Obama has presented Sonia Sotomayor as a Supreme Court Justice Nominee and has already met with lots of criticism. As some of my family members who would describe themselves as "conservative" like to say "The way to control the government is to control the Supreme Court". So I think that having someone who doesn't blame global warming on the AIDS quilt is threatening to those who find themselves on the right side of the political spectrum.
The argument that's taking place helped me begin to think once again about whether there actually is a middle ground. Not just in politics but in general. In terms of our faith and politics we often make issues black and white-as though to have any in between, or any gray areas is somehow being lukewarm, or wishy washy, or even worse-demonic.
Because I think God gave us brains as well as hearts (spiritually and literally) I believe to find ourselves in places without certainty, and without proof is precisely where we encounter our Christian faith. When we have to think to apply that which has been presented to us as the gospel we are living a Christian life. Sadly though just as in politics with Supreme Court Nominees we find ourselves wanting to classify people based on whether we think "They" are on "Our" side. If not are "they" our enemy so we can determine how it is we're supposed to relate to "them". I did it myself in my comments about some of my family above. It's unavoidable really.
It's easier and even more pleasurable to judge others than it is to take the time to relate to them and try to find common ground.
For instance if I had my way I'd bring back Smiting. In fact I've invented a product called the Smite-a-matic 3000. It's a tool Christians can use to punish those with whom they disagree and who they deem is in need of repentance. It comes with several attachments: a patented leather stripped cat-a-nine tails with fine stainless steel shards on each strip, A Bible shaped mallet for ending arguments quickly, and of course a Revelation themed White Horse with an un-named rider with sword attachment jutting out of his mouth.
It can be conveniently used when we encounter a fellow Christian in a disagreement over a theological point-BOOM Smite-a-Matic ends the argument decisively. If we want to thwart a difficult discussion say about same sex marriage and just can't handle the thought that God loves all people and would bless a gay couple-THWACK! Argument over.
Finally if we find that beating up ourselves is our favorite use of self righteous vengeance there is a special self flagellation attachment. It's for those who feel as though mercy from God just isn't enough to cover over their particular dirtiest sins and therefore require punishment-the Smite-A-Matic calms that guilt ridden void with as little as two applications.
If only I could use this on the politicians who are caricatures of themselves. Sometimes I think they are like Pro Wrestlers shouting the familiar arguments taking on the role of villain or hero depending on where you place your particular political leanings. All the while as the show rages on we miss out on the complicated nature of real life that takes place in between the extremes.
If you like me are weary of it-call now-1-888-SMITE-EM. or visit our website at www.vengeanceismine.com Operators are standing by.
All major credit cards are accepted.
D
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
American Idol (atry)
We like to put things, people, possessions, anything that is not imbued with life or capable of relationship as the focus of our awareness (or our lack of awareness as the case may be). One focus we place front and center is television programming.
I confess too much of my time is spent huddled at the altar of satellite television and DVR of the programs I can't watch live. I count myself as chief among sinners in this form of self medication.
Twice a week for the past several months my oldest daughter and I have watched with fascination the show that has millions upon millions of folks glued to the TV-American Idol. We're waiting now for the final show of the season-to see who will be voted the next entertainer to emerge as the most beloved according to phone in votes.
The show is a juggernaut in terms of ratings and revenue. The formula works. Amateur entertainers vying to be the most loved and getting both instant and delayed gratification of their performance in the form of feedback from the judges and the voice of the viewers who spend hours texting, and phoning in votes.
I think there are often over 30 million who vote a night. The sheer volume of calls and votes makes me begin to think "I wonder what it would be like for 30 million people to all organize their energy to feed hungry people twice a week?". Or "What might happen if twice a week 10-60 million people gave a dollar to the same charitable organization-just one dollar? How many lives would be changed?" or "What if the time we spent on the couch consuming the ads, the entertainment, instead was dedicated to conversations with our family, working out, or cooking meals ahead?" My guilt at watching is apparent as you see.
I also think "I'm glad that after every sermon I deliver I don't have to stand up in the front of the church on Sundays and have four judges give me their honest opinions about what I've just said. I'm also glad that in the background I'd also hear the congregation cheering or jeering after the sermon." In some ways maybe that would be a good motivator to combat mediocre preaching. Have an Emcee to start the service "This is American Preacher". Maybe I could get a show together and sell it to the religious broadcasting networks with the permission of Simon Fuller.
I can hear the hip Urban judge saying "Yo dog, I was feelin' what you were sayin' about Jesus and his love for humanity-but I gotta tell ya in spots I was really bored with it." The glowing unconditional positive regard from the two glamorous women judges "You were AMAZING. The level of emotion you exhibit moves my soul and anyone who watches you preach who isn't moved there is something wrong with them." Finally the snotty English judge who would say "You know this is a competition and for me it seemed a little too karaoke-ish to me-like a group of friends sitting around in their basement doing a Bible study-not at all that entertaining really."
