called a philosophy of Naturalism). Go figure. In fact, X-Files hammered this point all the time. Part of the reason I loved it so much. I LOVE sci-fi.

Do I think that is what happen? No. Not even close.

I suppose I am ‘narrow-minded’. I do believe in the Genesis account. There is much to be said on that–understanding Hebrew narrative, poetry, oral tradition, etc.–but as for the major events and spiritual truths, I hold them to be absolute. Here is a great message on understanding the meaning behind the genesis account by a Christian philosopher, John Rankin, I hold in high regard.

I think the question comes because often people will feel that they are limiting God for thinking we are the only life (like us) in the universe. It is often characterized as small minded or even selfish. As if ALL THIS is only for little old me?

Exactly.

This idea does not ‘limit’ God or the possibilities in a way that demeans him. On the contrary. It does the opposite.

Often people think it arrogant to think that God created all the universe with only us in mind–as if it is merely a painting for us to look at. In many ways it is, it represents his majesty and ability. And let’s not forget what it took for him to create it all: simply speaking it.

By his mere word it was all birthed into existence. In reality, it’s no big deal for him–to create us and all the universe. It’s as if it took him 5 minutes of his time, which is eternal and infinite.

>And in reality, to think otherwise is actually what limits him and not vice versa.

Why? Because we are confining God the measures of our understanding.

He loves us enough to make all this for us. It expresses his nature, power, and glory. And it keeps life interesting and beautiful for us as we learn and explore it all.

Just my 2 cents.

Enjoy the film! I’m seeing it in 3D at 10:30 AM tomorrow!

>>>

Prometheus, Ridley Scott, and God

*This is part 1 of 2. You can read part 2 here. 

God isn’t good. There, I said it. That’s what I’ve been thinking too many times at pivotal points throughout my twenty-four-year faith journey. It’s hard to come to terms with or admit.

I’ve never verbalized it before. Perhaps I didn’t want to be so brave, or maybe I didn’t want be so irreverent. There’s so much that rips at the fabric and undermines the alleged—and assumed—premise of God being good. Life has a way of pushing you toward cynicism.

>But I confess: When life sucks, I think God isn’t good.

When there are hardships and things aren’t going my way, or the way I want or think they should go, my tendency is to doubt, and eventually deny, that God is, or could be, good. It’s my default reaction. I’m not saying I’m right. I’ve long wrestled with the fact that I might be horrible for thinking it. At best, I’m not as mature as I should be. And the more difficult the experience, the more potent my questioning.

It’s not just me.

I’ve noticed that many people wonder about this more frequently than they’d like to admit. Everyone has a different way of saying it, but it seems to be the first impulse for so many when there’s pain and disappointment in life: If God is so good, then why would he let [insert painful situation here] happen? It’s common to wonder.

Do you wonder at those times? I do.

>Let’s be honest about our doubts and struggles.

It’s the first step toward working though this issue, which I will talk about in part 2 of this post next week. So come back, but for now:

When are the times in your life that you’ve thought God isn’t good?

>>>

Read all these related posts in order here:

God Isn’t Good.

God Still Isn’t Good.

If God Is Good, Then He Will…

Let’s Make A Deal, God.

Good & Mad…at God?

Anger Management.

Good, God &, Evil.

God is Good, But…

Reconciling God & Why Bad Stuff Happens.

The Existence Of Evil Is Actually Evidence Of God’s True Goodness.

God Isn’t Good

VIDEO: Translation FAIL

>One indispensable trait of my faith is: perseverance.

Giving up is easy. We do it all the time. Everyone’s quit a job or dumped a boyfriend or girlfriend. Sometimes it gets more serious.

We may change or major halfway through college, because our first choice was too hard. I did that. I changed from Broadcast Communications to Mass Communications after 2 D’s in College Algebra. I loved math (and was good at it) until they mixed letters in with the numbers. I was smart enough to pass. I just didn’t want to put in the time and effort.

>Perseverance is one of the most important qualities you can develop in your pursuit of faith.

It is something I pray for in my kids nearly every night. It’s just that quitting is such an ugly trait to be characterized by. It’s destructive, defeating, and robs you of a better future.

Starting something is easy, but follow-through is much more difficult and way more valuable. It is something that can be built on. It is what finishes.

>Things worth doing, are worth doing right, doing well, and finishing.

