green is go(o)d

I was on my way home last week and I saw a bumper sticker that read, “Green is Good”.  I had to do a double take on it though, because at first glance, I thought it read, “Green is God”.  And I immediately laughed at my mistake; partly because it was a silly mistake to make, but partly because I wouldn’t have been surprised if the bumper sticker actually did read, “Green is God”.  

Last month Nickelodeon was running this environmental challenge for kids to recycle and save energy.  All month long they interviewed kids from ages 4 to 14 talking about what they do to save energy.  One girl talked about how her family recycles and composts.  Another child spoke about how he doesn’t run the water when he brushes his teeth and takes 3 minute showers.  All good things.

Then, to follow it up, they had the “tween” stars of Nickelodeon trying to get others involved by taking a pledge and get online and play a video game to kill gas-guzzling cars and “hazardous CO2 emitting” vehicles.  They also ran an entire day of programming devoted to helping planet earth.  So, instead of encouraging me to turn off my television and my computer — both energy saving actions — Nickelodeon encourages me to help the earth by using more electricity.  Interesting that they decided to run an entire day of programming instead of shutting down for the day.

I went to a small Christian Liberal Arts College in Southern California for my undergrad.  We would have regular chapels during the week, and one of the only ones I remember was the president of the college stating in a sermon how recycling is pointless because when Jesus returns, he’s going to destroy the world anyway.

I find both perspectives ridiculous.  God tells us that he created the world and everything in it, and when he was done, he looked at it and said it was very good.  He tells us that he loves the world.  He tells us that all creation; every rock, tree, flower, bird, everything–is longing to be repaired.  And he tells us that in Jesus, God is restoring everything.

The bible speaks of those who follow the way of Jesus as stewards of this world, and co-laborers with Christ in the restoration process.  Being sensitive to environmental issues is part of the story.  ”Being Green” is just jargon; it’s just a bandwagon statement.  Being a steward means taking responsibility.  It means taking responsibility for possibly one day having to answer for your choices.  It is a means of a bigger picture — peace on Earth.

roose’s time at liberty university

 Kevin Roose recently published a book called The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner’s Semester at America’s Holiest University, in which he describes how he transferred for one semester from Brown University to Liberty University — the college in Virginia that Jerry Falwell founded in 1971.  

I read an article from the Associated Press about how Roose decided that in order to be a better well-rounded student, he needed to study all perspectives, including the Conservative Evangelical one.  So, he decided to become a student and “infiltrate” one of the most conservative Evangelical schools in the country.  

You can read the entire article here.   I much appreciated this last portion of the article:  ”Roose said his Liberty experience transformed him in surprising ways…Once ambivalent about faith, Roose now prays to God regularly – for his own well-being and on behalf of others. He said he owns several translations of the Bible and has recently been rereading meditations from the letters of John on using love and compassion to solve cultural conflicts.  He’s even considering joining a church.”

I’m grateful for students like Kevin who go into settings like this with a willingness to learn and be challenged.  I wonder if we might be able to learn something about ourselves and others from this situation.

I think I’m going to get Kevin’s book and read it.

a political omnibus

Omnibus: pertaining to, including, or dealing with numerous objects or items at once.

I’ve been thinking through many different issues and ideas this week.  So this isn’t going to be one well thought out idea — but an omnibus of thoughts.  Feel free to comment on one or all.  Or come up with something completely different.

**I have heard so many Christians praise others for sticking it out within their various denominations that have gone down a particular path that they can’t seem to get on board with in order to help that particular church, denomination, or tradition come back to where it was before — in order to reform it.  So, why then do so many Evangelicals think it’s okay to wash their hands of the Democratic Party?  Isn’t that worth reforming too?  That seems kind of ironic, don’t you think?**

**Speaking of Evangelicals and the Democratic Party, my kid came home from school a couple of weeks ago (before the election) trying to convince my wife and I how bad Obama is and how we shouldn’t vote for him.  I shouldn’t be surprised, as he goes to a local Christian school.  Gotta love how early that Republican indoctrination comes…**

**In fact, there was a Facebook thread going not long after the election with some people I know about how good and true Christians only vote Republican, and how it’s how Jesus would vote.  Can I again say please don’t lump me together with things like that???!!!  That’s not my faith.  PS–I’ve got dibs on that T-Shirt idea: HWJV?  (How Would Jesus Vote?)**

**My friend Tim posted this on his blog

I voted 3rd party and no, I don’t think I wasted my vote.  I think it is silly that I have a choice of 4 different Starbucks within two miles of my house but I only have two choices for President.  I think it is silly that “Politician” can be a life-long career, and that many people we call our “Representatives” know very little about our lives.