While the pressure or the direct accountability and publicity may heighten the level of preaching and the time spent preparing what how we're going to present the gospel on Sunday mornings, we have to know that preaching is not a competitive sport. Christianity isn't a competitive sport. Too often the Christian faith shows itself to be about judging who is "the best" Christian. We do this so that we can put ourselves over and above the next person thinking "I am more faithful than THEM because I do ________________." (fill in the blank).
To engage in this behavior is to do what so often we preachers do-we begin to think that Christianity, or life in general is either MOSTLY about us, or even about ONLY us. Dr. Phil while a bit hokie sometimes has that phrase that helps us remember what is true for relationships of all sorts and is particularly important to remember as Christians "IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU!" It's about Jesus. Jesus is to be our object of worship-our focus of adoration, and is one who doesn't make us stand on a stage to judge whether we're worthy to move on to the next round.
Jesus is one to join with us in singing, laughing, living, and loving without piling on unrealistic expectations and assigning value based on works. We are loved by, and saved by the Grace of Jesus Christ-something given by God because God chooses to love us. We don't have to try to be "good enough to be loved"-God has already loved us before a judgment can be made about us. In return we're asked to live a life shaped by the gratitude we have for the love God. This life is one marked by loving in return. So our actions or our "works" begin from the place of a grateful heart and mind-grateful for God's love and forgiveness. If we begin at that place then comparing our works with others begins to seem like what it is ludicrous and dare I say it-a form of idolatry.
Even in the midst of our guilty pleasures God is there with us to encourage us and teach us about our worth as it pertains to the immeasurable love God has for all of us. You and I are and each human being is a beloved child of God in whom God is well pleased.
That being said I hope Adam Lambert wins because he's way cool and is SO much better than Kris.
;-)
Pastor Dwight
I confess too much of my time is spent huddled at the altar of satellite television and DVR of the programs I can't watch live. I count myself as chief among sinners in this form of self medication.
Twice a week for the past several months my oldest daughter and I have watched with fascination the show that has millions upon millions of folks glued to the TV-American Idol. We're waiting now for the final show of the season-to see who will be voted the next entertainer to emerge as the most beloved according to phone in votes.
The show is a juggernaut in terms of ratings and revenue. The formula works. Amateur entertainers vying to be the most loved and getting both instant and delayed gratification of their performance in the form of feedback from the judges and the voice of the viewers who spend hours texting, and phoning in votes.
I think there are often over 30 million who vote a night. The sheer volume of calls and votes makes me begin to think "I wonder what it would be like for 30 million people to all organize their energy to feed hungry people twice a week?". Or "What might happen if twice a week 10-60 million people gave a dollar to the same charitable organization-just one dollar? How many lives would be changed?" or "What if the time we spent on the couch consuming the ads, the entertainment, instead was dedicated to conversations with our family, working out, or cooking meals ahead?" My guilt at watching is apparent as you see.
I also think "I'm glad that after every sermon I deliver I don't have to stand up in the front of the church on Sundays and have four judges give me their honest opinions about what I've just said. I'm also glad that in the background I'd also hear the congregation cheering or jeering after the sermon." In some ways maybe that would be a good motivator to combat mediocre preaching. Have an Emcee to start the service "This is American Preacher". Maybe I could get a show together and sell it to the religious broadcasting networks with the permission of Simon Fuller.
I can hear the hip Urban judge saying "Yo dog, I was feelin' what you were sayin' about Jesus and his love for humanity-but I gotta tell ya in spots I was really bored with it." The glowing unconditional positive regard from the two glamorous women judges "You were AMAZING. The level of emotion you exhibit moves my soul and anyone who watches you preach who isn't moved there is something wrong with them." Finally the snotty English judge who would say "You know this is a competition and for me it seemed a little too karaoke-ish to me-like a group of friends sitting around in their basement doing a Bible study-not at all that entertaining really."
While the pressure or the direct accountability and publicity may heighten the level of preaching and the time spent preparing what how we're going to present the gospel on Sunday mornings, we have to know that preaching is not a competitive sport. Christianity isn't a competitive sport. Too often the Christian faith shows itself to be about judging who is "the best" Christian. We do this so that we can put ourselves over and above the next person thinking "I am more faithful than THEM because I do ________________." (fill in the blank).
To engage in this behavior is to do what so often we preachers do-we begin to think that Christianity, or life in general is either MOSTLY about us, or even about ONLY us. Dr. Phil while a bit hokie sometimes has that phrase that helps us remember what is true for relationships of all sorts and is particularly important to remember as Christians "IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU!" It's about Jesus. Jesus is to be our object of worship-our focus of adoration, and is one who doesn't make us stand on a stage to judge whether we're worthy to move on to the next round.
