Showing posts with label diversity. Show all posts

Sunday, November 25, 2007

A question to atheists: Could the universe just pop into being?

Friday, November 02, 2007

The Dead Heart- Midnight Oil

This one goes out to indigenous people all over the world.

lyrics:

We don't serve your country
don't serve your king
Know your custom don't speak your tongue
White man came took everyone

We don't serve your country
We don't serve your king
White man listen to the songs we sing
White man came took everything

We carry in our hearts the true country
And that cannot be stolen
We follow in the steps of our ancestry
And that cannot be broken

We don't serve your country
We don't serve your king
Know your custom don't speak your tongue
White man came took everyone

We don't need protection
don't need your hand
just keep your promise on where we stand
We will listen- we'll understand

We carry in our hearts the true country
And that cannot be stolen
We follow in the steps of our ancestry
And that cannot be broken
We carry in our hearts the true country
And that cannot be stolen
We follow in the steps of our ancestry
And that cannot be broken

Mining companies, pastoral companies
Uranium companies
Collected companies
Got more right than people
Got more say than people

Forty thousand years can make a difference to the state of things
The dead heart lives here

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

I Then Shall Live

Here is one of the most powerful songs I've heard in a while. Hope it gives you a blessing. It made me shed tears.

Lyrics:

I then shall live
as one whose been forgiven
I'll walk with with joy
to know my debts are paid
I know my name is clear before my Father
I am His child and I am not afraid
so greatly pardoned, I'll forgive my brother
the law of love, I gladly will obey
I then shall live
as one whose learned compassion
I 've been so loved, that I'll risk loving too
I know how fear builds walls instead of bridges
I'll dare to see another's point of view
and when relationships demand commitment
then, I'll be there to care and follow through
Your Kingdom come around and through and in me
Your power and glory let them shine through me
Your hallowed Name, O, may I bear with honor
and may your living Kingdom come, in me
the Bread of Life, O, may I share with others
and may You feed the hungry world through me
Amen!!!!

Monday, October 15, 2007

A Biblical View of the Environment

D. Massimiliano Lorenzini

All Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Bible unless otherwise indicated.

There are many views and opinions concerning the environment representing a wide range of world views. With this essay I intend to present a biblical view of the environment including its origin, present state, and future destiny.

Origin

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" (Gen. 1:1). The Bible tells us that God existed before the universe and that He created it. For more details on the creation account read chapters 1 and 2 of Genesis. Scientific Creationism also reveals intelligent design in the creation, thus testifying of an intelligent Creator.1

The purpose of creation is to worship and bring glory to God. "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork" (Ps. 19:1). See also Ps. 148 and Is. 40:25,26. It also testifies of God's qualities. "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse" (Rom. 1:20).

Man is made in God's image. "And God said, Let us make man in our image" (Gen. 1:26). (Note: The plural pronoun testifies of the Trinity.) While every created thing has value in itself, man alone is created in the image of God. This contradicts the Eastern monism philosophy which says all is one.2 William B. Badke, author of Project Earth,3 says that the earliest responsibility of man and the only mandate given him concerning interaction with the earth is found in Gen. 2:15 which says, "The LORD God placed the man in the Garden of Eden as its gardener, to tend and care for it" (The Living Bible). The Hebrew word for tend can also mean "to serve" and the word for care may be translated "to keep safe, preserve, protect." This mandate has never been rescinded.

God gave Adam and Eve dominion in the earth (Gen. 1:28). This means that the human race is to be in charge of the stewardship of the earth and to nurture it, not dominate and exploit it for selfish motives.

"Historian Lynn White was correct in placing some blame for environmental decay on Christianity. But it is a misunderstanding of the Bible, not God's word itself, that is at fault here,"4 says Tom Sider, professor of theology and culture, Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and president of Evangelicals for Social Action. British author Catherine von Ruhland says, "Christianity is often criticised as being the reason for much of the damage that has occurred on the planet. But we should make clear to the critics that it is not our faith, but a combination of scientific theory and industrial progress among unbelievers and our own wrong understanding of God's Word that has brought about destruction."5

Present State

The event that kicked off our present state, both physically and spiritually, is the fall of man. Along with the mandate of stewardship of the Garden, God told Adam and Eve that they had free access to anything in the Garden except the fruit of one tree which would bring physical and spiritual death (Gen. 2:16,17). This was simply a test of man's love and obedience to his Creator. God wanted a relationship based on choice and without the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil man would not have had any choice to please or displease God. Needless to say man ate the forbidden fruit and here we are today.

Sin is the breaking of God's commandment and it is sin that is the major environmental threat. Physical death and the ground being cursed are just two results of the fall (Gen. 3:17-19). By choosing to disobey our Creator and live in sin the Bible says that the land and animals mourn (Hos. 4:1-3). Sin has such a violent effect on the environment that the Bible says the land will vomit out the sinning inhabitants (Lev. 18:25). Sin is what motivates the destruction of the environment for financial gain (1 Tim. 6:10).

But God promises to heal the land if we will turn from our wicked ways (2 Chr. 7:14). (Understand that there will not be complete restoration until God recreates the earth, 1 Pet. 3:13 and Rev. 21:1). By turning to God and being filled with His Spirit we can have the sensitivity to people and the environment that is necessary (Rom. 8). Indeed, sensitivity to others will affect our treatment of the environment. For example, if we know that there are people who live downstream from us and depend on a river we use, we should be careful to not dump pollution into the river so they can have water that they can use. By our sensitivity to the people who live downstream from us, we will change our treatment of the river we use to do what we can to provide safe and clean water for others who depend upon the same river. Matthew 25 shows that insensitivity to people is also insensitivity to God and will bring His judgement.

Tony Campolo also says that since nature worships God, (Ps. 148) ecological destruction interferes with and silences the worship of God.6 He calls this blasphemy.

Ron Sider says, "The first purpose of the nonhuman creation is to glorify God not to serve us."4 The Bible says, "The earth is the Lord's" (Ps. 24:1). We must realize our role in creation is to worship God and to be stewards of the earth. A steward is a caretaker, not an owner.

Unlike monism, which says all is one, a biblical view, while agreeing that in ecology all things are interconnected, says in the spiritual realm there are two orders -- the regenerated and the fallen. The fall that Adam and Eve experienced has carried on over to every human since (Rom. 3:10, 23). But there is hope of regeneration. "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (1 Cor. 15:22).

