Capitalism = Political freedom

Janet Daley wrote a great article about economics, politics, and democracy today that is great. As you start reflecting on The Truth Project, you may want to read this article to remind yourself about The American Experiment. In fact, she refers to America in those very terms.

I found the article very interesting on several levels. My initial reaction to the article was how she was able to distinguish the nuances of the ideas between capitalism and socialism. As people of "the Word", we must always remember that words matter. We must be precise in the words we use and not be sloppy with the meaning. Ms. Daley's article reminds us to choose our words carefully and get clarification from others when they are imprecise with their words.

Another aspect of the article that struck me was her grasp of the linkage between politics and economics. She correctly identifies that what most people identify as economic discussions are in fact political discussions. Many of the woes in our economy are not due to "economic" problems but political interference in the area of economics. Ms. Daley rightly points out that when there is free exchange within the economy, there is an inherent set of checks and balances that take place. (Not instantaneously, but there are corrective mechanisms to keep power in check.)

Finally, the article is interesting to read because it is an "outsiders" perspective on the American Experiment. She has a better grasp of the basics our government than most Americans, at least the founding principles. Although, I would disagree with her view of America's willingness to give up freedoms. I see far too many people who are willing to sign away freedom in order to fulfill their own self-interest.

I would highly encourage you to read this article. I'm making a copy of the article for myself to keep for future reference and to give away to people who "just don't get it" when it comes to capitalism, politics, and freedom.

Very odd article

I just read what may be one of the most odd articles I have ever read. It is found in today's Wall Street Journal (Couple's Dreams of Immortality), and it concerns a couple who are seeking to achieve eternal life through architecture.

Normally, I would not blog about something that is addressed by someone like an Al Mohler on his blog, but I feel compelled to comment on this article. Why? Well, my initial response to this article was not very flattering, and writing about it has forced me to view this story from a different perspective than my initial response. You can go to Dr. Mohler's blog for his perspective.

My initial response was one of scorn. I thought to myself, "How foolish." Fortunately, I stopped and prayed and reflected on this theologically for a moment. You see bound up in the heart of the two artists, and the people who buy the apartments the artists designed, a desire toward eternal life. Part of being created in the image of God is this recognition that death is somehow "wrong." Of course, the Genesis account tells us that death was not part of the original design specifications. It is only by the sin of Adam and Eve that the original "warranty" was voided and death was introduced.

The article is interesting in that it provides a brief insight into what "transhumanism" is trying to accomplish. With any movement, there are different factions on how things are done. All of those movements within transhumanism share this in common: the answer for everything is found within mankind. Is death a problem? Then man will find an answer through architecture or robots or something. There is no recognition of God.

C. S. Lewis talks about each person having a void in his or her life. Transhumanism seeks to fill that void with man's own thoughts and hard work. However, that is like putting a round peg in square hole. The void in each person's life is "God-shaped" and can only be filled by God. We must be sensitive to God speaking to people and their interest in spiritual matters. We must stand ready to give them the truth when they are seeking answers to problems like eternal life.

Read the article. Ponder it's implications. Most importantly, see the world with new eyes. Be sensitive to people seeking out spiritual matters and stand ready to point them to Christ.

Words Matter

Today's blog is about something that really bothered me. I have never claimed to be the smartest person in the world, but I would like to think that I know the basics. To me, the basics would include understanding that words matter.

What got me going was an article in the March 18, 2009 Sun Sentinel. The article titled, Chaplain at Hospice by the Sea in Boca Raton resigns over ban on the word "God." Evidently, the leadership of the hospice decided that words like "God" and "Lord" could no longer be used by chaplains during the monthly staff meeting or in public presentations. The level of my frustration was slowly ratcheted up througout the article.

On one level the idea that an employer banning particular speech, so as not to "offend" anyone, is just spineless. I could do some mental gymnastics and find a circumstance that maybe I could understand the reason for the ban, but it was a pretty big stretch. What makes it a stretch is that many of the employees are pastors, rabbis, and priests. Asking one of them not to talk about God is like asking a politician not to spend money. It's not happening!

