References:
• The Larger Catechism, Specifically Questions and Answers 134-136 (It will be towards the middle of the Web Page.)
• Exodus 20:1-17 NAS
• Exodus 23:1-9 NAS
• Deuteronomy 5:4 NAS
• Micah 6:6-16 NAS
• abortion definition
**Notice**
The topics of abortion and the death penalty are very touchy items for many, many people. The way that I have tried to approach this is from a biblical world view that focus on what God considers to be justice. I know that many people, because of the pain that they have experienced in their own lives, have very strong opinions on these issues. I also know that some people will look down upon anyone who does not share their particular view point. It is not my intention to ‘look down upon’ others. Whether you agree with the death penalty, are pro-choice or pro-life, read at your own discretion. My goal is simply to share what I have learned from studying Scripture over the years. To be honest, there are times where God convicts my heart of things while I learn and grow as a Christian. It is very, very challenging to walk with God.
Remember, God's Grace is amazing. He can always reach you where you are, forgive you for all of your past mistakes. God wants to have a personal relationship with you, and His Grace is greater than anything you have done or could do though. Seek His Grace for what you have done and seek His wisdom with what you need to do.
Over the years I have been asked concerning my stance on the death penalty and abortion. When I state that I am pro-life and pro-death (penalty), many people have told me “you can’t be pro-life and pro-death!” or “You are either for abortion and the death penalty, or you are only for life!” To do try to explain why I can be against abortion and for the death penalty, but many people refuse to believe it. Being a strong introvert, it is more difficult for me to verbally explain what I believe and why. This is especially with those who are extremely extroverted and/or love to argue things. Because I am much better and explaining myself via writing, I will highlight what I believe. And, as I have mentioned many times before, this is not a thorough explanation of what I believe, just an overview.
For those who did not grow up in a Christian denomination that studies various early church writings like the Short and Larger Catechisms and various confessions, like the Westminster Confession of Faith, I will offer a brief explanation of what they are and their importance. During the Early Church, various church leaders gathered together to write various works to explain the Christian faith and correct unorthodox beliefs. Things like the Apostles Creed, Shorter and Larger Catechisms, etc., were the results. Such writings do not take precedence over Scripture. They are used to help understand Scripture. If you have not explored these important writings of the Early Church, I highly, highly encourage you to do so.
With the Larger Catechism, I was to specifically look at Question/Answer 136. It is explained exactly what we are to do, and not to do, in order to honor the 6th Commandment. In a nutshell, we are not to take an ‘innocent life.’ What is an ‘innocent life?’ An innocent life is one that has not committed a crime that should be punished by death. For example, doing such things as lying, stealing food or books, verbally insulting someone, etc., are crimes hardly worthy of being put to death. Instead, it would be more justifiable if the person who committed such acts paid restitution, spent time in prison, or something else reasonable.
However, in situations where a person commits forced rape, killing numerous people through gross negligence (for example, driving while intoxicated and causing an accident that kills several people), or intentionally killing a person out of anger, envy, or to try and hide a crime. All of these examples are one where a person chooses to cause great injury, pain, and even the death of someone else. Though the death penalty may not be the right sentence for everyone it should be an option. Especially for those who choose to do something out of the anger/malice of their hearts, have a history of hurting or abusing other people, or kill the person in such a way as to show that they were hiding another crime, trying to cause excessive suffering, etc.
Of course, care must be taken to make sure that the correct person is being sentenced for a crime that had been committed. This goes for any crime, serious or not. The punishment needs to be appropriate for the crime that had been committed. But, when the evidence has been closely examined and weighed, and a verdict of guilty has been rendered, one other very important thing has to be considered. Just how much of a threat is this person to society? What kind of justice would be most appropriate so that the friends and family of the victim(s) could get closure? It isn’t just the threat to society that one has to worry about. It is also the threat he/she holds to those who work in the prison system.
For example, is the person going to be a significant threat to other inmates and staff within the prison system? Are they extremely callous, or do they show signs of repentance? Do they have a history of violence? If they are in a gang, especially one who is already high up in the ranks or wanting to move up, no matter at what cost, how likely are they to engage in violent behavior while incarcerated? All of these are very serious questions that need to be carefully examined. It’s not just about ‘justice’ for what he/she did to a person or a group of people, but also justice for those directly affected by the death and the people that will have to deal with him/her while in prison.
In summary, the Death Penalty is a method for a State or country to enforce laws and to protect the members of society. Those who work as corrections professionals (custody staff, unity staff, maintenance staff, amongst many others who work in corrections and with Inmates on a daily basis) have families, too. This is probably something many people either don’t understand or choose to ignore. If you choose to not sentence a violent person in their 20’s or 30’s to death, but just give them life, the staff have to deal with that person for decades to come. Yes, some people do change. However, not everyone does. And, as I have explained to many people, the few hours that an Inmate has with friends and family during visitation, while in court, or attending a religious activity, is just one face of an Inmate. From personal experience, I have seen numerous Inmates put on a very convincing front about being apologetic and remorseful about their crimes and very pious. Even very loving and caring towards others. However, I have seen many Inmates show a very angry and vengeful attitude towards staff.
Though some Inmates change, many do not. And, it is not an easy decision. One that needs to be made very, very carefully. But, all of these things need to be taken in consideration. Not just the heinousness of the crime and its impact on community, but the person’s history and the threat that he or she will be towards those who have to deal with him on a daily basis in prison. To ignore any of these, especially those who work in a prison, is to make light of or totally disregard them.
Now, concerning abortion… What is abortion, but the ending the life of a fetus (unborn baby) while it is still growing within the mother. If we take into consideration what justifiable homicide is verses murder, there is a significant difference. One involves the taking of a life in defense of oneself or someone else, and one involves the killing of someone who has not done anything wrong. In Deuteronomy 5:17 and Exodus 20:13, the same Hebrew word is used, רצח (raw-tsakh') (Lexicon number 7532 or http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/nas/ratsach.html) primarily means to murder or slay a person.
In the Micah 6 passage, we see two important things. One is the evil that is being done to other people. The other, in Micah 6:8, we see how God calls us to live. We are “…to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God…” That is, we are to protect others, show love and kindness to others, and to walk in total dependence with God. As I argued earlier, there is a time and place where a person who has committed a grievous crime against someone else (especially murder), where the death penalty would be a justifiable sentence. However, if we are to ‘love justice,’ would the killing of a fetus be ‘justifiable?’
Let’s seriously think about this for a moment. Did the fetus commit a heinous crime against the mother, or against someone else, or was the woman (or girl’s) pregnancy the result of someone else’s sin? Did the woman become pregnant because she stole food, verbally slandered someone, or because she got into a fight and accidently injured or killed someone? Or, did a woman or girl become pregnant because either they choose to have sex with someone or someone forced them to have sex? What will be the end result of ending the life of the fetus (who is the innocent bystander here)? Will it be justice, or will it be revenge?
I know that many of those who push ‘pro-choice’ emphasize the very volatile and emotion driven topic of women and children being raped and becoming pregnant. Therefore, if the child is from an unwanted relationship, it should be up to the woman or girl as to if the fetus should be allowed to live or to die. To me, whether or not the fetus (again, unborn baby) we created from consensual or nonconsensual sex, is beside the point. If we are to act justly with something, we have to punish those who have committed a crime. Since a fetus is the result of a bad choice (consensual sex) or the result of being sexually assaulted, it did not commit a crime.
In life, there are times when we have to make very, very difficult choices. Things that can have a huge impact on our lives and the lives of those around us. And these choices can be laden with all sorts of very, very strong emotion. During these times, it can be very difficult to make wise decisions. However, if we are to live by God’s standards, we have to be very, very careful how we choose to do things. It is wrong in God’s eyes for us to not protect the innocent. Throughout Scripture, God condemns the oppression of ‘the widow, the orphan, the alien.’ God calls us to uphold justice. With that, we are to punish those who commit evil in a manner that evil or revengeful. The other side of the coin is that, if we are ‘to live justly,’ we are to protect those who have not committed a crime.
A final thought… I do not get excited about people being put to death. I would rather see people repent of the evil that they have done. However, from what I have learned from studying human nature and my experiences as a MP and in Corrections, I know that many people choose not to change. No prison will perfectly protect the community at large. Inmates have known to escape from time-to-time. Not just that, but violent prisoners are still a daily danger to other inmates and the staff that enforce the rules and provide programing to help those who want to change.
Showing posts with label condemn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label condemn. Show all posts
Monday, August 29, 2016
Monday, September 7, 2015
God is Not Dead
References:
- “God's Not Dead” on imdb
- “God's Not Dead” official site
- Matthew 16:24-28 NAS
- John 3:22-35 NAS
This evening I watched a movie with my roommate called “God's Not Dead.” I have seen a number of Christian/Faith based movies over the years. Some I have enjoyed, but quite a few I have not. I enjoy a movie that has a good, though out plot, good acting, and has meaning. A pet peeve of mine is a movie that is shallow or is just cliché-ish. There are several Christian movies that I have seen over the years that are very good, “Faith Like Potatoes” (which used to be on Netflix) and “Rumors of Wars” (currently on Netflix) are two that I have enjoyed. “The Prince of Egypt,” “The Passion of the Christ” and several of the Veggie Tales are other movies that I have enjoyed.
