Wednesday, February 27, 2019

The Good Stuff X

Listen to him!

 - From Luke 9

People put down Christians all the time. How easy that is; how uncreative; how . . . lame.

Yes, we miss the mark. Hypocrisy? Yes. Imperfect? Yep. A disappointment? Yes, yes, and yes!

The taunts from scoffers, though, rarely miss the mark. They are a direct hit. They sting. They humiliate and shame. Chins up, ye faithless! Your attacks may have caused another lamb from the Master's herd, to wander off . . . maybe forever!

The Master understood this. It's why he said to escalate these battles to him.

When my daughters were in junior high school, I told them what many Dads tell their young teens: "If you're ever anywhere that bad things are happening, call me. If your friends are pushing you to do wrong, tell them you can't and blame me. Tell them I called and said I had to pick you up for an emergency."

Christ modeled the same for us. Remember that they're not attacking you. They're attacking HIM. But also notice, rarely do they actually go after Him. They know you might cave. But deep down, they admire your Master. Isn't that why they compare you to Him all the time?

Christ is the constant "Good Stuff." They only call us hypocrites, because they know we're not as good as the Lord. So, drop His name.

Judgmental? Racist? Antiquated? Hypocrite?

How about:

Feed the hungry. House the homeless. Heal the sick. Teach the children. Take care of widows. Care for children. Etc. Etc.

Give them a little chuckle and remind them that we're not perfect, but we are just trying to do the good things modeled by our Master.

And then ask them to help you, since apparently they care about the same things.

And see how eager they are to critique you then.

The Good Stuff.

Next Series: Ashes

Tuesday, February 26, 2019

The Good Stuff IX

 . . . we refuse to practice cunning . . . 

 - From 2 Corinthians 3

I wonder . . . does the simple statement from Scripture, quoted above, tell us to stay out of politics? When we speak of "political" behavior, aren't we referring to cunning behavior? 

I had an interaction yesterday, with someone on-line. This particular friend is a very young divorced mother of three. Apparently, her ex-husband was a minister that ended up being, according to her, a "narcissist." This particular thread was about income parity between men and women, making the charge that women are still far behind. In the aftermath of her divorce, she has become a quite vocal political liberal.

Now, narcissism is a concept that I could cover in volumes. I became well-versed in it myself. I became so aware of it, and its implications, and how to spot it, that I began to notice narcissistic tendencies in people that would not be diagnosed with the condition. I was seeing it everywhere. I saw it in myself. I began to feel sorry for the poor people around me, that I had concluded were narcissists. Are narcissists just overgrown children? Indeed. And don't we learn to have compassion for kids? I realized that we all are narcissists, to some degree. And I felt that society had become a little obsessed with it, to the point where every interpersonal problem was being blamed on it. 

I engaged in a thread that she had started. I have known for some time that she was a person that had been broken, whose faith had been nearly shattered, and who now had a level of distrust towards males in general. Or this is what I assumed was a safe approach. I was making the point that a lot of research is showing women on a par with men, in career advancement and income. And along the way I tried to introduce the Master's advice, not to fret over wealthy people. She took this up and suggested I consider the Lord overturning tables in the Temple, in anger. I came back with a quote from last week's reading from the Psalms, not to worry about money, or become angry against rich people. 

Her response was an emoji, a face laughing with tears. She tagged me and wrote "ok". 

Now . . . I felt that a person that had been the butt of a narcissist's game, should have some perspective and never mock a person in this way. I sent her a private message asking if she just laughed at my scripture reference? She replied that I was quoting Scripture that had nothing to do with the thread. My response to her was that my intent was not to entertain but to take our emphasis away from hate towards rich people. She then replied with a missive about how she is who she is, will never change, nor apologize. And of course, something about my being so deeply offended by her posts. 

My intention had been to get a person to see something different, from Scripture. When she mocked, I tried to draw attention to the harmful of affect of mocking someone else that means well. If the tables were turned, she would have been deeply offended by my laughter. I was not offended, so much as interested in discussing the effects that our attitudes have on others. She did not take up the careful regard for Scripture here . . . but when something became a little too uncomfortable, she laughed, mocked, and accused. 

Like Abraham's wife, Sarah. Like King Saul. Like Cain. Like Ahab. Like Judas. 

Why can't we be more eager to be challenged, and to improve. 

I apologized to her and said I would try better next time, to be more sensitive to the nature of a thread. 

Politics is cunning. When we put our political connections ahead of our Spiritual connections (as this friend has done; as we all are doing) we become cunning creatures that have no honor in God's Kingdom. 

We are directed very clearly . . . do not be cunning. Be real. Be open. Be transparent. This is the highest calling of Christians . . . to be exactly who we are. (This does NOT mean, do what will get you a lot of encouragement from the world). 

It is yet another example of The Good Stuff. Our standards are high. We will miss the mark, again and again. But the mark is a good one. And it's the highest, most pure standard in the Universe.

Let us not be cunning. Let us be real. And let us be good.

Saturday, February 23, 2019

The Good Stuff VIII (SA)

Do not fret yourself over the one who prospers, the one who succeeds in evil schemes.

 - From Psalm 37

The Good News does not glorify victimhood. People that end up victimized are not to be pitied: they are to be admired. As you go about doing good in this world. you wind up in trouble. You're persecuted, marginalized, ignored, mocked, tortured, and killed. And yet you don't do good so that you can be tortured. You do good because the world needs people to do good, and your view is eternal. You can take it because of the nearness of the next life.

We are supposed to be charitable. There is always someone worse off than us, that we can help. And even a wealthy person may need the kind of true, genuine support that has never been forthcoming.

When we're in trouble, or down on our luck, or hurting, or suffering some loss, we are not supposed to look at people that are better off, and blame them for our troubles. We are not to be jealous, or envious. There are yet people we could help, if we took the focus off of ourselves.