God is deeply concerned with His creation and this is shown in many passages of Scripture. In Gen. 9:9,10 God made a covenant with all of creation not to destroy it with a flood ever again and He set the rainbow in the cloud to be a token of that covenant. In Job 39:1,2 God shows that He is with the wild animals when they give birth. Matt. 6:25-30 shows that God feeds the birds and clothes the fields. It is by His power that creation holds together or consists as Col. 1:16, 17 points out. Because God is so intimately concerned with His creation He promises to restore it.

Future Destiny

"Everything that Christianity hopes for is wrapped up with the ultimate fate of the earth," says Glenn Paauw, author of The Garden of God.7 The Bible teaches that salvation is for all of creation, not just humans (Is. 11, Ez. 47). This world will be burned up with fire (2 Pet. 3) and God will create a new heaven and a new earth (Rev. 21:1, Is. 65:17). True physical peace will reign (Hos. 2:18) and God will live with His people on the Earth (Rev. 21:3). Until that day Christians continue to pray, "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven" (Matt. 6:10).

Some may say, "If the world will be destroyed by fire and recreated why should we be concerned about the environment?" Well let me sum up some reasons given thus far and introduce some new ones: 1) Destruction of the environment is blasphemy against God; 2) Stewardship is a responsibility; 3) Other people suffer because of the destruction of the environment; 4) Animals suffer; 5) Creation itself suffers (Rom. 8:19-21); 6) The danger is massive and urgent; 7) Common sense tells us to properly manage our resources to maintain a sustainable yield; 8) and I would like to leave you with an idea from Tony Campolo which may be the most practical reason of all. He says the sooner or later we will all get involved in the environmental movement because sooner or later we will all get hurt because of what we're doing to the environment.6

------------------

1. For information on Scientific Creationism see Institute for Creation Research at http://www.icr.org.

2. For more information on monism see James W. Sire, The Universe Next Door: A Basic World View Catalog, 3d ed. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1997.

3. Badke, William B. (1991). Project Earth: Preserving the World God Created. Portland, Multnomah Press.

4. Sider, Ron J. (1993, June 21). Redeeming the Environmentalists. Christianity Today.

5. von Ruhland, Catharine (1991). Going Green: A Christian Guide. Great Britain, Marshall Pickering.

6. Campolo, Tony (1992). How to Rescue the Earth Without Worshiping Nature. Nashville, Thomas Nelson, Inc.

7. Paauw, Glenn (1992). The Garden of God. Colorado Springs, International Bible Society.

A Christian View of the Environment

Here is a basic outline of a lesson on this subject that mirrors much of the other material I have developed on this topic.

In the bibliography you'll see a book entitled , Project Earth: Preserving the World God Created.

It is one of the best presentations of this subject I have ever found.

I had a dream last night that revealed part of the way I can relate to you on this. You commented in our talk yesterday that many indigenous folk express a desire to honor creation. This is not entirely accurate. The matter is actually one of respecting creation and expressing gratitude to the Creator for it. Many of the worl'd ills today come from a basic lack of acknowledgment and gratitude to God for what we have... for every breath of life... every drop of water... every link in the food chain. When the proper relationship is there and the proper gratitude is comprehended and expressed it greatly enhances one's view of God, the Creator's, role in our lives and hence greatly expands one's spirituality and ones prayer life. Start with that. Here is the lesson. I have much more to offer on this:

A Christian View of the Environment

Ray Bohlin

The source of our ecological crisis lies in man's fallen nature and abuse of his dominion.
1. Man is a rebel who has set himself at the center of the universe.
  1. Man has used his dominion wrongly.
  2. Man has exploited created things as though they are nothing in themselves and as though he has an autonomous right to use them as he pleases.
2. Man's fallen nature has expressed itself with regard to the creation in his use of time and money.
  1. Man's uncontrolled greed and haste have led to the deterioration of the environment.
  2. We have been guided by the maxim that what we can do, we will do, particularly if it is the least time-consuming and least expensive alternative.
The solution to the environmental crisis is the witness of the Christian community within the proper relationship between God, man, and nature.
The church in the past has failed in its mission of steward of the earth.

For Further Reading

Badke, William. Project Earth: Preserving the World God Created. Portland, Ore.: Multnomah, 1991.: This book is a strongly written attempt to jar the church out of its environmental doldrums. Badke persuasively argues that the church needs to be at the forefront of the environmental movement because only Christianity has the right reasons to do so. The strict anti-growth perspective could have been toned down some. Especially helpful is an appendix of environmental tips for households and churches.
Beisner, E. Calvin. Prospects for Growth: A Biblical View of Population, Resources, and the Future. Westchester, Ill.: Crossway, 1990.: This book provides a carefully documented apologetic for the proposition that statistics can't always be believed. As bad as the environmental situation is, it is not as bad as some would have us believe. There is still a great deal about this earth that we don't know. Predictions concerning the future can be hopelessly flawed.
DeWitt, Calvin B., ed. The Environment and the Christian: What Can We Learn from the New Testament? Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker, 1991.: A collection of essays defending an environmental ethic from a strictly New Testament perspective. What comes across clearly, however, is that the Old Testament still contains the foundation for any environmental ethic for a Christian. The New Testament adds to and confirms the Old Testament ethic in regards to nature. A criticism is that the book does not offer a strong enough rebuke of New Age thinking; Christianity is only offered as an "alternative."
Elsdon, Ron. Bent World: A Christian Response to the Environmental Crisis. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity, 1981.: Elsdon contributes a significant amount of information on the extent of the environmental crisis and the shortage of resources. He also outlines the basis of a Christian response and what options are available, both in attitude and practical steps.
Fumento, Michael. Science Under Siege: Balancing Technology and the Environment. New York, NY: William Morrow, 1993.: Michael Fumento skillfully investigates some of the biggest environmental scares of the last decade, such as alar, dioxin, agent orange, magnetic fields, and others, and concludes that the science on these issues is far from settled. Conflicting studies abound. Fumento also points out that many environmentalist organizations stand to gain financially whenever a new scare is either created or exaggerated.
Schaeffer, Francis. Pollution and the Death of Man: A Christian View of Ecology. Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale, 1970.: Much of the skeleton of the above outline is derived from this book. Though it dates back to 1970, it is still the best short treatment that deals with the environmental issue as a whole. While you won't find a lot of data concerning the ecological crisis, Schaeffer will walk you through how to think about this complex topic within the scope of a Christian world view.