Unfortunately, I have also seen quite a few faith based movies that I quickly lost interest in. Either because they seemed to be shallow or unrealistic. It has been very frustrating to me trying to find a good, wholesome faith-based movie. I have been walking with Christ since January of 1994 and have faced many, many difficulties. I have experienced many things that have challenged my faith and forced me to grow as a person and as a Christian. Although I have not understood all that I have endured, I have trusted God to guide me through them. Not just that, but I trust God to use my experiences for His glory.
The standard plot of any movie is that a person faces a problem and how he or she overcomes this difficulty. They have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Any good story needs to have this. For a faith-based film, the central theme is how God helps a person get from point A to point B. A well made faith-based movie can show just that if the plot is developed well. However, at least to me, many of these films seem very shallow in how they address problems. To some extent every movie is going to have its problems. In reality, you can only do so much within 80 to 200 minutes (one hour 20 minutes to 2 hours and twenty minutes, the typical length of a movie). However, many faith-based movies seem way too cliché-ish and shallow with how they address the issues in the movie.
From my experiences in ministry (both paid and volunteer), I have learned that there are often no easy answers. When someone is going through a difficult time, it is sometimes more important to walk through that difficulty with them instead of trying to 'help them find answers.' There have been times when I have sought to share a burden with someone. Instead of sharing it with me by listening, they have sought to 'answer my questions' outright. That is, to try and solve the problem instead of letting me verbalize what I was feeling and just being there for me. And, unfortunately, I know I have done that to others. We are all guilty of that. Although we knew that trying to answer people who are sharing a burden is a good way to shut them down, why do some people feel it needs to be done in a movie?
From my experiences in ministry, in the Army, and in corrections, I have realized that there are often no 'easy answers.' There are things that I have struggled to understand for many years. One that I continue it wrestle with is why did God call me to get a Master's of Divinity, but then not open the door for full-time ministry? The longest that I have worked a paid ministry position, outside of seminary, is 8 months. That was while I was seeking ordination with the United Methodist Church in Nebraska. I was thoroughly enjoying ministering to others and I could see God using me to touch lives. Because of my personality and military and corrections backgrounds, God used me to connect with several people in the communities that I was serving. These were people that other minister would have a hard time relating to. One was a Vietnam Vet who felt that others just did not understand him. However, we connected during our first conversation and had several very enjoyable conversations after that.
But yet, that door of ministry was closed less than a year after it had initially opened. While job hunting for almost a year, I earnestly prayed that God would only open the door for employment that He wanted me to enter. Eventually God did open the door for employment, once again with the Nebraska Department of Corrections. Although I did not want to return to this kind of work, I choose to be obedient and accepted the position when it was offered. God has opened some very interesting doors to me for ministering to others, both staff and inmates. But, it is not the kind of work that I would have chosen.
As a child, I had known that I was adopted. The only specifics, though, were that I had been born in South Dakota and that my biological mother had been 16 and my biological father had been 21 when I had been born. I had no idea if I had any siblings, if my biological parents were still alive, specifically why they had given me up for adoption, etc. When I turned 18, my adopted Father followed through upon his promise that, when I turned 18, he would help me try and contact my biological parents. This is, assuming that they wanted to be contacted. And it turned out that they did. In the spring of 1991, I started talking with members of my biological family and reconnecting with them. This was a dream come true to me!
In January of 1993, my biological Mother, Cindy (Zeeb) Packard, died because of health problems. I was astounded and heartbroken that this happened. Not even two years after I had first started talking with her, I felt that she had been stolen from me. I wasn't as angry with God about it as some other members of my (biological) family were, but I was still grieved that I would not be able to get to know here more. Because I had grow up a pastor's kid, though I was not walking with God at this time, I have a vague notion that God has a reason for allowing it to happen. My (half-)sister grew up with Cindy, had known her well (not to mention Cindy's mother and sisters) and they were very upset about loosing Cindy before she had turned 36. For me, having known her for less than 2 years….
Although I sometimes feel some sadness for her loss, I focus on the short time that I did have with her. I also rejoice that I am in contact with other members of her family. Considering how bad her health was at the time I had first made contact with her, I now realize that God was showing us both His Grace to have some time together. But, it has taken a number of years to really recognize and accept that.
Too often, people seek to give out 'pet answers' to others when they are dealing with heartache and loss. Sometimes it's to fill that 'awkward silence.' Sometimes they say things that they feel sound good, or assume that the person is looking for answers. And it could be that he or she is looking for answers. However, especially while they are initially experiencing the pain of loss or because of other difficulties, most people are just seeking someone to walk with them. Unless a person specifically asks what someone else things about a situation, it is better to just be there with them. And when they do ask, one has to be very careful with responding. And many times, it needs to be a dialogue over a period of times, honestly wrestling with the issue, than a 'one size fits all quote.' And I know how easy it is to try and offer such a thing.
There are many things that defy understanding. The loss of a young child to cancer, an accident, or because someone purposely took their life is just one of many things. Callously telling a grieving mother that had a stillborn, “Oh, if you had had enough faith and prayed hard enough, this would have not happened,” is gross kind of irresponsibility and it thoroughly disgusts me. I do believe that God always answers prayers, but not always the way we expect. On this side of Heaven, there are few things we will understand. It is our human nature to want to understand and to control. But yet, many times God calls us to walk in faith, in spite of not understanding. It is just gross spiritual arrogance to think such a thing. And, doing so can cause deep emotional and spiritual wounds.
An example comes to my mind that I have experienced. When I first joined the Army, I was married to a young woman. Because of her emotional and mental health issues, I was experiencing great difficulties. For over a year, I had been trying to work with her to face them. Unfortunately though, she refused to do so. On top of that, she and her parents were trying to manipulate me into believing that all of her problems were my fault. After lots of wrestling in prayer and talking with godly people that I trusted, I realized that divorce might be the only good option for me. Please understand, I knew that God does not like divorce and I was not thinking about it haphazardly. At one point, I talked with a Chaplain's Assistant at the base where I was training. I explained the situation (without names) and asked for prayers that God would help me do the right thing. The next thing I knew, the Chaplain Assistant started telling me how much God hates divorce and how I had to be reconciled to my wife. Instead of showing me Christ's love and helping me, he did the exact opposite. I admit, I had a very hard time not saying anything in response and just walking away.
For me, quite a few of the faith-based movies that I have seen come across like the above example. To be able to get all that they want within the 90ish minutes of the movie, and 'to provide good answers' to very hard theological questions, they make the unfortunate mistake of 'providing a pat answer' with plenty of Scripture quotes. This could be done well, if it is wrestled with through out the movie. But, it has to be done intelligently and with the understanding that not everything will be understood. Unfortunately though, this often not the case. Instead, at a 'critical juncture' late in the movie, a pastor or other person pulls out a Bible, quotes a Scripture or two, and then the 'problem is solved.' That is not real life. That is a very good way to turn people off from God's Grace and healing.
The only thing that I think the writers of “God's Not Dead” could have done to make things a little less 'cheesy' was to cut out one or two sub-plots. During the movie, they looked at the lives and struggles of at least 7 different people. In real life on a large college campus, there are literately thousands of people interacting on any given day. Each with their own joys and struggles. However, to make a 90ish minute movie good, I think they should have focused more on 4 or 5 main characters. One relationship I wish they would have explored in more depth was the young Muslim woman, Ayisha (played by Hadeel Sittu). She had been a 'closet Christian' within her Muslim family. Developing more her story, especially with the Missionary from Africa, Rev. Jude (see below), I think would have really helped the movie. That's just my opinion.
There were two things that I thought the writers did well. One was how they portrayed the atheist professor and developed why he was an atheist. They showed how he was very proud of his 'anti-god' ideas, how he almost always had a very good comeback (pat answer), and how they allowed him to be developed throughout the movie. The other thing I really liked was the 'challenges' that the minister and his missionary friend had with taking a trip. Instead of just spouting out 'pat answers' about how 'it has to be God wanting us to do something,' they focused instead of 'let's just trust God.' They then just 'rolled with the punches.' Through out the movie, it became clear that part of the plot was that God wanted to use them to touch the lives of others. Because they allowed themselves to be available, even though they were not where they had planned, God used them to touch several lives. Then, God allowed them to take their trip.
It has been my experience that we rarely appreciate or understand why we are going through something at that particular time. It is almost always later on that we see how God used our experience, or just our availability, to touch the life of another. Sometimes we don't get that glimpse on this side of Heaven. It depends on what God wants us to know. In the movie, one can tell that the missionary from Africa (Rev. Jude, played by Benjamin A. Onyango) had a better understanding of walking with God 'in the moment' and just being available. It wasn't that the pastor, Rev. Dave (played by David A.R. White). But, though he challenged the minister with this, he did not come across as patronizing him. To me at least he didn't. Instead, it was a more mentoring “follow my lead” kind of response to Rev. Dave being frustrated with the whole situation. I really liked how they did that.
