Okay, saw my friend wezlo just post something on Dobson; and I just had to repost it here, too.

This James Dobson quote is from a Reuters Article:

“I am convinced Sen. McCain is not a conservative, and in fact, has gone out of his way to stick his thumb in the eyes of those who are … I cannot, and will not, vote for Sen. John McCain, as a matter of conscience,” he said in a statement on Tuesday.

Later on he says:

I believe this general election will offer the worst choices for president in my lifetime. I certainly can’t vote for Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama based on their virulently anti-family policy positions. If these are the nominees in November, I simply will not cast a ballot for president for the first time in my life,” he said.

Read the full statement if you’re not prone to violent allergic reactions to ridiculous rants of Evangelicalism™.

I’ll admit that I had to look up the word “virulently” — it’s not one that I use regularly in my vocabulary. But seriously Mr. Dobson — a virulent, anti-family policy position? Come on. So that would mean affordable health care is anti-family; and keeping jobs here in the United States as opposed to shipping them off… so families can have food on the table. And what of the war in Iraq? Are we going to continue to sacrifice family members for a poorly-justified war, a war based on false pretenses?

No, James Dobson, last election, George W. Bush was the worst choice in our history for a president. Look at where his brilliant, “Christian” leadership has led us — into a multi-trillion dollar deficit, a war he once declared “Mission Accomplished”, a crisis with the housing and lending industry, an economy sliding towards a recession, a much higher unemployment rate, a weak dollar, and a failing school system. Oh and while we’re at it, much of the rest of the world is on pins and needles, not sure how to relate to us as a nation because our leader is a moron and doesn’t play well with the rest of the kids in the sandbox — always having to have his own way. No, James Dobson, the worst option for a president was George W. Bush, by far the most incompetent president I have seen in my lifetime.

In a way, this pertains to my journey towards Orthodoxy and away from Evangelicalism™ and protestantism in general. It’s his severe overreactions to the events in our culture and the political realm, that causes me to wonder about the substance of his faith. Is his job to make America an Evangelical nation or to serve Christ? I think the former.

James Dobson, stop sticking your thumb in the rest of the nation’s eyes — those who don’t think like you do. We don’t care what you think or what you have to say anymore. Your virulent theology is poisoning the minds of innocent believers throughout the United States. Make it stop.

Filed under: Christian Subculture, Politics
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I was having a good morning until I saw this video on Dr. Q’s Ramblings. I think the bottom of my jaw suffered a few minor contusions from dropping onto my desk.

Suddenly you need to be Republican to be in right standing with God.

Filed under: Christian Subculture, Politics
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There are two things that seem to chap my hide and get my goat every time—pet peeves that annoy me to no end. The first is when people hop on the elevator at work (for example, the ground level) and press “1″ to go up one floor, while the stairs are literally just around the corner. Apparently one flight of stairs is just too much for them. BAH! They’re lazy.

The second thing that annoys me to no end is Christian testimonials that try to use “where they are now” as a means of amplifying said testimony. On KTIS this morning [I normally don't listen to the station; Natalie had it on] someone was sharing a testimony about someone coming to Christ and how they eventually went on to study law and became a professor at one of the “top universities” in America—I can only assume they implied Liberty University.

“Christian” testimonies that try to illustrate God’s hand in someone’s life, by telling of a status they’ve achieved or a place that they’ve arrived to assumes that God really cares about status or position. Equally, that implies that they were lesser of a person before they became that lawyer, the successful doctor, or a professor at a leading university—even moreso, that they have now become a “greater” person as a result of their change and “upgrade” in status. If I recall, Jesus once said (within Matthew 20) that the last shall be first and the first shall be last—he showed no prejudice to stature or their entry time into the Kingdom of Heaven.

He also once said, “…do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?…” I think career or status is included right along with that.

If a testimony is going to be given and accentuate anyone’s greater qualities, it ought to be of our Most Holy Triune God—it is HE who bothered to extend grace to us and it is HE who has saved us, IS saving us, and WILL save us. We’re still in process and ever changing—inherently unreliable and unsteady…shakeable. But GOD is unchanging, reliable, and not shaken. He’s the one worth testifying about—He’s the hero of the story, who has entered my realm to save a poor, wretched soul like mine.

Filed under: Christian Subculture, General
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Well, it looks like the Pope has sure stirred up the hive today with his speach in Germany earlier today. Here’s an excerpt from that speach with the lines in question emboldened:

I was reminded of all this recently, when I read the edition by Professor Theodore Khoury (Münster) of part of the dialogue carried on - perhaps in 1391 in the winter barracks near Ankara - by the erudite Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus and an educated Persian on the subject of Christianity and Islam, and the truth of both. It was presumably the emperor himself who set down this dialogue, during the siege of Constantinople between 1394 and 1402; and this would explain why his arguments are given in greater detail than those of his Persian interlocutor. The dialogue ranges widely over the structures of faith contained in the Bible and in the Qur’an, and deals especially with the image of God and of man, while necessarily returning repeatedly to the relationship between - as they were called - three “Laws” or “rules of life”: the Old Testament, the New Testament and the Qur’an. It is not my intention to discuss this question in the present lecture; here I would like to discuss only one point - itself rather marginal to the dialogue as a whole - which, in the context of the issue of “faith and reason”, I found interesting and which can serve as the starting-point for my reflections on this issue.

