tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80438655214521428082024-03-13T01:53:37.126-05:00Outta My MindWhatever is running around in my mind, wanting to get out.Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15796218870810943982noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043865521452142808.post-24993423705170453852011-11-29T15:09:00.001-06:002011-11-29T15:19:37.256-06:00What Is the Church?As I recently read and studied in preparation for teaching Ephesians (along with a bit of not-directly-Ephesians-related reading), I came up with a compact statement about the church that I shared with the other members of our house church last Sunday: the church is the presence of the Messiah, in the power of the Spirit, for the sake of the world, to the glory of the Father.<br />
<br />Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15796218870810943982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043865521452142808.post-84237485052142548772011-02-17T08:24:00.004-06:002011-02-17T08:46:47.988-06:00What Does It Mean?<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">In a recent blog post, beginning a series in the forthcoming book </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >King's Cross: The Story of the World in the Life of Jesus</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> by Tim Keller, Scot McKnight noted as he closed his post, ". . . in the temptation [Keller] sees Jesus and Adam (I think it is Jesus and Israel in the wilderness, though Mark's Gospel is not as clear in this regard as are Matthew and Luke)."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">A reader of Scot's blog asked, "Could the temptation not be both? In other words, could Jesus' resisting of temptation not be a sign that he succeeds where Adam, Israel, and all of humanity have failed in the past?" In his response, Scot made some very good points about reading Scripture:</span><br /><br /><blockquote style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">You touch a sensitive nerve when you ask if it could be both. "Of course, it <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">could</span> be anything," is what I'm tempted to answer. But I'd like to explore this briefly:<br /><br />1. The goal of reading is to discover, more or less, the intent of the author as expressed in a text . . .<br />2. Which means we are asking what Mark intended here . . .<br />3. Which means we are driven to ask what evidence there is in the text for what we think we are seeing . . .<br />4. Which means "Adam" does not appear in the text but allusions perhaps do appear to Eden/Paradise -- perhaps . . .<br />5. Which means saying it means both things means we've got evidence in the text for both and that Mark was intentionally giving us a <span style="font-style: italic;">double entendre</span> . . .<br />6. Which is different from our ability to suggest it could be this and it could be that -- our <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">could bes</span> are not Mark's <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">intentions</span>.<br />7. The evidence, and Keller actually plumbs this if my memory is right, in Matthew and Luke is almost entirely in the direction of a Second Israel and not a Second Adam (Paul has Second Adam theology).<br /><br />So, what evidence in Mark is there for a Second Adam typology? That's the question. Second Adam theology is, of course, true, but it doesn't mean it's true to this text.</blockquote><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">When I teach sessions on reading and interpreting the Bible, I talk about "extracting the right doctrine from the wrong text," meaning essentially what Scot does. From now on I may talk about "being true to the text."<br /><br /></span>Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15796218870810943982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043865521452142808.post-31465639253592893682011-02-02T14:30:00.007-06:002011-02-03T13:07:12.594-06:00Commitment?<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">As I move closer to 60 than to 50 -- years, that is -- I think I'm going to take on the role of "grumpy ol' man." Well, maybe not. But I do reserve the right to "grump" once in a while, and this is one of those times. I'm tired of hearing about "Signing Day" . . . though perhaps not for an obvious reason.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">In case you missed it, yesterday (Feb. 2) was the 2011 national signing day for NCAA Division I football: the first day recruits can sign a National Letter of Intent for their school of choice. The reason I'm tired of hearing about it isn't that I don't like college football, and it isn't that "my team" lost a great recruit to a rival team. What has bothered me is the talk of recruits <span style="font-weight: bold;">committing</span> and <span style="font-weight: bold;">decommitting</span>. Yesterday, I read about a high school linebacker who had </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >committed</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> to the University of Alabama, switched his </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >commitment</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> to Auburn University, and then switched his </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >commitment</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> back to Alabama. Thus, he </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >committed</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> three times and </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >decommitted</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> twice. [For what it's worth, I checked the online Oxford English Dictionary and merriam-webster.com just now, and neither included "decommit." I could opine as to why someone might feel the need to create such a term, but I'll leave that alone for now.] When did this young man really </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >commit</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> (keeping in mind the connotations such as "to obligate," "to bind," and "to pledge") to his school of choice?