All in all, I think that the move, “God's Not Dead” was very good. It didn't just through out 'pet answers' to solve all of the problems. And, to their credit, they did not try to wrap up every problem within the movie. For example, the woman who finds out she has cancer, the last thing the show is several Christian people taking the time to listen to her and then pray for her. There were other things that they allowed to 'just leave you hanging.' That's real life, and I am glad that the movie reflected that. There are suggestions for how to understand things, but I didn't get the sense that 'you can only understand them from this perspective.' I also liked how they played out the philosophical debate. But, I will make you watch the movie to learn more.
- “God's Not Dead” on imdb
- “God's Not Dead” official site
- Matthew 16:24-28 NAS
- John 3:22-35 NAS
This evening I watched a movie with my roommate called “God's Not Dead.” I have seen a number of Christian/Faith based movies over the years. Some I have enjoyed, but quite a few I have not. I enjoy a movie that has a good, though out plot, good acting, and has meaning. A pet peeve of mine is a movie that is shallow or is just cliché-ish. There are several Christian movies that I have seen over the years that are very good, “Faith Like Potatoes” (which used to be on Netflix) and “Rumors of Wars” (currently on Netflix) are two that I have enjoyed. “The Prince of Egypt,” “The Passion of the Christ” and several of the Veggie Tales are other movies that I have enjoyed.
Unfortunately, I have also seen quite a few faith based movies that I quickly lost interest in. Either because they seemed to be shallow or unrealistic. It has been very frustrating to me trying to find a good, wholesome faith-based movie. I have been walking with Christ since January of 1994 and have faced many, many difficulties. I have experienced many things that have challenged my faith and forced me to grow as a person and as a Christian. Although I have not understood all that I have endured, I have trusted God to guide me through them. Not just that, but I trust God to use my experiences for His glory.
The standard plot of any movie is that a person faces a problem and how he or she overcomes this difficulty. They have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Any good story needs to have this. For a faith-based film, the central theme is how God helps a person get from point A to point B. A well made faith-based movie can show just that if the plot is developed well. However, at least to me, many of these films seem very shallow in how they address problems. To some extent every movie is going to have its problems. In reality, you can only do so much within 80 to 200 minutes (one hour 20 minutes to 2 hours and twenty minutes, the typical length of a movie). However, many faith-based movies seem way too cliché-ish and shallow with how they address the issues in the movie.
From my experiences in ministry (both paid and volunteer), I have learned that there are often no easy answers. When someone is going through a difficult time, it is sometimes more important to walk through that difficulty with them instead of trying to 'help them find answers.' There have been times when I have sought to share a burden with someone. Instead of sharing it with me by listening, they have sought to 'answer my questions' outright. That is, to try and solve the problem instead of letting me verbalize what I was feeling and just being there for me. And, unfortunately, I know I have done that to others. We are all guilty of that. Although we knew that trying to answer people who are sharing a burden is a good way to shut them down, why do some people feel it needs to be done in a movie?
From my experiences in ministry, in the Army, and in corrections, I have realized that there are often no 'easy answers.' There are things that I have struggled to understand for many years. One that I continue it wrestle with is why did God call me to get a Master's of Divinity, but then not open the door for full-time ministry? The longest that I have worked a paid ministry position, outside of seminary, is 8 months. That was while I was seeking ordination with the United Methodist Church in Nebraska. I was thoroughly enjoying ministering to others and I could see God using me to touch lives. Because of my personality and military and corrections backgrounds, God used me to connect with several people in the communities that I was serving. These were people that other minister would have a hard time relating to. One was a Vietnam Vet who felt that others just did not understand him. However, we connected during our first conversation and had several very enjoyable conversations after that.
But yet, that door of ministry was closed less than a year after it had initially opened. While job hunting for almost a year, I earnestly prayed that God would only open the door for employment that He wanted me to enter. Eventually God did open the door for employment, once again with the Nebraska Department of Corrections. Although I did not want to return to this kind of work, I choose to be obedient and accepted the position when it was offered. God has opened some very interesting doors to me for ministering to others, both staff and inmates. But, it is not the kind of work that I would have chosen.
As a child, I had known that I was adopted. The only specifics, though, were that I had been born in South Dakota and that my biological mother had been 16 and my biological father had been 21 when I had been born. I had no idea if I had any siblings, if my biological parents were still alive, specifically why they had given me up for adoption, etc. When I turned 18, my adopted Father followed through upon his promise that, when I turned 18, he would help me try and contact my biological parents. This is, assuming that they wanted to be contacted. And it turned out that they did. In the spring of 1991, I started talking with members of my biological family and reconnecting with them. This was a dream come true to me!
In January of 1993, my biological Mother, Cindy (Zeeb) Packard, died because of health problems. I was astounded and heartbroken that this happened. Not even two years after I had first started talking with her, I felt that she had been stolen from me. I wasn't as angry with God about it as some other members of my (biological) family were, but I was still grieved that I would not be able to get to know here more. Because I had grow up a pastor's kid, though I was not walking with God at this time, I have a vague notion that God has a reason for allowing it to happen. My (half-)sister grew up with Cindy, had known her well (not to mention Cindy's mother and sisters) and they were very upset about loosing Cindy before she had turned 36. For me, having known her for less than 2 years….
Although I sometimes feel some sadness for her loss, I focus on the short time that I did have with her. I also rejoice that I am in contact with other members of her family. Considering how bad her health was at the time I had first made contact with her, I now realize that God was showing us both His Grace to have some time together. But, it has taken a number of years to really recognize and accept that.
Too often, people seek to give out 'pet answers' to others when they are dealing with heartache and loss. Sometimes it's to fill that 'awkward silence.' Sometimes they say things that they feel sound good, or assume that the person is looking for answers. And it could be that he or she is looking for answers. However, especially while they are initially experiencing the pain of loss or because of other difficulties, most people are just seeking someone to walk with them. Unless a person specifically asks what someone else things about a situation, it is better to just be there with them. And when they do ask, one has to be very careful with responding. And many times, it needs to be a dialogue over a period of times, honestly wrestling with the issue, than a 'one size fits all quote.' And I know how easy it is to try and offer such a thing.
There are many things that defy understanding. The loss of a young child to cancer, an accident, or because someone purposely took their life is just one of many things. Callously telling a grieving mother that had a stillborn, “Oh, if you had had enough faith and prayed hard enough, this would have not happened,” is gross kind of irresponsibility and it thoroughly disgusts me. I do believe that God always answers prayers, but not always the way we expect. On this side of Heaven, there are few things we will understand. It is our human nature to want to understand and to control. But yet, many times God calls us to walk in faith, in spite of not understanding. It is just gross spiritual arrogance to think such a thing. And, doing so can cause deep emotional and spiritual wounds.
An example comes to my mind that I have experienced. When I first joined the Army, I was married to a young woman. Because of her emotional and mental health issues, I was experiencing great difficulties. For over a year, I had been trying to work with her to face them. Unfortunately though, she refused to do so. On top of that, she and her parents were trying to manipulate me into believing that all of her problems were my fault. After lots of wrestling in prayer and talking with godly people that I trusted, I realized that divorce might be the only good option for me. Please understand, I knew that God does not like divorce and I was not thinking about it haphazardly. At one point, I talked with a Chaplain's Assistant at the base where I was training. I explained the situation (without names) and asked for prayers that God would help me do the right thing. The next thing I knew, the Chaplain Assistant started telling me how much God hates divorce and how I had to be reconciled to my wife. Instead of showing me Christ's love and helping me, he did the exact opposite. I admit, I had a very hard time not saying anything in response and just walking away.
For me, quite a few of the faith-based movies that I have seen come across like the above example. To be able to get all that they want within the 90ish minutes of the movie, and 'to provide good answers' to very hard theological questions, they make the unfortunate mistake of 'providing a pat answer' with plenty of Scripture quotes. This could be done well, if it is wrestled with through out the movie. But, it has to be done intelligently and with the understanding that not everything will be understood. Unfortunately though, this often not the case. Instead, at a 'critical juncture' late in the movie, a pastor or other person pulls out a Bible, quotes a Scripture or two, and then the 'problem is solved.' That is not real life. That is a very good way to turn people off from God's Grace and healing.
The only thing that I think the writers of “God's Not Dead” could have done to make things a little less 'cheesy' was to cut out one or two sub-plots. During the movie, they looked at the lives and struggles of at least 7 different people. In real life on a large college campus, there are literately thousands of people interacting on any given day. Each with their own joys and struggles. However, to make a 90ish minute movie good, I think they should have focused more on 4 or 5 main characters. One relationship I wish they would have explored in more depth was the young Muslim woman, Ayisha (played by Hadeel Sittu). She had been a 'closet Christian' within her Muslim family. Developing more her story, especially with the Missionary from Africa, Rev. Jude (see below), I think would have really helped the movie. That's just my opinion.