Friday, October 12, 2007

LEFT BEHIND: The Skewed Representation of Religion in Major News Media

source

LEFT BEHIND:

The Skewed Representation of Religion in Major News Media

It would surprise few people, conservative or progressive, to learn that coverage of the intersection of religion and politics tends to oversimplify both. If this oversimplification occurred to the benefit or detriment of neither side of the political divide, then the weaknesses in coverage of religion would be of only academic interest. But as this study documents, coverage of religion not only overrepresents some voices and underrepresents others, it does so in a way that is consistently advantageous to conservatives.

As in many areas, the decisions journalists make when deciding which voices to include in their stories have serious consequences. What is the picture of religious opinion? Who is a religious leader? Whose views represent important groups of believers? Every time a journalist writes a story, he or she answers these questions by deciding whom to quote and how to characterize their views.

Religion is often depicted in the news media as a politically divisive force, with two sides roughly paralleling the broader political divide: On one side are cultural conservatives who ground their political values in religious beliefs; and on the other side are secular liberals, who have opted out of debates that center on religion-based values. The truth, however is far different: close to 90 percent of Americans today self-identify as religious, while only 22 percent belong to traditionalist sects. Yet in the cultural war depicted by news media as existing across religious lines, centrist and progressive voices are marginalized or absent altogether.

In order to begin to assess how the news media paint the picture of religion in America today, this study measured the extent to which religious leaders, both conservative and progressive, are quoted, mentioned, and interviewed in the news media.

Among the study's key findings:

Combining newspapers and television, conservative religious leaders were quoted, mentioned, or interviewed in news stories 2.8 times as often as were progressive religious leaders.
On television news -- the three major television networks, the three major cable news channels, and PBS -- conservative religious leaders were quoted, mentioned, or interviewed almost 3.8 times as often as progressive leaders.
In major newspapers, conservative religious leaders were quoted, mentioned, or interviewed 2.7 times as often as progressive leaders.

Despite the fact most religious Americans are moderate or progressive, in the news media it is overwhelmingly conservative leaders who are presented as the voice of religion. This represents a particularly meaningful distortion since progressive religious leaders tend to focus on different issues and offer an entirely different perspective than their conservative counterparts.

Saturday, October 06, 2007

Diversity or Homogeneity?

I want to write a response to this e-mail propaganda that I have gotten in my inbox several times in the last 7 years. First read the "Tampa" article and then be sure to read my response to it further down:

Think about this: If you don't want to forward this for fear of offending someone-----YOU'RE PART OF THE PROBLEM !!!!

Subject: THIS WAS IN A TAMPA NEWSPAPER

Will we still be the Country of choice and still be America if we continue to make the changes forced on us by the people from other countries that came to live in America because it is the Country of Choice??????

Think about it! All we have to say is, when will they do something about MY RIGHTS?

I celebrate Christmas...........but because it isn't celebrated by everyone..............we can no longer say Merry Christmas. Now it has to be Season's Greetings.

It's not Christmas vacation, it's Winter Break. Isn't it amazing how this winter break ALWAYS occurs over the Christmas holiday?

We've gone so far the other way, bent over backwards to not offend anyone, that I am now being offended. But it seems that no one has a problem with that. This says it all!

This is an editorial written by an
American citizen, published in a
Tampa, FL Newspaper. He did quite a job; didn't he? Read on, please!

IMMIGRANTS,
NOT AMERICANS,
MUST ADAPT.
I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we
are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11,
we have experienced a surge
in patriotism by the majority
of Americans. However...... the dust from the attacks had
barely settled when the "politically correct! " crowd began complaining about
the possibility that our patriotism was offending others.

I am not against immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against anyone who is seeking a better life by coming to America.
Our population is almost entirely made up of descendants of immigrants.
However, there
are a few things that those
who have recently come to
our country, and apparently some born here, need to understand.
This idea of America being a
multicultural community
has served only to dilute our sovereignty and our national idenitity. As Americans......
we have our own culture, our
own society, our own language and our own lifestyle. This culture has been developed over centuries of struggles, trials, and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom.

We speak ENGLISH, not Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language.
Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society, learn the language!

"In God We Trust" is our national motto. This is not some Christian, right wing, political slogan.. We adopted this motto because Christian men and women.......on Christian principles.............
founded this nation..... and this is clearly documented.
It is certainly appropriate to display it
on the walls of our schools
If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as
your new home.........because
God is part of our culture.

If Stars and Stripes offend you, or
you don't like Uncle Sam, then you
should s eriously consider a move
to another part of this planet.
We
are happy with our culture and have
no desire to change, and we really
don't care how you did things where
you came from.
This is
OUR COUNTRY,
our land, and our lifestyle.
Our First Amendment gives every citizen the
right to express his opinion and we
will allow you every opportunity to do so!
But once you are done complaining....... whining...... and griping....... about our flag.......
our pledge...... our national motto........or our
way of life....I highly encourage you to
take advantage of one other Great American Freedom.......

THE RIGHT TO LEAVE.

It is Time for America to Speak up
If you agree -- pass this along;
if you don't agree -- delete it - You are in the WRONG Country!

AMEN

I figure if we all keep passing this to our friends (and enemies) it will also, sooner or later
get back to the complainers, lets all try,
please!

Here is my response, I actually wrote this in probably 2003:

Man, I wish that they would have held this philosophy in 1492 or in any of the five centuries of conquest since then- because it has a little ethical merit. Unfortunately however, most of it happens to be in contradiction to human nature and natural order...especially the eurocentric/ ethnocentric approach to reality. It's never too late to start learning some of the many languages and customs of the First Nations of the "Americas"- like say Iroquoian, to prove these points by example though! Its the best way to live...by example! Even the social Darwinists know that.
Consider this. In Northern California, there was once over a hundred Native language families. They were often as different as Russian is from Hebrew. Yet, these autonomous communities of people were able to relatively peacefully coexist in co-operative networks for millenia .... that is until immigrants from another worldview came along and sought to homogenize everything into their own way of thinking. Natural law does not require homogeneity. In fact natural law is dependent on networks of diversity to operate in any kind of balance at all. Nature organizes itself into ecosystems of interdependence. Although I agree that when people migrate to new territory they should look for ways to integrate into the existing order out of ethical courtesy and pragmatic economics- it must be admitted that infinite diversity in infinite combinations does not lend itself easily to homogeneity. That is the reality we must acknowledge and begin to work with. Did you know that wherever in the world you find the most diversity of human communities and human languages- there you also find the most ecological balance, the most species of surviving plants and animals and the most harmony among men? When death and destruction comes to these areas- it comes not because of the networks of diversity, but at the heels of the land and resource speculators and the colonial empire builders... those who seek to dominate, control and exploit...and assimilate. Think about it. Its not natural and human diversity that is the enemy. Its selfishness in the heart of Man plain and simple. Its the "Golden Rule" that we should be fighting for. If this had been observed from the inception of the "United States", we would not have some of these social problems we have now and you would not be hearing me challenge the now existing order.
Good on ya!

