What's Wrong With the Middle Ground?

A friend of mine has this wise saying about not sitting on fences because you'll get splinters in uncomfortable areas. This latest health care bill has me asking some questions about the middle ground? What's wrong with it? Why do we have to be Democrats or Republicans? Why can't we support the president (of either party) but still question his ideas?

What’s wrong with believing that the poorest people should be covered by health care but not believing that the government should go into debt to provide it for everyone, including people who could already afford it if they were just wiser with their money?

What’s wrong with believing that we should open up more immigration from South America but still protect our border from terrorists and drug gangs?

What’s wrong with believing that the US should quit arresting people for using or possessing marijuana but believing that we should strongly prosecute heavy drugs?

What’s wrong with believing that the right to bear arms is a fundamental right of citizens but still believing that wise restrictions on full-auto and heavy calibers is reasonable?

What’s wrong with believing that congress should enact no laws regarding the establishment or prevention of free exercise of religion but still believing that it is ok for a politician to vote based on their moral and religious beliefs?

What’s wrong with believing that we must protect ourselves as a nation, but not believing that it is acceptable to use torture in any form?

What’s wrong with believing it is a good idea to give youth accurate sex education without believing that we should be telling second graders about oral and anal sex?

What’s wrong with believing that I should keep more of the money that I worked for but not minding paying some taxes if they are going to be used for the common good?

What’s wrong with believing that civil rights belong to everyone but still recognizing that you don’t have a ‘right’ to do anything you want?

What’s wrong with believing that each of us should work hard to shoulder our own load without expecting the government to do it for us, but also believing that there should be state agencies there to help the extreme cases who do need help?

What’s wrong with supporting our soldiers and military but not believing that the war in Iraq is right?

What’s wrong with believing in personal responsibility but also believing in community support?

What’s wrong with expecting politicians to do the right thing and not believe that they should do everything that falls in the party line?

What’s wrong with expecting politicians NOT to resort to bribery, corruption, and coercion to get a bill past and believing that an idea will stand or fall on its own merit?

What’s wrong with believing that democrats should remember that they represent everyone and not just other democrats and what’s wrong with believing that republicans should remember that they represent everyone and not just other republicans?

What’s wrong with expecting politicians not to mortgage my children’s future by buying things that they can’t afford ?

What’s wrong with being independent of political parties and voting for the candidate that you believe will do the best job?

What’s wrong with standing up for the hard thing that is the right thing to do even though it means my family doesn’t have an easy out by depending on the government?

What’s wrong with believing that politicians should be honest and actually read and understand what they are voting into law?

What’s wrong with believing that the U.S. Constitution was well written and should actually be followed by our elected representatives?

Can someone tell me what's wrong with this?

Really a Hero

One of the high school girls that I work with was assigned to write a paper about a hero. She chose to write her essay on Tiger Woods. I barely suppressed my gag reflex as I asked her why she chose him. She said that he had done great things. “What, other than play golf,” I asked. She said, “Well, he gives money to help kids go to college.” Evidently that makes him a hero. I asked her what other kids in her class were doing theirs on. The top three on the list were all entertainers.

This is not my definition of a hero.

To be a hero requires sacrifice.

If a billionaire gives a million dollars to charity, then he isn’t a hero. Effectively that is no different from me giving fifty dollars to charity (based on last year’s salary calculations). Mark 12:41-44 tells of Jesus watching people give an offering. The poorest of the poor gives a large percentage of what little she had. The rich gave a small percentage of their wealth. She is a lot closer to a hero than they were.

I am not denigrating Tiger’s generosity by any means, I merely point out that he doesn’t rise to the status of hero by doing it.

Entertainers aren’t heroes either. Rarely are they even worth emulating in any way. They don’t sacrifice for others. Generally, any sacrifice that they do is only to further their own career or boost their public image.