<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">My main concern is not for whom the young man plays college football; nor is it the misuse of the English language (though you who know me well, know that the latter is of more concern than the former). What really bothers me is the devaluation of the concept of commitment reflected in the story of the high school football player mentioned above. I certainly don't know all the facts in the story, but </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >if</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> he gave a verbal commitment in the first instance to the University of Alabama, what did he think he was doing? Was he </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >obligating</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> . . . </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >binding</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> . . . </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >pledging</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> himself to that university? Apparently not. Nor was he <span style="font-weight: bold;">obligating</span> himself to Auburn University when he <span style="font-weight: bold;">committed</span> to them. How would he feel if the cleats were on the other foot . . . if Nick Saban <span style="font-weight: bold;">committed</span> to sign him to play for the Crimson Tide, then <span style="font-weight: bold;">decommitted</span>? <span style="font-style: italic;">"No big deal, coach. I understand."</span> I don't think so.<br /><br />As I was writing this, I saw a story about another recruit. According to Rivals.com, this young man not only <span style="font-weight: bold;">decommitted</span> (switching from the USC Trojans to the Oregon Ducks), he was 45 minutes late for his signing ceremony -- apparently to make a dramatic entrance. I wonder if he made a <span style="font-weight: bold;">commitment</span> to be on time?<br /><br />Lack of commitment to commitments is a sign of a lack of integrity. When someone makes a commitment to me, I expect them to mean it and to carry through on it. When I make a commitment, I expect the same thing of myself. That's integrity. [No, I'm not saying I've always been successful in this regard. But I do know when I've failed, and I desire, by the grace of God, to be a man of integrity.]<br /><br />Down-home wisdom says, "Say what you mean, and mean what you say." Jesus says, "Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and your 'No' mean 'No'. Anything more is from the evil one." (Matthew 5:37, New American Bible). God, make us people who honor commitments, people of integrity, people of The Yes and The No.<br /><br /></span>Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15796218870810943982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043865521452142808.post-5238430531319791972010-03-26T09:16:00.005-05:002011-02-17T08:50:14.958-06:00Discipleship and Government<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I haven't read Bevere's entire first post in his "A Christian Case for Limited Government" series, let alone the entire series, but he's given me something to ponder in his stated thesis:</span><br /><br /><blockquote>My thesis throughout this multi-part discussion will be that the main reason the practices of discipleship are in such sad shape in Western culture is not because Christians don't want to read their Bibles, nor because they don't want to take time to pray, nor because they would rather hoard their money than give it to those in need. While all of those may be true to a greater or lesser extent, they are but symptoms of something deeper. The main reason for the decline of the church in the West is Christian support for large government, which undermines the very integrity of the church itself as the counter-story that interprets the world's politics. The reason it is so difficult to get Christians to attend to all the practices of discipleship is because they frankly see no need in a society where the government is the major player in the lives of people in the way that makes the church irrelevant. As the state becomes larger Christian identity is supplanted by national identity because the state requires more from its citizens as it does more. Thus it becomes more important for Christians to work, not so they can tithe, but so that they can pay their taxes. (Allan R. Bevere, on his <a href="http://arbevere.blogspot.com/2010/03/christian-case-for-limited-government-1.html">blog</a>)<br /><br /></blockquote>Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15796218870810943982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043865521452142808.post-70004528339437020642010-03-11T15:39:00.003-06:002010-03-11T15:42:44.247-06:00No, Mr. Osteen, He Won't<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgZNA1330B_u1aCWcm2HYdbI9unozJzlPnoVeEVPOLktdBwk3yt02dfVd7_2cZgQ8u3Ts-g94CfNHTdh_baMjfHMf-vXHFCgAfpqEUXUI5cvk2nrmSmt7iBzOvetmUyqGyzwRKkVl8zOCV/s1600-h/51hMN6s+mhL._SS500_.