If your faith is the most important thing to you, and it should be, then you must be persistent in the pursuit. You must persevere whatever comes your way. I once wrote and sang some lyrics on this for some friends that appeared on their EP I’ve Lost All Faith In Myself. I wrote:

“Never give up. And never give in.” –The Call, Venia

What else is there to say? Again, you must persevere.

>>>

Dear Christian, Persevere

VIDEO: Yikes! My Ears Are Burning

>You’ve got to learn to get over stuff or it will hold you back.

You don’t want to be 50 years old rattling off a litany of hurts every time someone or something comes up—explaining why you won’t do that or be friends with them. That’s when you’ve become bitter. And bitterness rots the bones.

Don’t get me wrong. You’re probably totally right. How you feel is likely completely valid. Unfortunately, you can’t change people or past outcomes so it doesn’t matter.

>Festering will get you nowhere except alone and complacent.

That’s no place to be. That’s no goal worth achieving.

You can be responsible with your actions and attitudes. Don’t let other people or disappointment about life dictate yours. You’ll get nowhere relationally or professionally.

Learn to get over past hurts and disappointments. Talk to someone or get counseling if you have to. Just learn to get over it no matter what it takes.

Ephesians 4:30-32 states:

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (NIV)

What else can be said? Just get over it or else you’ll pay is so many ways.

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Dear Christian, Get Over It

In the world of the strange a student has been suspended for wearing a Christian t-shirt.

Does it depict people burning in hell like in Dante’s Inferno. Nope. Is it a pro-life shirt with an aborted fetus crying out? Not even close.

It is simply a shirt that states: Life is wasted without Jesus.

AAAAHHHHHHHHH!!! THE HORROR!!!

According to this article:

Nancy Pynch-Worthylake, board superintendent, said some students and teachers found the T-shirt offensive. “When one is able or others are able to interpret it as, ‘If you don’t share my belief then your life is wasted,’ that can be interpreted by some as being inappropriate,” she said.

Can you believe a High School student being so freakin’ evil? I know! What a jerk. Doesn’t he know he is not allowed to hurt anyone’s feelings? Dumb kid.

Obviously, I am kidding. This is a ridiculous situation. These officials are ridiculous. You have to wonder if he had worn a shirt that said Satan is my buddy! if officials would have been as upset. Probably not.

Now, the only saving grace in all this is that that this is not happening in America. Right?

Actually, I almost got suspended for nearly the same thing 20 years ago in High School (yes, I am that old and, yes, I wore some stupid Christians shirts every once in a while). Like this kid, I refused to listen to the assistant principal warning me citing ‘separation of church and state.’

So when I was called into the assistant principal’s office for an official reprimand, I asked for her to show me this policy in the student handbook. She couldn’t. And I was free to wear my cheesy religious shirts whenever I wanted.

Just some interesting news I thought you should know about happening up in America’s hat, aye (Canada, that is).

>>>

Student Suspended For Wearing Jesus Shirt

VIDEO: Some Christians Just Shouldn’t Sing

In the world of oddities, some Christians have made a horror film. What?

It’s true.

The film is called Harmless and it centers around a box of porn.

I’m not kidding. From the movies official site:

“Harmless is a feature film shot in the popular found footage style. It’s the story about a husband and father and his battle with a box of porn that is found in the closet. Once opened, the box of porn begins to torment the family, much like a poltergeist. It’s sort of a social commentary on how pornography can destroy a family.”

Below is the trailer for the movie. And I must admit, it’s low budget (you might say ‘indie’ if you wanted to be generous about it). But I must also admit, I found it a little interesting.

Watch the trailer:

Christian Horror Film About…Porn

VIDEO: Wack-a-doo Christians

>There is a new Bible called The Voice that takes out “Christ,” “angels,” and “apostle.”

Now, before you get your full outrage goin’, hit pause. Unlike the Bible translation that simply removes terms that might offend people (like Father, Son, and Son of God), which I would argue changes the very meaning, intent, and overall message, The Voice aims to be a simpler read.

Let’s compare. The ever-popular John 3:16-17 in the King James version reads:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

In The Voice it reads:

“For God expressed His love for the world in this way: He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him will not face everlasting destruction, but will have everlasting life. Here’s the point. God didn’t send His Son into the world to judge it; instead, He is here to rescue a world headed toward certain destruction.”

As I detail in my book, Bible translations range from the literal to the paraphrase. The Voice leans toward the paraphrase side of the spectrum, much like The Message.

>It is not really for in depth Bible study.

