Check this out. This is whimsical, but is not a joke.
OK, so the nuptials this past week between a wealthy British woman and a dolphin don't exactly qualify as a legal marriage. But I defy any defender of gay marriage to explain why it shouldn't be.
Who gets to define marriage? I say we let natural law and common law along with thousands of years of Judeo-Christian tradition decide. According to these sources, generally speaking, there will be agreement that marriage is defined as the union of one man and one woman. While the Old Testament does portray instances of polygamy, it seems to be mostly a non-issue by the time of Christ. Unquestionably, the teachings of Jesus and St. Paul forge the basis for the traditional view. And certainly, even Genesis (Adam and Eve) is supportive.
But according to some, marriage should be able to be defined by the whims and preferences of a particular society. In that case, how can polygamy or polyandry not be legalized? Or marriage between children? Or between close relatives, such as mother and son or sister and brother, etc.? Why not group marriage? Why not marriage with oneself? Or with an inanimate object? Or with a deity? Or between a 41-year-old British millionairess and a dolphin.
HT: Watersblogged
Saturday, December 31, 2005
A Match (Mer)maid in Heaven?
Friday, December 30, 2005
Pope and Stiegemeyer Agree
Benedict XVI stated the other day that embryos are "full and complete humans." See here.
Now here is the interesting part. He made this statement on Wednesday, December 28. However, I blogged the same kind of thing, only more eloquently, on Tuesday, December 27. I submit this as proof positive that the Pope reads The Burr in the Burgh. . . and plagiarizes from it.
Naw, just kidding. I'm glad to see his statement.
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Why European Women are Converting to Islam
First, it reminds me that all human beings innately understand that there must be moral standards by which to live. It stems from the natural law imprinted by God upon every human heart. Contemporary Western culture has largely eviscerated the notion of moral absolutes. And this will result in oceans of suffering. As a pastor, I am constantly made privy to the chaos, frustration, cruelty, and hopelessness of people's lives. Law and order are attractive. I find that many times, damaged people prefer tyranny over anarchy. They'd rather have a moral slave-driver than utter confusion. So I believe this is one of the attractions of Islam. Not only is it entirely law based, it creates such a system of laws that submission to God is seen as obtainable outward observance. This is not unlike the Pharisaical religion Jesus confronted. A legal system that defines what you eat, what you wear, how many steps you can take on the sabbath, etc. As burdensome as this is, it is better than having no direction whatsoever. It also seems easier than the conversion of the heart that Jesus demands.
So in the first place, the Christian Church must not shy away from its responsibility of instructing people in morals. This includes behavior and attitudes. There is a place for moralism. But it has to be done properly. What I see in the modern church is on the one side, a form of antinomianism, a belief that we shouldn't tell people that they are wrong or sinning because it might hurt their feelings. Instead we should talk only of God's love. Or His grace and forgiveness in Jesus Christ, if you will.
But there is also the trend to re-define moral teaching so that it better suits us. Thus churches invent new virtues: tolerance above all others. Love is redefined as affirmation. We think we are loving when we make people feel supported in whatever it is they choose to do or be. That is, in fact, not love. Love means telling a person that the house they are living in is on fire so that they know to escape, even if it means disrupting an otherwise peaceful dinner.
In a way, Islam might be scratching an itch. And if the Christian Church were doing a better job instructing and guiding people on how to live good lives, then perhaps they would be less likely to subjugate themselves to tyranny.
And finally, we must continue tirelessly to emphasize the God-Man Jesus Christ. We must hold him before the world, not merely as a moral examplar, but as the final sacrifice for our sins. For no matter how we re-invent morality to make it more attainable, our hearts - and the Holy Spirit - will continue to condemn us. And that is because we all do, in fact, fall far short of the standard of perfection set by God. And it is only when we teach morality properly, when we communicate to people that God requires us to be perfect, that we can actually make sense out of the cross. People are despairing. And some are turning to counterfeit religions, built upon submission, for solace. The Church offers authentic hope, not in a moral system, but in the forgiveness of sins.
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Abortion and Christmas
On this, the third day of Christmas, I have been thinking about the incarnation of God's unique eternal Son. His enfleshment. St. John wrote: The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.
One of the greatest turning points in history was the moment when God became a man. But really that is not the Christmas event.
Christmas is about the Nativity of Jesus. "Nativity" comes from the Latin natus or "birth." If one is a native of a place, it means he was born there. The Son of God become a native of planet earth. And Christmas is the celebration of that fact.
But I am talking about his incarnation, his enfleshment. God did not become a man in Bethlehem in the cattle stall overlooked by shepherds and angels. No, that happened approximately nine months earlier, presumably when the angel named Gabriel announced to Mary that she would conceive and give birth to a child.