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgZNA1330B_u1aCWcm2HYdbI9unozJzlPnoVeEVPOLktdBwk3yt02dfVd7_2cZgQ8u3Ts-g94CfNHTdh_baMjfHMf-vXHFCgAfpqEUXUI5cvk2nrmSmt7iBzOvetmUyqGyzwRKkVl8zOCV/s400/51hMN6s+mhL._SS500_.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447494280368157506" border="0" /></a>Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15796218870810943982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043865521452142808.post-18212299571775501992009-08-26T11:30:00.003-05:002009-08-26T11:57:10.227-05:00Question<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Setting aside for the moment all the debated aspects of this topic, I'm curious about something. From time to time I hear or read comments from homosexuals and from those who are sympathetic to the cause of homosexuals about those on the other side of the issue, calling them "homophobic." I have no doubt that homophobes exist and are accurately identified as "homophobic." However, often the word is used to identify those who, based on their religious beliefs, express their opposition to homosexuality. Does opposition equate to fear? Granted, fear can prompt opposition. But that isn't always the case. Would those who oppose Christian opposition to homosexuality accept being identified as "christiaphobic"? or those who think belief in God is quite irrational, as "theophobic"? I don't think so.<br /><br /></span>Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15796218870810943982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043865521452142808.post-86807355973987476752009-08-20T05:47:00.003-05:002009-08-20T08:37:48.691-05:00If You Love One Another<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >I find myself in and out of agreement with Brian McLaren -- more </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >in</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" > with </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >The Secret Message of Jesus</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" > and more </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >out</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" > with </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crisis, and a Revolution of Hope</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >. In his recent <a href="http://www.brianmclaren.net/archives/blog/an-open-letter-to-conservative-c.html">"An Open Letter to Conservative Christians in the U.S., On Health Care,"</a> I once again found substantial points of disagreement, but in a couple of areas he was spot on.<br /><br /></span><blockquote style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">I have been growing more and more deeply troubled by the way so many from my heritage in conservative Christianity -- in its Evangelical, Charismatic, and Roman Catholic streams -- have allowed themselves to be spiritually formed by various conservative political and economic ideologies. It's been disturbing to see how many Christians have begun to follow and trust leaders who live more by political/media/ideological codes than by moral/spiritual/biblical ones.<br /><br />As a result, I sometimes think that Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly, Glenn Beck, and Fox News may now influence many conservative Evangelicals, Charismatics, and Catholics even more than Billy Graham, Rick Warren, T.D. Jakes, Pope Benedict, or even the four gospels.<br /><br />Now in a free country, people certainly have the right to choose their ideology. But Christians of all sorts, I think we all can agree, have a special calling -- to increasingly harmonize our lives (including our lives as citizens) with the teaching and example of Jesus. My concern is that many of my sisters and brothers, without realizing it, have begun seeing Jesus and the faith through the lens of a neo-conservative political framework, thus reducing their vision of Jesus and his essential message of the kingdom of God. As a result, too many of us are becoming more and more zealous conservatives, but less and less Christ-like Christians, and many don't seem to notice the difference.</span></blockquote><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><br />Amen, Brian. When we </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >equate</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" > our political framework of choice (or, dare I say, our geopolitical situation) </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >with</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" > our Christian faith, we're on shaky ground. Though McLaren doesn't mention it, I think he would agree with me that this applies to Christians on the other end of the spectrum as well. "My kingdom is not of this world" covers the entire spectrum.