02.18.09
Posted in Religion at 11:54 am by Chris
In our current audio studies, the issue of war and peace has been the elephant in the room. The discussion is however focused around the character of God. From my perspective, God has been in the dock as we consider His character. The presenter has asked us to set aside evil, and its sources and focused on two traits of God – violent and loving. We are supposed to ‘forgive’ the old man’s darker side and focus on His loving ways.
We are also told to give no weight to Bible passages that do not square with our sensibilities as these are passages where mischievous human editorial license occurred.
This sounds to me like being Greek and overlooking the petulance of the greek gods. The choice we are ask to consider is a false choice to add credibility to a cafeteria style approach to theology.
Let me echo my reaction again – Barbara Streisand!
We are certainly war weary, and have a keen abhorrence to violence. However, how do we square three instances indicating war in heaven, specifically Revelation 12, Isaiah 14, Ezekiel 28. This seem to indicate something more vigorous than a loud argument.
I contend that we see through a glass darkly, and God’s ways are certainly higher than our ways, and our morality is certainly not higher than His. Faith calls us to believe in the constant, covenant love of God even when we only have the prism of our humanity to observe. Eyes of faith have loftier vision than flesh and blood experience. Our theological frame work gives us tools to manage our faith journey. Could it be that the keen insights we have as Adventists regarding the Great Controversy may offer some relief for our dilemma?
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01.18.09
Posted in Current Events, Religion at 2:41 pm by Chris
We are on the cusp on a new presidential era, an era where new hope is given birth. One of the key ingredients of this new political moment is the choosing of a cabinet of officers to carry out the mandate of the election. The people’s voice is expressed through its senators who hold hearings to give advice and consent. As solid citizens, we do pay attention to these hearings, and let our voices be heard should the judgments made be out of plumb with our value system.
One of our class members brought to our attention a key ethical issue that needs serious consideration. It has to do with the office of the treasury, with the evaluation of Timothy Geithner.
Mr. Geithner comes with a stellar resume of competence, however, he has exhibited a somewhat cavalier attitude towards paying taxes.
Are these honest mistakes that we need to overlook given the need for solid leadership in a critical position or a character issue?
Trust is invested in those who have both character and competence covered.
How should we as Christians work through this issue?
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11.09.08
Posted in Spirituality at 9:32 pm by Chris
One of the attractive features of our Believers and Doubters class is its capability and courage to discuss any topic. We do a wonderful job in fusing faith, the WORD, and personal experience to strengthen one’s spiritual experience. Last Sabbath was no different with the exception of our discussion of the nature of mankind. Our discussion continued to marinate in my mind with an unsettledness. I thought I would like to use the forum of our blog to continue the discussion.
Frankly, I thought that the “wickedness of man” status was settled doctrine as stated by Lewis. Both the Old and New Testaments, all Christian creeds, and confessions declare that “there is no good in us” either implicitly, or explicitly. When the divine measuring stick is applied, we always come up short.
What makes the Gospel “Good News” is that a remedy has been found for our dire spiritual diagnosis. The story of John 3 with Nicodemus is my favorite illustration of this doctrine.
I look forward to your comments to further clarify a varied viewpoint on this issue.
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10.12.08
Posted in Religion at 5:08 pm by Karl
This commentary is inspired by the Believers and Doubters group’s recent discussion of Letter VI of C. S. Lewis’s Screwtape Letters excerpted in the anthology of Lewis works, The Joyful Christian. As in the other “Screwtape Letters,” the retired senior devil (Screwtape) in this letter instructs his nephew and novice devil (Wormwood) on strategies for undermining or sabotaging formation of the faith of the Christian (whom Screwtape refers to as the “patient”). This letter is particularly relevant in the current climate of imploding housing and financial markets and there is genuine concern for the health and well-being of American families. Fear of the unknown would seem to be a natural reaction to the recent events and the apparent impotence of national governments in the face of these unprecedented events.
In my understanding, Lewis does not argue that fear is an illegitimate emotion for the Christian. There’s nothing wrong with being fearful in the face of trials that one is presently facing. The Christian is “on the devil’s ground” so to speak when “the patient’s mind is diverted from the thing feared to fear itself.”
In the current climate, some Christians who subscribe to an apocalyptic (dramatic) end of history point of view see the whirlwind of events of the past few weeks as signs of the end. On the strength of scripture, whether this is so or not is known only to God. A question which naturally follows from this, it seems to me, is what should be the Christian’s posture. Are we merely bystanders or is there some affirmative action that we are enjoined to take?