Jesus is one to join with us in singing, laughing, living, and loving without piling on unrealistic expectations and assigning value based on works. We are loved by, and saved by the Grace of Jesus Christ-something given by God because God chooses to love us. We don't have to try to be "good enough to be loved"-God has already loved us before a judgment can be made about us. In return we're asked to live a life shaped by the gratitude we have for the love God. This life is one marked by loving in return. So our actions or our "works" begin from the place of a grateful heart and mind-grateful for God's love and forgiveness. If we begin at that place then comparing our works with others begins to seem like what it is ludicrous and dare I say it-a form of idolatry.
Even in the midst of our guilty pleasures God is there with us to encourage us and teach us about our worth as it pertains to the immeasurable love God has for all of us. You and I are and each human being is a beloved child of God in whom God is well pleased.
That being said I hope Adam Lambert wins because he's way cool and is SO much better than Kris.
;-)
Pastor Dwight
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Yahoo Mountain Dew!
YAHOO MOUNTAIN DEW! My Dad would shout this loudly anytime we were close to home on our way back from a trip.
See dad and mom used to own a produce store in Bluefield WV called Gateway Country Store and Produce. I often think it would've been cool for Gateway Computers to have to pay my parents for the name Gateway-it was after all a corporation. But that's off topic.
The store was like a min-Kroger that mated with a Cracker Barrel-before there was a Cracker Barrel. They went under in 1985 during the last "economic downturn" during the 80's.
Dad drove a truck to go get produce from all over the south east. As a little boy I often went with him. The truck was a white International Harvester with a 16ft bed. The truck kind not the kind you sleep in.
We'd go to Mt. Airy and Hillsville North Carolina to pick up loads of various kinds of produce. Then we'd haul it back over the mountains back to the market to sell it.
We'd travel to the docks at wholesale places in Winston Salem North Carolina where I would get to ride on these cool automatic palate jacks while they loaded our truck.
We'd go to the farmer's market just outside of the University of South Carolina Gamecocks football stadium. It was there that I learned to throw watermelons. We loaded them from the back of an open trailer attached to a semi and formed a line to throw them from the back of that truck to the back of our truck. It was hot, dirty, and itchy work. I loved it. I was thirteen and honestly thought that being part of the line of throwers was a right of passage into manhood. Dad was proud of me when that happened too. Good memory.
We'd travel to Georgia to get peaches right from the orchard, and Virginia to get Apples from the orchards, and strawberries from Florida.
I remember being small enough to stand up on the seat in the old International Harvester and my head touched the ceiling of the cab. I remember the smell of the vinyl seat and the faint hint of axle grease mixed in with my dad's Old Spice and coffee.
We'd be traveling for sometimes eight hours at a time back from these different states. When we'd get through the tunnel at East River Mountain we could feel the cooler air of "Nature's air conditioned City-Bluefield West Virginia" and dad would shout and I would shout with him YAHOO MOUNTAIN DEW WE'RE ALMOST HOME!"
My dad's almost home now. His spiritual home. He's dying in a nursing home. I can't help but smile as I imagine him feeling the grace of Jesus enfolding him with the familiarity of the mountains and the comforting presence of the One who created all of life. I imagine Jesus saying "Come on in Bud, I've prepared a place for you," and dad saying YAHOO! MOUNTAIN DEW!
Dwight
See dad and mom used to own a produce store in Bluefield WV called Gateway Country Store and Produce. I often think it would've been cool for Gateway Computers to have to pay my parents for the name Gateway-it was after all a corporation. But that's off topic.
The store was like a min-Kroger that mated with a Cracker Barrel-before there was a Cracker Barrel. They went under in 1985 during the last "economic downturn" during the 80's.
Dad drove a truck to go get produce from all over the south east. As a little boy I often went with him. The truck was a white International Harvester with a 16ft bed. The truck kind not the kind you sleep in.
We'd go to Mt. Airy and Hillsville North Carolina to pick up loads of various kinds of produce. Then we'd haul it back over the mountains back to the market to sell it.
We'd travel to the docks at wholesale places in Winston Salem North Carolina where I would get to ride on these cool automatic palate jacks while they loaded our truck.
We'd go to the farmer's market just outside of the University of South Carolina Gamecocks football stadium. It was there that I learned to throw watermelons. We loaded them from the back of an open trailer attached to a semi and formed a line to throw them from the back of that truck to the back of our truck. It was hot, dirty, and itchy work. I loved it. I was thirteen and honestly thought that being part of the line of throwers was a right of passage into manhood. Dad was proud of me when that happened too. Good memory.