It gets better. The "pastor" who resigned had been singled out because of a devotion she gave during a chapel using "God" and "Lord" during the devotion. When asked about this she said "And I am well aware that there were people from the Jewish tradition in attendance. I didn't say Jesus or Allah or Jehovah. I used 'Lord' and 'God,' which I think are politically correct. I think that's as generic as you can get." What is a pastor doing thinking about being "politically correct?" A pastor's call is to speak God's Word, not be "pc." I guess I could give her the benefit of the doubt and assume that instead of being politically correct, she wanted to be sensitive to the spiritual condition of her audience. (Of course the audience was a group of employees attending a chapel led by a pastor... but I digress.)

As the infomercial says, "But wait! There's more!" The CEO who made the change in policy is then quoted in the article, quote,

Alderson said she was surprised by Signorelli's reaction to what she characterized as a minor administrative directive aimed solely at improving the decorum of monthly staff meetings, where the desired tone from a chaplain should be motivational, not religious.

Motivational and not religious??? If you look up the word "chaplain" in the dictionary, it has four possible meanings. Three of the four refer to "a clergyman", meaning a leader affiliated with the Christian church. The other definition says, "a person chosen to conduct a religious exercise." There is no way to get around the fact that the role of a chaplain is to talk about religion. That is, by definition, their job.

Why am I blogging about this (other than to rant a little bit?) You need to remember, words matter. As you teach people, lead your families, and interact with others, you need to communicate clearly with others. You need to understand what you are saying, then make sure your audience understands as well. When people are not clear in their communication with you, then you need to ask questions to make sure each of you understand what is being said.

I've learned to ask follow-up questions when in doubt. Especially when sharing the Gospel with someone. "What does it mean to be saved?" "What does it mean to you to have faith in Jesus?" "Why do you think you will go to heaven?" These clarifying questions have helped me be able to lead people to Christ. Remember, words matter. Choose them carefully and guard their meaning.

Climate Change Article

I saw a great article in the Telegraph about climate change that I think you will find interesting. What is of particular interest is the realization of some scientists that the "debate" is not about science. They lament that no one is listening to "the truth" and people are pushing an agenda.

Of course, that is the exact feeling Christians have when discussing scientific issues. The Bible clearly tells us that all of creation has been designed, yet they call it evolution. The Bible and creation declare that there is a Creator, yet they call it chance. They are open to the truth, as long as it does not take me where I don't want to go.

I hope you enjoy the article about "climate change." In case you can't tell by my tone, I think this climate change stuff is baloney. For those who really believe it; it is arrogance and pride. For those who are pushing it, knowing it isn't true; it is about power and manipulation. Don't fall for this garbage.

An interesting side note about the article. Be sure to catch the last two paragraphs. It is a Brits interesting take on New York City. Everyone would do well to have their eyes opened and see with proper perspective. Seeing the "big picture" prevents us from thinking pridefully or being myopic in our view of ourselves and our place in the world.

"Artificial" Life?

An article in today's London Telegraph heralded the impending announcement of artificial life being created within the next five years. The reason for the optimism was due to a recent breakthrough by U. S. scientists. The article contained an interesting line, and I have a question about this process.

The interesting line is what the author of the article called this breakthrough. He referred to the quest for "creating artificial life" as "the second genesis." Very ironic. Many of the people involved in this process (and reporters covering it) would ardently deny life coming from an Intelligent Designer, yet their language is one of design and creation.

Which brings me to my question. What "materials" are the scientists starting with to "create" life? It reminds me of the joke that a scientist is standing before God. He says, "Well, we have finally done it. We can now create life. We don't need you anymore God."

God replies, "That's interesting. Tell me how you did this."

The scientist says, "First, we take some dirt and then...." God interrupts the scientist and says, "Whoa, what a second. Get your own dirt."

The arrogance and blindness of many of those involved in this process is staggering. There is no doubt, that this could potentially be a tremendous breakthrough scientifically. The possibilities are great, but so are the ethical concerns.

