If Its About Politics, Prove It

Anyone who casually reads or faitfully follow this blog know that I am, without regret or shame a born-again Christian and a registered Democrat. In many ideological concepts I agree with the democratic agenda, however it must be duley noted that while democrat in affiliation I am anti-abortion and and pro-proposition 8in association. While this stand can be complex to the strict conservative, it actually is a position that many moderates and liberals carry. In some sense, the anti abortion and prop 8 disclaimer has become necessary for liberals like myself because misinformation and ignorance keep the average American from understanding that liberal politics and Christianity can indeed coexist. However, its not my intention to defend my own politics or faith in this blog. I am here to challenge the most powerful factions in American politics that are unapologetically conservative and also Christian.
I honor the premise of their faith and respect their political position, however, with respect to them both, they should be ashamed of the public behavior by many in their faction during the last month of health care debates. Some of the rhetoric and actions have been disturbing, distasteful and yes, shameful. I don't understand because there are many good conservative party members who honor decorum and are dignified; why then is Rush Limbaugh, his followers and the Tea Party the loudest voice of conservatism in America?! I ask this because constituents of both these movements lined the streets leading to Capital Hill and expressed their displeasure with curt disdain. So curt that Black democrats were greeted at Capitol Hill Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning with racial slurs and spit. It was so shameful that Represenative John Lewis, a Democrat from Georgia declared that it was the worst he had seen in "40 or 45 years. Since the march from Selma to Alabama." The behavior was crude, un-American and ultimately unChrist-like.

I expected more from the Christian community on the right in the way of denouciation. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 made it illegal to act on bigoted impulses but in no way could it eliminate bigotry or bigots, so I understand (though don't accept) that bigotry is a part of life- I am concerned beacause these acts of bigotry came groups that associate themselves proudly with Christianity. The sheer silence of the Conservative Christian Right is surprising and disappointing. Where the heck are they while their loudest voices are publically insulting the national leaders they disagree with and hurling racial insults at the rest of them? And for the record this is taking place on the streets AND in the chambers of congress, literally. The evangelical Church is the largest Christian "lobby" groups in America and as of yet we have not seen one major player of those organizations denounce these behaviors with much force- none. In fact, some leaders on the right have condemned the actions so weakly that their condemnation could possibly be confused with an endorsement. Today, GOP leader Michael Steele (who ironically is a black man) when pressed to comment on the behavior was quoted as saying "of course we don't condone this, but they are just angry." WOW Mr. Steele, wow!

The Christian conservative right is strong, and thank God they are. They cried loud enough to be heard when they supported President Reagans trickle down economics because they thought it was necessary; they screamed loud against President Clintons shameful immoral indiscretions for the same reason; we heard them loud and clear when they supported President Bush's war in Iraq (no comment); and just recently, I personally showed up along side many of our brothers to help make a big showing during the Prop 8 votes. Make no mistake about it, the Christian conservative circle is a very powerful voice in our country that can be heard when it wants to be heard! I just don't get why there isn't more noise being made now? Maybe its the politics of the day. But politics aside, the very premise that Christianity stands on and the multi-cultural hertitage that many died to ensure and ultimately makes our country great is threatened when the most powerful members of Body of Christ yeilds its power only when the politics fit. It shouldn't matter where the the injustice comes from, it is the Body of Christ's calling to be the spiritual and social conscience of the nations of the world. The behavior of these organizations and the politicians that egg them on should be denounced publically. Because these groups and leaders often claim Christianity and have gotten Christian support in masses at times, the denoucation should come from powerful Christian leaders without redirecting the issue back to the healthcare bill.

Greedy industries, gays, broken economies; none of these will ultimately cause speedy decay in our country. Our country will hasten to spirial downward with unhearlded speed when powerful Christians tolerate what is supposed to be untolerable; when we are quiet when our friends are wrong; when our most influential leaders pick and chose when to do their "God-job." The Christian Right is wealthy, intelligent, connected, and anointed- a powerful combination- however with all that, they have proven also to be extremely selective. Im eager to hear from a non-democratic, non ethnic Christian leader to stand up and publically and forcibly denounce whats been happening. I further charge them to challenge the leaders of these groups to curb their antagonistic, hateful public rhetoric and keep the heart of their discourse about policy so that this won't be about class and race, unless it indeed is... Thats another blog!!!
Thats what I think and Im sticking to it!

Who is "just be there" and why is he checking my ego?

