Thursday, November 16, 2006
apologies...sort of
I realize that not everyone who knows me and loves me is going to agree with my previous post. There are those of you who like Christian music and books and many of you who believe that Dobson and Focus on the Family are great and may even support them financially or otherwise. Let us agree to disagree on these above points--it should not change our relationship and, hopefully, you will not think less of me for my viewpoints. People have different opinions on the relationship between faith and politics. I happen to believe that the kingdom of the world and God's kingdom operate within different power structures and you will either support one or the other. I don't see how Dobson can play ball in both--it just does not work as far as I am concerned. I have a lot of friends/family who are probably scandalized by what I wrote and you need to know that I love you all very much, I just might not always agree with your convictions. I hope that's cool and that you will still love me. However, I am not going to censor my views just because I know that you don't share them--I think that is being dishonest both to you and myself. So, bring on the backlash because I am prepared for it, but try to be kind to me!
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6 comments:
Why apologize? I don't think that anything you said was particularly offensive. We are supposed to 'be one in the spirit', not one in opinion.
I agree. I hope you don't feel that we wouldn't be supportive of you or the right to your opinions just because they may differ from our own. If that were the case, we wouldn't even be friends.
I personally don't think there's any one belief more valid than another, but if yours give you a sense of understanding and awareness of the precious nature of life, all the better. That basic current runs through any number of faiths and religions. Doesn't matter to me one bit whether you're a Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Atheist or whatever! I know your head's in the right place and that's what matters.
If religious leaders would use their political influence to promote cross-cultural tolerance and L.O.V.E. I would definitely support them, no matter who they are! Sadly, people like Bush seem to want to do the exact opposite, and all too often, religious labeling is used in a political sense to divide us when we should be coming together. I really do believe that people like Bush can never "win" in the end... not through the propagation of hate and aggression.
SREAD THE PEACE AND LOVE, BROTHERS AND SISTERS! We are all ONE for pity's sake!
... and please excuse all the preaching, but this stuff can never be repeated too many times. Good of you to bring it up, Matty.
hey bing!
i think more people can identify with you than you may think.
just as i sometimes feel with my own family, there are many days i don't feel like being apart of Christ's family either. we can be messed up, we can be wrong, we fight, we don't talk to each other and sometimes we smell.
and you're right, we can have an 'us vs. them' mentality that was never modelled for us by Jesus. as an author i would like to be friends with, shane claibourne, overheard a gospel preacher say,
"we've got to unite ourselves as one body. because Jesus is coming back for a bride, not a harem."
and won't it be a surprise when our Groom comes back and He is not the pro-war, anti-poor, anti-homosexual, anti-environment, pro-nuclear weapons, authority figure that we decided He should be. :)
There are so many important things in life that do NOT include having to be right, or have one's theology supreme over anothers. If God is big enough to let us all into His heart, foibles and all, then as those created in His image, we need to imitate those same characteristics: lovingkindness, the doing of justice, and walking with humility before God and each other. Keep the torch flying high brother.
PS- O that I had the same courage as you.
bing - i'd love to agree, but i think at some level, you're dead wrong on the us v. them thing; us v. them may be not entirely correct, but your position is not exactly orthodox. i think the kum-bay-yah jesus is equally as problematic, and not altogether biblical (unless you ignore some pretty pointed passages)...but all in all, good rant. although, i must add (sorry) that it's pretty predictable and almost fashionable (ie mainstream). 'i come to bring a sword!!!!' keep it up big guy....
br
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