The Creator's Design Vs. Teddy Roosevelt's "Words of Wisdom"

In response to these "words of wisdom" by Teddy Roosevelt;

("But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.")

S.S. says:
In one very small area of what is now called "Northern California" there once existed at least 110 different "language families". These "families" were as different and distinct as Italian is from Vietnamese in nearly every case. Yet these diverse groups found a way to co-exist in relative peace and harmony for thousands, if not tens of thousands of years. This is just one example from Native America that disproves the thesis that a collective continental grouping of people must homogenize language and culture to survive or function smoothly. In fact, this xenophobic drive for homogenization only leads to "genocide of the mind" (if not actual genocides of human groups) and a culture that devours everything in its path. The natural state of God's good, nurturing creation is in fact one of diversity...infinite diversity in infinite combinations...not of homogenization, mechanization and industrialization.

Monday, September 17, 2007

Thank You for This Earth

Thank You for This Earth

O God,

We thank you for this earth, our home; for the wide sky and the blessed sun, for the ocean and streams, for the towering hills and the whispering wind, for the trees and green grass.

We thank you for our senses by which we hear the songs of birds, and see the splendor of fields of golden wheat, and taste autumn's fruit, rejoice in the feel of snow, and smell the breath of spring flowers.

Grant us a heart opened wide to all this beauty; and save us from being so blind that we pass unseeing when even the common thornbush is aflame with your glory.

For each new dawn is filled with infinite possibilities for new beginnings and new discoveries. Life is constantly changing and renewing itself. In this new day of new beginnings with God, all things are possible. We are restored and renewed in a joyous awakening to the wonder that our lives are and, yet, can be.

Amen.

Monday, September 03, 2007

Spirituality As A Way of Life, Not "Religion"

1 Corinthians 2:14-15

14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment.

That means we are supposed to discern of all things- hold to that which is good and true and beautiful and helpful and throw out the rest. On that note... here is useful information:

Native American Religious and Cultural Freedom: an Introductory Essay (2005)
© Michael D. McNally

Full article found HERE.

Excerpt:

B. "Way of Life, not Religion"

In all their diversity, people from different Native nations hasten to point out that their respective languages include no word for “religion”, and maintain an emphatic distinction between ways of life in which economy, politics, medicine, art, agriculture, etc., are ideally integrated into a spiritually-informed whole. As Native communities try to continue their traditions in the context of a modern American society that conceives of these as discrete segments of human thought and activity, it has not been easy for Native communities to accomplish this kind of integration. Nor has it been easy to to persuade others of, for example, the spiritual importance of what could be construed as an economic activity, such as fishing or whaling.

I believe that Christianity is supposed to be a holistic spiritual relationship rather than a religion per se.

Sunday, September 02, 2007

"Project Earth: Preserving the World God Created"

Read this article and think...no skimming! LOL: http://www.asa3.org/ASA/PSCF/1998/PSCF3-98Ball.html Excerpt:

This article explores how the concepts of ecology are presented and utilized in the evangelical Protestant response to the ecological crisis. It finds that there are seven basic themes in the literature: (1) etymological discussions; (2) the concepts of interdependence and balance; (3) cycles and energy flow; (4) food chain/food web/ecological pyramid; (5) carrying capacity; (6) the idea that humans are the disrupters of "nature's" balance; and (7) the contrary idea that humans are a part of the ecosystem. In light of these themes, I make several observations. One is that the summarized findings of ecology becomes the latest version of natural theology: God's will is for each ecosystem to be a climax ecosystem which never declines. If this is the case, then western agriculture, industry, and the use of much technology will have to be severely curtailed--a situation unacceptable to most evangelical Protestants.

Many scholars have argued that western culture, infused with a Christian understanding of the world, provided a nurturing environment for the development of science. The belief in a purposeful God, the argument goes, who gave order and coherence to the universe allowed scientists to assume that they could discover such order, such "laws." God made a world which was consistent and real, and therefore predictable. The discipline of ecology has also benefited from Christian assumptions embedded in western culture. By the time ecology began to develop as a scientific discipline, however, these assumptions had become "secularized," or stripped of their God-talk. In other words, early ecologists did not have to believe in a Christian God to assume that the world was orderly, consistent, real, and predictable. These beliefs had become cultural norms taken for granted by everyone in the West; they could be understood by an ecologist as simply similarities between Christianity and science, rather than shared beliefs which have their "genesis" in Christian doctrine.

Not surprisingly, it is these assumptions that evangelical Protestants emphasize when informing their audience about the concept of ecology.¹ Furthermore, probably in part because of these shared assumptions, the languages of ecology and theology are mixed together without any serious discussion about what the potential differences could be--not so much a synthesis as a bricolage. This article is an attempt to describe and analyze the concept of ecology contained in the evangelical Protestant response to the ecological crisis, and to raise questions about its use.
____________________________________________________________________________

I have a book entitled "Project Earth: Preserving the World God Created" , which is awesome on this topic. It's by a bloke by the name of Willaim Badke which has also written other interesting books and has a blog here: http://badkemeaningofeverything.blogspot.com/ another link on his work: http://www.meaningofeverything.com/ Here are some other references (skimming allowed): http://www.earthcareonline.org/popularbooks.htmlFor more on these vital topics also visit these posts:

The Misuse of "Radah" (dominion)

A Biblical View of the Environment

A Christian View of the Environment

The Meaning of Genesis

Why Are We Here?

Quantum Freewill, the Breath and Spirit of God...

Doing Lunch With The Almighty

Poverty, Pollution and Environmental Racism

Eleven Inherent rules of Corporate Behavior

Is God Green?

Thank You For This Earth

Indigenous Mind
> From: S. Starr > To: D.S. Martin > Subject: Glory > Date: Sun, 23 Apr 2006 21:28:23 -0500 > > If creation is responsive to God, if it praises him, then it bears > witness to some crucial realities. Creation, in fact, bears witness to at > least four realities - That God is glorious, that God wants to nurture what > he has made, that human beings carry a penalty for walking away from God and > his plan for them, and that we live in a precarious universe. These might > seem like contradictions, but they're not. > > Let's start with God's glory. Ever wonder why so many people on the > weekends leave the cities to find somewhere in unspoiled nature that they > can call home for a few hours? What are they looking for? When we view it > with eyes that see beyond the routine, creation speaks enormous volumes > about the complexity, greatness, and wondrous power of the Creator. That's > why, standing in front of an unexpected waterfall or coming upon a deer in > the woods, we get the urge to worship. Nature constantly points us beyond > itself to the One who made it, saying, "See! See the One who's responsible > for all of this." > > People who escape to the great outdoors may not tell you that they're doing > it to find God. But that is who they find.