We should not strive to be victims, and we should not elevate victims. We're going for a quiet dignity that realizes some are better off than I, some worse off . . . but that most are very close to my own situation. The comparison game is vain. It doesn't matter.

Don't worry about it.

I would abhor being a victim. Even if I were, by the world's standards, I would never admit it. I am nobody's victim. I have eternal life, and you cannot hurt me.

Christians may not be perfect. They may complain. They may whine. They may judge.

But they are under an overwhelming dictate: to be content in any state, and to serve others. We do not need to be reminded of that by non-believers. We are aware of it. We remind each other of it all the time. And no, it does not mean we are better than others, or believe we're better. It just means we take the human mission of improving the world, and our race, very seriously. And at it's highest form, humanity is a humble calling. We have nothing to boast about. And we know it.

Do we not care about the rich and how wealthy they are? Should we be angry about the one percent?It would be nice. It feels natural. But it gets in the way of our focus on others that need our help, and our desire to be content in all things.

We're not pro-wealthy. We just see the wealthy as no better than, and no worse than, anybody else.

We're all equal. We all have value. And we are not going to fight about it.

And that's a good thing.

Friday, February 22, 2019

The Good Stuff VII (SA)

And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them . . . 

 - From Genesis 45

The world needs constant reminders that the roots of Christianity are good. But in the end, it always comes back to that understanding. The prodigal son returns, eventually. Most people (I say "most") are fortunate to have some memories from way back . . . good memories of a good person that modeled what it is to be Christlike. They may rebel. They may even do violence to that person. But regardless of our propensity to serve ourselves; to do wrong . . . we are hardwired with a  yearning for The Good.

Joseph was a good boy. He was a low-maintenance son. He did not argue with his parents. He did not lie. He did only what would please his mother and father, especially his father. While the others were out working, he stayed nearby. He was especially helpful to his folks as they got on in years. He would go out and retrieve heavy items that his parents could no longer lift. When they were tired and aching, he served them water and food. He checked in on them while they slept.

As a teenager, he was not needy in the sense of having to go out and date. He did not have to go "experiment" with girls, about anything. His father had taught him a moral and ethical code that he followed. But his brothers would go out drinking and carousing. They would warn Joseph not to tell their father. But if Jacob asked Joseph where his brothers were, he would tell him the truth. Joseph always told the truth to his father. He told the truth to everybody.

Joseph was not out drawing attention to himself. He did not need to validate himself by being a follower of this or that movement. He did not "virtue signal." He didn't need to. He was focused on the first, most urgent thing God placed in his life: his family, beginning with his parents. This is the first and most urgent thing God places in any of our lives.

Joseph was artistic. He could write verse and music. He was a great story-teller. But he was also a good listener. He did not force his music on his parents. But he noticed the music that his parents loved, and he made sure that this is what was played around the house.

While his brothers focused on the here and now, the urgent needs of the flesh, Joseph was focused on eternal urgency. He could practice eternal habits by being a good son.

And his brothers hated him.

In the end . . . when Joseph was gone, his brothers missed him, terribly. They missed him because they had done great harm to him. It never feels good to act out hate; not in the long run. The racists in the segregated South; the enablers of German Nazism - - - they all wept bitterly, later on, when tempers died down and they faced the truth that they had been participants in devilish evil.

But most of all, they missed him because they missed The Good. The Good is an important presence in our lives, even if we resist it.

The world acts like it hates the concepts of life; of liberty; of purity; of Goodness. But if those voices were gone, the world would become engulfed in such darkness as to reduce us all to whimpering hopelessness. We're Joseph's brothers. We hate those "goody two-shoes."

But we need them.

The Good Stuff of Christianity is the influence of higher aspirations, of eternal values, that, whether we like it or not, elevate all of us. We would miss it, if it were gone.

When we're young we want to get away, when we're old we want to go back.
And we spend our lives replacing all the things we leave behind.

 - Mel Tillis                           

Thursday, February 21, 2019

The Good Stuff VI (SA)

... for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.

 - From Luke 6

There's a truth, a fact, that can't get any traction in national dialogue. And it is this: Conservatives and Christians (especially evangelicals) tend to out-give all other groups when it comes to charity. They volunteer more, and they reach deeper into their pockets.

No, I don't have proof of this assertion. I take it as a given. It has been reported enough. And I have deliberately put some exaggeration into it, unsubstantiated, in hopes of getting some comment.

Why wouldn't Christians be more charitable? It's a major tenet of their teachings, or even, of their law.

Yes, we know the Old Testament is overflowing with directives that we welcome aliens into our communities and homes. The OT does not qualify the rule in any way, regarding the legality of the immigrants. But the OT also places great emphasis on caring for widows and orphans . . . and for embracing sexual purity.

The Old Testament; the entire Bible; demands that we be charitable. We are supposed to serve others. We are supposed to give away all our wealth. We are supposed to cut off any part of our body that causes us to sin. The Lord is quite demanding, and has placed impossible standards upon us. We know that. Most of us claiming to be serious evangelicals have studied the Bible. We are trained to have an attitude of teachability. We are urged to be humble, to listen, to be at peace with others. Over, and over, and over again.

And we know . . . long before any of our friends on-line point it out to us (as if they were the first to discover it), that hypocrisy is a problem for us, for them, and for everybody. If you're going to have high standards (shouldn't we?) then you are opening yourself up to the charge of being a hypocrite. When we are accused of hypocrisy, it stings. It hits the target. But only because our Lord emphasized it so much. When you can walk on water and bring a person back to life, that has been dead for days, then we will welcome your accusations.

The Bible is very clear - - - be servants. Be humble. Love as God loves. Take care of others. Heal the sick. House the homeless. Turn the other cheek.

Why wouldn't be a little more likely to give charitably.