<br /><br />If one does not "notice the difference," one may make statements like the one I have heard a friend make more than once: "I don't think a person can be a Christian and a Democrat." I suppose it's possible that someone might say "I don't think a person can be a Christian and a Republican," but that hasn't passed the lips of any of my friends . . . in my hearing. [Now, I have heard some rather disparaging things said about those who claim to be Christians and Republicans, but not that particular statement.] McLaren points us to a more charitable way:<br /><br /></span><blockquote style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">[P]eople are free to disagree humbly and respectfully with their fellow Christians and their government. ... But we Christians, it seems to me, have a high calling -- to be radically committed to integrity and civility, even (especially) with those with whom we disagree. God, after all, is merciful, generous, and kind to "the just and the unjust": how can we not have that same obligation regarding those with whom we disagree? Even if others resort to dirty political tricks and distortion of the truth through exaggeration and fear-mongering, we simply cannot. At the very least, we should be seekers of truth, seekers of wisdom, not consumers (or purveyors) of propaganda -- even if it comes from members of our own political party and people who quote a lot of Bible verses (often out of context). We have a higher calling.</span></blockquote><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><br />The Apostle Paul might suggest "speaking the truth in love." We should feel free to express our disagreements with our brothers and sisters in Christ. But when we do so, we must make sure what we are speaking is <span style="font-weight: bold;">truth</span> (rather than something passed along to us in email, that is so deliciously deprecatory of 'the other side' but unsubstantiated) and <span style="font-weight: bold;">in love</span> (rather than because 'they said nasty things about our guy when he was in office').<br /><br />"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."<br /><br /></span>Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15796218870810943982noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043865521452142808.post-56487467163958770892009-08-11T10:31:00.004-05:002009-08-11T10:54:21.653-05:00When Not to Blog<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">[Not that I have been active enough to worry about when not to blog, but I think this piece by Donn Johnson is worth reading.]</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">My son commented that I have not been posting as often as in the Winter and Spring. Last night I sat and reflected on when not to blog. My blog postings are, chiefly, idea-based and discussion-starters. When there is an interesting article or book that warrants discussion, I blog. When there is a newsworthy event that bears on church life and the faith community, I blog. When there is something happening in the culture that is intriguing, I blog.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">But here are some of the areas off-limits for me:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">1. church members in crisis</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">2. church staff issues that need discussion and resolution in-house</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">3. family matters</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">4. most things political</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">5. church conflicts</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">6. any confidentiality</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">7. something that makes me uneasy</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The purpose for my blog is to add to the conversation already happening in churches among believers. I'm not sure how many non-believers read this. I think it's mainly those of us who are committed to life in the local body. The health and vitality of local churches is one of my highest concerns. Blogs that rip on the local church are not helpful. And the local church is fragile. So any blog I write that could plant a seed of suspicion or distrust is also not helpful (and I think I've done that in the past from some emails that came later). Blogs that poke at other churches are not helpful (I'm not the pastor of any other church but this one and don't know the stories behind the stories).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I've heard from a number of my pastor-friends this summer and it's tough going for many of them. So I'm doing a bit more praying and reading, reflecting and sitting.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">(posted by Donn Johnson on the Jibstay blog, 1 Aug 2009)<br /><br /></span>Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15796218870810943982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043865521452142808.post-72927664861426878422009-08-11T08:34:00.002-05:002009-08-11T10:54:08.516-05:00Transition<div style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Yahweh is a redeeming God, bringing joy out of sorrow and triumph out of tragedy. He has brought into my life a woman who loves me more than she loves herself, and who loves him more than she loves me: Lynne Madison. On September 6, Lynne and I will join our lives for the rest of our lives. This will occur publicly yet simply after the 11:00 a.m. worship gathering of the Church at Brook Hills.