Freedom of Religion?

Not long ago I had a fairly lengthy discussion with a guy who felt religion was the root of all mankind’s problems. His belief in the ill effects of religion was the foundation from which his life’s decisions were made, the root of his moral code, and his personal justification for being an atheist.

A few weeks ago I read a story about how a church’s tax exempt status was threatened because the Pastor endorsed a candidate using church stationary. That very day I found an article in which the National Organization of (or maybe for) Women (N.O.W.) endorsed a candidate quite openly and officially, yet their tax exempt status was unthreatened. (I assumed I obviously did not have all the details, so I wrote to the ACLU and inquired…no response as of yet.)

I recently had a discussion, at work of all places, about the social and/or biological origins of homosexuality. Very early in the discussion it was noted that the woman representing the biological side "believed" that homosexuality was rooted in the genetic foundation. As we talked further, it became apparent that almost every point, explanation, or hypothesis she presented was hinged on that "belief."

It is not uncommon to have a person take up a position or make a decision on an issue and then indicate that the decision or position for the other side of the issue is “religious” and unconstitutional. Very often, even though I seldom use religious arguments, simply because I do not assume the mainstream view, I am asked about my religion. When I indicate my belief in God, suddenly the discussion ends as if I was not worth talking to.

It would seem that freedom of religion does not include theism.

We didn't get it

We didn’t get it.

Someone else had already put in a bid before us…but they were having trouble with financing…so, we were out of a contract, but in a holding pattern. Since we were no longer in a contract, and we had some time, we went to look at a few houses to at least fine-tune the searching. In less than 24 hours the house we had put in a bid on had slipped back into a dead heat for fourth place, and its luster was all but lost. We allegedly went house hunting with God as our guide, and we somehow managed to put a bid down on a house we are now ecstatic not to actually be buying.

When we saw that house, because we had never had even that much before, we thought in our hearts, “Surely God won’t (can’t) bless us more than this."

We just didn't get it.

How we underestimate God. Often when man tries to contemplate the glory of God, we only have the glory of man as a reference, so our understanding is extremely limited. While we apparently cannot fathom the full measure of the blessings God has in store for us, He is faithful and delivered us from our finite understanding of His power.

Heap of Faith

A couple weeks back a co-worker contacted me and told me about his realtor. He and his family had just closed on a house and were very happy with the entire experience. My co-worker was struck by how similar our families were, figured our needs in a home must also be similar, and so he called me and gave me the information because he thought it might help.

Since it came out of the blue I wasn’t sure what to do, but I took the information and shared it with my wife. Alone, insignificant, and in a strange place with four very messy little girls, that poor little post-it-note didn’t stand a chance. The information was all but forgotten.

After a couple weeks, we were moved to begin house hunting and somewhat halfheartedly renewed our search. After a weekend not quite devoted and just short of wasted on drive-by rejections of would-be abodes, I was determined to give up our amateur real estate efforts and turn it over to a professional.

My wife confessed that the little post-it was no more…but then she found it a few moments later. I called the realtor during a break at work. The realtor suggested a house; we looked at it the very same evening.

We just initiated a contract on the home.

Now, we prayed repeatedly throughout the ordeal. Specifically, we paused and took a moment to pray before putting our signatures on the dotted line. We really want a house, we really want the search to be over, we really want a backyard for our girls, but more than any of that we absolutely want to take the narrow path.

All who read this please take a moment to pray for us; His will not ours.

Survey Says!

I was watching Fox News (“watching” might be overstating the event), and they were discussing a survey in which people were asked about how they would characterize their job satisfaction if their job were a relationship. Among the choices for response were “marry” the job, “casually date” the job, and “break up” with the job. Toward the end of the segment, the reporter doing the piece informed the two anchors that according to the survey, married people were more likely to choose to “marry” their job, while single people were more likely to choose to “casually date” their job.

My first response was to try to formulate a rational explanation for such a trend. I naturally leaned toward the characteristics typically associated with the real life relationships of married and single people and compared them to the characteristics of their respective responses. My tentative conclusion was that maybe married couples were more inclined toward commitment, while singles were more inclined toward … well … shopping around. Or, maybe married couples looked at things from a planning and responsibility angle, while singles looked at it more from a personal satisfaction and personal freedom angle.

Anyway, the only thing the reporting crew had to offer about the findings were a derogatory statement about the quality of marriage sending people running for the safety of the office. Granted, the crew was joking, and I think they were all married, so I’m sure they wouldn’t set themselves up for failure intentionally, but the exchange struck me.