I guess, when you love your enemies, it stirs them up even more against you. Children are aggravated when their taunts are not returned in greater anger. If they attempt to hurt your feelings, they expect your feelings to be hurt. But if you increase your kindness towards them, it drives them up a wall.

But not permanently.

I started a non-profit ten years ago. It received 501(c)3 status five years ago. It is only now starting to gain some traction. We are only now taking some entrepreneurial risks with it. We are only now winning the support of some very talented and resourceful people that can take us to the next level.

I'm too old to have started such a project. I should have been working on my retirement. I should be taking my kids and grandkids on memorable vacations right now. I should be of much more financial help to those that need it.

But I believe, fully, that every single second that I have invested in this program will be repaid, with interest; if not in this life, then in the next.

Christians are not perfect. Our own very public documents call us out, and our scoffers know it . . . and they relish in it. But our core values are ennobled by such aspirations as "love your enemies."

We've got some very high goals, indeed. But they're good goals. It is the salt of the earth.

And that's another example of The Good Stuff.

Tuesday, February 19, 2019

The Good Stuff V

... their god is the belly ...

 - From Philippians 3

Paul writes to the Philippians, a plea that they control themselves. Follow his example. Keep it steady. Do not take the bait. Go around snares placed in your path. Do not engage. Keep calm.

Patience is a virtue. But even that phrase I have heard mocked by modern voices.

I am not patient with racists and xenophobes.

I'm sure Paul had to deal with a lot worse than we do. But we have to deal with plenty.

The correct response to their anger is patience. But our patience makes them even more angry. Most of them time, it feels like a lose-win proposition. We lose, they win.

I'm going to make the point on-line, since their refrain is that they only want to make things "fair":

It is not fair for us to operate according to basic rules of etiquette, which they ignore, or denounce. They do not have to be nice to "racists." Therefore they do not have to listen to anything you say. We abhor use of violent and vulgar language. So we exit discussions that go that route. They get the last word. They win.

It isn't fair. Tell them this. We believe in respecting all people, and they don't. We believe in being patient and forbearing, and they don't. Point this out to them. They get to dominate the dialogue (if you can call it that) by interjecting words and phrases that are offensive to us . . . creating environments that we are trained to remove ourselves from.

It isn't fair.

But the ultimate root of their anger is not our patience. The root is related to patience.

We advocate a lifestyle that is not focused on the immediate, the instant gratification. Their God is their belly. They want to feel good, and they want to feel good now. If I "feel" good, then it must be good . . . and if other people don't feel good when I do, there must be something wrong with them. That's serving your "belly." You feed your hungers and desires; your animal drives. And oyu feed it now . . . however you can. No waiting. No development of maturity. No honor. No loyalty. No respect for others.

We are a counter-weight to that addictive type of lifestyle. And as all their needs must be fulfilled NOW . . . their need to silence us almost must be fulfilled now.

But patience is a virtue. Someone has to keep control of the situation.

And that's another part of The Good Stuff. I recommend it.

Monday, February 18, 2019

The Good Stuff IV

Refrain from anger, leave rage alone; do not fret yourself; it leads only to evil.

 - From Psalm 37

Have you ever been in a verbal altercation with someone, that kept escalating? Emotions start burning. Blood pressure rises. Pretty soon, you and the other person aren't even thinking clearly. As ridiculous as it sounds from a neutral stance, we start wanting to leave the person vanquished, virtually prostrate on the floor, begging for mercy, having been pommeled by your inescapable logic and wit. They beg you to stop - - - they ask for forgiveness. They admit they were wrong.

Come on now . . . isn't that what we want?

Isn't that what people seem to want with their on-line taunts? What is the end-game for people that post vulgar needlings at the expense of Christians? You know . . . those that post memes that call out Christians (especially of the Evangelical Conservative variety) for being hypocrites?

And why is "hypocrite" the insult of choice, when going after Christians?

Illogical and hypocritical - - - these are the big insults of the Millennial generation. Many of them love to harangue their own grandparents (certainly most of their elders) for acting childish. Yes - - - classic psychological projection on full display.

When you're in one of those childish arguments referenced above, and you stop wanting the truth and just want that other person to give up and name you the winner, isn't it especially aggravating when the other person remains calm and collected? This is where the insults come in. Vulgarity, personal attacks . . . we want them acting as angry as we feel. It doesn't seem fair that I should be losing control, while they keep a close hold on theirs.

It drives us crazy. Can it be that the thing that most pushes their hot buttons is not, in fact, the hypocrisy of Christians? Can it be, maybe, that it's the calm demeanor of a handful of Christians that sets them off?

Christians realize we're hypocritical. We know we're flawed. But we also have a prime directive, to keep cool. And it doesn't take many people keeping their cool, before it grates on non-believers, that would give anything to see a Christian lose their cool, throw a tantrum, run off at the mouth, hurl filthy epithets back and forth.

Don't we all know that it's a human frailty - to see others express weakness. To see our own flaws reflecting in others. It gives us some sense of security or value.

But now . . . I have just touched on volumes of blog material.

Suffice it to say, that Christians should be known for their patience, not for their intolerance. It is something we strive for.

And if we get that right, even a little bit, be sure there will be scoffers who make it their job to topple you from the pedestal of patience.

The patience of Christians is a good thing. It's part of The Good Stuff. We miss the mark. We miss and we know it. And we feel bad about it. And guilt, in this sense, is good, too. A healthy conscience does not run away from feelings of guilt.

To our scoffer friends: It's not easy. Patience is called a virtue because it does no come naturally. Don't worry - - - we're feeling the pressure of wanting to walk in His footsteps. And as much as we know you'd love to see us lose our patience, please know that, as our friend, we'd love to have your encouragement, not your denunciations.

Isn't that what good people do? Isn't that the sign of a good human being?


Sunday, February 17, 2019

The Good Stuff III

They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream.

 - From Jeremiah 17

The paradigm of my life is so predominantly positive when it comes to the characteristics of Conservatives, rural dwellers, farmers, mechanics, blue collar workers, people in "flyover country," and yes . . . Christians.