From: D.S. Martin
Sent :	Thursday, April 27, 2006 1:01 PM
To :	"S. Starr"
Subject :	RE: Glory

I think that Mr. Eldridge (John Eldrige author of Wild At Heart and others) made use of this type of example.

It is the Creator, by His Holy Spirit, unexpectedly reaching into my soul and plucking the "Holy Chord" and as it resonates through my heart, mind and soul I will feel the urge to fall on my knees and just cry, but, not a sad cry.

This happens just as Eldridge describes it, unexpectedly; maybe a sunrise that seems to turn some surreal and unknown color that could not be duplicated on any artist's palate no matter how many times that he tried , or sometimes when we sing a song in church that touches at the love of God and the harmony of the body all combine in a glorious crescendo.

This feeling is one of those things that I try to choke down and suffocate, if I am not alone. I sometimes think that I should just let go; that maybe I'm quenching the Holy Spirit.
DSM

Saturday, September 01, 2007

Quantum Contemplations: Dialog Echoing In Eternity #3- The Root Connection

I have decided to post some of the e-mails from the expansive archives of the ongoing conversation between D.S. Martin and other friends and myself. Here is the next installment of: Quantum Contemplations: The Root Connection

>From: "Scott Starr"
>>Subject: New Review, Connecting The Paradigms
>>Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2004 18:19:51 -0600

>>Ok, I don't have the focus to write a thesis at the moment but here's
>>something I offer you to think about in the vein of "new topic".
>> I have been carrying this one in the sidepocket of my mind for a good
>>while. First, please forgive me for often referring to my ethnos when I
>>converse with you. All I can say is that it is in the warp and woof of
>>me. To surrender my place of who I am would be a terrifying loss of
>>identity. I think that is what is wrong with most of the world right
>>now.... Correct me if this is not a conservative view... If its not then
>>I really am lost. People don't know who they are and where they came from
>>and just what it is they are suppose to be doing with themselves anymore.
>>They try to get it from tv and other media I suppose. People have lost
>>their context...their identity. The root connection for me is that when I
>>was lost too...I found the answer to who I was, where I came from and what
>>I am suppose to be doing not in a church pew (although that is where it
>>all starts), not in my family home in suburbia...but in my familiy's
>>traditional culture and worldview....the one that stood for thousands of
>>years but has almost been erased from the face of God's earth, and the
>>same one that men Like Newt Gingrich suggest be surrendered and
>>homogenized into pop culture once and for all now. I agree that America
>>must pull together as one nation if we wish to survive, however, this does
>>not mean surrenderring our individuality or diversity completely - but
>>creating a network of diverse, autonomous communities working towards a
>>common goal and common unity. If we remember this concept then we will
>>not always be dividing and sub dividing ourselves into seperated-
>>hyphenated false categories. Then, we can express our diversity and
>>cultural perspective without detracting from the goal of the whole. I
>>will always be a Native- American, A citizen of the United States and a
>>member of the human family and God's Kingdom. Try to take away or harm
>>any of these parts of me and you will have a fight on your hands. I
>>imagine we all feel the same about this from our own perspective if we
>>have in fact devoted any thought to it. Getting in touch with this root
>>connection of who I am was a potent experience with real spiritual
>>occurances and huge realizations and paradigm shifts. All humanity points
>>toward this same set of truths regardless of the distractions and
>>tragedies of the dark side of human nature. I have something relevant to
>>say on my mind that many of my ancestors died trying to say
>>unsuccessfully.
>> At the moment I am not thinking of theology and metaphysics although I
>>do have a good deal to say about how Jesus reveals himself to my people
>>and the truth Jesus stands for. I am still thinking politics!!!
>> I know, as you do too...no question in my mind about that...that our
>>world is at a huge nexus right now...and in every phase of existence
>>too...especially spiritually. Politics!! Its well known that our
>>nation's democracy was modeled after the Roman senate, Greek thought and
>>also after models of government exhibited by the Iroquois League of
>>Nations and other tribal governments. The model of government exhibited
>>in much of Native America was designed well enough to last eons. It was
>>more streamlined...more decentralized...more conservative...more
>>balanced...more in line with God's Law- Natural Law...better suited to
>>humanity and the family structure as well as the food chain. It was also
>>more like what the founding fathers of the United States had in mind.
>>Forget about the fact that it was a long time ago (not really so long) and
>>dealt with fewer people (although in the tens of millions instead of the
>>hundreds of millions) and a different world stage. I'm just tallking about
>>the flow chart like exquisitely simple design of it. Never mind all that
>>other stuff right now. Think about the formula...the model. Its about
>>individual and community rights and responsibilities.
>> Thomas Paine I believe it was (Common Sense?), kind of touched on
>>where I am going with this on the States' Rights tip. He was also talking
>>about a network of more autonomous communities like I am. Now before you
>>start thinking I'm talking about socialism or liberalism and dismiss it-
>>start thinking about how a system like this would have to be and could be
>>done. I am not such an idealist that I can honestly say that I think my
>>vision OR...the world as it is set up right now is salvagable. I beleive
>>that niether is salvagable without cataclysm to motivate some real
>>paradigm shifts. I also believe we are going to live to see that
>>cataclysm if we are not in fact watching it hatch right now. I am a BIG
>>picture thinker. I am so beyond all this crap we have been bantering
>>about. I am starting to worry less about how much damage Dubya can do
>>(most of his worse gaffes are either failing or are at least exposed) and
>>worry more about what comes about 5 years down the road. We can pull
>>America out of her decaying orbit if more people will get serious and
>>focus. To hell with all this right-left stuff...lets get back to the
>>center...the source. This is what I have been talking about the whole
>>time in a way. Can you see that model in your head? Think about that for
>>a new topic. Our generation's turn to hold the reigns is coming right up.
>>

Quantum Contemplations: Dialog Echoing In Eternity

I have decided to post some of the e-mails from the voluminous, dusty archives of the ongoing conversation between D.S. Martin and other friends and myself. Here is the next installment of: Quantum Contemplations: Dialog Fluctuating In Eternity

From: Scott Starr To: D.S. Martin Date: Fri, 26
May 2006 08:23:06 -0500

Well, I have gone fishing about every night this week. I have found some prime locations all right in or real close to the city. I had great luck yesterday in a dirty flood control pond off of Meridian and I-40- back behind the Waffle house. I am going camping this weekend out at an awesome lake I found near Geary an hour to the west. We need to get together and catch some....and finish figuring out the cosmos.

have decided to post some of the e-mails from the volumoinous, dusty archives of the ongoing conversation between D.S. Martin and myself. Here is the next installment.