</div><div style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br /></div>Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15796218870810943982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043865521452142808.post-44772696929303580362009-02-07T13:13:00.005-06:002009-02-07T14:33:59.428-06:00Graduating<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">From time to time I read things or hear things that really stick with me. I know they do because, though I'm not aware of their presence deep within my mind, they pop out effortlessly when the appropriate circumstances arise. One of those things was spoken by or written by Sam Keen, author of </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Fire in the Belly</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, which along with Robert Bly’s </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Iron John</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, has been credited with kick-starting the "men's movement." I seems to recall that it was on an audio-cassette a friend gave me almost a decade ago, but which was lost in one of my moves. You'll forgive me if all the details aren't accurate; I have it on good authority (Sam Keen himself) that he has "certainly said something of the kind many times."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Keen was talking about people dealing with emotional issues in their lives through therapy and seminars and self-help books. He noted that he was aware of people who had engaged in such activities for years with no perceptible improvement, yet they persisted. In fact, these activities had become part of the people's identities. What stuck with me was Keen's observation (no pun intended) that though there is value in the therapy and the seminars and such, at some point those engaged in them "need to graduate." They need to move on in their lives to an identity that isn't defined by "healing" or "recovering" -- they need to be persons who have healed or have recovered. I'm not a mental health professional health professional, and I won't even pretend to know the specific circumstances of every person, but I think Kee's statement has a ring of truth to it.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">What brought this to mind was a conversation with a friend about single people . . . specifically, people who married and subsequently divorced. Again, I don't know everyone's circumstances, but I am one of those people, so I do understand something about the matter. It seems to me that some of these people get stuck in the "divorced person" stage and never graduate. I don't mean they don't get un-divorced (though some do, reconciling with the spouse whom they divorced) or that they remarry (though some do). I mean they continue to wear that big "D" prominently on their chests, so that all will know. It is an integral part of their identities. This allows some to continue being victims, and to continue telling the world that they are. Someone divorced me or did something to me that made divorce an option . . . and here's who it was and what they did to me and how I feel about them (not usually warm and fuzzy). I don't think this is healthy. And I don't think it's the way God intends them (or me or you) to live.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I don't have "book, chapter, and verse" for this, but I think there's a better way, a way God took me (though I didn't detect the movement except in retrospect). God took me through "recovering" into "recovered," through "healing" into "healed." I graduated. I moved from being a divorced person to being a single person and finally to being just a person. I'm not un-divorced, nor have I remarried. But the divorce that broke my family apart (and, granted, still affects our lives) no longer defines me. I'm forgiven and I'm released from the burden. Child of God and follower of Jesus -- that's my identity.<br /><br /></span>Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15796218870810943982noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043865521452142808.post-79294377235114337112008-12-26T10:39:00.009-06:002008-12-27T12:16:01.834-06:00Creational Intent and the Future of Creation<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I recently discovered the phrase "creational intent." [Yes, I know it's been around for some time, and I'm behind the curve. Wanna make something of of it?"] A search on Google showed me that it is used in several specific theological contexts, but I'm interested in it as it addresses the matter of God's intent in creating the cosmos (the heavens, the earth, and the contents thereof) in relation to the destiny of the same. I have thought about aspects of that, though not in-depth, for years; now I have a shorthand way of referring to it. Stated briefly, what I have wondered is whether God created and populated the earth, only to blow it to smithereens at some time future to us and sweep some of that population (past and, at the time of the blast, present) away as incorporeal beings to a place called "heaven," where they will dwell forever. The thing that doesn't quite make sense to me is that God would create and organize a corporeal world in the first place, if his ultimate goal was to create a community of "spirit beings" to spend eternity with. I'm becoming aware of a body of literature that deals, directly and indirectly, with this notion of creational intent and the future of the created order. My intent is to read some of those writings as I study the biblical story, seeking the light that they can shed upon one another. Let's see where this goes!