We must be diligent in thinking about scientific issues (stem cell research is a great example) and understand why there are ethical concerns about their implementation. As we become informed, we need to engage our government representatives to let them know what we think about these issues.

The Chimp Who Changed Our View Of Humans

With our study of The Truth Project, I've found my attention drawn to articles with headlines like the one above. The above title was the one given to it on the Drudge Report. The article was somewhat interesting and humorous in that it talks about a rock throwing chimpanzee. (One of my jokes is the monkeys, or chimps, are always funny.)

What the article claimed to be earth-shattering did not seem to be that big of a deal to me. What was very interesting was the reaction of the scientific community to this chimps behavior. Below is an excerpt:

According to a report in the journal Current Biology, the 31-year-old alpha male started building his weapons cache in the morning before the zoo opened, collecting rocks and knocking out disks from concrete boulders inside his enclosure. He waited until around midday before he unleashed a "hailstorm" of rocks against visitors, the study said.

"These observations convincingly show that our fellow apes do consider the future in a very complex way," said the author of the report, Lund University Ph.D. student Mathias Osvath. "It implies that they have a highly developed consciousness, including lifelike mental simulations of potential events."

Did you catch it? An incredibly obvious look into the worldview of the author of the report, Mathias Osvath. Read the quote again. Did you catch it this time? "Our fellow apes" Those three words reveal a great deal. This viewpoint says, "All things considered, man is no different than monkeys, apes, or chimpanzees." Of course, that worldview leads to two potential problems. Some with this worldview will elevate animals to the same moral/ethical level as man. Others will take that viewpoint and use it as the basis to treat some men as nothing more than an animal. Both attitudes lead to the same result: the cheapening of human life.

You must be on your guard for your own worldview, as well as investing a biblical worldview into your children's lives (and the lives of those around you.) Don't assume that you have to individually change the world when it comes to worldview. What you and I must do is to do what we can with the people in our circle of influence. Share the truth with your family, your friends, and neighbors. Lead them to the truth. If we all do our part, then train those we influence to do the same (making disciples), we can make a difference in our world.

A Christian's Relationship To The State

I read an interesting article in, of all places, the local paper in Cookeville, Tennessee. Cookeville is the nearest town to where I grew up that has a daily paper and is home to the college I attended, Tennessee Technological University. It is interesting because of a speaker who appeared at Tech recently.

Gerhard Hennes was a German prisoner of war in World War II who ended up spending a great deal of time in a POW camp near Cookeville. He spoke about what he learned from his experiences. I would point to two issues that I think are relevant to the issue of our responsibility to the state as followers of Christ.

Hennes spoke of his discovery of what was happening to Jews at the concentration camps during the war. He and his fellow prisoners were shown footage of the camps at a movie theater. Hennes states,

"We saw the the flickering shaft of light. We saw the emaciated bodies and the empty eyes of the survivors. We saw the mass graves, we saw the ovens where people had been put to death by the thousands. All of a sudden, the movie house was very hot. None of us had been aware of the concentration camps, though many of you may find that hard to believe. On that glorious day in spring in Crossville, Tennessee, in the prisoner of war camp, it was also that day that in one profound transformation, I turned from being a hero to being a villain."

He points out that he although he was unaware of all that was going on within Germany during this time, it did not absolve him of any guilt. To illustrate, he pointed to an incident at a camp where he was guarding Russian prisoners and did not report problems that he saw in their treatment because it might harm his military career. "So I remained a coward I had always been. I did not make a report. I did not protest. And, of course, the responsibility sits on me to this very evening."

Hennes is accurate in pointing out that we are responsible for the actions or inaction we undertake within the context of our service to our country. We must never be blinded by our devotion to our country that it supersedes our devotion to our God.

The article concludes with this great quote:

"I am one of the few in my generation that believes in collective guilt. Because I believe in corporate responsibility, I was responsible for what happened and I did not protest when the Russian prisoners of war were put to death. I am still struggling with the responsibility. We are responsible for the attitudes and actions of our freely elected government."