From: Scott Starr To: D.S. Martin Date: Fri, 26
May 2006 08:23:06 -0500

Well, I have gone fishing about every night this week. I have found some prime locations all right in or real close to the city. I had great luck yesterday in a dirty flood control pond off of Meridian and I-40- back behind the Waffle house. I am going camping this weekend out at an awesome lake I found near Geary an hour to the west. We need to get together and catch some....and finish figuring out the cosmos.

>From: "D. S. Martin"
> >To: "Scott Starr"
> >Subject: RE:
> >Date: Fri, 26 May 2006 11:32:53 -0500
> >
> >Yeah. I have missed the give-n-take.
> >
> >I'm sure that you haven't had time to see the Elegant Universe...or maybe
> >you did, at that prime fishing hole behind the waffle house.
> >
> >But, the first hour of the series talks about Albert Einstein's desire to
> >find the "Theory of Everything" or the Grand Unification Theory. One of
> >the scientists stated that Einstein wanted to, and believed that he truly
> >could, "know the mind of God" and that was the essence of his desire.
> >
> >The reason that this series is so important to me is the "String Theory".
> >This may be a philosophy more than a theory.
> >But, if it can be proven, or more accurately "Not disproven", then this
> >allows for the likelihood that reality is made up of more than the 3
> >dimensional, or 4 dimensional if you include 'Time' (I believe you must
> >include time), universe that we perceive.
> >
> >Under String Theory there is the possibility of up to 16 separate
> >dimensions.
> >
> >I cannot even begin to imagine what a "Fifth dimension" might look like.
> >It's like describing a symphony to someone who has never heard sound.
> >
> >If I were living 2,000 years ago and were to describe a God who lived and
> >operated outside of our space/time dimension. I might very well use the
> >same terms that are used in the bible. The "Carnal" would be space/time
> >oriented and spiritual would be oriented in the higher dimensions of
> >'String Theory'.
> >
> >Remember, you asked me if I thought that satan was limited to space/time
> >like we are. My answer was devolved from Job 1 and Lk 22:31. There, it
> >appears that satan is limited by space/time, in his dealings with the
> >creation. However, I also perceive that he is not flesh and blood. Paul
> >even goes so far as to warn the Ephesians,
> >
> >
> >Eph.6:12, 'For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against
> >the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this
> >present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly
> >places.'
> >So, under the idea of 'String Theory' we have the current universe
> >operating in space/time, but we also have higher levels of reality or
> >dimensions, continuing all the way up to the highest (sixteenth) level.
> >
> >This allows for faith, science, God, satan, angels, cherubim, seraphim,
> >many other unnamed & un-described beings living in dimensions somewhere
> >above us and yet somewhere beneath God.
> >Satan is obviously in a higher dimension than we are and yet he is just as
> >obviously somewhere beneath the dimension of God.
> >
> >String Theory may not make any spiritual claims de facto, but the
> >implications of 16 distinct dimensions are obvious to anyone, who may be
> >trying to make sense of the place and realm of mankind, satan, and God
> >(Yahweh).
> >
> >Consider also how we are forced to describe these "Higher" levels of
> >reality.
> >If I were to exist in one of those "Higher" levels of reality and the
> >Creator were to show deep love and devotion to some of the little peons
> >down in in the simple space/time dimension, I may just get a little peeved.
> > I may want to extract a "pound of flesh."
> >
> >There are so many things that make sense if "String Theory" is found to be
> >true.
> >
> >DSM
> >
> >p.s. I'm still hacking away at the Cosmos.
> >p.p.s. This idea of the 'String Theory' also, not unexpectedly, flies in
> >the face of one of my other beliefs however. Under this theory,
> >mathematics, through a series of formulae, is able to answer all questions
> >about the seen and unseen universe.
> >I don't like that. Ugh!

> From: masterkhuul@hotmail.com
> To: ccwman21@hotmail.com
> Subject: RE:
> Date: Mon, 29 May 2006 19:28:02 -0500
>
> Do you remember the old lesson about how it is mathematically impossible
> for a bee to fly?
>
> i was also discussing stuff along these lines the other day...and I was
> discussing some thoughts I had about the idea of an infinite universe. It
> was, ' I have never understood the idea of infinite space...I mean it would
> seem like space would still be expanding since it would never have reached a
> limit...there must be an edge or an envelope out there somewhere that is
> still moving outward...therefore space is in some sense finite.
> When i was at Waco I did an internship at the PBS station at Baylor.
> There was a nationwide lecturship series that was going to tour and put the
> finest minds of theology together with the finest minds of science. I was
> assigned to go and video tape the opening week of the dialogue...the series
> was launching from Baylor. The last day was a Friday and most of the
> students that had been attending as part of their classes were no longer
> required to attend...so the attendance dropped from about 700 to about 175.
> At the end they were going to take questions. They had people write their
> questions on slips of paper and put them in baskets. They were going to
> select five questions. I myself put in like five questions of my own. It
> is still a point of pride for me that three out of the five questions they
> selected to have the panel answer came from me..the humble camera man. I
> still remeber the moderator saying on my third question," And for our last
> item today, we have another really excellent question!..."
>
> I don't recall all of my questions but I still remember two:
>
> 1. Science has recently made some discoveries regarding serotonin and
> how it can produce religious type...or even hallucinogenic effects when it
> is released within the brain ( from things like meditation, fasting, sleep
> deprivation, stress etc.) , some scientists have even contended that
> serotonin is responsible for the advent of all spiritual and religious
> thought and insight, has theology come up with an answer or answers to these
> contentions?
>
> 2. For many years the "Big Bang Theory" has been the prevailing theory
> about the beginning of
> the cosmos...even theology has kind of hithced their wagon to the "Big Bang
> Theory", saying, "OK who or what do you think caused the Big Bang but God?"
> Under this theory the universe was thought to be 12 to 14 billion years old
> and still expanding outward uniformly. When the Hubble telescope was
> recently brought online science discovered that sections of the universe
> appear to be older...like 16 to 20 billion years old...and moving in other
> directions. What have these discoveries done to and what do they imply for
> both science and theology?
>
> On the second question I was fishing for the answer, " It means that
> none of us really know what the heck is going on."
> Of course none of them were about to make such an admission. To this
> day this "anomoaly"has not been resolved...or talked about much. Science
> will never admit that they have no idea and theology resigns even asking the
> questions to "an issue of faith".
> The third question had something to do with time and relativity - the theory
> being if you could exceed lightspeed time would cease to exist...and since
> we cannot explain anything without the measuring rods of timespace..is
> science or theology prepared or working on anything that could explain
> reality sans what we know as the timespace continuum as a point of
> reference. The answer was that some theories were being worked
> out...concerning black holes,,,string theories etc...but ultimately though
> time is restricted to our physical dimension...it cannot be discarded...blah
> blah blah...
>
> more later..I am home from my camping expedition with a few pounds of fish
> filets and a sunburn.