There were two things that I thought the writers did well. One was how they portrayed the atheist professor and developed why he was an atheist. They showed how he was very proud of his 'anti-god' ideas, how he almost always had a very good comeback (pat answer), and how they allowed him to be developed throughout the movie. The other thing I really liked was the 'challenges' that the minister and his missionary friend had with taking a trip. Instead of just spouting out 'pat answers' about how 'it has to be God wanting us to do something,' they focused instead of 'let's just trust God.' They then just 'rolled with the punches.' Through out the movie, it became clear that part of the plot was that God wanted to use them to touch the lives of others. Because they allowed themselves to be available, even though they were not where they had planned, God used them to touch several lives. Then, God allowed them to take their trip.
It has been my experience that we rarely appreciate or understand why we are going through something at that particular time. It is almost always later on that we see how God used our experience, or just our availability, to touch the life of another. Sometimes we don't get that glimpse on this side of Heaven. It depends on what God wants us to know. In the movie, one can tell that the missionary from Africa (Rev. Jude, played by Benjamin A. Onyango) had a better understanding of walking with God 'in the moment' and just being available. It wasn't that the pastor, Rev. Dave (played by David A.R. White). But, though he challenged the minister with this, he did not come across as patronizing him. To me at least he didn't. Instead, it was a more mentoring “follow my lead” kind of response to Rev. Dave being frustrated with the whole situation. I really liked how they did that.
All in all, I think that the move, “God's Not Dead” was very good. It didn't just through out 'pet answers' to solve all of the problems. And, to their credit, they did not try to wrap up every problem within the movie. For example, the woman who finds out she has cancer, the last thing the show is several Christian people taking the time to listen to her and then pray for her. There were other things that they allowed to 'just leave you hanging.' That's real life, and I am glad that the movie reflected that. There are suggestions for how to understand things, but I didn't get the sense that 'you can only understand them from this perspective.' I also liked how they played out the philosophical debate. But, I will make you watch the movie to learn more.
Monday, August 24, 2015
Religious Corruption
Scripture to Read:
- John 2:12-25 NAS
- Jeremiah 7:1-15 NAS
- Matthew 21:12-13 NAS
- Mark 11:15-17 NAS
- Luke 19:45-47 NAS
In a Bible Study that I help lead, we have been studying the Gospel of John. We just recently finished talking about Chapter 2 and thought I would share a couple of things that really stood out to me. I hope that there are something that can help you in your walk with God.
In the John passage, we Jesus going to Jerusalem for the Passover. This is a celebration of the miraculous way that God lead the Hebrew people out of bondage in Egypt (Exodus 20 NAS). It is a very significant celebration for the Hebrew people. Not only was it a miraculous leading out of bondage of slavery, but God used it to point us to when He would eventually lead us out of bondage to sin (something I will discuss in detail at another time). In reading the Old Testament, one will see that animal sacrifices played a very, very important role in the Jewish worship.
With the sacrifices, God called His people to bring an animal without blemish (not sick, lame, injured, etc.). Why might this be? Because the animal sacrifices were to 'cover up' our sins, it was to be something that cost us. Just as the sins that we commit cause damage in our relationships with God and with others, making amends should not 'be cheap.' Ever have someone do something wrong against you and then apologize in such a way that you questioned their sincerity? In a way, that was how bringing 'damaged goods' for a sacrifice to God would be. Think about it, how sincere do you think God would see you if you kept animals that were healthy and only brought the 'left overs' or that which was of little value to you? I talk about this idea a little more in depth in my blog entry concerning Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s book, “Cost of Discipleship.” Because God knows our thoughts and attitudes, this is something important to keep in mind.
Because of the danger of people not bringing their best for offerings, the religious leaders during Jesus time provided animals for sacrifice. Now, having animals available would be helpful to people in two ways. First of all, it would ensure that animals that met the “without blemish” aspect were available. Secondly, for some people who had to travel long distances to make sacrifices at the Temple, this would be a good option. Travelers would not have to worry about the animal(s) they brought for their sacrifice becoming sick or injured on the way. However, instead of having animals available for people to buy, people were only allowed to use the animals that they provided. And, the Pharisees could charge what ever price they wanted.
Because Roman money had a picture of Caesar, who was considered to be a god of sorts, the religious leaders did not want that money in the Temple. Nor did they want that kind of money being used to purchase animals for sacrifice. (See these articles on 'money changers:' here and here). God's intent was that the Priests would live off of parts of certain sacrifices and off of the money collected yearly. Instead of being content with how God wanted to provide for them, they chose to force people to give them more money.
In the Jeremiah passage, two things were being addressed. One was the Jewish people's trusting the presence of God's Temple for their protection. The Jewish people believed that since the Temple, where God dwelt, was in Jerusalem, God would protect them so that it would not be destroyed. However, God told them through Jeremiah that this was not the case. God would not protect them merely because of the presence of His Temple was there. He would Divinely protect them because of their devotion to Him and following His Laws. In short, the Jewish people were making an idol out of of the Temple building and the sacrifices. Instead of genuine repentance of sin and seeking to whole-heartily follow God, they went through the motions of religious worship.
A large portion of the Priests during Jeremiah's time were spiritually corrupt. God's intent was that the Priests were to be the moral and religious leaders to God's people. Because they were not correcting the people and were leading corrupt lives themselves, God viewed them as being like robbers. The thing is, the Hebrew word, פריץ (pronounced per-eets') is better translated as 'violent one, breaker, robber, murderer' (). Pretty harsh, huh? You might be wondering how this may tie in to what Jeremiah and Jesus addressing in their respective situations. I will try to clarify that.
In the Old Testament, God repeatedly referred to idolatry a spiritual form of adultery. One has to remember that covenants (a legal kind of agreement) was, and still is, very important. We see time and again God making a covenant with a person or a people (for example, Abraham, Moses, and the Hebrew people). A covenant has to have two or more people or groups come together to agree on the benefits and consequences for a given covenant. With Israel, God promised to not just protect them if they were obedient to Him, but that He would richly bless them. In contrast, if they chose to disobey God, He would bring about a variety of punishments. When the nation of Israel came into being, the Priests were charged with leading worship and being the moral compass of the nation. When they became corrupt, the people in turn followed and became corrupt. Although we are all human and make mistakes, there is a difference between unintentionally leading someone astray and purposely doing so.
In Jeremiah's time, many of the Priests were not executing or teaching God's justice. They were seeking their own selfish aims. One aspect was teaching that because the Temple was in Jerusalem, the Hebrew people would be protected. Between this belief, allowing idolatry (worship of Baal and other foreign gods), and perverting justice, God saw them as being no better than violent thieves and murderers. Although they may not be actually committing armed robbery or murderer to the physical body, they were not teaching the people of Israel how to obey God. They were, in fact, leading them astray with false teachings. So, in a very real sense, they were committing these heinous crimes of armed robbery and murder in a spiritual form. They were preventing the people of Israel from repenting of their sins and returning to God. Not just that, but they were often receiving bribes for perverting justice. In leading the Hebrew people astray, they were preventing the people of having a relationship with God. This would, in turn, further their spiritual bondage and prevent them from being reconciled to God. Therefore, they would continue to be 'dead in their sins' instead of being 'alive' by having a healthy relationship with God.
When the Pharisees and Sadducee did similar things during Jesus' time, it starts to make sense why Jesus would reference Jeremiah's speech. Although theologians differ on which religious holiday it was that Jeremiah did his speech in Jeremiah 7, it is very possible that it could have been the Passover. If it had been during Passover in Jeremiah 7, then it makes more sense for Jesus to quote him while he is driving out the money changers and those selling animals. Although the passage in John does not refer to the people that Jesus drove out as 'robbers,' the authors of Matthew, Luke and Mark do. The word that they use is λεστες (pronounced lace-tace'). The meaning of that Greek word is 'a robber, plunderer, freebooter, brigand.' All of these words have a sense of someone using force to take things from someone else.
You are probably wondering how this might apply to each of us. When a person is entrusted with the care of someone else, it is important that he or she execute that role in a responsible manner. This is reflected in the Jeremiah and Gospel passages shows how important it is to God. In all of the above passages, God had very harsh words for the religious leaders who were leading His people away from Him. Their role was extremely important. They were to teach God's chosen people how to obey God. In obeying God, they would experience life (being spiritually connected to God and receiving His blessings). Instead, the religious leaders were teaching disobedience to God. This, in turn, prevented the people from returning to Him. It wasn't that they were not fulfilling their calling as caretakers, they were using their position for their own gain.