Tiger Woods is not a hero. He is just an exceptionally good golfer who happens to give a little back. Charles Barkley had it right when he said, “I’m no role model.” He isn’t. Athletes, Movie Stars, politicians and other ‘stars’ aren’t role models and they aren’t heroes. Narcissism, Adultery, Abuse, Self-aggrandizement, Drug Use, Drunkenness, Obnoxious Behavior, and other such bad behavior is not worthy of the word hero.

I would define a hero as someone who sacrifices for others. A firefighter who risks his life to run into a burning building to save children. That’s a hero. A soldier who jumps on a grenade to save his comrades. That’s a hero. A police officer who takes a bullet in the line of duty, protecting us. That’s a hero.

There are other heroes in my book. Teachers who spend their lives making low pay because they have a passion for teaching children. Those are heroes. Youth ministers who invest their lives in kids. Those are heroes. Aid workers who spend their years digging wells to provide clean water in Africa. Those are heroes. Doctors and Nurses who give up their vacations to treat medical diseases in South America. Those are heroes. Missionaries who rescue pre-teen girls from sex slavery and give them a future. Those are heroes. Volunteers who go to hospice to hold the hands of an AIDs patient as they die. Those are heroes.

We need to redefine our concept of hero and I can only hope that the teacher who originally gave this assignment will spend some time discussing what makes a hero.

A suggestion for Tiger - My friend, perhaps instead of spending all that time on the golf course or in the bedrooms of a bunch of young ladies who aren't your wife, you might take your family and spend some time serving the homeless at a local shelter. Just an idea. And, Tiger, if you want some more suggestions or help in this matter, give me a call. I'll buy you lunch and we'll come up with some ways to do some real hero work. I'd feel better about the hero thing then.

The Hardest Blog

They say that you should never begin a speech, sermon, lesson, or essay with an apology or explanation. Well, I am going to do that anyway and 'they' can just stuff it.

This is probably the hardest single topic that I have written on yet. I guarantee it will offend many who read it and that saddens me. I do not apologize for the offence because this is a topic that should get out in the open and be discussed. If you read this, I urge you to make a strong effort to really think about what is being said and don’t just jump to conclusions. Also, be aware that I address each side and the issues for both. This is NOT one-sided by any stretch of the imagination. I truly don’t expect much from this. Most people will only read this from their point of view and be angry as soon as I question one of their beliefs. With that said, I have felt a deep need to open this discussion up as it affects my relationships with quite a few people.

I have not written in some time, due to work load at the Church and in my masters program. But, also, I’ve been working on-again-off-again on this blog. I wanted to be sure that I said everything as clearly as possible. I wanted to get it right.

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Who will go to them?

This was the clarion call of Christian missionaries in the 19^th and 20^th century. Whoever the people group, there were willing missionaries, people who went out in God’s love. Now, I won’t romanticize it too much, I know there were bad apples, but the truth is, it didn’t matter how remote the people group was, it didn’t matter how dangerous they were, it didn’t matter what their customs were; Christians went to them to show Christ’s love. They crossed mountains. They went across vast oceans. They went to lepers. They went to tuberculosis communities. They went to cannibals. They went to places where they knew they would never come home from.

While that fervor has diminished some, and taken with it some of the colonial and racial issues that some missionaries took with them; there still are missionaries who go out today. They fill practical human needs like food for the hungry, medical aid, education for women, and fighting modern-day slavery. They bring love. They go to parts of the world where it could mean imprisonment, beatings, and death for the work they do. But still they go.

Everywhere. Except for one place.

To Everyone. Except for one people group. One social group.

These people are treated as unacceptable, untouchable, unsavable.

The Bible says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish” No one is excluded, so long as they believe in Him.

Yet we exclude one group.

Jesus says, “Therefore go make disciples of ALL nations…” There is no exception clause in that statement.

Yet we have created an exception to that.

My heart tears over this issue. I am sure God’s does too.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, the people that I am referring is the GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered) community.