It is geared for the person who just wants to sit down and read on a lazy Sunday afternoon, perhaps. It is captures contemporary English (no King’s English or Shakespeare spoken here) in story from.

Just thought you should know.

>>>

New Bible Removes ‘Christ’

VIDEO: The Call

*Below is an excerpt from my book 10 Things I Hate About Christianity: Working Through the Frustrations of Faith. I thought this would be good due to my involvement with Stand Together Fest last weekend and I talk about my band Strongarm. 

>>>

I was in a band called Strongarm. Psalm 89 in the Bible inspired the name. It talks about God delivering his people with his strong arm. Our name also had a double meaning as an indirect reference to Jesus. But mainly I picked it because it sounded tough.

Musically, we called ourselves hardcore. The style fell somewhere between metal and punk rock. Like punk, it was outspoken and raw. Like metal, it was heavy and a little more polished. Either way, if you heard Strongarm, you’d probably wonder what the heck we were saying and why we were so mad. The style was passionate, aggressive, and cleansing. I loved it. I still do.

I was the lead singer, but I can’t really sing. So I was the screamer. I also wrote the lyrics. In fact, I wrote 15 of the 19 songs that are out there. But who’s counting? And I ran most of our business affairs. By the time I quit, we’d recorded a full-length album, released a few singles on seven-inch vinyl records, shot a music video, and done several small tours. There’s still a bunch of our merchandise floating around online auctions, if you’re interested.

I learned a lot in the band. Overall, it was a great experience. Though I quit in 1996, I still get a few emails a month from avid fans. I’m always complimented and honored by their well wishes.

When our first album, Atonement, came out, we did something out of character. We did a tour of Christian venues. The opportunity came up, so we took it for the quick exposure to support the record. There were a lot of memories, like the last show of the tour when we stood around and shared how much we hated each other before going on stage. Did I mention we were all Christians?

We brought along a friend named Tom. He volunteered to be our roadie, helping us with extra muscle. This gave him an opportunity to travel the country for free. He didn’t believe what we believed, but he was an amazing guy. We really liked him, and he liked our band. We also hoped the experience might have a positive influence on him. It influenced him all right.

One show in particular stands out. It was in Memphis. We arrived and were greeted by the promoter, who told us he’d received a call from our previous stop. They called to advise him that we weren’t “Christian” enough. They recommended he cancel the show.

You see, our friend Tom had an underground magazine (called a zine). He hoped to promote it and make contacts on the tour. There was some slightly coarse language in it, but it wasn’t a huge deal to us. It really wasn’t any worse than what is on primetime television. We just asked him to hand it out on his own time and not from behind our merchandise table.

Anyway, a parent got hold of one of the zines and went ballistic. So, we were horrified when we arrived in Memphis to accusations that our band promoted filth and pornography. At the time, we felt the parent’s reaction was unwarranted. Tom felt terrible about jeopardizing our tour. We felt bad for him. But something even worse had happened.

This hit Tom hard. He just wasn’t the same after that. He learned something about Christians. He learned to hate them. It’s something I’ve always struggled with, because there always seems to be some type of fallout when they’re around. The deeper issue was that Tom, like many, decided to stay away from Jesus. I don’t know where Tom is today, but in the grand scheme of things, I wonder if it would have been better if he hadn’t toured with us.

Nothing has discouraged me more in my desire to follow Jesus and know God than my observations of those who call themselves “Christians.” They make it so easy to hate them. They can be crazy, annoying, judgmental, and hypocritical.

Even worse, I regret that each of those words also represents me personally, to some degree.

>>>

Dear Christian, Don’t Be A ‘Christian’

So last weekend there was a music fest called Stand Together Fest (by the way, that is the title of a Strongarm song). I got asked to do a cover of “Trials” by Strongarm with Debtor and to sing “The Call” with VENIA (it was the 2nd to last show ever). So I took the whole family. My kids loved it.

PS-It’s been 17 years since I did “Trials” so don’t be too hard on the old man!

VIDEO: Stand Together Road Trip Highlights

VIDEO: Wedding Preacher Fail

Sometimes it’ll go something like, “I don’t believe in organized religion, but I am very a spiritual person.” This seems to imply that a person is in tune with their soul (or true self), the environment around them, and others. But that’s not enough.

>Newsflash: Hitler was spiritual. Charles Manson was spiritual. It was just a different kind of ‘spiritual.’