Every society has laws for people to live by. Whether in the military or the civilian world, we have laws governing how people are to lead others. The leader is charged with taking care of those he or she are responsible. Whether is a parent responsible for the upbringing of a child, a teacher charged with correctly instructing his or her students, or a police officer in charge of the public's safety, there are consequences for not doing their job. Whether by negligence or on purpose, those who do not fulfill their position of responsibility are to be held accountable. It is the same for those that God has charged with the spiritual well-being of His people. God will hold each of us accountable for how we shepherd His people. For all leaders, we can do great harm physically, emotionally, economically, etc., when we make the wrong decisions. Some consequences can be short-term or long-term. But for those of us that God has called to shepherd His people, our bad decisions can have eternal consequences. We must always keep this in mind, seeking God's insight and strength to lead His people in ways that honor Him. Though we are human and make mistakes, we must not purposely chose to lead His people astray. Do you not want to receive God's blessings for obedience? I know that I do. Let us earnestly seek to lead with integrity, with compassion, and to lead people to God and not away.
- John 2:12-25 NAS
- Jeremiah 7:1-15 NAS
- Matthew 21:12-13 NAS
- Mark 11:15-17 NAS
- Luke 19:45-47 NAS
In a Bible Study that I help lead, we have been studying the Gospel of John. We just recently finished talking about Chapter 2 and thought I would share a couple of things that really stood out to me. I hope that there are something that can help you in your walk with God.
In the John passage, we Jesus going to Jerusalem for the Passover. This is a celebration of the miraculous way that God lead the Hebrew people out of bondage in Egypt (Exodus 20 NAS). It is a very significant celebration for the Hebrew people. Not only was it a miraculous leading out of bondage of slavery, but God used it to point us to when He would eventually lead us out of bondage to sin (something I will discuss in detail at another time). In reading the Old Testament, one will see that animal sacrifices played a very, very important role in the Jewish worship.
With the sacrifices, God called His people to bring an animal without blemish (not sick, lame, injured, etc.). Why might this be? Because the animal sacrifices were to 'cover up' our sins, it was to be something that cost us. Just as the sins that we commit cause damage in our relationships with God and with others, making amends should not 'be cheap.' Ever have someone do something wrong against you and then apologize in such a way that you questioned their sincerity? In a way, that was how bringing 'damaged goods' for a sacrifice to God would be. Think about it, how sincere do you think God would see you if you kept animals that were healthy and only brought the 'left overs' or that which was of little value to you? I talk about this idea a little more in depth in my blog entry concerning Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s book, “Cost of Discipleship.” Because God knows our thoughts and attitudes, this is something important to keep in mind.
Because of the danger of people not bringing their best for offerings, the religious leaders during Jesus time provided animals for sacrifice. Now, having animals available would be helpful to people in two ways. First of all, it would ensure that animals that met the “without blemish” aspect were available. Secondly, for some people who had to travel long distances to make sacrifices at the Temple, this would be a good option. Travelers would not have to worry about the animal(s) they brought for their sacrifice becoming sick or injured on the way. However, instead of having animals available for people to buy, people were only allowed to use the animals that they provided. And, the Pharisees could charge what ever price they wanted.
Because Roman money had a picture of Caesar, who was considered to be a god of sorts, the religious leaders did not want that money in the Temple. Nor did they want that kind of money being used to purchase animals for sacrifice. (See these articles on 'money changers:' here and here). God's intent was that the Priests would live off of parts of certain sacrifices and off of the money collected yearly. Instead of being content with how God wanted to provide for them, they chose to force people to give them more money.
In the Jeremiah passage, two things were being addressed. One was the Jewish people's trusting the presence of God's Temple for their protection. The Jewish people believed that since the Temple, where God dwelt, was in Jerusalem, God would protect them so that it would not be destroyed. However, God told them through Jeremiah that this was not the case. God would not protect them merely because of the presence of His Temple was there. He would Divinely protect them because of their devotion to Him and following His Laws. In short, the Jewish people were making an idol out of of the Temple building and the sacrifices. Instead of genuine repentance of sin and seeking to whole-heartily follow God, they went through the motions of religious worship.
A large portion of the Priests during Jeremiah's time were spiritually corrupt. God's intent was that the Priests were to be the moral and religious leaders to God's people. Because they were not correcting the people and were leading corrupt lives themselves, God viewed them as being like robbers. The thing is, the Hebrew word, פריץ (pronounced per-eets') is better translated as 'violent one, breaker, robber, murderer' (). Pretty harsh, huh? You might be wondering how this may tie in to what Jeremiah and Jesus addressing in their respective situations. I will try to clarify that.
In the Old Testament, God repeatedly referred to idolatry a spiritual form of adultery. One has to remember that covenants (a legal kind of agreement) was, and still is, very important. We see time and again God making a covenant with a person or a people (for example, Abraham, Moses, and the Hebrew people). A covenant has to have two or more people or groups come together to agree on the benefits and consequences for a given covenant. With Israel, God promised to not just protect them if they were obedient to Him, but that He would richly bless them. In contrast, if they chose to disobey God, He would bring about a variety of punishments. When the nation of Israel came into being, the Priests were charged with leading worship and being the moral compass of the nation. When they became corrupt, the people in turn followed and became corrupt. Although we are all human and make mistakes, there is a difference between unintentionally leading someone astray and purposely doing so.
In Jeremiah's time, many of the Priests were not executing or teaching God's justice. They were seeking their own selfish aims. One aspect was teaching that because the Temple was in Jerusalem, the Hebrew people would be protected. Between this belief, allowing idolatry (worship of Baal and other foreign gods), and perverting justice, God saw them as being no better than violent thieves and murderers. Although they may not be actually committing armed robbery or murderer to the physical body, they were not teaching the people of Israel how to obey God. They were, in fact, leading them astray with false teachings. So, in a very real sense, they were committing these heinous crimes of armed robbery and murder in a spiritual form. They were preventing the people of Israel from repenting of their sins and returning to God. Not just that, but they were often receiving bribes for perverting justice. In leading the Hebrew people astray, they were preventing the people of having a relationship with God. This would, in turn, further their spiritual bondage and prevent them from being reconciled to God. Therefore, they would continue to be 'dead in their sins' instead of being 'alive' by having a healthy relationship with God.
When the Pharisees and Sadducee did similar things during Jesus' time, it starts to make sense why Jesus would reference Jeremiah's speech. Although theologians differ on which religious holiday it was that Jeremiah did his speech in Jeremiah 7, it is very possible that it could have been the Passover. If it had been during Passover in Jeremiah 7, then it makes more sense for Jesus to quote him while he is driving out the money changers and those selling animals. Although the passage in John does not refer to the people that Jesus drove out as 'robbers,' the authors of Matthew, Luke and Mark do. The word that they use is λεστες (pronounced lace-tace'). The meaning of that Greek word is 'a robber, plunderer, freebooter, brigand.' All of these words have a sense of someone using force to take things from someone else.
You are probably wondering how this might apply to each of us. When a person is entrusted with the care of someone else, it is important that he or she execute that role in a responsible manner. This is reflected in the Jeremiah and Gospel passages shows how important it is to God. In all of the above passages, God had very harsh words for the religious leaders who were leading His people away from Him. Their role was extremely important. They were to teach God's chosen people how to obey God. In obeying God, they would experience life (being spiritually connected to God and receiving His blessings). Instead, the religious leaders were teaching disobedience to God. This, in turn, prevented the people from returning to Him. It wasn't that they were not fulfilling their calling as caretakers, they were using their position for their own gain.
Every society has laws for people to live by. Whether in the military or the civilian world, we have laws governing how people are to lead others. The leader is charged with taking care of those he or she are responsible. Whether is a parent responsible for the upbringing of a child, a teacher charged with correctly instructing his or her students, or a police officer in charge of the public's safety, there are consequences for not doing their job. Whether by negligence or on purpose, those who do not fulfill their position of responsibility are to be held accountable. It is the same for those that God has charged with the spiritual well-being of His people. God will hold each of us accountable for how we shepherd His people. For all leaders, we can do great harm physically, emotionally, economically, etc., when we make the wrong decisions. Some consequences can be short-term or long-term. But for those of us that God has called to shepherd His people, our bad decisions can have eternal consequences. We must always keep this in mind, seeking God's insight and strength to lead His people in ways that honor Him. Though we are human and make mistakes, we must not purposely chose to lead His people astray. Do you not want to receive God's blessings for obedience? I know that I do. Let us earnestly seek to lead with integrity, with compassion, and to lead people to God and not away.
Saturday, August 8, 2015
Walking Amongst Wolves
Please read the following:
- Matthew 7:15-23 NAS
- Matthew 10:16-23 NAS
- Acts 20:17-38 NAS
- Matthew 25:31-46 NAS
I have contemplated writing this blog entry for quite a while. Because it is something of a 'sore spot' for me, it's taken several years to be willing to even consider writing it. To some extent, it is a continuation of my blog entry “Grow Where You Are Planted”. But, it is also more than that. As I mentioned in that previous post, my job with the Nebraska Department of Corrections was one that I did not desire to have. But, since I asked God to only open the door to the employment that He wanted me to have, He honored that prayer.
