Whoever you might be....

...Thomas Merton draws a few conclusions on the nature of an individual. So whether you are a Christian, an agnostic, a fundamentalist, a progressive, a peace-maker, a terrorist, a preacher, an activist, a Catholic, a Protestant, a Capitalist, a Communist, a CEO, a banker, a teacher, or a shoe salesman....

"There is a paradox that lies in the very heart of human existence.

The paradox is this: human nature, by itself, can do little or nothing to settle his most important problems.

If we follow nothing but our natures, our own philosophies, our own ethics, the result can only be disastrous.

For in the concrete order of things God gave people a nature that was ordered to a supernatural life.

He created humankind with a soul that was made not to bring itself to perfection, but to be perfected by Him in a way that infinitely exists beyond the reach of our own powers.

We were never destined to lead purely natural lives, and therefore we were never destined in God’s plan for a purely natural happiness."

Pack the Pantry for Tennessee Baptist Children's Home

Don't forget...this Sunday provides everyone the opportunity to make donations to the Tennessee Baptist Children's Home. On Sunday September 23rd, bring a sack filled with canned goods and packaged goods.

The Gospel According to Bono

"The Left mocks the Right. The Right knows it's right. Two ugly traits. How far should we go to try to understand each other's point of view? Maybe the distance grace covered on the cross is a clue."

Sorta sappy I know....

But isn't it true that Christianity is not about being right. That certainty is a myth. As J. Jacob Jenkins says, "Christianity is the continual understanding that we haven't all the answers. We haven't arrived. We are to always be aware of our imperfections since the moment of our salvation. Every step after that moment is paved by the same humility."

Beauty in Black Snake Moan

"Okay, sit back, get ready, here goes: Not since The Apostle has a more spiritual mainstream movie been released than Black Snake Moan. It depicts the need for forgiveness and change so realistically that it will certainly offend many church-goers; and yet, at the same time, it may cause many who have issues with Christianity to respect the real-life, honest-to-goodness struggles of those living out their faith on the screen before them."-Hollywood Jesus (http://www.hollywoodjesus.com/)

Somewhere in the midst of bad language, several graphic scenes, a controversial plot, and iron chains is a wonderful movie about redemption and dare I say.....resurrection. Yes, I did say "iron chains" as the movie depicts a black man who chains up a white woman in order to take care of her needs. The director, who is from Memphis, actually said that when the actress (Chistina Ricci) came out on to the set with the chain around her waist that everyone was silent. No one knew what to say. There they were. Filming a movie in the deep south with a pretty young woman getting ready to be chained up to a heavy furnace. They all thought, "What are we doing?" If you feel grimy right now it is OK, the director has achieved what he wanted to achieve.

But back to the story of resurrection. Lazarus, played by Samuel Jackson, takes this abused young woman (Rae) under his care and attempts to purge her "evil" ways by means of isolation and tough love. But Lazarus has his own demons. His wife has cheated on him and his own salvation is sure to be found through anger, booze, and music. But the beauty of Black Snake Moan is that a sort of resurrection is found by both Lazarus and Rae. Rae has plenty of weaknesses and Lazarus, who first appears strong as a lion, admits his own fears and weakness. Somewhere along the way they find a type of strength that is only found by admitting who they are and only then can they have a slim hope for the future.

And there you have it. The gospel. In this case we have two people (victims) who discover that the only hope they have in overcoming 'the self' and the junk that comes with it is to admit that they are no good at life. This movie was primarily about bondage and being set free. When the chains finally fell from Rae's waist, the viewer could sense of fear upon her because now she would have the unwanted freedom to return to her destructive addiction.

Don't we all have a choice of whether or not stay in bondage to ourselves or accept a type of divine ownership that results in a true kind of freedom?