From DSM,

Here it is, if your interested in the relative age of the universe.

A quick approximation for the age of the Universe can be approximated by the inverse of the Hubble constant. The calculated age turns out to be

IAge of Universe as inverse Hubble constant

Current best estimates of h₀ are

so the Universe is most likely somewhere between 12 and 16 billion years old, at least according to this method of estimation.
But recall that according to relativity, time is relative. We can guess the amount of time likely to have elapsed since the time when time was a meaningful quantity that could be measured. But we can't say anything about any processes that might have occurred before the notion of time made sense. In some sense, quantum gravity could be an eternal stage of the Universe, and the Big Bang could be regarded as the end of eternity and the beginning of time itself.

I like the end of eternity analysis.

But, it seems to me, it would only be the end of eternity for those of us who, may happen to be stuck in this quaint little space/time universe.

However, for the rest of us who exist, only temporarily in this temporally composed training facility, i.e. the Universe, we see eternity as still existing outside the bounds of this tiny, but ever increasing sphere.

Which leads to the question, can space eventually exceed or overtake eternity?

How much eternity exists beyond the bounds of space?

Is there a limited eternity, (maybe only 25 miles of eternity, that would certainly affect the effect of the title of the movie classic "From Here to Eternity", kind of like "From here to Shawnee" or to keep it in tropical paridise "From Peral Harbor to Waimea Bay)?

Or is eternity always just beyond the reaches of space/time, (and well, we might say eternal and infinite)?

Scientists, often naively limit reality to only what is thought to be knowable, or at least may be tested by empirical (carnal) tests.

DSM

From S. Starr:
Subject: 5th dimension? Date: Sun, 11 Jun 2006 09:24:16 -0500 The old Seminole medicine worker told me there are actually nine dimensions that are known of by men (by spiritual means). I have never heard science address the theory of more than five. I kinda think that in an infinite or eternal reality there may actually be an infinite number of dimensions and/or planes of existence...If one believes in an eternal God beyond the bounds of the stream of time and space one has to allow for such a possibility. http://msnbc.msn.com/id/13070896/?GT1=8211 more reading: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062515020/103-7694851-3254259?v=glance&n=283155 http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~sai/conscuniv.htm http://www.deanradin.com/NewWeb/deanradin.html

From my Father H.Starr, Jr.

I looked up some Bible reference for you to ponder, There are numerous verses that mention the heavens and this isn't all just a few, Acts 2: 34, Ephesians 4: 10, Heb 4: 23, and several in 2 Peter begining at 2 Pet. 3: 10, and finally one that reads third heaven 2 Cor. 12: 2. Again it could mean sometining totally different but it does give reason to ponder.

Acts 2:34
For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,
" 'The Lord said to my Lord:
"Sit at my right hand

Ephesians 4:10
10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)

Hebrews 4:12-14
12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Jesus the Great High Priest
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens,[e] Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.

2nd Peter 3: 10-17

10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.[a]

11Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.[b]That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.

14So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 15Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. 16He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

17Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. 18But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

Footnotes:

1. 2 Peter 3:10 Some manuscripts be burned up
2. 2 Peter 3:12 Or as you wait eagerly for the day of God to come

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Is it possible to be an Texan and a Christian?

(3rd Excerpt from original posting on Theology of Nuance on October 15, 2006 and a precursor for Diversity Around the Table of the Last Supper)

I encourage anyone interested in this subject to download and listen to this sermon from Dr. Thomas Robinson of the Manhattan New York Church of Christ. Just click on this paragraph and you will directed to the MP3 of the lesson. Pay particular attention to the sermon at 11:15 through 15:00 minutes into the sermon. If you are from a CoC background you will be challenged greatly by Dr. Robinson's sermon. However, I have studied the passages that he references, and I am confident that his context for the passages are correct. In other words I do agree with his interpretation of the scriptures.

There are many possibilities for who we might be, by carnal standards.
We may even wear these labels with pride.

I could be:
1) A Disciple of Jesus (Christian)
2) A Democrat
3) An Arab
4) A Woman
5) A Parent
6) A Man
7) An American
8) A Hunter
9) A Texan
10) Pro-labor (Union)
11) Pro-business Democrat who is not honoring Jesus' mission, to seek and save the lost. Republican who is not serving Christ's purpose to seek & save the lost.
12) An environmentalist
13) Caucasian (White)
14) Animal Rights Activists
15) Progressive
16) A Seminole (Tribe)
17) A Warrior
18) Conservative
19) A Sooner (OU)
20) A Cowboy (OSU)
Are any of these sinful? If you answered "yes" you are correct. If you answered "no" you, too, are correct.
In fact, none of these are sinful, when correctly placed in priority. But, all of these, except the first, may be sinful, if they supplant the first by even one place.

The world, i.e. the carnal conventions outside the Church, "must" make judgments in order to know who is accepted and who is rejected.

It is a "natural selection" thing. This is a Charles Darwin phrase, please don't reject it just because it was described by Darwin. It is valid to the carnal/natural.

If labels are not applied, any and all are, by default, accepted into the tribe or camp. The tribe and clan is threatened if there are no physically discernable ways to keep out of the camp, those who have no kinship, and vested interest in protecting the members of the camp.

Jesus however, changed the rules for all time. As a means of exclusion, the labels began to disolve, even while Christ taught only to the descendants of Israel. Look at this exchange between Jesus and a "gentile" woman. This may be a very harsh answer to her, or it could be a very harsh example of faith to the descendants of Abraham. Which is it? Let me say this, God/Jesus doesn't need to know if the poor woman had great faith. The creator knows her heart. However, those disciples with Jesus did not know her heart. Did they? The teachers of the Law did not know her heart either. In point of fact, she may not have fully known her own heart, until God provided her with the opportunity (a.k.a. "test") to exercise her faith.