In the seventh conversation edited by Professor Khoury, the emperor touches on the theme of the holy war. The emperor must have known that surah 2, 256 reads: “There is no compulsion in religion”. According to the experts, this is one of the suras of the early period, when Mohammed was still powerless and under threat. But naturally the emperor also knew the instructions, developed later and recorded in the Qur’an, concerning holy war. Without descending to details, such as the difference in treatment accorded to those who have the “Book” and the “infidels”, he addresses his interlocutor with a startling brusqueness on the central question about the relationship between religion and violence in general, saying: “Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached”. The emperor, after having expressed himself so forcefully, goes on to explain in detail the reasons why spreading the faith through violence is something unreasonable. Violence is incompatible with the nature of God and the nature of the soul. “God”, he says, “is not pleased by blood - and not acting reasonably is contrary to God’s nature. Faith is born of the soul, not the body. Whoever would lead someone to faith needs the ability to speak well and to reason properly, without violence and threats… To convince a reasonable soul, one does not need a strong arm, or weapons of any kind, or any other means of threatening a person with death…”.

Here’s my own two cents on the issue with what he said AND the general response from the Islamic/muslim community around the globe.

First on the Pope’s poor use of context and examples. It’s true that some facets of the Islamic faith have brought about war and violence in the name of their religion and furthering their ideals. History displays it clearly through the actions of various fundamentalists. But funny how the Pope left out the fact that the catholic church had it’s own glaring chapter in history with the inquisition and torture of non-believers into conformity and “faith” in the church.

Rule number one: when you need to point out someone’s flaws, make sure you include your own to level out the playing field as not to just pick on one group of people. So, in some respects I can empathize with the moderate and conservative muslims that practice their religion with love and respect.

With that said, you almost have to admit that in general people of the Islamic faith and tradition have not done a whole lot to positively counter the general public’s perception of the followers of Muhammad. We are bombarded almost on a daily basis with news of some Islamic fundamentalist bombing this or doing that or expressing uninhibited rage towards something that someone else said or did. Let’s face it, they don’t take public criticism very well. Granted I don’t either, but that doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t try to respond respectfully and in a manner that doesn’t further propogate what I’m being criticized for.

Mohammed Mahda Akef of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood was quoted saying, “The remarks do not express correct understanding of Islam and are merely wrong and distorted beliefs being repeated in the West.” I’m sure there are a lot of distorted perceptions in the West concerning the Islamic faith; much like there are a lot of misunderstandings of the Christian faith in the Middle East. But the question that is raised in my mind is, if the Pope was so wrong by quoting a 14th century emporer’s observations, why does it appear that the general reaction of the muslim community only feeds the perception that they are an angry, violent bunch?

Mohandas Gandhi was once quoted saying, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” If you want people to treat you with more respect, you have to be more respectful. If you want people to love you more, you must love those that do not love you in return. If you want people to believe what you do, you must first earn the trust and credibility from those that believe different than you. Suffice to say, if the general muslim community wants “the West” to see them as anything but a war-mongering, intollerant and violent religion, then they need to exhibit and display peace in the midst of conflict, tollerance among those that think or believe differently and love for your enemies when it is so easy to errupt with violence out of hate.

I’m just calling it as I see it folks. I’m not saying the Pope was right and that the muslim community was wrong. What I am saying is that both sides have a lot of baggage to address and have some serious PR problems. The Pope does have to take some time to address the skeletons in our historic closet. The world is just too small these days to make blanket statements without covering your ass first and leveling the playing field in a manner that doesn’t judge unfairly. Equally on the other side of the coin, the muslim community also has to take some time to address the fact that they have a not-so-radiant history and rogue followers that aren’t offering any help in improving the global image of Islam.

I’m not judging either side or condemning one or the other—but what I AM saying is that both sides need to love more and to be the change that they wish to see in the world and not impose it on one another.

Filed under: Awareness, Christian Subculture, Politics, Spirituality
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This one took two days to write…mostly written yesterday morning, but finished it over lunch today and thought I’d post it up.  No music yet, but it’ll only be a matter of time.

TAKE HOLD
Words by Michael Miles

And so I wonder, what do you want me to say
That you’d turn your head when I go to pray
I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve lost my way
How much more sorry must I be?

Well I thought that I laid all my burdens down
Given to you the last of my golden crowns
And I’m so sorry that I’ve just not come around
Oh, can you hear me?