Where is this hate and hypocrisy that scoffers talk about? I haven't seen it.

My parents both came from modest means, but you would never know it.

I had two great-aunts, (a former age would have called them "Old Maids") that lived their lives tending the family farm. Never married, no children. They certainly lived their entire lives at or below the poverty line. And yet, summers spent in Texas, at their farm, was as good as DisneyWorld for us kids. My memories are golden.

They sent Christmas gifts to all of their great-nieces and nephews, every single year.

They contributed to charities and volunteered for good causes that supported services to the poor. They entertained and housed traveling ministers and missionaries. They opened their home to visitors.

Even in the desert, trees may thrive if they're planted near a stream.

In West Texas, where my mother is from, there are vast swaths of land that is mostly dry. The land is flat, and has rare bodies of water. And yet when you see a row of trees in the distance, you can be sure there is a creek running nearby. The creek may be dry three months out of the year. But that's enough to keep a line of trees healthy forever.

Our family's farmhouse was surrounded by trees. There was no creek up close to the house . . . but the care from my great-grandparents made it into a place where trees could live. My ancestors kept them watered.

I have not seen the anger, the hate, the hypocrisy that anti-Christian people rant about all the time. Perhaps they should get themselves closer to a broader variety of people calling themselves "Christian"?

People that can be poor, and yet act as thought they're rich. There must be something to that.

And there is.

Saturday, February 16, 2019

The Good Stuff II

Blessed are you who weep now,  for you will laugh.

 - From Luke 6

Facebook friend, that grew up in the US, but has lived on another continent for ten years, posts:

Dear red neck hillbilly piece of ---- people,
Hope you had a great V-day! Omg! So much candy!
Go crowd source your 8 billion dollar wall like your neighbors with cancer do.
Continue to ---- a ----,
Me

He rants on an almost daily basis, against the US; seemingly, against all Americans, but especially Christian Americans. His hate for Conservative Christian Americans runs so deep and expresses itself so violently, that it comes across as a personal thing for him. Someone, somewhere, hurt him profoundly, scarred him . . . and his response has been to run away from his home, his family, his friends; the people that love him unconditionally. And from the safe distance of another continent, and among neighbors that will probably applaud his America hate, he posts away so that he does not have to see how his words hurt, and pierce, and sadden the very ones that see the good in him.

His calling card was always a ready smile, a ready laugh. Like Mary Tyler Moore, he lit up the room. His smile was infectious. You could easily pick him out of a group photo - - - look for the teeth.

But something happened. Something cracked.

Let's talk about real Christianity, the kind that angry people are always comparing against people they love to believe are hypocrites. Let's go straight to the words of the Lord:

If you weep now, you will laugh.

The idea is to create happiness in the hearts of those who, like this Facebook friend, are tempted to be angry and vitriolic. So you're crying. You're angry? You're incensed?

It's okay. The Master has promised laughter.

President Lincoln said "I laugh, for I must not cry."

I am drawn to the warmth of a smiler, and a laugher. And so are you.

There's nothing like a crowd of faulty, flawed, imperfect, and even hypocritical Christians . . . when they get into a good spirit and are opening up with one another, when they share a great laugh with one another.

The laughter, itself, does not feed the hungry. It doesn't calm storms. It doesn't heal the sick. It doesn't correct injustices.

But it's a start.

I've been around Christians my entire life. Most of them have been Conservative Christians. They came from all races, all regions, all background, all ethnic groups. And there was a time, they even represented all political parties equally.

The best laughter, the warmest smiles, and the most disarming love for each other, has always been while in the presence of these Christians. It's even more inspiring, when they persist in their selflessness and joy, in the midst of a world with people who, like my Facebook friend, despise them.

To my friend: Bring back your smile. It will make you more effective in solving the world's problems. And it will make us more likely to work together. We're much more effective problem-solvers that way.

Friday, February 15, 2019

The Good Stuff

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead . . . 

 - From 1 Corinthians 15

We put down our cat today. But he was not any cat. He was the first new pet in my kids lives (they are now 20 and 23). When they were each born, we already had three dogs. But when the girls were about 4 and 7, a friend of mine asked if we would take a sickly cat that they had nursed back to health after a difficult post-birth experience. This cat that started out by beating the odds, continued to do so. 

His name is Max. Notice I said "is"? This is because my understanding of eternity is that it is nothing different than never-ending now, or present. Max survived injuries, blindness, deafness, had wandered off for days at a time when he was younger, dealt with dogs that didn't like cats. He dodged fast-moving cars. And during the past two to three years had at least two episodes that we thought for sure were his dying moments. 

We've had Max since about 2002. He lived to be about seventeen to eighteen years. For five years we have felt like he was adding lives to his already long span of years. 

He was gentle, happy, low-maintenance, and was a great friend to our Yorkshire Terrier, who also is getting on in years and will soon be facing the same.

My daughters loved Max. They are at college and came home two nights ago to see him one last time. 

Max has been a virtual "shut-in" for about five years. He got too slow to be trusted outside (we have coyotes and hawks in the area).  About six months ago he developed a large bulge in his stomach that we thought was cancer, but ended up being diabetes. Last fall, he began urinating excessively, and his litter box would quickly form "mud," over and over again, that would get into his back paws and begin caking upon and between them. His grooming became laborious, as he would track little splotches of litter mud wherever he went. 

We took him to the vet two months ago, and they diagnosed diabetes. They said he would have weeks to live but that treatment would give him a few more months or years. They drained his stomach of the fluid, which caused him to rally for about a month. He was doing so well that we opted not to do the treatment. But then two weeks ago he declined rapidly, as his back legs degraded to the point of being basically paralyzed. We decided it was time, some time within the next few days. 