25 Right away a woman came to him whose little girl was possessed by an evil spirit. She had heard about Jesus, and now she came and fell at his feet.

26 She begged him to release her child from the demon’s control.
Since she was a Gentile, born in Syrian Phoenicia,

27 Jesus told her, “First I should help my own family, the Jews.* It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.”

28 She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even the dogs under the table are given some crumbs from the children’s plates.”

29 “Good answer!” he said. “And because you have answered so well, I have healed your daughter.”

30 And when she arrived home, her little girl was lying quietly in bed, and the demon was gone.

By the original plan of God, it was His purpose to have Israel as a light to the nations. It was Jesus who finally fulfilled the ultimate plan for the nation of Israel. Read Isaiah 49 and see for yourself. The exclusionary rule, which comes from the the carnal law of natural selection, was being banished by the Holy One, long before the resurrection of Christ.

5 And now the Lord speaks—he who formed me in my mother’s womb to be his servant, who commissioned me to bring his people of Israel back to him. The Lord has honored me, and my God has given me strength.

6 He says, “You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me. I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”

7 The Lord, the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel, says to the one who is despised and rejected by a nation, to the one who is the servant of rulers: “Kings will stand at attention when you pass by. Princes will bow low because the Lord has chosen you. He, the faithful Lord, the Holy One of Israel, chooses you.”

The labels that we live under, by our own choosing, are not bad, unless we allow those labels to push Jesus' plan of bringing "light to the nations", into second or third place.

Each "thing" that I am, that I perceive in my own mind, affects how I act and respond to others.

Each "thing" that I am to others, that they perceive in their minds, affects how they respond to me.

Matthew 10:37 "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;…"

Is it really possible that being "Pro-life" can be a sin?

If so, how?

And if so, how can we keep from walking or even running into our adversary’s trap?
The questions are valid.

If Jesus was being honest in Mt. 10:37, that loving your parents & kids is bad (evil/sinful) when placed in the wrong order of priority, then Satan’s potential armaments are as varied as there are things & ideologies in the universe. Because we can see that anything and everything in this world has the potential to be a weapon wielded by the evil one, against the Way of Jesus (The Church.)

So, let us be clear.

1. Being "Republican" can be evil. If or When it pushes people away from "God"
2. Being an "English Speaker" can be evil. If or When it pushes people away from "Jesus"

3. Being a "member of a specific church" can be evil. If or When it pushes people away from "the Father" (THIS ONE SHOULD RAISE QUESTIONS, PLEASE ASK IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION.)

4. Being "American" can be evil. If or When it pushes people away from "the Holy Spirit"

5. Being an "Environmentalist" can be evil. If or When it pushes people away from "the Lamb of God"
6. Being "Pro-life" can be evil. If or When it pushes people away from "the Holy One"

7. Being "Democrat" can be evil. If or When it pushes people away from "I AM"

When any of these detract from Christ, they are Satan’s weapons against "the Bride of Christ," which is the Church

Our historical context hides the carnal biases and fools us into giving our hearts to these benign or even noble clubs and causes. Even when we recognize the potential for harm, we often have trouble tempering our desire (lust) for the thing or ideal with which we’ve identified.
Sports fanaticism may become "religion" for which we may spiritually harm our fellow man.

Governmental Political zeal may become "religion" as well, as we condemn those with whom we disagree, and thus harm our ability to reveal Jesus’ love, hope, and healing to these souls still held captive by our Lord’s adversary.

A single issue may become our "religion" and overtake our "faith", as priority and focus.

(To Be Continued)

God bless,

DSM

p.s. Did you notice that I was intentionally provocative with the title for this post. We need to guard against following the apostle, Nathaniel's, example, which is found in John 1:46;

“Texas!” exclaimed Nathanael. “Can anything good come from there?”.

Nathaniel didn't really say Texas, I think it was more localized and specific. Maybe it was Austin.

Monday, August 27, 2007

Tending the Garden- Christian Environmental Stewardship Conference 2007

Click the arrrow in the corner of the screen to stay with this blog while watching or listening.

Sunday, August 26, 2007

How Do I Know What God's Plan For My Life Is?

The question, "How Do I Know What God's Plan For My Life Is?", is often batted around in places of worship and Christian literature. Both contibutors to this blog as well as several other people I know or am related to have often struggled with this question. Another question often heard is How do I REALLY know if God is prompting me to a certain course of action? These are indeed legitimate questions. As atheists and critics of people of faith and religion are quick to point out- God does not seem to talk to us through burning bushes or blinding flashes of light these days. Most people raise their eyebrows and wax suspicious when someone claims that God has directly told them anything.

Without going into a lengthy treatise abouty how God interfaces with man and how one develops discernment I will say that the sermon I heard this morning gave some very practical advice on how a person can detrmine what God's plan for them might be. First let me say that I am a firm believer in freewill. I do not believe that God is like some cosmic movie director with a folding chair , a shooting script and a bullhorn who gets upset when we break character or diverge from the predetermined storyline. I do believe that God simply wants us to be who WE want to be as long as he hold Him at the center of all that we do.

With these qualifications spoken- here is the lesson outline from this morning's sermon about how one can ascertain God's plan. I understood that this outline was developed by an Instructor at Oklahoma Christian University for incoming college students struggling with this question. Its is in my estimation very practical:

1. What do I want to do?

2. What am I willing to do?

3. What needs to be done (in a Biblical perspective)

4. What do I have the capacity to do?

5. What do I have the opportunity to do?

6. What do my most spiritual friends and/or mentors think I should do?

7. Where is the convergence on these points?

Next, determine the course and GO FOR IT.

I personally think that this is very solid advice.

In my own life I find myself pointed directly toward working to reconcile Native American Indians, their worldview and life philosophy with the Father of all life, the true and ideologically undefiled teachings of the Bible and to Christ... the One , the only One that can bridge the gap between God and man and to convey to them that they DO have a seat at the table and a role to play in God's Kingdom and in culture at large.

Blessings upon thee.

Think eternally. Act spiritually.

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Friday, November 02, 2007

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Monday, October 15, 2007

A Biblical View of the Environment

All Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Bible unless otherwise indicated.

A Christian View of the Environment

Ray Bohlin

Friday, October 12, 2007

LEFT BEHIND:

The Skewed Representation of Religion in Major News Media

Saturday, October 06, 2007

Monday, September 17, 2007

Monday, September 03, 2007

Sunday, September 02, 2007

Saturday, September 01, 2007

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Monday, August 27, 2007

Sunday, August 26, 2007

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