I take the view that the Christian does not have the option of being indifferent or entertaining any sense of resignation in the face of the current catastrophe. It’s foolhardy–even a denial of reality, I would argue–to act as if we’re untouched or unaffected by the unfolding events. Rather, there is an obligation to engage with members of the larger community to effect such changes as are politically feasible. Such engagement cannot be one-off; the times “they are a-changing” and call for sustained and purposeful involvement. [Karl]
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Posted in Religion at 3:38 pm by Karl
A comment made by the guest on today’s edition of Speaking of Faith with Krista Tippett set me to thinking about the notion of community and whether even within the Christian “faith community” we are even capable of achieving the goal for which Christ prayed–”that they may be one.” Krista’s guest was illustrating some point or other when he mentioned two evangelical families in Texas, one with eight children, the other with twelve. The sizes are based on both families’ conclusion that they were operating in obedience to God’s will as they understand it.
The point that got me thinking about the notion of community was that in mentioning the two families the guest remarked that both families made their living from organic farming–a conservative thing to do, the guest noted. In his illustration he’d also said that clients of the two farm families included folks who are socially and politically liberal. The thing that caught my attention was the need to label one or the other group as conservative or liberal. In my view, labelling in this way is intended to mark someone or some idea as “other”–alien, foreign, suspect.
It would seem that the human tendency to create in-groups and out-groups may be two strongly imprinted to be overcome, except for brief periods when groups–whatever their self-identity or values–face a commonly perceived threat that none by itself is capable of dealing with. This may be kind of off-the-wall; but is the ideal of worldwide Christian unity (ecumenism) an achievable objective?
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09.07.08
Posted in Religion at 7:17 pm by Karl
The Believers and Doubters group at Sligo Seventh-day Adventist Church has been in existence for more than thirty-five years. The group’s name is meant to connote its openness and acceptance of differing points of view, based on the understanding that we’re each at different stages on the faith journey. Our motto is “Faith seeking understanding.”
As is to be expected, over the span of nearly 40 years of existence, members and teachers have come and gone. The first leader of the group (which was not then known by its current moniker) was Dr. Ernest Plata, formerly a researcher with the US National Institutes of Health. Plata was followed by Sligo pastors M. Dale Hannah, James J. Londis and Jan Daffern. Our current group leader is Dr. Barry Casey, (formerly a professor in the communications department at Columbia Union College).
The blog provides a forum for members of the group to continue their Saturday morning conversations. It’s a place for members and others to provide personal responses to books with religious, ethical, moral, spiritual themes which the group or individual contributor is reading. It may also be used to discuss contemporary issues in economics, popular culture, law or politics which may impinge on the practice of religious faith, ethics or morality.
The site’s content and the views expressed are those of members of Believers and Doubters or the persons commenting on blog posts. As such, they do not necessarily represent the views or beliefs of the Sligo Seventh-day Adventist Church or affiliated organizations.
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Posted in Religion at 6:25 pm by Karl
I just finished reading Monte Sahlin’s recent blog reacting to the speech by the Republican nominee for vice president belittling Barack Obama’s community organizer role. Following is a comment I posted in response:
“Ms. Palin’s rant has to be seen as of a piece with the Republican effort to belittle Barack Obama’s qualification to be president. Clearly, the experience argument has not been working, for as Obama and many others have observed, of what value is so-called experience if one acts without judgement and discretion. I think the Bay of Pigs and Iraq invasion are cautionary tales in this regard. Wisdom is not necessarily a function of age; an old fool is as much a fool as a young one. The other little-remarked aspect of the over-the-top rhetoric is its essential anti-intellectual quality. So, Obama is elitist (another name of intellectual) they say. It would be all laughable, but for the fact that this country faces serious domestic challenges and a very serious erosion of stature and influence in international councils which are so essential to any serious effort to confront global problems.”
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09.06.08
Posted in Uncategorized at 2:47 pm by Karl
I’ve had to recreate this blog, because the previous one was inadvertently deleted. To be honest, the deletion was the result of impatience and a bit of ignorance for good measure; I’m using a blogging tool that I’m not as conversant with as one needs to be–end of confession.
Anyway, the purpose for creating the blog remains the same as before: to provide a forum for continuing our Saturday morning conversations. It’s a place for us to provide personal responses to books the group or individual contributor is reading about religious, ethical, moral or spiritual matters.[Karl]
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