Has our culture so devalued and trivialized marriage that the characteristic of marriage we are most comfortable addressing in public is dissatisfaction? Or has political correctness so restricted our freedom of expression that we simply confine our jokes to those topics which the PC police have condoned for ridicule?

Honestly, there’s no need to be thin-skinned. There is no way of truly knowing why the results of the survey are what they are, and since levity played well and the safest joke was of “the old ball-&-chain” variety, there ya go. I wonder though; how many people watched the segment and were acquiescent to the idea that marriage was naturally an undesirable situation?

As for me, I locked up my office and went straight home to my wife and family.

The Religion of Race

The following statement is taken from an actual church website:

About Us

We are a congregation which is Unashamedly White and Unapologetically Christian... Our roots in the White religious experience and tradition are deep, lasting and permanent. We are an Aryan people, and remain "true to our native land," the mother continent, the cradle of civilization. God has superintended our pilgrimage through the days of slavery, the days of segregation, and the long night of racism. It is God who gives us the strength and courage to continuously address injustice as a people, and as a congregation. We constantly affirm our trust in God through cultural expression of a White worship service and ministries which address the White
Community.

The Pastor as well as the membership of our church is committed to a 10-point Vision:

1. A congregation committed to ADORATION.
2. A congregation preaching SALVATION.
3. A congregation actively seeking RECONCILIATION.
4. A congregation with a non-negotiable COMMITMENT TO EUROPE.
5. A congregation committed to BIBLICAL EDUCATION.
6. A congregation committed to CULTURAL EDUCATION.
7. A congregation committed to the HISTORICAL EDUCATION OF ARYAN PEOPLE IN DIASPORA.
8. A congregation committed to LIBERATION.
9. A congregation committed to RESTORATION.
10. A congregation working towards ECONOMIC PARITY.

What sort of church would you expect to be attending if you were to read the statement above? Does this sound like a church that is inclusive of all Gods children? Would you attend such a church? Do you think you would be allowed to attend such a church?

What if I told you that your elected representative attended such a church? Would you feel that you were genuinely represented? Would you vote for them again?

What if I told you that the US government and communities across the nation have bent over backwards to support and propagate the same philosophies all across the country, in our academic communities, in the workplace, and in our courtrooms?

Finally what if I told you that the statement above has been altered slightly from the original (read closely)?


Did you read the original? Now what do you think?

Tithing Income/Money

The following post is a lengthy response to a comment string from the previous post on tithing.

Are you implying they were to tithe money?

I am implying that they were (as we are) to tithe the best/first of all that God provided them.

The first mention of the tithe in the Bible, Abraham gives Melchizedek, king of Salem, who was the priest of God Most High, a tithe (tenth) of everything (Genesis 14:18-20). The next time we see a tithe, Jacob vowed that of all that God gave him he would give God a tenth (Genesis 28:20-22).

Money was not acceptable as a tithe. Not one account of money being used as a tithe or commanded to be used by Our Lord.

I do not recall seeing anything in scripture indicating that money was not acceptable as a tithe.

It is possible that the Widow was giving something other than the tithe when she dropped money in the offering box, so you may be right that there was not one account of money (a formal unit of currency used as a circulating medium of exchange) being used as a tithe.

We know from history, however, that food items were often used as a medium of exchange (payment), and we see plenty of instances in the Bible to support that fact/practice. So, the food items that were tithed were often used to purchase other needed goods or services, and the first fruits and first born were the most valuable portion of such food items.

If a person wants to tithe their income that is up to them.

This sentence addresses two issues (albeit inadvertently): free will and morality. I agree that all people are free to decide the course of action they will follow, but we are not free to arbitrarily decide what is right and wrong. We have to try to discern God's will on tithing our income and then submit.

Tithing money has become a salvational issue.

You introduced the idea of tithing (money) as a salvational issue, I never connected tithing and salvation, so since I think we both agree that salvation is in no way dependent on tithing, and I cannot determine where that argument came from, I will leave it for someone else.

Scriptures are being taken out of context to chain people to a lie.

The issue of context is always touchy; everyone has a different idea of what context consists of, and before you know it, it’s an argument about who is right about context rather than what does scripture tell us.

I try to ask simple questions: what is revealed of God’s character, is that consistent with what the rest of the Bible says and what we know of God’s character, and how does this affect my relationship or understanding of God?

Since my job and my income is God’s provision for my family, much the way the harvest and the flock were God’s provision for the Israelites; I tithe from my provision as they were commanded to tithe from theirs. I cannot tell from scripture that this diminishes the greatness of God or harms my relationship with Him. Of course, I’m not sure how I would tithe otherwise, and if I did not tithe or if I had a diminished or dubious tithe, scripture is clear where that can lead.