I have friends and relatives who are part of this group. I say that not to be cliché, “some of my best friends are black people.” No, I say that to be clear about why I struggle with this issue and why my heart is broken over it.

The worst part of this situation is that there are two distinctly polarized sides who have made up their mind and aren’t interested in dialog. On one side, you have people like the Phelps in Kansas who picket funerals with signs like “God Hates Fags.” For the record, I do NOT consider them Christian and they do NOT speak for me. I have written on this before. Click here to read about that.

The other side has its militants too. Those who are in-your-face and angry picketing churches, force people to resign from public office for holding opinions that disagree with them, and other similar behavior.

These two groups of people aren’t interested in truth, reconciliation, or mercy. They won’t change their minds, they don’t want to be distracted by silly things like truth or facts. This article is addressed to everyone else.

The first casualty of any conflict is truth and the first step to reconciliation is honesty.

Both sides are guilty of lies. Both sides are guilty of marketing that twists the facts.

Here are some observations that I believe to be the truth:

1. Jesus loved sinners, no matter what they had done. He hung out with regular people, as well as traitors, liars, prostitutes, and thieves. He was gentle but firm and truthful in love with these people. The ONLY people he got angry with and rebuked were the religious leaders who were hurting others with their pious hypocrisy. I believe that, if Jesus were here in the U.S.A today, we’d be more likely to encounter him on the streets around Berkley than anywhere near most churches. This is not because most churches are bad, but because He was active with the real people in His community when He was here last time.

2. The Bible is quite clear that the act of homosexual sex is considered a sin, something that God did not intend for us to do. I can’t get around that. I have seen lots of attempts at explaining it all away, but let’s just get it out in the open. If you are intellectually honest with your Greek and Hebrew, there is no doubt on this issue.

3. The Bible is also quite clear that gossip, lust, hatred, favoritism, ignoring poverty, injustice, and a number of other issues are also sin. In fact, gossip and money issues are much more than homosexuality. In James, it says that anyone guilty of breaking one of the laws of God is guilty of breaking all of the laws. A sinner is a sinner is a sinner. Jesus came to provide a way back to God for ALL sinners, not just for a few narrow ones.

4. Gay marriage is not an existing right that is being denied, but a new right that has not existed before in this nation or in almost every other. Let’s be honest about that. This is not an issue for the courts, but an issue for the ballot box. The cool thing about living in the U.S. is that we can craft new laws and make society look the way we want it. If that is something you do believe in, lobby for it, write up a proposition, and then go vote. If that is something you don’t believe in, you can vote against it.

5. Homosexuality, as with many other issues of the human condition, cannot be explained by simple sound bites about nature or nurture. Those scientists searching for the ‘Gay Gene’ won’t solve anything if they find it. One side will say, “There, that proves it, it is a disease that can be cured.” The other side will say, “There, that proves it, it is just the natural way that I am, like blue eyes and brown hair, there is nothing to cure.” And the fight will go on.

6. If you expect to be respected, you have to give respect too. I don’t care which side of this issue that you are on, you should have learned this back in kindergarten. You may feel strongly about this issue one way or another, but please understand that there are very real, heartfelt people on both sides of this issue. Any time you reach the point where it is us versus them, the other side becomes less than human and you start down the slippery slope that leads to evils done in the name of your belief system (whether religious or secular, there are plenty of examples of each). Maybe, just maybe, you could actually try to understand the other side. Maybe, just maybe you could actually seek out people on the other side and attempt to get to know them. Maybe, just maybe you could be friendly and respectful even when you don’t agree.

7. God’s concern throughout the Bible is Holiness. Yet, reading Exodus and the Gospels shows that He chose a people that were imperfect, broken, and human. He provided our Holiness in the form of Jesus. His death covers all sins of those who believe in Him, not just the ones you are comfortable with.

