My buddy @RyanBoyls tweeted this. This is probably one of the more offensive things I’ve seen in a while. I am typically one of those “they had good intentions” people. But even good intentions can’t make up for the stupidity and offensive nature of this clip. (And yes, I’m aware it’s been cut. It’s not the sequence that’s offensive but the idea of emasculating G-d and message by way of children’s shows and profits.)
Thinking about the sermon, Socialism, community, other stuff. This comes from RLP.
Whenever the devil harasses you, seek the company of men or drink more, or joke and talk nonsense, or do some other merry thing. Sometimes we must drink more, sport, recreate ourselves, and even sin a little to spite the devil, so that we leave him no place for troubling our consciences with trifles. We are conquered if we try too conscientiously not to sin at all. So when the devil says to you: do not drink, answer him: I will drink, and right freely, just because you tell me not to.~ Martin Luther The Life and Letters of Martin Luther p324
I quoted this from internetmonk and found it both thought provoking and humorous.
Anne Lamott is an extremely talented and candid writer and I’ve read several of her books. In this interview with Colbert, she opens quite a few theological boxes that are very interesting. Thoughts?
A friend of mine twittered this link about the coming collapse of evangelicalism. When I read the article, I felt several of my thoughts validated and a slight twinge of hope. The thoughts that I felt were validated were the thoughts that I wasn’t alone in seeing the unhealthy merge of pop-christianity and civil issues. I mean, Christianity is very political, but it’s also very subversive to empire. But I’ve noticed that many Christians have tried to become the empire and couldn’t distinguish between church and country. The hope comes in the thought of the church being in exile. She has always thrived in exile. I’m not here concerned about evangelicalism. As far as I’m concerned, the “evangelical” institutions that I’ve encountered can evaporate. It’s almost become a 4-letter-word to me. But when I say the church, I am talking about any community committed to love of neighbor and G-d. This is the church. And she will catch some heat during this period but that’s alright. So long as the church consists of, to use Jesus’ words, “sheep that are not of this fold,” she’ll survive. Perhaps the death of evangelicalism could be viewed less like a funeral and more like a long awaited amputation of a dead limb.
I find it both interesting and encouraging that the first parable Matthew gives us concerning Jesus is his lineage. Tamar slept with her father-in-law, Rahab was a prostitute and Ruth the Moabitess was a foreigner. All of these women had “shady” pasts and yet found their way into the lineage of Jesus. G-d is the G-d of those with “shady” pasts.
Knowing what is right is nothing. Doing what is right matters. Action is everything.From someone claiming to be Paul Hewson (Bono) on twitter.
Earlier I posted about civil liberties and a 21st Century prophet here. Matt Sawyer pointed this article out to me and I thought it was pretty interesting.
I recently came across some articles concerning egg “harvesting” and donation. Some were outright condemning in their language but most allowed for the moral complexities surrounding the issue. For me, the connection with the “Annunciation” is found in Mary’s Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55). Near the end of the canticle is the phrase “He has routed the proud and all their schemes; he has brought down monarchs from their thrones, and raised on high the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.” I once heard that the Hebrew language makes a distinction between those who are “rich” and those who are “wealthy.” The former acquire their wealth through dishonest means and are oppressors while the latter gain it through honest hard work. This puts a whole new understanding on stories like the Rich Young Ruler and Lazarus. I’m not here taking a side on the moral issues of egg harvesting at all; I am taking the side of the poor. Morality in issues like egg harvesting is easy to see in black-and-white when your full, clothed, housed and not swimming in debt up to your eyeballs. But when you are not all of these things, morality suddenly takes a color shift. I’m not saying that your situation always determines the correct ethical response, but I do think it’s easy to judge those with whom we’ve never walked the path of desperation. And the good news is for the hungry, naked, homeless and oppressed. The announcement of the coming of a G-d is good news for the oppressed but terrible news for the oppressors. In today’s economy when many big companies are trying to get by with theft and are paying execs millions in bonuses after taking billions in tax bailouts while many of us are struggling just to pay the bills, it is truly the “rich” who should be worried that G-d has come.
About once every few months or so I get asked this question. It’s usually qualified with an expression of curiosity or intrigue, but the question typically goes something like this: “Why don’t you put the ‘O’ in G-d?” Depending on who’s asking I may answer something serious like, “Because He told me not to.” or something a little less serious like, “What!?! Did I forget a letter?” One time a man approached me and told me that I was being very disrespectful to G-d by not properly spelling his name. I told him that “G-d” was his title and not his name - kind of like calling Richard “pops.” It’s his title, not my father’s name. He walked away evidently convinced that I was a hooligan and up to no good. Even though I’m sure this guy meant well, he was as wrong as wrong can be. The reason I do not usually spell out G-O-D is out of respect. It’s a simple form of respect I picked up from reading a lot of Jewish literature. They take very seriously the commandment not to take the “Name of the L-rd thy G-d in vain.” And so many Jewish authors won’t write out the full title in case it may get discarded or thrown away. As Aretha Franklin once sang and very simply put: R-E-S-P-E-C-T // Find out what it means to me // R-E-S-P-E-C-T // Take care, TCB.
P.S. - and yes, in case you were wondering, it was a little difficult to write the title ;)
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If you’d like, you can check out this article here to read from a Jewish perspective.