I think it is silly that candidates spend a year-plus leading up to the election running divisive campaigns talking about how unqualified the other guy is, and then in their concession speeches they talk about “coming together as a united country”.

I think it is silly that a country as diverse as America only has one “aisle” to “reach across”.

I think it is silly that we hold Presidential debates, but only invite those who have the bankroll and clout of the Donkey and the Elephant.

Nader ‘12 anyone?

While I’m not sure who I’ll be voting for in ’12, I can say that I agree with Tim on everything else, including the third party vote this round.  Maybe I’ll run in ’12.  I have some plans…**

**The electoral college sucks, and it’s outdated.  That’s not democracy.   Count my vote for crying out loud.**

paul the feminist

“The religious persecution of the ages has been done under what was claimed to be the command of God. I always distrust people who know so much about what God wants them to do to their fellows.” — Susan B. Anthony

Feminism.  Isn’t that a loaded word?  I’m sure just by reading that simple word, many ideas come to mind.

I find it interesting that Evangelicals, by and large, have historically been opposed to the feminist movement.  It doesn’t surprise me, though, because many of the values of 2nd and 3rd Wave Feminism (circa 1960′s-the present) do not line up with Evangelical ideas.  

I find it interesting how quick people can twist a piece of Scripture around (see Ephesians 5:22-24) to fit their own purposes…and even more interesting how long and widespread the affects of that can be felt.  If people might only take the time to get the full picture of what God is trying to say (see Ephesians 5:21, 25-31).

I read a great story in Acts 16 where Paul and Silas visit the city of Philippi for the first time.  They go outside of the city gates and strike up a conversation with the business women of the city–a group of women out there selling stuff.  Just so we’re clear.  Paul and Silas didn’t go to the Temple where the men would be.  They went outside of the city gates, and meet a group of business women and talk to them about Jesus.  And it’s these group of women who begin the the church at Philippi.  The first Christian in Philippi is a woman named Lydia.  

It’s amazing how this story doesn’t even make it to the table when we discuss feminism and the church.  And so, I wonder if all of the bra-burning and man-bashing was even necessary.  Perhaps if Christians had a more holistic view of grace–if they really believed that the image of God is in all people, male and female–maybe all of this conflict could have been avoided.  Maybe as Christians, it’s time to man up and say that we’ve been part of the problem, and start to see each other as God sees us.

how’d he do?

a fear-trade market

I’ve been reading this book lately that I’m really enjoying called State of Fear by Michael Crichton.  It’s a great take on the topic of global warming (which is for another post), but it has got me thinking.

I realize times are tough.  The economy is in bad shape.  But if you turn on CNN, MSNBC, or any other news network, they would like to you believe that the world is on the brink of financial destruction.  Which makes me wonder, how much of this current economic crisis is a result of the media causing panic?  

The other day, I read a couple of interviews with people who had lived through the Great Depression, and their conclusions were that we are no where near another Great Depression…but that’s not what I heard on Fox News yesterday afternoon.

And let’s be real: how much of this bailout, or lack of a bailout is really going to affect me, Joe Average Middle Class consumer?  Probably not a whole lot.  My taxes are probably going to go up…but I’m sure that was going to happen anyway.  If we’re going to look at history, President Hoover didn’t enact the Reconstruction Finance Corp. – to provide government secured loans (sound familiar?) –until 1932, when the world was already deeply entrenched into the Great Depression.  

I’m a realist.  Do I think everything fine?  No.  But are we on the brink?  Hardly.  The media is selling fear.  And we’re buying.

thank you, john mccain, for enlightening me

Thanks John! I had no idea that Barak Obama was the mastermind behind our oil crisis!