This past Friday my wife and I went to Baltimore Maryland for the funeral of a friend. We returned to Ca on Monday and while we were driving home we were enjoying our normal banter which included laughing and trash talking each other when all of a sudden my wife went silent. I mean the kind of deafening silence that makes you wonder if you did or said something wrong. Then in one methodic stroke she peered out the window with her eyes fixated on a particular fast-food resturant. The resturant triggered a fond memory of her deceased mother. Tears followed- lots of them. Then more silence. Then more tears. A tissue. Then more tears and more silence. This continued the rest of the way home, into the house, into her pj's then finally into her beauty sleep for the night. In my attempt to be sensative to her moment I asked if there was anything I could do to help her or serve her. Her reply was simple, "no baby, this just is what it is. Im all right."

Huh? 20 minutes of tears, silence then sleep and it "is what it is" and you're "all right?" You serious?! Can I get a little more? I mean we were right in the middle of a great laugh and all of a sudden theres a memory, a fond memory mind you, and the intimacy of 'our' moment vanishes like a vapor over a teapot?! Is that all the explanation there is? Well, gee, yeah, in some cases that is all the explanation there is. It would seem that Im blogging to fuss about that memory being an unsuspecting thief, but Im not. I reliving this moment because during the ride home I touched my own feelings of inadequecies. I hated noticing it in the car and I hate acknowledging it while I type, but I was absolutely powerless to aiding my wife through her moment. I held her hand, I offered her tissues, I gave her a hug, and even kissed her forehead and nothing I did shook the fog that beheld her. I simply didn't have the stuff to ease it. I tried to earn the heros chair by trying every "technique" I knew to help the situation but in the end I failed. In that moment I realized that my efforts weren't going to work, and what an ego shot to realize that in somethings we are going to be virtually powerless to fix. What do you do when you do everything and it still doesn't satisfy?

This realization made me feel stripped of a chance to be her knight in shining armor and left "being there" my only recourse to assist in whatever was going on. Who is "being there" and why does he have so much power?! Well, first let me tell you that "being there" is powerful and has God all on it. It is the power of allowing God's presence on your life to be the calming affect on someone elses. Gods presence give's a peace that can't be told, taught or understood and the only prerequisite to making "being there" work is actually "being" instead of "doing." Yes, thats right, I became more of a support when I shut my mouth and calmed my actions and allowed my presence to be my answer. Yea, I get it, its not much of an ego tease when we don't do anything to fix a situation but some situations call for us to "be" instead of "do." This way God gets the glory and not you...

So you want to know what I learned that night. I learned that God wanted to personally wipe my wife's tears away, comfort her and put her to sleep and that my ego almost got in the way of that. Wow...
How many times do we get in the way of God doing God stuff because our ego's rush us to an action that God is not calling us to do? How many times do we "do" when God wants us to just "be?"
What are you working too hard at?
Thats what I think...

The "Two Percenters"

Im watching Pastor Dwight Thomson on tv and he's doing his thing in the tune of old skool... I mean fire on top of fire and brimstone old skool thing. He's just preaching and sending everyone to hell. No one is exempt in this message: the sinners, the so called Christian, the Muslim, Buddist, he even went on a rant about disobedient angels- make no mistake about it, it was a 'hell message.' And as brash, and cut and dry as it was, I enjoyed every bit of it...every bit.
I ran across him on accident while I was web surfing. I was drawn because as he screamed and cried, then talked through tears I couldn't help but wonder what in God's name got 'old skool' so riled up...the man was talking about soul winning! How powerful it was to see a pastor so passionate about an idea that is as close to the heart of Christ as it gets- repentance and salvation. He ran across the stage in excitement; he sat on the stage perplexed; he screamed to get our attention, and he cried because he knew that most of us wouldn't get it. But his simple "at the name of Jesus all men can be saved" message mezmorized everyone in the room and even this young pastor inking this blog.
Preaching Jesus and inviting men to be saved is a central message of the Gospel and was at the top of His "to do" list for us when He left. Sadly Pastor Dwight reminded us that only 2% of all Christans in America will win a single soul to Christ in their lifetime- you didn't get that so here it is again: two percent of all the born again believers in America will lead one non believer to Christ! Lets make that make sense in numbers: Out of 100 people only 2 people will win 1 person to Christ in all their lifetime. That means that out of 100 capable believers, at the end of the day the Kingdom has grown by a whopping 2 people!! We have got to get on our game family! I am saddened and convicted by this stat...you should be too. Thanks for the "chin-check" Pastor Dwight.

In a day when the only reason to shout and lift up holy hands is for a personal or material blessing, it was great and utterly refreshing to see the simple, old time message that Jesus Saves is still being preached and is a powerful sermon...and that it still excites someone! Pastor Dwight thanks for reminding the Body that this "forgotten" Gospel is the "true" Gospel and has all the power.
I think all of us Christians should remember this and with wisdom not be afraid to help save somebody from hell and into the love of Jesus Christ.
Thats what I think and Im sticking to it!