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span>Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15796218870810943982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043865521452142808.post-57668830605868988772008-12-24T08:53:00.004-06:002008-12-25T12:50:59.458-06:00Abuse and Belief<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">If you have been (or </span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >are</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">) the victim of abuse -- physical, sexual, etc. -- check out this posting on Scot McKnight's Jesus Creed weblog: <a href="http://blog.beliefnet.com/jesuscreed/2008/12/how-can-that-woman-believe-a-l.html">"How can that woman believe?"</a> The posting elicited numerous comments, which are worth reading and pondering. One thing in particular struck me, from the comments of more than one person: for some (perhaps many) God is a convenient whipping boy. "If God exists and is all-powerful and all-loving, why is there evil in the world?" There are numerous issues tucked into that question, and I don't deny the potential difficulty in wrestling with them. But you know, it sure is handy to be able to deflect onto God and avoid our own responsibility.<br /><br /></span>Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15796218870810943982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043865521452142808.post-92149887657555064332008-12-23T15:10:00.005-06:002008-12-23T15:18:56.509-06:00The Heavens Declare . . .<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXKF4pn1NjgImXG3se67E7BDZBgNzPkNdoCnyrwr0Jtxc3F1RCLIt-p0EEcMA86pZ6yQwBHQL_0CnRnV_s2xFGikGK9EKyDa1W8HbSCX08Qly_SU5MAHQ3QU6TzHT_ulnBPrEsEX97eQln/s1600-h/xmastreecluster.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 175px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXKF4pn1NjgImXG3se67E7BDZBgNzPkNdoCnyrwr0Jtxc3F1RCLIt-p0EEcMA86pZ6yQwBHQL_0CnRnV_s2xFGikGK9EKyDa1W8HbSCX08Qly_SU5MAHQ3QU6TzHT_ulnBPrEsEX97eQln/s200/xmastreecluster.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283097824940102786" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The star cluster above is known as the Christmas Tree Cluster. It's truly amazing how things like this just happen.<br /><br /></span>Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15796218870810943982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043865521452142808.post-12977105662727850132008-12-23T07:53:00.004-06:002008-12-23T07:57:08.498-06:00Upside Down<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">A dear friend sent this clever little video to me this morning:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">http://vimeo.com/2410684<br /><br /></span>Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15796218870810943982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043865521452142808.post-76977603552112768072008-12-18T21:46:00.007-06:002008-12-23T07:57:23.482-06:00One Flesh<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">How's this for random? Here's a poem I wrote a couple of years ago:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >One Flesh</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">God reached down,</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> touched the earth, and</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> made man.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">And he became flesh.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">God reached in,</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> touched man’s rib, and</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> made woman.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">And she became flesh.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Man reached out,</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> touched woman, and</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> made love.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">And they became one flesh.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">No ancient tale to satisfy curiosity,</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Nor holy myth to justify monogamy,</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">But a blessing – or a curse – for eternity.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">[Copyright 2007 by Craig W. Beard]<br /><br /></span>Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15796218870810943982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043865521452142808.post-47032641419607029332008-12-10T14:52:00.007-06:002008-12-23T07:57:40.071-06:00Integrity Strikes Again<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The most recent addition to my 'People I Want to Meet' list is Billy Watts of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. According to a news story brought to my attention by my cousin Scott, the grandmother of twelve "found [a] purse with nearly $100,000 in it in a Cracker Barrel bathroom last week and gave it back." Not only did Billy return the purse to its owner, she didn't accept the $1,000 reward she was offered. You can read the story </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.wkrn.com/global/story.asp?s=9493746">here</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">.<br /><br /></span>Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15796218870810943982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043865521452142808.post-65391493983014349182008-11-24T09:32:00.009-06:002008-11-24T17:18:20.031-06:00Hello, Good-bye<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">In spite of how the title of this post may sound, I'm not giving up on blogging yet. [Some of you will recognize the title of a Beatles song (not least my friend Gene, who could tell you off the top of his head whether Paul or John was more responsible for the writing, where it was recorded, and on which album it appeared). Others will ask, "Who?"] Rather, I am reflecting on something God has reminded me of over the past couple of weeks: He knows better than I, even when we disagree . . . make that, especially when we disagree.