Showing posts with label Social Commentary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Social Commentary. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Social Justice or Biblical Justice?
My friend, Ron Calhoun, is a retired missionary and educator. He served for 37 years, primarily in South Africa. Ron is a tremendous Bible scholar, missionary, and deep Christian. He observes the contrast between the prevailing neo-Marxist model of social justice and a Biblical view of justice.
"It is essential to note here that the Old Testament teaching on social justice is not compatible with the Marxist teaching on social justice. It is impossible to wed the two. The OT teaching begins with a God who loves all human persons, the rich and the poor. God promotes a revolution of love. He addresses those rich who are guilty of oppressing the poor, reminds them of his love for the poor, advises the rich that they are to love the poor as he does, and warns of his judgment if they do not treat the poor compassionately and with justice.
"Marxism, at its base, eliminates God from the equation. The pattern of history is determined by economic forces which mysteriously move forward in a dialectical manner. The capitalist-oppressor class and the oppressed-laborer class are caught up in stages of ongoing struggle until, finally, a classless society emerges.
"Marxism promotes a revolution of hate. It addresses the poor as a class inciting them to indiscriminate violent revolution against the rich as a class. What is supposed to emerge is a society of redistributed wealth in which each individual gives according to his-her ability and each receives according to his-her need.
"Of course, the fallible, fallen persons who implement the system are the ones who determine what each person's ability is and the need each person actually has. It is a system of external compulsion, not of freely chosen love, and thus reduces persons under the system to manipulated pawns, lacking freedom and unable to build righteous character through freely chosen, right choices producing just and compassionate action toward the poor."
From Ronald C. Calhoun (2013). Life in the Image of God: The Sermon on the Mount as a hillside holiness message. West Bow Press, p. 225-226.
Saturday, August 29, 2015
Fascism: Everything old is new again
My wife, Beth, reads aloud to me when we travel. Our current read is Eric Metaxas’ Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy. The book has set me to thinking.
Metaxas describes Germany between two world wars. The allied victors applied crushing terms to a defeated Germany at World War I’s Treaty of Versailles. These terms led to national foment, civil unrest, revolution, and factions vying for political power and dominance.
Communism was yet in its Bolshevik infancy. The pro-Russian German communists opposed the National Socialist Party, the Nazis, in a quest to control Germany’s future. The Nazi propaganda smeared the communists as Jews who were bent on destroying the German fatherland. Jewish owned businesses were fined, boycotted, and labeled for their ethnic ownership. When war erupted yet again on the European continent, the final solution was enacted, exterminating over six million European Jews in unprecedented genocide.
Listening to Beth read Bonhoeffer’s story triggered a series of observations to parallels we are experiencing in twenty-first century American life and culture.
America celebrates a class of powerful elitists who control politics and media. These powerful elitists promote cultural and moral relativism, simultaneously contradicting themselves, by making "truth" claims as to what they declare to be right and wrong.
Traditionalists who cling to historically patriotic along with traditional religious values based in the Holy Bible and the Judeo-Christian ethic, are declared to be wrong. Such values are targeted by the cultural progressive elitists as bigotry, hate-speech, intolerance, and deserving a punitive response.
The jack boots are thumping on the cobble-stone.
The punitive response is harsh, swift, and aggressive. Progressivists dominate the nation’s courts, legislative values, and government’s executive decisions. Businesses must cater to the progressive agenda. Churches must adopt the progressive agenda. Schools must bow to the progressive "truth." Government issues its edicts demanding conformity. Media declaims non-conformists as radical fundamentalists--ugly labels!
The Schutzstaffel (Nazi SS) is at the door.
Bakers and businesses are ordered to serve all comers, especially those who are advancing a progressive agenda. Any deviation against the received politically correct view is offensive.
"Hate speech (dissent) must be silenced."
"Divergent views must be suppressed!"
Progressives demand that political and religious views be homogenized into a shared, media-approved, politically-acceptable, and conformist view of reality!
The rainbow-hued swastikas of fascism are unfurled and waving their call to silence non-conformance.
Who will stand? Who will be principled non-conformists? Who will volunteer to think in an age that commands thoughtlessness? Who will have the courage to speak? Will you? Will I?
Metaxas describes Germany between two world wars. The allied victors applied crushing terms to a defeated Germany at World War I’s Treaty of Versailles. These terms led to national foment, civil unrest, revolution, and factions vying for political power and dominance.
Communism was yet in its Bolshevik infancy. The pro-Russian German communists opposed the National Socialist Party, the Nazis, in a quest to control Germany’s future. The Nazi propaganda smeared the communists as Jews who were bent on destroying the German fatherland. Jewish owned businesses were fined, boycotted, and labeled for their ethnic ownership. When war erupted yet again on the European continent, the final solution was enacted, exterminating over six million European Jews in unprecedented genocide.