It is clear what Our Lord commanded in tithing under the law and that was food items.

Yes, in the tithing commanded according to the law God specifically addressed the tithing of the first fruits of the harvests and the first born of the flocks, both of which are edible, but He didn’t command, “Give a tenth of all food items.” Why didn't He? Nor did He command, “Do not tithe items that are not food.” Why didn't He? Nor do I recall seeing a mention of the tithe the Christ spoke of: justice, mercy, faith, love of God. Why didn't He? What about people who were not farmers or herdsmen?

As it is clear that the things God commanded the Israelites to tithe were edible, it is just as clear that they were valuable. The point of the tithe, however, is not food or money, it is faith and sacrifice. If you have faith that God provided all of it, then joyfully and obediently give (sacrifice) to Him the best you have as an expression of that faith and thanksgiving. If this can be applied to life, love, justice, compassion, mercy, and food items...why not income/money?

Can we really say we are joyfully, obediently, and faithfully tithing all God has provided us today if we are unwilling or reluctant to tithe our income?

The command to tithe money is just not there.

Once, the food items were first and they generated income and everything else, so the income was not the first fruits. Now, the income comes first, and you use it to by the food items and everything else, so we tithe the first fruits, the income.

Tithe

As we were preparing for church today our oldest daughter excitedly proclaimed, “Dad, I can give my tithe today!”

We began giving her allowance at the age of six, but we didn’t allow her to spend it until she had completely mastered counting money, and we explained quite thoroughly to her that the first thing she always needed to do was tithe a tenth to God; and she is very happy to do it.

Upon seeing her glee at having an offering for the Lord, her two younger sisters inquired what they could give. So, we doled out a few bucks and explained that it was for the tithe and they joined their sister in joyful giving.

Two things came to mind:

First, I was reminded of the “ceremonial quarters” we were given as children to drop into the collection plate as it passed by, and I always wondered, “Why?”

The answer (which is the second thing) comes right out of the Bible; “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)

Happy Birthday!

Today was my wife's birthday. She is still so young and so pretty. I think, and I'm sure our children would agree, that the world is a better place because she is here. We took the day to celebrate her life and to thank God for blessing us with her and through her.

She's not the best bowler I've ever seen, but as wives and mothers go, she's the tops.

Thank you, God.

In one year

Since the year started fresh, my wife and I started fresh in our efforts to read the Bible from cover to cover again. Instead of just reading so many pages a day, we're using a plan that has us reading a bit from four separate sections (One Year Bible, try to ignore all the advertising). I'm not sure what the purpose is behind reading it sectioned, but it does offer a different approach.

One day my wife and I were talking about the issue, and it occurred to me that I don't recall reading anything in the Bible about a Bible reading quota or schedule. God instructed us to read His word daily and meditate on it daily, but He didn't quantify it with, "so as to get through the entire Bible at least once through the year."

Now, I believe that the size of the Bible is small enough that it is more than possible to get through it, cover to cover, at least once a year with reasonably minimal effort. I also believe that to undertake such an endeavor is a wonderful and purposeful demonstration of our commitment to understanding the word of the Lord and developing a relationship with the Lord. I also believe, however, that more important than getting through the Bible in a year is getting into the Bible everyday.

That said, from my experience, if you read a reasonable portion of the Bible on a daily basis, you will get through the entire Bible in approximately a year (give or take a month or two or three depending on your reading style). The biggest trouble I think most people have is looking at the peak of the mountain and thinking, “I’ve got to climb that?”

Keep your eyes on today and take one step at a time, and that’s one step closer to God.

New York Giants, Super Bowl XLII Champions

While it's tough to see all the hard work of the New England Patriots end so bitterly, the Giants played hard for it and truly won it.

How 'bout that Giants defense!?

GO GIANTS!

Hello February

It’s February 1st; for some reason I feel like I should blog something. No, I’m not going to write about black history month anymore than I would write about white history month; I’m not much of a historian, and I abhor even the most acceptable visage of racism.

I know…

GO GIANTS!

Yes I know, it’s not religious or biblical in nature, but it is appropriate for the day (and at least it’s not political). This is Super Bowl weekend. It’s practically a national holiday.

I wouldn’t mind seeing the Pats win (19-0 would be a beautiful thing), but I’m rooting for Eli and the Giants because I like this particular underdog. Actually the only thing I wouldn’t like is a blow out. Blow outs are never fun.