I hate to be the one to break it to you, but the term doesn’t really mean anything. It’s a catchall that sounds good but lacks any real meaning. It has style but no substance, if you will.

As a follower of Jesus, the goal should not be spirituality—or to be spiritual. The aim is higher and not so vague or ambiguous.

>Our best efforts are to be righteous and Christ-like.

Admittedly, these phrases are not going to be popular with co-workers during break time or your study group at school. So don’t use them in those settings! They are ‘inside baseball’ lingo and that’s okay.

Just know there is a difference. And let that understanding be you personal guide.

Strive to be righteous and Christ-like. That’s so much more than simply being spiritual.

It’s being godly.

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Don’t Be Spiritual, Christian

Here is a truly disgusting development. According to this article:

Parents should be allowed to have their newborn babies killed because they are “morally irrelevant” and ending their lives is no different to abortion, a group of medical ethicists linked to Oxford University has argued.

Sounds made up doesn’t it? Or something in some pseudo-civilized futuristic movie where every aspect of everyone’s life is controlled by the elites (like in Gattaca). Unfortunately, this is true.

These ‘medical ethicists’ published in the Journal of Medical Ethics, says newborn babies are not “actual persons” and do not have a “moral right to life”. The academics also argue that parents should be able to have their baby killed if it turns out to be disabled when it is born.

They call it an “after-birth abortion.” I suppose this makes them feel better, since it is nothing less than murder.

Regarding the most vocal objections, the journal’s editor, Prof Julian Savulescu, director of the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, said these are “fanatics opposed to the very values of a liberal society”.

So this is what a ‘liberal’ and ‘enlightened’ and ‘civilized’ society comes to? No, we don’t eat our young. We just kill them because they are a bit too inconvenient for the level of luxury we desire for our lives.

Disgusting. Lord forgive us for entertaining these ideas.

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Killing Babies No Biggie

Anyway, just for fun here is the worst guitar solo EVAR! You gotta make to the end:

VIDEO: Worst Guitar Solo EVAR!

Nothing is truer.

>If you are doing Christianity correctly—if you’re taking it seriously and really devoting yourself—it is very difficult.

It is hard to say ‘no’ to going out for drinks after work with the gang, so you don’t predictably end up doing something you shouldn’t. Maybe you think you can be a ‘good influence’ or even assume the role of designated driver. But it always ends with some regrets.

It’s hard to break up with someone you love, get along great with, and have tons in common with. It’s hard to finally face the fact that this person is not a Christian. He or she may be ‘Jesus-friendly’, but it just isn’t enough.

>If you’re faith doesn’t have regular and reoccurring moments of difficulty, you may be doing something wrong.

I’m not saying to be a contentious and cantankerous person. Don’t make things harder than they need to be. But taking a stand when it would be easier to be passive and ‘go with the flow’ isn’t easy.

It’s hard. It’s supposed to be.

Taking a stand singles you out, because Christianity is harder than you think.

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Christianity Is Harder Than You Think

A controversy is brewing over three reputable Christian organizations, which are based in North America, whose efforts have ousted the words “Father” and “Son” from new Bibles. Wycliffe Bible Translators, Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL) and Frontiers are under fire for “producing Bibles that remove “Father,” “Son” and “Son of God” because these terms are offensive to Muslims.”

So what is the big deal. Let’s see some examples.

First, First, Wycliffe and SIL have produced Stories of the Prophets, an Arabic Bible that uses an Arabic equivalent of “Lord” instead of “Father” and “Messiah” instead of “Son.”

Second, Frontiers and SIL have produced Meaning of the Gospel of Christ , an Arabic translation which removes “Father” in reference to God and replaces it with “Allah,” and removes or redefines “Son.” For example, the verse which Christians use to justify going all over the world to make disciples, thus fulfilling the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19) reads, “Cleanse them by water in the name of Allah, his Messiahand his Holy Spirit” instead of “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

Perhaps, this should passage should be called the Great Omission instead?

Third, Frontiers and SIL have produced a new Turkish translation of the Gospel of Matthew that uses Turkish equivalents of “guardian” for “Father” and “representative” or “proxy” for “Son.”

I get it. I get contextualizing our faith and message in order to reach people groups. But at what point are we destroying the essentials of the Gospel message. At some point, God calls us to change.

How far does this go?

Some people are even offended by mentions of God and Jesus. Maybe we should make a Bible with “Cosmic Force” and “Cool Dude” instead. Imagine John 3:16 now:

“For Cosmic Force so loved the world that Cosmic Force gave Cool Dude, so that whoever believes in Cool Dude should not die but have everlasting life.”