This morning, after the appointment with the vet had been made, I took Max downstairs with me. He used to love going downstairs, as a hideaway. He had favorite spots down there to rest. But beginning about three months ago he preferred, more and more, to stay near people. So his litter box was brought upstairs. He restricted himself to a 400 square foot area near his food, the litterbox, and people. But occasionally, he would act like he wanted to go downstairs. I put his food bowl near it's formally normal spot on the steps . . . and he went right for it, although in the end he did not eat anything. 

I set Max down on the basement floor. He walked towards the door that goes outside (at which I used to let him out, and he would come back in). But he paused for just a moment, and then when I turned around, he returned back upstairs. 

I took Max outside next, carrying him around the periphery of our one-acre lot. He seemed to enjoy the breeze, the smells, the sounds (what he could hear). I set him down on the ground, to see if he would like to walk around. At first, he did. He began walking towards the high grass on the edge, slowly, carefully. But as with the basement . . . he turned towards the house, and began making his way toward it. His back legs were simply not up to the task, so I picked him up and finished our walk. 

He became restless and obviously wanted to go inside. I set him down one last time near the back door . . . which he turned toward. I opened it and he went in. I sat down, and Max came around and began licking my shoe. He rubbed his head against it.

I had to go into town for a meeting. When I left Max was in his favorite spot on the floor; the same spot where I found him when I returned. His purring seemed weaker than the day before, which was weaker than the day before that. There was just enough time to get him in the car, for the ride to the vet.

His tail had been bushy, like when he is in an alert stance. The vet said that it was due to discomfort. 

All the signs confirmed that he had to be put out of his misery . . . his purring and expressions of warmth notwithstanding. 

As we were in the vet's examination room, waiting for him to come in, a familiar emotion came over me. I believe it gets stronger, the older I get. It was anger. 

I hate death. The Bible calls death an "enemy." I hated it for every death of every pet I've ever had. I hated it when I had high school friends dying in car accidents, or from cancer. I hated the death of my beloved cousin Larry Johnson. I hated when my grandparents died, each of them in turn. I hated the death of my cousins Judy and Teresa. I hated the deaths of my great aunts and uncles, and of my aunts and uncles. 

I despised the death of my Dad. 

And I put it to you: my attitude is the healthy one. 

When I realize that Christ died, too . . . and that this was the way for us all to defeat death, I smile. I become happy and contented. Somebody would have to come along, that did not deserve to die, and to say "I will take their punishment. Lay their guilt on Me, so that they may live."

This new blog series is "The Good Stuff." Because I get tired of all the rants and trash talk about Christians and their "hypocrisy." You know . . . taunts by people that don't believe in Jesus anyway, pointing out how "unchristian" all these Christians are. 

The Good Stuff begins with eternal life. The person that says they don't care about living forever, is lying. 

We begin with even the hint of a possibility that you could live forever, and be sure of it. We start there. This is the only important point of Christians. Not that they want to be judgmental. Not that they "hate" others. Not that they want to control others. No . . . all of those suppositions are way off the mark.

The sole, single, definitive, and essential point that drives Christians and everything they do and say, is that they want to live forever. They want to see their kids, and parents, and grandparents, and brothers and sisters, and friends, and cousins, and aunts and uncles, and famous people in history, and on, and on . . . . . They want to see them again, over and over again. They love life, and they want it never to end. 

And that's a really good motivation to do or believe anything. It's just a starting point. 

Don't knock it. 

RIP, Max. I'll even see you again. 


Thursday, February 14, 2019

Everything

. . . everything they do shall prosper.

 - From Psalm 1

So many promises from God. 

Everything they do shall prosper? Everything?

The Psalmist is talking about the righteous - about people that reject evil. But upon deeper reflection I want to conclude that I must not be righteous . . . because everything I do does not prosper. In fact, considering the idea that God's definition of "prosper" must be describing something abundant; it seems clear to me that nothing I do prospers. 

Maybe my definition of "prosper" is flawed. I mean, I feel successful and happy. I don't feel that the forces of evil can hurt me . . . not in the way that counts . . . not in eternity.

And I am absolutely convinced that the work that I have done, will prosper, even in this life. It might take some time to get there. I really want to see you, Lord, but it takes so long!

But in eternity . . . I fully expect a wealth of results from all of my investments in time and money, in this life. 

But I do not have much to show, that is, to people in this plane, in this life. When you look at me, there isn't much to justify someone else trying out the faith-life.

But Psalm is really more of a denunciation of the wicked. Verse 1 really lays out the case. There's a sort of development in becoming wicked. You have to take the three steps in reverse order, to get from Ordinary Joe, to Full-Blown Wicked Guy. It's a Progression of 21st Century Progressives:

Step One - You are sitting, watching. You're observing the scene passing you by, and are scornful. You make fun of others, particularly people of faith. You mock them. You ridicule. You prefer language that you know will disgust and offend them. Buy you enjoy pressing their hot buttons. If you can create a snare for them, you will be able to catch them "acting" not at all Christian, which will enable you to condemn the entire Christian system.

Step Two - You advance from scorn, to actually sinning. But first you linger with some formerly verboten ideas. What once made you uncomfortable, now turns you on. Rather than run away from sin, you have become well-acquainted with it. Purity, holiness, honor, loyalty . . . these are all outdated concepts that do not apply. They are vestiges of a past that was unjust and only served to keep tyrants in power. Such erstwhile virtues are not fun. They do not feed people or heal the sick. They only serve to make people puffed up and proud of their superiority over others. You are on the way to make good out of evil, and evil out of good. You have turned everything else upside down, so that God's people are now the bad guys. Sin has become the thing that good people do.

Step Three - You are now on a full walk away from God. You are in full stride. You are making Progress and you believe your direction is forward. But you keep going without looking back, because to look back is awkward . . . you are not interested in the crushed demeanor of the ones that love you most. And you find yourself now in the company of some powerful, or rich people, that can tell you that you are on the right side of history, you are actually a good person, and you do not need those people you always associated with. Are your new influencers wicked? You don't care.