We'd travel to Georgia to get peaches right from the orchard, and Virginia to get Apples from the orchards, and strawberries from Florida.
I remember being small enough to stand up on the seat in the old International Harvester and my head touched the ceiling of the cab. I remember the smell of the vinyl seat and the faint hint of axle grease mixed in with my dad's Old Spice and coffee.
We'd be traveling for sometimes eight hours at a time back from these different states. When we'd get through the tunnel at East River Mountain we could feel the cooler air of "Nature's air conditioned City-Bluefield West Virginia" and dad would shout and I would shout with him YAHOO MOUNTAIN DEW WE'RE ALMOST HOME!"
My dad's almost home now. His spiritual home. He's dying in a nursing home. I can't help but smile as I imagine him feeling the grace of Jesus enfolding him with the familiarity of the mountains and the comforting presence of the One who created all of life. I imagine Jesus saying "Come on in Bud, I've prepared a place for you," and dad saying YAHOO! MOUNTAIN DEW!
Dwight
Monday, May 4, 2009
It's been a long time since I rock and roll
It stinks that Cadillac took that song from Zepplin-but I guess everything is becoming a commercial. See Jennifer's blog at http://jennfrancesca.blogspot.com on her January 22, 2009 post to read about her same concern of advertisers high jacking classic songs. I think for me the Taco Bell taking "I'll Stop the world and melt with you." is one of the most upsetting. Probably because I find myself craving tacos whenever I'm listening to the 80's station on Sirius satellite radio.
Advertising seems so out of hand.
I'm grateful it hasn't crept into worship. Wouldn't it be awkward if during the prayer of confession we had as part of the unison prayer:
"...forgive us we pray for all of our sins of things we've done and left undone. This prayer brought to you by Franklin Covey who helps you plan ahead and get more done in less time-that's Franklin Covey."
or even worse how about: "Our Father who art in Heaven...speaking of heaven have you tried the new Godiva chocolate truffles available now at Godiva.com?"
or: "The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God-not only for the Lord's word but for the word you can trust in car insurance-Geico".
Call to worship
"This is the day that the Lord has made
Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Glad brings you quality home storage and disposal products as well as portability for your foodstuffs."
I think you get the point.
Just to be clear if I can interest anyone I am selling ad space on my bald spot. Rogaine would seem the obvious choice-HOWEVER if it was a working product then that would actually be counter-intuitive. So bald spot advertising-maybe the other choice for advertising on bald spots would be "Corvette-it's what makes you able to face your mortality." but the spots not that big yet-so maybe just "Corvette" within a Chevy Logo would be enough.
I think in order to drive a Corvette though you also have to grow a mustache-that's what Colin Cowherd said on his radio show-The Herd on ESPN radio.
By the way-this blog that's sort of about advertisement has made reference to many different products and services that will show up in searches on Google thus will hopefully promote this blog indirectly. We're all part of the madness...resistance is futile.
I'm so ashamed. Maybe there's a pharmaceutical product we can all use called "Shameitol. Relieves those pesky feelings self flagellation brought on by years of religious upbringing."
Dwight
Advertising seems so out of hand.
I'm grateful it hasn't crept into worship. Wouldn't it be awkward if during the prayer of confession we had as part of the unison prayer:
"...forgive us we pray for all of our sins of things we've done and left undone. This prayer brought to you by Franklin Covey who helps you plan ahead and get more done in less time-that's Franklin Covey."
or even worse how about: "Our Father who art in Heaven...speaking of heaven have you tried the new Godiva chocolate truffles available now at Godiva.com?"
or: "The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God-not only for the Lord's word but for the word you can trust in car insurance-Geico".
Call to worship
"This is the day that the Lord has made
Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Glad brings you quality home storage and disposal products as well as portability for your foodstuffs."
I think you get the point.
Just to be clear if I can interest anyone I am selling ad space on my bald spot. Rogaine would seem the obvious choice-HOWEVER if it was a working product then that would actually be counter-intuitive. So bald spot advertising-maybe the other choice for advertising on bald spots would be "Corvette-it's what makes you able to face your mortality." but the spots not that big yet-so maybe just "Corvette" within a Chevy Logo would be enough.
I think in order to drive a Corvette though you also have to grow a mustache-that's what Colin Cowherd said on his radio show-The Herd on ESPN radio.
By the way-this blog that's sort of about advertisement has made reference to many different products and services that will show up in searches on Google thus will hopefully promote this blog indirectly. We're all part of the madness...resistance is futile.
I'm so ashamed. Maybe there's a pharmaceutical product we can all use called "Shameitol. Relieves those pesky feelings self flagellation brought on by years of religious upbringing."
Dwight
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