All together, I have worked with the Nebraska Department of Corrections (NDCS) at least 8 years. During that time, I have interacted with many different kind of people, both staff and inmates. Since returning to working with NDCS, I have prayerfully sought to see it as a place of ministry instead of 'just a job.' And, God has answered that prayer, too. Part of it has been God opening the door to be the Religious Coordinator Assistant. Although it is a 'facilitator' kind of job instead of a 'ministry' job, like I would prefer, it is still a position that I very much enjoy working.
It is my experience that quite a few people in prison are not there because they are 'hell bent' on destroying the lives of others. Instead, they are in prison because they made a bad choice. For example, let's say someone with a good family and career was celebrating a milestone in his/her life. A promotion or raise, perhaps. And during the course of that celebration, he/she had quite a few alcoholic drinks and then decided to drive home instead of having a non-drinking friend or a taxi take him/her home. And, in the course of driving home they cross into the other lane and have a head on collision with another car, killing one or more occupants. This person did not intend to cause harm to others. However, because he/she made a bad decision to drive after drinking, he/she is not spending many years in prison for manslaughter (unintentionally killing someone else).
There are other cases where someone was in such emotional pain that he or she lashed out at a loved one and now is in prison for assault. Or, another example could be someone was without employment or under employed and stole something. Again, they made a bad choice and are now suffering the consequences. But, their hearts are not bent towards doing evil, they just made a bad choice, or series of bad choices.
Although not all people in prison have a heart bent on doing evil, quite a few are. Some of the inmates that I deal with are master manipulators. Others have little to no ability to emphasize with others. That means, if they cause emotional, spiritual, and/or physical pain to someone else, they have great difficulty feeling sorry for what they did. They also have difficulty understanding the pain they caused in the other person. Others are sadist, in that they get enjoyment out of causing pain (again physical, emotional, and/or spiritual) in others. Though this isn't the case of many in prison, there are those that I have dealt with who would be willing to cause great bodily harm or even kill staff or another inmate in order to get a temporary gain. And, committing that act would not cause them to loose any sleep at night.
It is a challenge to work with this type of person, one who is either so calloused or sadistic that causing harm to others either doesn't bother them or actually excites them. Some of them walk around in general population. Others spend long periods of time in the Special Management Unit (SMU) because of their actions. There are those who spend years in Intensive Management because of how dangerous they can be. (Intensive management cells have their own enclosed yard and shower so that they are kept more separated from others.)
It is amongst such people that I work on a daily basis. Thankfully, most days they choose not to cause problems. However, that is not always the case. I couldn't tell you how many times I have been a part of a use of force team or had to respond to an emergency. Some emergencies were medical emergencies, but quite a few of them were because of inmates fighting. Although I have not been physically injured during one of these uses of force, I know staff who have been. It is always a risk with where I work, that either I or someone else could be assaulted. Although having fecal matter or urine thrown on me is considered a form of assault, I am not including it here.
Whether I like it or not, that is the environment that God has called me to minister to. Although I would prefer to work as a Religious Coordinator (or Religious Coordinator Assistant), my primary job is custody staff. That means I am interacting with the inmates on a regular basis. In fact, I am often within easy reach or one or more inmates who may or may not have a weapon on them. It is my duty to enforce rules, which easily makes me a 'lightning rod' for an inmate's anger. That is my job and I prayerfully ask for God's help in staying safe and doing my job well.
But here is a humbling thought. My life as custody staff at a maximum security prison that we specifically built for the more dangerous and more difficult to manage inmates is nothing compared to what some people endure on a regular basis each and every day. Are you wondering who could have it worse than me? Christians who live in countries that actively persecute them for their faith have it worse.
I regularly get E-mails and Facebook posts from Christian organizations that share the stories of Christians who are persecuted for their faith. They are a daily reminder that, even on a bad day for me, it is nothing compared to what many of them go through on a daily basis. One such story was on my Facebook page this morning. It is about a former Muslim Imam who turned from Islam and embraced Christ. You can read his story here. In many Muslim countries, Christians are forced to worship behind closed doors. In these countries, if a person converts from Islam to Christianity (or any other religion), they are often arrested and harshly punished. Death by hanging or beheading is not uncommon, either. Each and every day, Christians in many nations, not just Muslim nations, face discrimination and even active persecution. Women are often sexually assaulted and forced to 'convert' to the 'national religion' and marry someone of that religion to 'seal the conversion.' Others are sexually assaulted and left to live with that shame. Any who seek to hold the attackers accountable are often lucky to even be given the opportunity to be heard. Most attackers are, unfortunately, celebrated.
One set of statistics from Open Doors are per month: 322 Christians are killed for their faith, 214 churches and Christian properties are destroyed, and 772 forms of violence are committed against Christians (such as beatings, rapes, forced marriages, arrests, etc.). (stats found here: http://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/) Think about it… These people suffer all sorts of horrific experiences because they choose to follow Christ. As a comparison, we will look at the crime rates of a city here in America. According to one web site, Chicago is rated as being one of the most dangerous places to live (having a safety measurement of 11% where 100 is most safe). According to the site's FAQ, they were using the 2013 crime statistics. The stats include 24,469 violent crimes (including assault, rape, robbery, etc.), 9.00 crimes per 1,000 residents, 415 murders, unreported number of rapes, unreported number of assaults, etc. Now, keep in mind, Chicago has a lot of gang activity, which would account for some of these violent crimes. The number of Christians, on average, that are murdered for their faith each month is about ¾ of those that were murdered in Chicago throughout 2013. And, that is only counting the number of Christians that we know who were murdered for their faith.
To help Christians (and others who might wish to know), better see which countries are worse with their persecution of Christians, Open Doors puts together a 'World Watch List'. This list rates the 50 most dangerous countries for a Christian to live in. According to the most current list, the top 5 countries for persecuting Christians are: 1. North Korea, 2. Somalia, 3. Iraq, 4. Syria, and 5. Afghanistan. Each of these countries actively persecute anyone claiming to follow Christ who is a member of that country. Any Christian who comes into the country and shares their faith may be lucky to just be sent home and banned from coming into the country ever again.
For my job with the Nebraska Department of Corrections, I walk amongst many dangerous people on a regular basis. Although there is a low staff to inmate ratio, there are many safety factors in place to protect us. Things like radios, armed staff in towers and roving patrols, OC spray, etc., help to keep us safe. Also, inmates will face charges (either institutionally or via the state, depending on the crime) for assaulting other inmates or staff. If they assault someone, they will loose what few freedoms that they have. That helps to make our job safer. Although we walk amongst wolves, we have layers of protection. And, when our shift is done, we get to go home. And usually, where we live is a much safer place.
For most Christians in countries like North Korea, Somalia, etc., there is no such thing as a safe place. They are in grave danger at work, they are in grave danger at home, while shopping, etc. Sometimes it is a co-worker or neighbor who assaults, harasses, or murders a Christian in one of these countries. But, it can just as easily be a family member. A bad day at work is just that, a bad day at work. For many Christians around the world, it is a day-to-day experience. Let us not forget that. Let us remember to pray for all have to live in such environments. And, let us pray that those of us in 'Christian' counties not become complacent, lest we allow it become reality where we live.
- Matthew 7:15-23 NAS
- Matthew 10:16-23 NAS
- Acts 20:17-38 NAS
- Matthew 25:31-46 NAS
I have contemplated writing this blog entry for quite a while. Because it is something of a 'sore spot' for me, it's taken several years to be willing to even consider writing it. To some extent, it is a continuation of my blog entry “Grow Where You Are Planted”. But, it is also more than that. As I mentioned in that previous post, my job with the Nebraska Department of Corrections was one that I did not desire to have. But, since I asked God to only open the door to the employment that He wanted me to have, He honored that prayer.
All together, I have worked with the Nebraska Department of Corrections (NDCS) at least 8 years. During that time, I have interacted with many different kind of people, both staff and inmates. Since returning to working with NDCS, I have prayerfully sought to see it as a place of ministry instead of 'just a job.' And, God has answered that prayer, too. Part of it has been God opening the door to be the Religious Coordinator Assistant. Although it is a 'facilitator' kind of job instead of a 'ministry' job, like I would prefer, it is still a position that I very much enjoy working.
It is my experience that quite a few people in prison are not there because they are 'hell bent' on destroying the lives of others. Instead, they are in prison because they made a bad choice. For example, let's say someone with a good family and career was celebrating a milestone in his/her life. A promotion or raise, perhaps. And during the course of that celebration, he/she had quite a few alcoholic drinks and then decided to drive home instead of having a non-drinking friend or a taxi take him/her home. And, in the course of driving home they cross into the other lane and have a head on collision with another car, killing one or more occupants. This person did not intend to cause harm to others. However, because he/she made a bad decision to drive after drinking, he/she is not spending many years in prison for manslaughter (unintentionally killing someone else).
There are other cases where someone was in such emotional pain that he or she lashed out at a loved one and now is in prison for assault. Or, another example could be someone was without employment or under employed and stole something. Again, they made a bad choice and are now suffering the consequences. But, their hearts are not bent towards doing evil, they just made a bad choice, or series of bad choices.