But the apathy . . . you seem to have forgotten . . . is always a characteristic of wickedness. 

Good people care. 

They actually care. They don't talk about caring. They actually care. 



Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Moral Foundations: Conclusion

They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream.

 - From Jeremiah 17

We have spent the last few months looking at the so-called "Moral Foundations," the dimensions of morality that define how and why people vote as they do. What makes a Liberal vote as they do? What are the elements present in the heart and spirit of Conservatives?

It turns out that, according to research, there are five, maybe six foundations upon which people define their morality. And the dimensions relied upon by Liberals, in general, are a subset of the dimensions of Conservatives.

According to Wikipedia, here is a summary:

The five foundations[edit]

  • Care: cherishing and protecting others; opposite of harm
  • Fairness or proportionality: rendering justice according to shared rules; opposite of cheating
  • Loyalty or ingroup: standing with your group, family, nation; opposite of betrayal
  • Authority or respect: submitting to tradition and legitimate authority; opposite of subversion
  • Sanctity or purity: abhorrence for disgusting things, foods, actions; opposite of degradation
A sixth foundation, liberty (opposite of oppression) was theorized by Jonathan Haidt in The Righteous Mind, chapter eight, in response to the need to differentiate between proportionality fairness and the objections he had received from conservatives and libertarians (United States usage) to coercion by a dominating power or person. Haidt noted that the latter group's moral matrix relies almost entirely on the liberty foundation.

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_foundations_theory#The_five_foundations)

====================================================================

Liberals place great stress upon the first two: Care and Fairness, while mostly ignoring the other three. Conservatives make decisions based on all five (maybe six) equally. I will leave it to the reader, to discern whether it involves greater complexity of thought, or less, to integrate all five dimensions into one's own worldview.

Jeremiah uses the illustration of the roots of a tree, planted near water. A few feet below the surface of the earth, is a complex network of roots of all the flora of an area. These roots entangle one another, providing nourishment and support among species, but not across species. Trees have the healthier system, as their roots go farther and deeper. They can last longer in a drought, than grass.

Consider the five dimensions. Actually - - - I do like the addition of liberty. Conservatives aren't all about authority and loyalty. They also want to be free above all else. They want to be thought of as an individual, and not as the member of a group.

The six dimensions are not compatible. They are in conflict with one another. But if you are going to embrace all of the dimensions, you will have to accept the challenge of complex thinking.

Eternal life is the result of following a long, narrow path. The narrower it gets, the straighter it gets.

But that straight line, that narrow line, is to be found in the intersection of a vast web of complexity. Peace, but war when needed. Grace and judgment. Love and purity. They all have to be taken together.

And it's a glorious and victorious journey.

Tuesday, February 12, 2019

Purity X

Blessed are you when people hate you . . . 

 - From Luke 6

And so we come to the final entry in this series, that examines the moral dimensions of what drives people's life choices, particularly, how and why they vote as they do.

Research shows that Liberals tend to vote according to two criteria only: caring and fairness.

Conservatives also desire government that cares, and that establishes fair rules for all.

But to those two dimensions, Conservatives also consider such areas as loyalty, respect for authority, and purity. Liberals do not seem to be too concerned about offending family members in the attitudes and beliefs. They do not see the value in the wisdom of their elders. And have little interest in such concepts as morality and purity. Traditional values, parameters around our behavior, self-control, etc., they do not care if the society and our politics casts that all aside.

Of course I am generalizing. But the research tends to uphold these two profiles of what motivates the typical Liberal, and Conservative, to vote as they do.

It's up to the reader to determine the rightness or wrongness of all of this.

My own anecdotal evidence supports the findings of the research. In a heated on-line debate, the Conservative is more likely to back down, and to avoid language that offends (purity). If Liberals learn that they have been offensive (F bombs, for instance), they tend to lay it on even thicker.

If you try to allude to the wisdom of the ages, Conservatives will concur. But Liberals will denounce the ways of prior centuries (we all know there was evil . . . but there is good that we can still embrace).

The goals of caring and fairness are very strong ones to prioritize. But Conservatives prefer conducting themselves according to a personal code that requires them to care, and to be fair. Liberals seem to believe that if the government doesn't do all the acts of charity, and enforce equality (according to the definitions of the party in power), that it doesn't exist.

Tomorrow, I will wrap it all up with some comment about the dimensions that have been added to this list.

Oh, and as to the Scripture reference: The words of The Son of God are more compelling now than ever. If you're doing the right thing, there's no way the prevailing culture is going to applaud you.

Monday, February 11, 2019

Purity IX

If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.

- From 1 Corinthians 15

Purity isn't just a way for people with stronger willpower to act like they're better than others. It's inextricably linked to our eventual eternal life. You want to be pure, because you want to live forever.

Isn't that the root of all of our problems? Isn't the fear of death the thing that drives all of us? Don't we fear death even more than we love tasty foods? Wouldn't we choose to live forever, if all we had to do was give up alcohol, forever? Would we forswear sex itself, in order to be immortal?

We must know, intuitively, that eternal beings do not need these physical things that drive us. 

It seems a very accessible equation. Eternal life = purity. You won't be selfish in eternity, because there's no need whatsoever, to be selfish. Who cares? You'll live forever! Go enjoy the moment!

It's the whole point of the Gospel - how to get eternal life! In His wisdom, God has made it so that flawed, selfish (i.e. sinful) people will not live forever. You must be pure to make it . . . because we want pure (i.e. unselfish) people to dominate the eternal realm. The idea that evil can exist eternally is a human invention. God wants goodness to prevail. 

If you value eternal life, I hope that you will also value purity, because the two are linked.

And if you value purity, you will certainly let the perfect standard weave it's way through all of your life decisions. 