In case you doubt this idea of shared responsibility, I would point you to Isaiah 6:5, "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips." This shared responsibility means we must promote what is good and resist what is evil. To do any thing less means we must bear the sins of our culture and country.

I would argue that the way to do this involves several things. One, vote for those who best reflect the values championed within Scripture. This doesn't mean the candidate must be Christian, just that they hold values (protecting the innocent, truthfulness, justice, mercy, etc) that align with values found in Scripture.

A second point is pointed out by Dr. Tackett, in that we should not confuse the responsibilities and commands of one sphere (family, the church, God & man) with the responsibilities and commands of another sphere (government.) God commands the church to care for the poor. God commands the family to teach truth and values. As Christians, we cannot abdicate those responsibilities to the government. The primary role of the government is found in passages like Romans 13, in which government is to keep people safe.

Finally, we must be active in our community. A Christian can't spend time railing against issues, yet never lift a finger to help solve community issues. Feed the poor, comfort the hurting, and help the weak. Vote. Serve where you can. Be active.

Mountain Tops & Ending Well

I have started reflecting on the end of The Truth Project and what happens next. I must admit that I was a little down at first. This has been one of the best studies in which I have participated. I thought, "I wish this study would not end." Almost immediately, I was reminded of a story and Scripture that pushed me back to reality.

I was reminded that my attitude was the same at Peter's during the Transfiguration. The story is found in Mark 9:2-13. Peter literally and figuratively had a mountaintop experience. He saw Jesus revealed in His glory, and Peter said, "It is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters."

Peter wanted to stay at the top of the mountain. Who doesn't want to do that? We probably don't enjoy and celebrate our victories often enough. It is good that we are here at the mountaintop of this study. There's just one problem. There is a lost and dying world that needs to be ministered to and won to Jesus. They are not going to climb to the top of the mountain. Instead, we need to head to the valleys to reach out to them.

The goal is not to return to same routine, thinking, and lifestyle as before. We should have a new normal. We should let our new friends in our group be a regular part of our life. Also, we need to start living out what we have learned.

The second passage that brought me back to reality is found in Ecclesiastes 7:8. "The end of a matter is better than its beginning." As important as it is to start something well, it is more important for it to end well. If you are a leader of a small group, I would encourage you to challenge your group to "end well."

Contact your group members and invite them to finish strong by attending the last four weeks of the study. Plan a group fellowship to take place soon to celebrate the study. Help your people experience the best part of the study here at the end, then plan on continuing to meet after The Truth Project. Let's enjoy these last four weeks and prepare for the future.

Interesting Admission Of Guilt

I read an interesting article in the Financial Times that struck me as odd. It is the story of Nick White, who got stuck in a "lift" (elevator for us Americans) for 41 hours. This event took place almost 10 years ago. The unfortunate part of the story is not being stuck on an elevator over a weekend though.
After finally getting out the elevator, Mr. White recounts being chased by reporters, then attorneys. Believing the numbers that the lawyers were telling him, he quit his job and sued. He ended up getting much less money than he anticipated when the suit was finally settled five years later. He had pinned all of his hopes on a big payout.

Here is the quote that was so fascinating:

"I was truly terrified in that elevator. But my mistake was that I prolonged my entrapment. My life was in good shape, then I went for the big bucks and ruined everything. I haven't had a job in ten years and I've never married. I walked into an elevator with one kind of life and walked out with a completely different one. But it wasn't the elevator that ruined my life. It was me."

Our community has a lot of people in it right now who have had this same experience. They had a good life, but then "went for the big bucks." Maybe they overbought a home or too nice a car, etc., and now they are looking at a life in shambles. As Christians, we can bring them hope. I cannot help to think of Acts 2:37-38:

When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

Be prepared to share the truth with others. It will require two things from you. A genuine love for others, since telling the truth without love can end up being cruel. Secondly, speak with boldness. It can sometimes be uncomfortable to share the truth because your afraid the person may be offended. Don't miss the opportunity to bring transformation to a person's life by lovingly sharing the truth with them.