Although not all people in prison have a heart bent on doing evil, quite a few are. Some of the inmates that I deal with are master manipulators. Others have little to no ability to emphasize with others. That means, if they cause emotional, spiritual, and/or physical pain to someone else, they have great difficulty feeling sorry for what they did. They also have difficulty understanding the pain they caused in the other person. Others are sadist, in that they get enjoyment out of causing pain (again physical, emotional, and/or spiritual) in others. Though this isn't the case of many in prison, there are those that I have dealt with who would be willing to cause great bodily harm or even kill staff or another inmate in order to get a temporary gain. And, committing that act would not cause them to loose any sleep at night.
It is a challenge to work with this type of person, one who is either so calloused or sadistic that causing harm to others either doesn't bother them or actually excites them. Some of them walk around in general population. Others spend long periods of time in the Special Management Unit (SMU) because of their actions. There are those who spend years in Intensive Management because of how dangerous they can be. (Intensive management cells have their own enclosed yard and shower so that they are kept more separated from others.)
It is amongst such people that I work on a daily basis. Thankfully, most days they choose not to cause problems. However, that is not always the case. I couldn't tell you how many times I have been a part of a use of force team or had to respond to an emergency. Some emergencies were medical emergencies, but quite a few of them were because of inmates fighting. Although I have not been physically injured during one of these uses of force, I know staff who have been. It is always a risk with where I work, that either I or someone else could be assaulted. Although having fecal matter or urine thrown on me is considered a form of assault, I am not including it here.
Whether I like it or not, that is the environment that God has called me to minister to. Although I would prefer to work as a Religious Coordinator (or Religious Coordinator Assistant), my primary job is custody staff. That means I am interacting with the inmates on a regular basis. In fact, I am often within easy reach or one or more inmates who may or may not have a weapon on them. It is my duty to enforce rules, which easily makes me a 'lightning rod' for an inmate's anger. That is my job and I prayerfully ask for God's help in staying safe and doing my job well.
But here is a humbling thought. My life as custody staff at a maximum security prison that we specifically built for the more dangerous and more difficult to manage inmates is nothing compared to what some people endure on a regular basis each and every day. Are you wondering who could have it worse than me? Christians who live in countries that actively persecute them for their faith have it worse.
I regularly get E-mails and Facebook posts from Christian organizations that share the stories of Christians who are persecuted for their faith. They are a daily reminder that, even on a bad day for me, it is nothing compared to what many of them go through on a daily basis. One such story was on my Facebook page this morning. It is about a former Muslim Imam who turned from Islam and embraced Christ. You can read his story here. In many Muslim countries, Christians are forced to worship behind closed doors. In these countries, if a person converts from Islam to Christianity (or any other religion), they are often arrested and harshly punished. Death by hanging or beheading is not uncommon, either. Each and every day, Christians in many nations, not just Muslim nations, face discrimination and even active persecution. Women are often sexually assaulted and forced to 'convert' to the 'national religion' and marry someone of that religion to 'seal the conversion.' Others are sexually assaulted and left to live with that shame. Any who seek to hold the attackers accountable are often lucky to even be given the opportunity to be heard. Most attackers are, unfortunately, celebrated.
One set of statistics from Open Doors are per month: 322 Christians are killed for their faith, 214 churches and Christian properties are destroyed, and 772 forms of violence are committed against Christians (such as beatings, rapes, forced marriages, arrests, etc.). (stats found here: http://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/) Think about it… These people suffer all sorts of horrific experiences because they choose to follow Christ. As a comparison, we will look at the crime rates of a city here in America. According to one web site, Chicago is rated as being one of the most dangerous places to live (having a safety measurement of 11% where 100 is most safe). According to the site's FAQ, they were using the 2013 crime statistics. The stats include 24,469 violent crimes (including assault, rape, robbery, etc.), 9.00 crimes per 1,000 residents, 415 murders, unreported number of rapes, unreported number of assaults, etc. Now, keep in mind, Chicago has a lot of gang activity, which would account for some of these violent crimes. The number of Christians, on average, that are murdered for their faith each month is about ¾ of those that were murdered in Chicago throughout 2013. And, that is only counting the number of Christians that we know who were murdered for their faith.
To help Christians (and others who might wish to know), better see which countries are worse with their persecution of Christians, Open Doors puts together a 'World Watch List'. This list rates the 50 most dangerous countries for a Christian to live in. According to the most current list, the top 5 countries for persecuting Christians are: 1. North Korea, 2. Somalia, 3. Iraq, 4. Syria, and 5. Afghanistan. Each of these countries actively persecute anyone claiming to follow Christ who is a member of that country. Any Christian who comes into the country and shares their faith may be lucky to just be sent home and banned from coming into the country ever again.
For my job with the Nebraska Department of Corrections, I walk amongst many dangerous people on a regular basis. Although there is a low staff to inmate ratio, there are many safety factors in place to protect us. Things like radios, armed staff in towers and roving patrols, OC spray, etc., help to keep us safe. Also, inmates will face charges (either institutionally or via the state, depending on the crime) for assaulting other inmates or staff. If they assault someone, they will loose what few freedoms that they have. That helps to make our job safer. Although we walk amongst wolves, we have layers of protection. And, when our shift is done, we get to go home. And usually, where we live is a much safer place.
For most Christians in countries like North Korea, Somalia, etc., there is no such thing as a safe place. They are in grave danger at work, they are in grave danger at home, while shopping, etc. Sometimes it is a co-worker or neighbor who assaults, harasses, or murders a Christian in one of these countries. But, it can just as easily be a family member. A bad day at work is just that, a bad day at work. For many Christians around the world, it is a day-to-day experience. Let us not forget that. Let us remember to pray for all have to live in such environments. And, let us pray that those of us in 'Christian' counties not become complacent, lest we allow it become reality where we live.
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Hypocrites Are We All
I was talking with a friend a while back and he said something that got me thinking. He is a spiritual person, but he does not like “organized religion.” He also said that every church that he has been to is full of hypocrites. I didn't say anything at the time, but it did get me thinking. And, to be honest, the church is full of hypocrites, each and everyone one of them. In fact, each and every one of us is a hypocrite. Some people are more honest and straightforward than others. But, in reality, all of us fail to fully and perfectly follow through on everything that we say.
This is nothing new to me. Over the years, while talking with people who no longer attend church regularly, often state that they do not because 'the church is full of hypocrites.' But yet, before we go any further, let's define “hypocrite” so that we are all dealing with the same understanding. According to the Merriam-Webster on-line dictionary (http://www.merriam-webster.com/), hypocrite is defined as:
1. a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion
2. a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings
In a perfect world, we would as act exactly as we say we believe. For example, if one claimed that he or she thought lying was wrong, they would always tell the truth. That would be the case even with never telling a “white lie” (does this color look good on me? “Yes” when in reality, they don't think so), exaggerating the truth about something (fish story), or when they were trying to protect an innocent person. In reality, we all lie at times. Some lie on a regular basis and rarely tell the truth. Others try very hard to be honest and up front all the time. But, everyone 'fudges the truth' at least once in a while. It's either because we want to please someone else or we want to protect something that we perceive as important to us.
In Matthew 5:20-24, Jesus had some very harsh words for us. Though many people think that they can please God by not doing 'bad things,' Jesus said it wasn't. God judges us by the attitudes of our hearts. He used the example of physical adultery verses actually committing adultery in one's mind/heart (lusting after a person). For Jesus, as Scripture teaches was God 'in the flesh,' (John 1:14), simply thinking about doing something contrary to the 10 Commandments was enough to be guilty of rebelling against God. You didn't have to actually act out on the desire, just entertain it in you mind/heart.
How many of us, when we feel wronged, wish that the person that we perceived (correctly or not) to have wronged us that something evil will happen to them? All of us are guilty of murdering others in our heart. How many of us, when seeing someone go by with a new phone, computer, car, or what ever, do we find ourselves wishing that we had that particular item? All of us are guilty of coveting what is not ours in our hearts. I could go on and on, but I hope that all of us get the point. I use 'us' because we all do this. We all commit these sins in though, word, and deed each and every day. Some people flaunt it when they do it. Others try to be subtle or hide it. No matter what each of us believes is 'good' and what is 'bad,' we all break these 'laws' in thought, word, and deed. Each of us, every day.
The Apostle Paul was just as guilty as all of us. He is celebrated as one of the greatest missionaries in Christian history, especially in the early days of the Christian Church. He traveled far and wide, planting churches in many cities across the known world. Many of his Epistles (letters) were saved and guided Christians over the centuries. Sometimes he wrote in a gentle and caring voice. The Epistles to the Philippians is a good example of that. Other times, he wrote with harsh words and strong criticism, as is reflected in the Epistles to Galatia and Corinth. Many people look up to his example and strive to be imitators of him, which is not a bad thing. However, he was not without fault.