Listening to Beth read Bonhoeffer’s story triggered a series of observations to parallels we are experiencing in twenty-first century American life and culture.
America celebrates a class of powerful elitists who control politics and media. These powerful elitists promote cultural and moral relativism, simultaneously contradicting themselves, by making "truth" claims as to what they declare to be right and wrong.
Traditionalists who cling to historically patriotic along with traditional religious values based in the Holy Bible and the Judeo-Christian ethic, are declared to be wrong. Such values are targeted by the cultural progressive elitists as bigotry, hate-speech, intolerance, and deserving a punitive response.
The jack boots are thumping on the cobble-stone.
The punitive response is harsh, swift, and aggressive. Progressivists dominate the nation’s courts, legislative values, and government’s executive decisions. Businesses must cater to the progressive agenda. Churches must adopt the progressive agenda. Schools must bow to the progressive "truth." Government issues its edicts demanding conformity. Media declaims non-conformists as radical fundamentalists--ugly labels!
The Schutzstaffel (Nazi SS) is at the door.
Bakers and businesses are ordered to serve all comers, especially those who are advancing a progressive agenda. Any deviation against the received politically correct view is offensive.
"Hate speech (dissent) must be silenced."
"Divergent views must be suppressed!"
Progressives demand that political and religious views be homogenized into a shared, media-approved, politically-acceptable, and conformist view of reality!
The rainbow-hued swastikas of fascism are unfurled and waving their call to silence non-conformance.
Who will stand? Who will be principled non-conformists? Who will volunteer to think in an age that commands thoughtlessness? Who will have the courage to speak? Will you? Will I?
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Miley's really not smiling
I just left a medical office where the Today Show was blaring. Miley Cyrus had a guest appearance on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Show last night. Miley’s most recent self-destructive escapades include parading herself topless in public settings. She told a story of a recent opportunity to meet the legendary musician, Paul McCartney. Miley, bare-breasted in the conversation with the former Beatle, boasted that her naked bosom was a great equalizer. She was nervous meeting the rock and roll music legend. Her exhibitionism made McCartney even more nervous. Miley boasted that she had trumped McCartney in the conversation.
The Today Show hosts were giggling with celebratory sensationalism as they discussed Miley’s most recent immodest scandal. The waffling weaklings of television celebrated Miley’s "right" to self-expression with relativistic prattle about Miley’s doing "what’s right for Miley."
Jordin Sparks, the 2007 winner of American Idol, followed the Miley story with a live interview promoting her most recent project. The conversation inevitably turned to the "Miley" storyline. Sparks, who rocketed to stardom with a squeaky clean teen idol image, echoed the hosts’ relativism with her own nonsensical version of "You’ve gotta do what’s best for you!"
I sat in the waiting room saddened by the brokenness of youth, plagued by sin, and Hell-bound for personal self-destruction.
Miley Cyrus has been exploited since childhood. Childhood stardom is a curse that one should never wish upon one's own child in our media age. Undoubtedly, her exploitation included adults using and abusing her to the point that she views herself almost exclusively as a sex object to be exhibited in one shocking portrait after another. Such a whoredom is inevitably based in this young woman’s having been victimized as a child. Our voyeurism perpetuates her victimization.
How must I respond?
I cannot respond with relativistic, nonsensical prattle that rattles nihilistic emptiness: "You’ve gotta do what’s best for you!" Miley’s exhibitionism isn’t good for Miley! It’s a scream for help from someone who doesn’t even know how to scream! It’s a cry for deliverance and hope from someone who has no hope beyond the shock value of the moment.
I cannot respond with voyeurism. Our entertainment culture howls at us to gaze at people’s private pleasure and private pain. Curiosity wins! I just looked.
Wrong.
I must respond with compassion. Surely, Miley’s behavior is wrong in every way. Such a conviction does not label me a hater! It labels me as compassionate and caring. The media celebrate her painful exploits, making money hand over fist at Miley’s exploitation. At some point, you and I must cry, "NO! STOP!"
Compassion requires concern for a fellow human being who is hurting, broken, shattered, and crying out for a little bit of attention in a desperate quest to mean something to somebody! Compassion requires human decency. Compassion demands that you and I care for broken, hurting people of all shapes and sizes, both beautiful and appalling.
Dear God, I am praying for a shattered young person right now. Her name might be Miley, or Susan, or Keesha, or Becky, or... She is crying out to be noticed. Her unhealthy cries come from a place inside of her that has been corroded by sin--others’ sins against her, and her own against herself. I cannot help but be reminded of Jesus' story of the Good Samaritan. Bring her to a place of repentance, redemption, and wholeness. Extend hope. Give her a new identity. Define her through right relationship with Yourself, Creator God. And, oh yes, help me to care enough to show compassion to my neighbor. Amen.