Devotion to purity is not a rejection of others. It is not a judgment on them. It is simply a personal standard you have accepted for yourself, like an Olympic athlete trains to bring down his times, or to increase her capacity to score points. And purity itself requires us to be kind and unselfish towards others. 

Purity is a win-win. 

And I hope that, when a person goes into the voting booth, they will vote not only for fairness and caring, but that they will consider the goals for society, of making it a pure place; a place where people are safe, focused on the long-term, and where they put the needs of others ahead of their own. 


Sunday, February 10, 2019

Purity VIII

They will sing of the ways of the Lord.

 - From Psalm 138

What are the "ways" of the LORD?

First, they are not our ways. If they were our ways, we would find it easy to do them. Holiness and purity are not hard for God. He is holiness Himself. He is Love itself. He is pure. To be "holy" means to be pure, separate, different.

And to want to associate and elevate people so far below Him, as God does, is the definition of Love and Grace.

We're supposed to aspire to the ways of God, not mock them; not run from them; not attack them.

In a sense, purity is complete and perfect selflessness. Fasting is a way to practice purity. The person that fasts, as a committed ritualistic behavior, will probably not ever suffer from physical ailments connected to diet. You probably will find few diabetics among them that fast at least once a month.

Discipline is good for you and good for others. Sacrifice is good for you and good for others. When you deny yourself food, you focus on more important things . . . and you are leaving some food that can be eaten by others (in theory).

Purity from vulgar language, alcohol, smoking, TV, pop culture influences, ridiculous opinions from academia, and even sexuality and all of its components, make you a better person. The exercise of self-discipline and control, in these areas, makes you better able to control yourself in other ways, in important ways.

A random shooter of anonymous crowds is probably never going to be someone that fasts regularly. Purity develops your sense of valuing others. It develops your ability to control yourself.

And so . . . it's natural that a purity-valuing person making important life decisions, like whom to marry, or what to do in the voting booth, will carry that emphasis into those areas. If you see the value of personal purity and of high moral standards, you will naturally want to see those influences expanded in society.

The ways of the Lord are lofty and unattainable. But we can aspire towards them. And that is a good thing.

 - 


Friday, February 8, 2019

Purity VII

 . . . for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips . . . 

 - From Isaiah 6

It's possible to admit you're not perfect. It was once a given in our culture: we are not perfect creatures. We may be wrong. We do not have it all correct. We need others.

But try to find one person today, that will even mouth the following words:

"I may be wrong."

And in my experience, most people won't even repeat that as a quote. You can ask them: "Repeat after me, and I understand you do not agree with the statement: "I may be wrong."

Not only will they refuse, but they might even ignore you completely. They'll pretend they heard not a word.

Does it take a village? Yes, it does . . . but this only works when the prevailing basis of the doctrine is that: "I need a village, because I may be wrong."

And I'd bet you will find that most "villages," those that we honor, have rich traditions of humility, tradition, and of respect for elders.

The prophet Isaiah invests a lot of his time, and vocal energy, in insisting that he is an unworthy vessel to do anything on behalf of the holy Lord God. Just his foul language - the jokes he tells, the gossip, the vulgarity; a few ill-advised words here and there; this is all it takes for him to proclaim himself "unclean."

Our culture is immersed in a lot of words without corresponding deeds or attitudes. These words are empty. Listen and read carefully: people want the form of being humble, without the substance. They are afraid to allow their own, individual, personal weaknesses and limitations. They cannot admit they might be wrong. They will not grant to another the basic human dignity of having a needed perspective.

We need to return to the empowering truth that it's okay to notice that you and I are sinful creatures. It's okay, and healthy. It's liberating.

Isn't the first step to solving any problem, admitting the problem itself?

Thursday, February 7, 2019

Purity VI

. . . they left everything and followed him.


 - From Luke 5

There's a standard of all things, that is so high that few people attain it. A narrow way. A road less traveled. It involves sacrifice and commitment. You are willing to do without some nice things, in order to achieve some higher goal which brings more than enough satisfaction to make the want worth it.

It's why Mother Theresa, and Gandhi, chose poverty.

It's why Dr. King chose prison.

Tom Brady just won his sixth Super Bowl, at an advancing age. His secret is to eat smartly, avoid harmful food and habits. No smoking. Very little drinking. No sugars, very little fats. A consistent regimen of fitness, and regular sleeping hours and routines.

But did I just say his "secret"? There are no secrets.

I once asked my brother the secret to his weight loss. He said "It's not a secret. Eat less, and burn more fat."

Likewise, I asked my sister once about the secret to financial health. She said "There is no secret. Spend less than you make."

Nothing good comes easy. And the pure lifestyle isn't easy. But no matter the practice, or goal, or aspiration, or behavior, there is always a point of perfect conduct that can only be called "pure." A Shakespearean purist will read only Shakespeare. A cardio purist emphasizes running, but not weights.

A caffeine purist will never drink coffee.

A gambling purist won't even join the weekly office NFL pool.

And a sexual purist abstains from all sexual behavior, except perhaps within certain parameters.

It isn't easy. It's rare. And that's the point.

A society that values purity doesn't require all of its citizens to be pure. But it does recognize the high status of people that aspire to purity. You can celebrate something without being a practitioner of it.

And at some point in these post-modern times, a few people wish that we could openly admit that there are standards of purity, and that to talk about them doesn't make one judgmental, or a hater.

My cousin's son just bowled something like his 8th straight perfect 300 game. That's purity. We can honor and praise that. And it doesn't require us, for even a second, to believe that people that can't bowl 300 are less human.

Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Purity V

... if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you.

 - From 1 Corinthians 15

Purity comes in many forms. You may be pure in regards to smoking, meaning, you don't smoke at all, neither do you chew tobacco.

You can refrain from caffeine. No coffee nor tea. Many soft drinks are prohibited.