In Romans 7:14-25, Paul writes about the struggles that he goes through on a daily basis. You see, he was a hypocrite to some extent. Although he strove to 'do the right thing' all the time, his sinful nature would get in the way. He didn't use it as an excuse for doing evil. On the contrary, he did so to emphasize his humanity and need for a Savior. It was only by reliance on God's Grace that he could improve in his life (sanctification). He emphasizes on Chapter 8 of Romans of the need of each of us “do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:4b). This is an on going process. While we are still on this earth, we will always be affect by and influenced by our own sinful nature. No matter how closely we walk with Christ during our time on this earth, we will all still wrestle with our sinful nature. It won't be until we die and are in Heaven that we will no longer fight this battle.
It does sadden me when people, a church, or even a whole denomination claims to be Christian, but yet their actions state something different entirely. A popular saying (questionable whether Francis of Assisi actually said it) is, “Preach the Gospel, use words when necessary.” In a nutshell, our actions (and I would dare say, our thoughts) need to line up with what we say we believe. This is very sound advice, to some extent. We should be living as we say we believe. But, not totally the case concerning evangelism, though that is something I will explore more thoroughly in another blog entry. Although we will never always live what we believe, there is a huge different between striving towards a particular goal and actively saying one thing and doing another.
Now, there are some things that people say we are 'hypocrites' for doing which are not quite true. One thing that comes to my is the issue of homosexuality. Many people say that, since many churches teach that homosexuality is a sin and many denominations will not ordain someone who claims to be a homosexual, we are 'hypocrites.' Now, if a church teaches that 'God hates fags,' then I would definitely agree with you. Scripture is absolutely clear that Jesus sought out, even spent time, with people who were living apart from God. People like prostitutes, tax collectors, etc. He never condoned (agreed with) what they did, but He still reached out to them. He wanted them to give up their sinful lives and follow Him. Some did, some didn't. Paul writes eloquently in Romans 5:6, 10, Paul clearly states that Jesus gave His life to redeem all who put their trust in Him. Jesus loved the sinner (each and every one of us), but hates sin. As a holy and righteous God, sin separates us from Him. But, He took our place so that we could have a relationship with Him. And, He has charged us with doing the same thing. We are to love and invite those who are broken, hurting, living in sin, to find hope in Christ. We are to love the sinner but not condone the sin.
Some people do a very poor job in doing this. They condemn the person as they condemn their lifestyle. Some people do it out of ignorance or because they were taught poorly. Other people do it because it makes them feel important, or at least superior. Such people are similar to the 'righteous man' that Jesus spoke harshly about in Luke 18:9-19. We are to lovingly reach out to others and help them come to a saving knowledge of Christ. Not treat others harshly because they are living in (xyz) sin. Now, things are different for those who claim to be a Christian but are living in sin, but I will discuss that at another time.
In closing, we are all sinners in need of God's Grace. As a friend once described it, “A Christian is like one beggar telling another beggar where to find food.” Just as God showed us love and mercy, we are to do the same. Just as God calls us to give up our sinful ways, we are to encourage others to do so. It will never be easy. That is why Jesus has said, “Take up your cross and follow Me.” We need to do a lot more encouraging and mentoring as we reach out to others. Only when they see the love of Christ being lived in our lives (and see how He has changed us for the better) will they want to have anything to do with our 'religion.'
This is nothing new to me. Over the years, while talking with people who no longer attend church regularly, often state that they do not because 'the church is full of hypocrites.' But yet, before we go any further, let's define “hypocrite” so that we are all dealing with the same understanding. According to the Merriam-Webster on-line dictionary (http://www.merriam-webster.com/), hypocrite is defined as:
1. a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion
2. a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings
In a perfect world, we would as act exactly as we say we believe. For example, if one claimed that he or she thought lying was wrong, they would always tell the truth. That would be the case even with never telling a “white lie” (does this color look good on me? “Yes” when in reality, they don't think so), exaggerating the truth about something (fish story), or when they were trying to protect an innocent person. In reality, we all lie at times. Some lie on a regular basis and rarely tell the truth. Others try very hard to be honest and up front all the time. But, everyone 'fudges the truth' at least once in a while. It's either because we want to please someone else or we want to protect something that we perceive as important to us.
In Matthew 5:20-24, Jesus had some very harsh words for us. Though many people think that they can please God by not doing 'bad things,' Jesus said it wasn't. God judges us by the attitudes of our hearts. He used the example of physical adultery verses actually committing adultery in one's mind/heart (lusting after a person). For Jesus, as Scripture teaches was God 'in the flesh,' (John 1:14), simply thinking about doing something contrary to the 10 Commandments was enough to be guilty of rebelling against God. You didn't have to actually act out on the desire, just entertain it in you mind/heart.
How many of us, when we feel wronged, wish that the person that we perceived (correctly or not) to have wronged us that something evil will happen to them? All of us are guilty of murdering others in our heart. How many of us, when seeing someone go by with a new phone, computer, car, or what ever, do we find ourselves wishing that we had that particular item? All of us are guilty of coveting what is not ours in our hearts. I could go on and on, but I hope that all of us get the point. I use 'us' because we all do this. We all commit these sins in though, word, and deed each and every day. Some people flaunt it when they do it. Others try to be subtle or hide it. No matter what each of us believes is 'good' and what is 'bad,' we all break these 'laws' in thought, word, and deed. Each of us, every day.
The Apostle Paul was just as guilty as all of us. He is celebrated as one of the greatest missionaries in Christian history, especially in the early days of the Christian Church. He traveled far and wide, planting churches in many cities across the known world. Many of his Epistles (letters) were saved and guided Christians over the centuries. Sometimes he wrote in a gentle and caring voice. The Epistles to the Philippians is a good example of that. Other times, he wrote with harsh words and strong criticism, as is reflected in the Epistles to Galatia and Corinth. Many people look up to his example and strive to be imitators of him, which is not a bad thing. However, he was not without fault.
In Romans 7:14-25, Paul writes about the struggles that he goes through on a daily basis. You see, he was a hypocrite to some extent. Although he strove to 'do the right thing' all the time, his sinful nature would get in the way. He didn't use it as an excuse for doing evil. On the contrary, he did so to emphasize his humanity and need for a Savior. It was only by reliance on God's Grace that he could improve in his life (sanctification). He emphasizes on Chapter 8 of Romans of the need of each of us “do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:4b). This is an on going process. While we are still on this earth, we will always be affect by and influenced by our own sinful nature. No matter how closely we walk with Christ during our time on this earth, we will all still wrestle with our sinful nature. It won't be until we die and are in Heaven that we will no longer fight this battle.
It does sadden me when people, a church, or even a whole denomination claims to be Christian, but yet their actions state something different entirely. A popular saying (questionable whether Francis of Assisi actually said it) is, “Preach the Gospel, use words when necessary.” In a nutshell, our actions (and I would dare say, our thoughts) need to line up with what we say we believe. This is very sound advice, to some extent. We should be living as we say we believe. But, not totally the case concerning evangelism, though that is something I will explore more thoroughly in another blog entry. Although we will never always live what we believe, there is a huge different between striving towards a particular goal and actively saying one thing and doing another.
Now, there are some things that people say we are 'hypocrites' for doing which are not quite true. One thing that comes to my is the issue of homosexuality. Many people say that, since many churches teach that homosexuality is a sin and many denominations will not ordain someone who claims to be a homosexual, we are 'hypocrites.' Now, if a church teaches that 'God hates fags,' then I would definitely agree with you. Scripture is absolutely clear that Jesus sought out, even spent time, with people who were living apart from God. People like prostitutes, tax collectors, etc. He never condoned (agreed with) what they did, but He still reached out to them. He wanted them to give up their sinful lives and follow Him. Some did, some didn't. Paul writes eloquently in Romans 5:6, 10, Paul clearly states that Jesus gave His life to redeem all who put their trust in Him. Jesus loved the sinner (each and every one of us), but hates sin. As a holy and righteous God, sin separates us from Him. But, He took our place so that we could have a relationship with Him. And, He has charged us with doing the same thing. We are to love and invite those who are broken, hurting, living in sin, to find hope in Christ. We are to love the sinner but not condone the sin.
Some people do a very poor job in doing this. They condemn the person as they condemn their lifestyle. Some people do it out of ignorance or because they were taught poorly. Other people do it because it makes them feel important, or at least superior. Such people are similar to the 'righteous man' that Jesus spoke harshly about in Luke 18:9-19. We are to lovingly reach out to others and help them come to a saving knowledge of Christ. Not treat others harshly because they are living in (xyz) sin. Now, things are different for those who claim to be a Christian but are living in sin, but I will discuss that at another time.
In closing, we are all sinners in need of God's Grace. As a friend once described it, “A Christian is like one beggar telling another beggar where to find food.” Just as God showed us love and mercy, we are to do the same. Just as God calls us to give up our sinful ways, we are to encourage others to do so. It will never be easy. That is why Jesus has said, “Take up your cross and follow Me.” We need to do a lot more encouraging and mentoring as we reach out to others. Only when they see the love of Christ being lived in our lives (and see how He has changed us for the better) will they want to have anything to do with our 'religion.'
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