The Today Show hosts were giggling with celebratory sensationalism as they discussed Miley’s most recent immodest scandal. The waffling weaklings of television celebrated Miley’s "right" to self-expression with relativistic prattle about Miley’s doing "what’s right for Miley."
Jordin Sparks, the 2007 winner of American Idol, followed the Miley story with a live interview promoting her most recent project. The conversation inevitably turned to the "Miley" storyline. Sparks, who rocketed to stardom with a squeaky clean teen idol image, echoed the hosts’ relativism with her own nonsensical version of "You’ve gotta do what’s best for you!"
I sat in the waiting room saddened by the brokenness of youth, plagued by sin, and Hell-bound for personal self-destruction.
Miley Cyrus has been exploited since childhood. Childhood stardom is a curse that one should never wish upon one's own child in our media age. Undoubtedly, her exploitation included adults using and abusing her to the point that she views herself almost exclusively as a sex object to be exhibited in one shocking portrait after another. Such a whoredom is inevitably based in this young woman’s having been victimized as a child. Our voyeurism perpetuates her victimization.
How must I respond?
I cannot respond with relativistic, nonsensical prattle that rattles nihilistic emptiness: "You’ve gotta do what’s best for you!" Miley’s exhibitionism isn’t good for Miley! It’s a scream for help from someone who doesn’t even know how to scream! It’s a cry for deliverance and hope from someone who has no hope beyond the shock value of the moment.
I cannot respond with voyeurism. Our entertainment culture howls at us to gaze at people’s private pleasure and private pain. Curiosity wins! I just looked.
Wrong.
I must respond with compassion. Surely, Miley’s behavior is wrong in every way. Such a conviction does not label me a hater! It labels me as compassionate and caring. The media celebrate her painful exploits, making money hand over fist at Miley’s exploitation. At some point, you and I must cry, "NO! STOP!"
Compassion requires concern for a fellow human being who is hurting, broken, shattered, and crying out for a little bit of attention in a desperate quest to mean something to somebody! Compassion requires human decency. Compassion demands that you and I care for broken, hurting people of all shapes and sizes, both beautiful and appalling.
Dear God, I am praying for a shattered young person right now. Her name might be Miley, or Susan, or Keesha, or Becky, or... She is crying out to be noticed. Her unhealthy cries come from a place inside of her that has been corroded by sin--others’ sins against her, and her own against herself. I cannot help but be reminded of Jesus' story of the Good Samaritan. Bring her to a place of repentance, redemption, and wholeness. Extend hope. Give her a new identity. Define her through right relationship with Yourself, Creator God. And, oh yes, help me to care enough to show compassion to my neighbor. Amen.
Friday, August 21, 2015
Marriage or Mockery?
Jeremiah 16:9 "For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: 'Behold, I will cause to cease from this place, before your eyes and in your days, the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride.'"
Jeremiah 33:10-11 “Thus says the Lord: ‘Again there shall be heard in this place—of which you say, 'It is desolate, without man and without beast”—in the cities of Judah, in the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man and without inhabitant and without beast, 11 the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who will say:
'Praise the Lord of hosts,Jeremiah 33:10-11 “Thus says the Lord: ‘Again there shall be heard in this place—of which you say, 'It is desolate, without man and without beast”—in the cities of Judah, in the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man and without inhabitant and without beast, 11 the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who will say:
For the Lord is good,
For His mercy endures forever”—
and of those who will bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord. For I will cause the captives of the land to return as at the first,’ says the Lord."
Dear God,
The blessings of Your restoration of Your people to spiritual hope and opportunity are thrilling. Jeremiah saw hope to come for the Hebrew remnant even before there was a remnant. Jeremiah saw hope to come for the Hebrew remnant even in the midst of Babylon's destruction of Jerusalem and its temple. That is genuine faith!
But destruction would precede restoration.
Destruction would be characterized by many tragedies. But one tragedy Jeremiah names explicitly is that the voice of the bridegroom and the bride would be silenced. However, Jeremiah also prophesies a day of repatriation of Your holy remnant from Babylonian captivity; and he writes that Your remnant would be blessed with weddings--brides and grooms!
John, the Revelator, prophesies the destruction of Babylon yet again in John 18. Babylon is described as Your arch enemy--a bloody whore. Babylon's end includes the cessation of weddings between bride and groom.
Your Word clearly teaches that blessed nations are nations that practice weddings between a bridegroom and a bride! Holy marriage is both a cause and an effect of Your blessing! The end of Your design for marriage is clearly prophesied throughout Scripture as a curse to a nation. It is accompanied by witchcraft, assassinations of prophets, and martyrdom of the saints.
I pray for my friends and family who are ensnared by sinful substitutes for Your design, holy marriage. Your plan is for one man to marry one woman and remain in holy union for a lifetime. Divorce mocks Your design. Co-habitation mocks Your design. Same-sex marriages mock Your design.