Some people voluntarily avoid foods to which they are not allergic. But they refuse to eat them anyway. They do not eat meat. They skip dairy. Gluten, sugars, fermented foods: all are typical foods that are avoided, as a matter of health, principle, and even politics. And there is no doubt, it is good for you if you so refrain. People that fast from meat and dairy affirm of the positive effects of doing without.

You may be pure vis-a-vis the law. A person that never speeds nor breaks any traffic law, is a purist in that area. They also will never get a ticket, and will have up to a hundred dollars that could be spent on a nice night out with family.

Some people strive to be ethical purists. Never lie. Never cheat. They won't even take a paper-clip home from the office, as that is stealing. This person, too, will never be accused of doing something improper in the office.

You can refrain from any swearing, cursing, or vulgarity. These people will never stir up anger in others, by their words.

And of course, the two "Biggies" of purity are abstention from alcohol and sexual abstinence. These both are big, because you can get mocked for choosing these lifestyles of doing without. The sexually abstinent is a virtual pariah in society. And I have always marveled at this. Why don't we celebrate people that aspire to such a high-level of self-control, and regard for the best interests of others?

You will not receive, nor spread around, any STDs. You will never have to worry about an "unwanted" pregnancy and the costs it forces on others. You will not have to worry about breaking someone else's heart. And you will be developing a form of self-control that is perhaps partly responsible for our out-of-control culture.

Someone suggested that the sex act is the most selfish act committed by one human to another (how many people, claiming to "love" someone else, would stay with that person if they never "put out"?) But turn this around, and it may be said that the most unselfish thing one can do is to bring a child into the world, and devote everything to him or her.

Purity is a thing because it's not easy. We can try to force acceptance of all kinds of vices, through pop culture, social media, and even through the law. But the basic definitions of what lifestyles are "pure" and which are not, can never change.

There's no "changing times" that can ever make an abstinent person equally as pure as a sexually active person, in regards to sex.

When it comes to drinking . . . no matter how society's values change, you can never sustain an argument that a person that drinks, even a little, is equally as pure as a person that never drinks.

And so perhaps the adult thing to do is to accept all of this and realize that there really is a bulls-eye for morality and purity . . . . even if a majority of us wishes there weren't.

Paul writes that we should "hold firmly" to what we have been told. We would not be advised to hold firmly to anything, unless it could easily slip away.

Purity is like that.



Monday, February 4, 2019

Purity IV

Though the Lord be high, he cares for the lowly;

 -  From Psalm 138

One reason why God is great, is because He is so good. A good person has better luck. He finds himself with more respect. She has more opportunities. Good people can be trusted. We are drawn toward someone that puts others first.

And we're challenged by someone that has few vices. They are a reminder that we could do better, and that can be awkward, uncomfortable.

When people of vice ("vicious" people?) get enough numbers, or power, they love to sock it to the good people. They will make vice legal, they will celebrate it. They'll make it prominent and put it right in the face of people with high standards of purity.

As if such cynical and base tactics could ever permanently remove the desire within the human heart (some human hears) to be good.

You can never . . . ever . . . eliminate the last spark of purity. Someone is going to want to live it. And someone is going to want to proclaim it. Eliminate that person, and another takes her place. There is such a thing as a "higher" calling and a higher life.

God occupies that kind of high place. The good news is that He has enough power to win in the end.

We are drawn to good . . . even if good seems inaccessible to us, even if it seems against us. It's actually on our side. But while Good must always put others first, and must be completely in favor of real justice and compassion, Good must also, always, model the highest forms of behavior. Real Good is Pure. Selflessness is the same thing as classic virtue.

You can't have it both ways. There is a person even better than the best person you know . . . and one of the things that makes them better, is their devotion to purity.

Sunday, February 3, 2019

Purity III

. . . and before you were born I consecrated you . . . 

 - From Jeremiah 1

Consecration has to do with the setting apart of someone, or something, for a particular purpose; a holy purpose, a sacred purpose. 

There's an idea, prevalent in Scripture, that the conception of life is something over which God has full control. He sees us before our parents even knew each other. He loved us and could identify the location of our component parts in the time of our great-grandparents and beyond. 

It's interesting to think about that - - - everybody you encounter, every moment of the day, may be carrying cells that are intended for a holy purpose, ordained by God; that will become manifest in one of their descendants, that will not be born until another two hundred years have passed. 

This setting apart, and this higher purpose . . . this is what purity is all about. It's a realization that our bodies actually belong to God, and that we are to be good stewards of everything He has given us; even if that "everything" includes our very own bodies, souls, and spirits. 

What good is it to care about  making the environment, and the ecosystem, pure and perfect, if we do not have that same aspiration for our own bodies? Aren't our bodies part of the ecosystem?

Are we capable of denying ourselves of certain hungers and drives, in order to make ourselves of greater value to the long view of human progress?

We expect a smoker to quit, so that the air we all breathe may be cleaner. And yet an addicted smoker will swear they need a cigarette to make it through the day. 

We condemn people that driving while impaired, even if their drink barely tipped the sobriety scale. 

A glutton does not stuff himself while leaving other unaffected. We may all have to pay for his healthcare. We are all bound to make allowances for his special needs, brought on by his own choices that could have been otherwise. 

There's no such thing as personal behaviors that don't affect others. There are plenty of details, lots of anecdotal evidence to back this up, vis-a-vis any vice. And there's probably laboratory evidence, too. 

The abstinent, the tee-totaler, the person with clean vocabulary, the moderate, the non-smoker . . . all of these behaviors that deny oneself some vice, all contribute to society's well-being, without being a drain on society.

When you're set apart for a great task, you want to be well-prepared. You want to be pure and without blame. It is a high calling and aspiration. You will become strong at denying yourself access to vice. And it's clear . . . our culture wants people to do what's best for the community. We've just become very selective about that, in the past generation. 

Purity is a very good habit, that benefits others. Every time.