Isn’t that really rad? No.

At some point we missed the point and ruined the message. The Father and Son will be a stumbling block to some. Remember?

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New Bible Translations Remove ‘Father’ & ‘Son’

VIDEO: Kill The Devil With Your Shoe!

As a result, there is a tendency to rely on yourself, your experience, and your wisdom. Now, that’s not all bad or even ill advised, but it can be a problem.

>When no one can speak into your life, it is a problem.

When we rely only rely on our own wisdom and experience it is dangerous. It is a disgusting trait when someone has no curiosity or desire to learn about new things. This is called complacency and be sure to drive it far from your character.

That’s not to say you don’t have a unique perspective that is valuable. Or that you don’t have a singular vision in certain situations. You do. It just means that you need to be sure to glean wisdom from others as well.

>Gather what you know, ask others what they know, and move forward. And do this for the rest of your life.

So be teachable. Please be teachable.

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Be Teachable, Christian

In any event, here is a heartbreaking news segment from a young lady who they banished. It’s terrible. Most importantly, these people are awful representations of Jesus and I have nothing in common with them. Watch it:

Wanna Get Mad At Some ‘Christians’? Then Watch This…

VIDEO: Countdown To Rapture

According the the Reason Rally website:

• The intent is to unify, energize, and embolden secular people nationwide, while dispelling the negative opinions held by so much of American society… and having a damn good time doing it!
• This will be a positive experience, focusing on all non-theists have achieved in the past several years (and beyond) and motivating those in attendance to become more active.

Now on to their own words…

There were many speakers. Several of the featured names were famous folks who sent in videos: Penn Jillette, Bill Maher and U.S. Rep. Pete Stark. Others, popular in the Internet niche of skeptics, free-thinkers and atheists, came to the microphone to address the soggy crowds in person. A sampling:

• Friendly atheist blogger Hemant Mehta urged people to run for office, any post from school board to Congress to dogcatcher.
• Greta Christina, author of Why Are You Atheists So Angry?,attacked every major faith, even the teachings of the Dalai Lama. In a long litany of what makes her angry, she got all the way back to Galileo (overlooking the modern Catholic Church’s restoration of his reputation). A bit ironic.
• Adam Savage, co-host of Mythbusters on the Discovery Channel, said there really is someone who loves and protects him and watches over his actions — “It’s me!” Christians do that too. It’s called responsibility and accountability.

David Silverman, Reason Rally organizer and American Atheists president, also spoke. His words were a thundering call for “zero tolerance” for anyone who disagrees with atheism.

Yummy!

Headlining was famous atheist, Richard Dawkins. So was he ‘reasonable’. You decide.

Dawkins called on the crowd not only to challenge religious people but to “ridicule and show contempt” for their doctrines and sacraments.

Mmmm good.

But now is a good time to poke a little back at Dawkins. Here is my favorite Richard Dawkins quote in which he says he cannot be sure God does not exist. Just thought you should see it. It’s very interesting, nonscientific, and unreasonable.

Or perhaps it’s the most reasonable thing he’s ever said. Watch it here:

Famous Atheist, Richard Dawkins, Not Sure If God Doesn’t Exist

What was it?

I came upon this official Obama/Biden campaign shirt with cussing. And not just cussing. The king of cuss words:

Can you believe it?

Now, I’m not a prude. I’m not afraid of controversy (I mean, look at the title of my book). I appreciate the humor of the shirt. I appreciate them not running from the Joe Biden gaff this obviously refers to. I would be fine with it coming from third party company or independent campaign organization. I’d laugh and retweet it.

>But this is completely inappropriate coming from such a prominent leadership position–coming from the preeminent leadership postion in the world, even. 

This office of president is something that should be handled with dignity, class, and the highest degree of character. It’s not a place to be crass, petulant, or petty.

I would be equally disturbed if the GOP came up with a shirt that said: Obama, WTF?!

This is just shameful and embarrassing. The office of president is something to look up to, something that should set the example, something I should be able to tell my kids about and how there is nothing higher or important to aspire to.

>Leadership is not a place to act like some trendy teenager chasing cool.

Does our culture need to grow up a little? Leadership is a big deal. We should treat it as such. It deserves a higher standard, especially when we claim to be a Christian (like both the president and vice-president do). No?

Just a thought.

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Leadership is a BFD