But after all of the prophesied tragedy, You continue to extend hope--hope in the form of another wedding--a Bride and a Groom! "Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife" (Revelation 21:9). Heaven's glory begins with a wedding! A holy Bride, the Church, and Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God and Bridegroom!
Thank You, Jesus, for bringing hope out of devastation, a remnant out of captivity, holiness out of horror, and the blessing of holy marriage out of civilizations where marital joy has been cursed into silence.
In the Name of our Bridegroom, Jesus Christ,
Amen.
Thursday, January 29, 2015
Is Bin Laden Winning?
Repeatedly Osama bin Laden seems to resurrect from the dead and win another battle for Islam. When bin Laden and his terrorist ilk attacked the United States of America on 9-11, his attack upon American soil resounded throughout the media, our culture, and our world. Bin Laden’s stated goal in his attack was to bring Islam to the infidels.
In the early days after the 9-11 attack, the red, white, and blue sleeping giant stirred, put its sons and daughters into harm’s way, and pushed back. Ever paranoid of labeling an entire religion as evil, we balanced our military assault on our attackers with incorporating Islamic teaching in our schools, bringing Islamic religious centers to our communities. At our best, we Americans seem to be under the impression that if we will only understand Islam, we will no longer be a target of the bitter vitriol of its more radical elements. Our egalitarian drive toward fairness insists upon distinguishing between violent Islam and peaceful Islam. At our worst, we Americans seem to embrace a masochistic self-loathing concerning those who have professed and proclaimed their agenda of destruction!
The Sunday after 9-11, churches were packed. Christians fled to their God for comfort, refuge, and answers. But in the years that have followed, America has followed a deliberate path of capitulation to Islam. Public schools have embraced Islamic instruction, while rejecting Christian teaching. Cities and towns have created ordinances and taken action designed to increase tolerance toward Islam. Sharia law has been entertained and even referenced in legal decisions from the bench.
Is bin Laden winning?
Duke University’s plan to host Islamic call to prayers from its campus chapel bell tower was quickly abandoned in January, 2015 when major donors threatened to pull their support. However, the lunacy of leadership to pursue such a path in a United Methodist Church university seems to follow the pattern of self-destruction pursued by the post-modern promoters of the dogma of tolerance. Tolerance is cheered as the path to world peace, but it has dragged Duke University, much of the church, and our nation to the brink of the nihilistic leap off the cliff of self-destruction into the morass of meaninglessness.
But what if Islam really is the enemy? What if our attempts at inclusiveness, understanding, and opportunity toward Islam are fundamentally flawed? What if the god of Islam really is a spiritual force for darkness, ruin, and destruction–not peace? What if Islam’s goal really is the total destruction of the freedoms and liberties which have been the hallmark of the American experience? What if Islam and its god really are the enemy–the great Satan?
Is bin Laden wining?
In the early days after the 9-11 attack, the red, white, and blue sleeping giant stirred, put its sons and daughters into harm’s way, and pushed back. Ever paranoid of labeling an entire religion as evil, we balanced our military assault on our attackers with incorporating Islamic teaching in our schools, bringing Islamic religious centers to our communities. At our best, we Americans seem to be under the impression that if we will only understand Islam, we will no longer be a target of the bitter vitriol of its more radical elements. Our egalitarian drive toward fairness insists upon distinguishing between violent Islam and peaceful Islam. At our worst, we Americans seem to embrace a masochistic self-loathing concerning those who have professed and proclaimed their agenda of destruction!
The Sunday after 9-11, churches were packed. Christians fled to their God for comfort, refuge, and answers. But in the years that have followed, America has followed a deliberate path of capitulation to Islam. Public schools have embraced Islamic instruction, while rejecting Christian teaching. Cities and towns have created ordinances and taken action designed to increase tolerance toward Islam. Sharia law has been entertained and even referenced in legal decisions from the bench.
Is bin Laden winning?
Duke University’s plan to host Islamic call to prayers from its campus chapel bell tower was quickly abandoned in January, 2015 when major donors threatened to pull their support. However, the lunacy of leadership to pursue such a path in a United Methodist Church university seems to follow the pattern of self-destruction pursued by the post-modern promoters of the dogma of tolerance. Tolerance is cheered as the path to world peace, but it has dragged Duke University, much of the church, and our nation to the brink of the nihilistic leap off the cliff of self-destruction into the morass of meaninglessness.
But what if Islam really is the enemy? What if our attempts at inclusiveness, understanding, and opportunity toward Islam are fundamentally flawed? What if the god of Islam really is a spiritual force for darkness, ruin, and destruction–not peace? What if Islam’s goal really is the total destruction of the freedoms and liberties which have been the hallmark of the American experience? What if Islam and its god really are the enemy–the great Satan?
Is bin Laden wining?
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