As I said, this is near to my heart. Someone very close to me shared her story. She told of going to evangelical churches during the time she was struggling with her sexuality. She told of hearing people make statements that told her God loved everyone but her, because she might be lesbian. She told of feeling alone in the middle of the very people who should have loved her. I interrupted her story at that point to apologize to her and tell her that it is not supposed to be that way.

She says that her wife, who I am only just beginning to get to know, is an atheist who hates God and religion because of past experiences. I don’t know her story and would not presume to judge her. I only hope that I can communicate that God does love her, as do I.

Another person that I care a great deal about is transsexual. I truly and honestly don’t understand the issues she faces, and conversations are certainly a struggle with pronouns, but I care deeply about this person. She told me last time that she probably will never be able to go to church again.

There are others, but the issues are the same. Even if they know Christ, they probably will never feel welcome at many churches; for that, I want to weep.

I also have people on the other side. I have relatives who are victims of the recent ELCA decisions. My brother-in-law lost his church because of it. A friend of mine belongs to a church who may lose their property because of it. They face a form of persecution because they do stand for God’s word when others try to redefine it.

I believe that this issue is the defining issue of the Christian church today, and will be the source of much more struggle. That saddens me.

For me, it comes down to this:

· I believe that it is possible to be gay and Christian. There are people within my congregation that are homosexual as well as ones who have had such experiences. I do not condemn them, their story is their story.

· Based on God’s word, I could not, in good conscience, perform the marriage ceremony for a same-sex couple, but I would attend such a wedding were I invited. I have attended a Muslim wedding and many secular weddings. Their beliefs may differ from mine, but that doesn’t change my love for them or my willingness to be there for them.

· I love God, believe evidentially that His Word is true and that He exists, so I will continue to follow His example and love all humankind gay or straight.

· Whether you agree with me or not, I don’t consider this issue to be a test of fellowship. I hope you won’t either. I care about you whether you are gay or straight, republican or democrat, male or female, tall or short, Lutheran or Jew, atheist or agnostic, vanilla or chocolate, or tastes great or less filling.

Here is my challenge to each of you:

If you are Christian – please don’t base your entire theology on just a few verses (for this or any other issue). Don’t be arrogant, cruel, or unwelcoming. None of that is worthy of our Lord. Examine yourself first, remove the log from your own eye before you point out the speck in your brother’s. Are you really living up to God’s Word yourself? Are you basing your beliefs on your own prejudice? Don’t miss the common theme of the Old Testament and the New Testament of God’s hatred of injustice of His love of the oppressed and the marginalized people. And, please don’t support any group, congregation, or ministry that participates in the marginalization of any group of people. I certainly won't.

If you are GLBT – don’t judge an entire people by the loud words of a few, as I won’t judge your individuals based on the obnoxious actions of the worst of your side. Also, don’t call a person a homophobe just because they do not agree with you. That is unfair and in most cases will be untrue. If your argument is strong enough, then ad hominem attacks are unnecessary. If you preach open-mindedness and tolerance, then that means you have to accept people who believe differently than you do. Don’t miss your own hypocrisy there. And, on the same issue of hypocrisy, don’t pretend that it is only Christians who may have prejudice against you. The truth is, there is stratification, bigotry, and intolerance within the GLBT community, too. There are gays who don’t like lesbians, and neither group accepts transgenders. There are those who want to quietly go about their lives that aren’t accepted by the Outers. Just be aware that humanity is messed up all over the place and not just in one group.

I pray that some healthy dialog comes out of this. I love to discuss issues. Jesus says, “blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” I would like to be a peacemaker.

This brings me back to the beginning…

Who will go to them?

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This is another issue that I invite you to speak to me in person about. I’d love to sit down over coffee and talk about it. As always, I will buy the coffee (or tea), I invite you to take me up on this.

Note – I welcome comments from readers, especially heartfelt ones. But, I will NOT publish anything that denigrates either side or anything using derogatory terms. I have no time or patience for that level of ignorance.