[chorus]:
I confess I’ve a few too many distractions
That makes it difficult to let you in
Will you have mercy and lift these sanctions
And forgive me of my grievous sins

Ya know I’ve this intense desire to be in-line with You
But I’m so ashamed of all the stupid things I do
And I know that it only goes to prove
That I lack the faith and grace to stand

So all I can do is offer up a humble phrase
“Stay ever close to me all of my days”
And change this broken life with your loving gaze
Oh, take hold of my hand

[chorus x2]

© 2006 Michael Miles (ASCAP) / Dock72 Music Group

Filed under: Awareness, Christian Subculture
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If you bring up the Bush administration and their role in 9/11 in my presence, it’s safe to say that you’re going to get an opinion out of me one way or another.  I may not push the idea that Bush was plotting the course for 9/11, but I most certainly think that they took advantage of the course of events (and probably to some extent the “intelligence” that they had) to make the case for war and their attempts to secure our oil futures.

Well, theological professor David Ray Griffin, published with the Westminister John Knox Press (of Presbyterian Church USA fame), makes some pretty serious claims [Christianity Today] about the Bush administration having gone so far as planning and executing out the events of 9/11 to fulfill their justification for war. 

While there are some pieces of evidence that, when twisted enough, suggest that they could have plotted and schemed out 9/11, there is not nearly enough tangible evidence to confirm such a claim.  But what is perhaps more disturbing is his claim as that the church needs to step and get involved to stop the “empiracle” America.

“I became more convinced that if the truth about 9/11 was going to be
exposed, the churches were probably going to have to be involved,”
Griffin told CT. “If we become convinced that the so-called war on
terror is simply a pretext for enlarging the American empire, we have
every reason as Christians to try and expose the truth behind 9/11.”

Last time I checked, Jesus was less concerned about the affairs of earthly governing systems and more concerned about bringing the Kingdom of Heaven to people—restoring the relationship between creation and the Creator.  Of course, His disciples didn’t get it…it’s no surprise that Professor Griffin doesn’t either.

Our business should be connecting people with the Lover of their souls…not to try and clean up after the mess that Monkey Boy & Co. have left in the wake of their [dis]administration and generally poor stewardship of the office of the White House.

Filed under: Awareness, Christian Subculture
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A buddy passed this one along to me.  Apparently Suzanne Hinn thinks we all need a Holy Ghost Enema.  Somehow an enema didn’t come to my mind.

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Well with scorching temperatures (for Minnesota standards in mid-spring) of 93° F, we beat the heat with an afternoon matinee and saw The Divinci Code, directed by Ron Howard. Despite the controvercy and the protests from the Church we went anyway and enjoyed the film from an entertainment standpoint. I can see what all the fuss is about — blurring the lines between fiction and truth — but the entertainment industry is always doing that.

So with the “adjustment” of historic truth set aside, it was a good film — not great, but good enough for a matinee. The twists and turns in the plot were enjoyable and reasonably suspenceful and the acting good as ever.

I don’t see what all the fuss is about though, from the general entertainment critics. Some didn’t care for Tom Hank’s hair or didn’t care for how the story moved along, or even that it was too confusing to follow. They must have all fallen asleep or something. It seemed fine to me.

You can tell the film crew paid attention to little details. For example, one of the leading ladies in the film had a knife held to her throat, causing a small wound. That wound, though subtle, actually remained with her to the end of the story.

The ending wasn’t great and kinda left me wishing they would have left it more of a mystery than resolve it. Hollywood seems to have this thing for resolving stories — this one would have been better off with leaving us, the viewers, in “treasure hunt mode” and questioning…”man, so does the holy grail really exist??? And where??” Instead they tidy up the ending and package it with a sugary sweet resolution.

Not a bad film. I won’t own it, but not bad.

Filed under: Christian Subculture, Culture
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In my quest to find healing and deal with the issues that have been a source of stress and anxiety for me, a friend emailed me a message by Randy Dean. I haven’t gotten all the way through it yet (it’s an hour long), but it’s already asking some tough questions and demanding a cry for mercy. In short he’s stating that as a true follower of Christ there is no reason to maintain grudges or bearing unforgiveness in our hearts. He also goes into religiosity/religianity and just how bad it is/can be. I’ll give my thoughts on the message when I get through it.

Download Message 2.2 MB WMA File

Filed under: Awareness, Christian Subculture, Spirituality
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I’ve been noticing my attitude towards Western-brand Christianity (and the Church at large which seems to subscribe to it willingly and blindly) becoming more and more jaded with the passage of time and the depth of my cynicism increasing in intensity. It’s to the point that it it’s becoming slightly uncomfortable to sit through a church service save for Greg Boyd’s mentally and spiritually challenging/stimulating messages that focus on Kingdom principles. But that’s not all.

(more…)

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