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Though I haven't checked with Gene on this, I think it's safe to say that the focus of Lennon and/or McCartney was on human relationships, not on theology. But the point is valid nonetheless. Sometimes God is saying "yes" when I'm thinking "no," "stop" when I'm thinking "go." Hello? I don't know why. [Okay, enough of that before I ruin the song for you.] Truth be told, I do know why. Because God is God, and I'm not. My range of experience is somewhat more limited than God's; my vantage point is a bit less infinite than God's. Because of that, some of the choices I've made and some of the directions I've taken have not, to put it mildly, achieved optimal results. In plain English, I've screwed up. Or I've missed experiencing something really amazing. After some of those occasions, I sensed what I will describe as a cosmic sigh.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">In spite of what some people will tell you, and in spite of God's being (if I may be allowed) deadly serious about the mess humankind has made of things (botching our relationships with God, with others, with creation, and even with ourselves), God is not eagerly waiting for us to screw up so he can go Medieval on us. The hymn "Amazing Grace" says, "the Lord has promised good to me," and that's what God desires: good. Recall, if you will, Genesis 1: "it was good . . . good . . . good . . . good . . . good . . . good . . . very good." But also recall Genesis 3: It was humankind's "yes" in the face of God's "no" that twisted "very good" into very bad.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Perhaps I've rambled a bit. I can do that -- this is my blog. But my rambling brings me back to the beginning. Though I'm a big fan of the Beatles, the longer I'm a follower of Jesus, the more I want to tweak "Hello, Good-bye" for myself:</span><br /><br /></span><blockquote style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">You say "yes," I say "yes."<br />You say "go," and I say "go, go, go."</span></blockquote><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">It doesn't make for much of a song. But it makes for a wonderful life.<br /><br /></span></span>Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15796218870810943982noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043865521452142808.post-70020624840519015902008-11-20T11:24:00.000-06:002008-11-20T11:36:03.976-06:00Integrity<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">As I was checking my email, I saw the following headline for a story posted yesterday on Yahoo Sports: "Integrity Costs Golfer Dearly." Whenever I read about those who comport themselves as J.P. Hayes did, they go on my 'People I Want to Meet' list. If you have a moment, </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://tinyurl.com/5n68zf">read the story</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">. You might put Hayes on your list, too.<br /><br /></span></span>Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15796218870810943982noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043865521452142808.post-11431123579621131912008-11-20T08:11:00.000-06:002008-11-20T08:39:37.682-06:00Taking Out the Trash<span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >Over the past few months I have been flooded with email messages, from friends and acquaintances, stating how they feel about presidential candidate, and now President-Elect, Barak Obama. Actually, in some cases that's phrasing it mildly and kindly. Some messages were possibly libelous, but certainly mean-spirited . . . and, as I see it, un-Christian. I'm referring to such messages as the one with a watermelon under a box, which was propped up on one end with a stick with a string attached to it, captioned "Plot to Trap Obama." And the one featuring a man riding a motorcycle, wearing a tee shirt with "Nigger, please . . . It’s a White House" on the back. And the one I received this morning with the subject line "The Black Widow," referring to Michelle Obama. I have no problem with people expressing their opposition to a political candidate or public official; I have no problem with Christians engaging in such expression. In fact, I believe that Christians, in the prophetic tradition, can contribute to holding such people accountable. [Perhaps that's part of what we're to be about in the world as "salt" and "light."] However, when Christians do speak out, we should do so with integrity, not with what appears to be a the-end-justifies-the-means attitude. Brothers and sisters, let's speak the truth in love, and take out the trash.<br /><br /></span>Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15796218870810943982noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043865521452142808.post-62504260319702021822008-11-19T15:32:00.000-06:002008-11-20T08:38:27.283-06:00And So It Begins<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >Just what I need: a blog -- one more thing to keep up with. But hey, why not give it a try? I might enjoy it. [Are ya happy now, Lisa? :-) ]<br /><br /></span>Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15796218870810943982noreply@blogger.com1