For younger viewers, I'm sure that Black Snake Moan's message would not be heard through the medium of the disturbing images. But I do believe that there is a story of redemption through weakness that is evident in this movie. Interestingly enough, I thought that a redemptive moment would come by means of Rae's conversation with the preacher. However, it is to be noted that she did not accept what the preacher proclaimed. Rather, salvation for Rae was something that had to be lived and experienced. Salvation was something that would not come easy. And resurrection would come only when she realized she was trash. Resurrection for Lazarus came by means of confession, love, and a purging of the past through music.

I loved this movie. But it was the next day when I realized it. Hope by means of realizing that there is something greater than ourselves. The gaining of strength by confessing that we but weak. Like-minded human beings gathering together in a community confession that we all need each other. Sounds familiar.

"While many will not realize the significant symbolism of Black Snake Moan, others might consider the story syrupy if they didn’t know better. Instead, we are served one delicious cup of java that not only has the taste of delight but the aroma of a wonderful heavenly experience. While there will be some who don’t like coffee—some who might even be offended at the intake of caffeine—this highly-charged, captivating story will certainly delight those who want examples of living out their faith, and the power of God in his ability to change lives. Not in a overtly religious way, but in a realistic presentation that left at least this one reviewer captivated enough that he could hardly get the movie off his mind over the weekend." - Mike Furches, HJ

Or, as Mike McKinley writes, (unrelated to review of BSM)

"When Jesus was on earth, He painted a radical vision for his followers. He called it the "kingdom of God." His kingdom is a heavenly reality that lands smack in the middle of everyday life. Maybe it was the clash of opposites or the paradox that exists in parallel with many lesser kingdoms, but either way, his followers were not quick to pick up on this revolution. They longed for another world - a world without oppressors, beggers, or messes. For three years, Jesus walked among the people overcome with longing and spread the good news of his kingdom. And He said that His kingdom was already happening all around them."

Pascagoula Progress!

A house has finally emerged from the rubble of 2 years back. My folks finally have a new driveway.

No theology here...just hilarious.

"Thanks Dad for getting us this new pool...can I swim after you?!

Love as an End! Thoughts from a flaming moderate!

A while back I wrote a piece on the problems of fundamentalism. This is part II, I guess. To recap...fundamentalism is mostly a dead end which can only serve to fossilize the gospel. And you notice that I didn't use the word' ultra-conservatism' as my example. I believe that ultra-liberalism can be dangerous as it too, seeks to prove how everyone else does not have a brain. I know...this simplifies it entirely too much and delutes everyone's ligitimate emotions about the issue.

But it is worth considering that a more, middle-of-the-road (and risky) approach could be discovered in laying down our agendas. Think about it. If I have an agenda before arriving at an interpretation of something or someone, then I have partcipited in a form of fundamentalist thought. For example, if I show compassion toward someone because I only want to lead them to Christ (or reveal Christ in me) then I am insincere in my action and thought. I'm not sure Jesus honors that at all. I admit that I am guilty in this area more than I would like to imagine.

J. Jacob Jenkins writes that it took him half his life to realize the value of love. In the first half of his life he believed that the only purpose for a Christian was to turn a skeptic into a follower and to win souls for Christ. But over time he learned to love as an end, not merely as a means.

We shouldn't reach out to someone because we can bring them to church. We should reach out to them.

We shouldn't befriend someone so that we can share Christ with them. Befriend them.

We shouldn't make friends with neighbors so that we can invite them to a church event. We should get to know our neighbors.

I am certain that Christianity is something that we are suppose to breathe in each day. Being a Christ-follower should be something that comes as natural as a breath of air instead of us reasoning through a certain situation in order to find out if it fits into our own moral and ethical guidelines. Our own morality, left on its own, has a tendency to let us down. It is undependable.

But what is dependable, unwavering, and never-changing is the new covenant based on Christ. Jesus never said that we, as followers, were to be so agenda-conscious (and so certain about it) that His teachings become unclear. We are only asked to 'return the favor' and be dependable, trustworthy, and unwavering in our commitment to him as he is to us.