It seems to me that we put so much emphasis on the birth of Jesus, but too little upon his conception. You might say that the birth implies the conception. But this is a very important point I am trying to convey. God became a zygote.
Some modern churches have altered the words of the Nicene Creed to become more politically correct, and in so doing have sold their souls for a mess of pottage. The traditional English translation states that the Son of God "became man." In order to avoid the appearance of male chauvinism, some have rendered this instead as "became fully human." That is a very unsatisfactory translation. I understand the purpose. By "man," we do not mean to imply that the incarnation does not benefit people without penises. So we say Jesus became a human being. And that is true enough. The trouble is with the phrase "fully human." Fully Human? What other options were there? Could the Son of God have entered the world as a partial human? A potential human? Maybe a cyborg or a chimera? The phrase "fully human" implies that there are degrees of being human and that is impossible for a Christian to believe. In the words of Frederica Mathewes-Green:
You see, there are ethical implications for what we believe as Christians. It is not possible to take seriously the incarnation of the Son of God while tolerating abortion. Read that sentence again. Read it twice because anyone who denies the true humanity of Jesus is in serious danger.
I believe that God loves each and every created person. I believe that we begin when our bodies begin; that each person lives the curve of a continuum, that the eighty-year-old grandmother sitting in a front porch rocker, holding her grandbaby in her lap, is the same person she was when she was sixty, when she was forty, when she was twenty, when she was eight, when she was three. She's the same person over all that span, the same Mildred, whether that whole person is contained in a body the size of an adult, or adolescent, or child or baby. She was the same person when she was one year old, and on the day she was born, two months before she was born, five months before she was born, and in the very moment she was conceived, when her parents' sperm and egg fused. That single cell was a complete human body; in that cell was contained all the genetic information she'd need for a lifetime. That cell was human, it was alive, and it was unique; its DNA was different from her mother's and her father's, a brand new human never before seen on earth. All that was there in that single cell, and its life is a continuum from that moment until the moment of her natural death.
I believe that where there is a living body, there is a soul. There is no such thing as a living body without a soul; I've never encountered such a concept outside zombie movies. You can't, therefore, say that this living, unique human body suddenly becomes a person at six months gestation, or at birth, or some other time. Where there is a living human body, there is human life.
St. John wrote that anyone who denies the incarnation of the Son of God is the antichrist. "Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist (2John:7)."
A person who accepts abortion must reason that the object being removed from the woman is non-human or somehow less than human, otherwise it is clearly murder. A Christian, however, believes that God became flesh at the point of conception and this confirms for us the tenet that a zygote is a human being.
I don't see how anyone can, in good conscience, celebrate Christmas without opposing abortion.
See also Dr. Nigel Cameron's article Bethlehem's Bioethics. Sphere: Related Content
Monday, December 26, 2005
My Wife's Thoughts on Anne Rice's Book
Some you read what I wrote after finishing Anne Rice's newest novel called Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt. Here is what my dear wife thought. I concur 100%
Stephen Got Stoned
Everybody Must Get Stoned. That's the chorus of a good ol' Bob Dylan song. You probably heard that song and thought it was about marijuana. Not quite.
Well, they'll stone ya when you're trying to be so good,On December 26th, we commemorate the martyrdom of St. Stephen, deacon. Stephen spoke the truth and was killed by stoning, which next to crucifixion, has to be one of the more unpleasant ways to die. The first persecutors of the Church were not the Romans, but the Jews. Stephen was killed by Jews with Saul of Tarsus (later to become St. Paul) overseeing the whole thing.
They'll stone ya just a-like they said they would.
They'll stone ya when you're tryin' to go home.
Then they'll stone ya when you're there all alone.
But I would not feel so all alone,
Everybody must get stoned.
If you need something to keep your Christmas observances from becoming too flighty, recall the witness and death of St. Stephen. A reminder that with the Messiah comes much suffering and bloodshed. And as Bob Dylan and Jesus both tell us, "Everybody must get stoned." Of course, that's not an exact quote on the part of Jesus. He actually said, "Anyone who wants to be my disciple must take up his cross and follow me." Same diff.
Being a Christian is not about whether we can convince Macy's employees to say "Merry Christmas." It's about self-denial. It's about killing your old sinful nature by daily repentance. It's about rising to new life with Christ. Martyrdom is an ESSENTIAL part of life for every Christian.
Sunday, December 25, 2005
Are Most Clergy Introverts??
This does raise some interesting questions. To what extent is the personality of a pastor important to the success of his ministry? Boy, that could open quite a can of wormies.
Not just every person who wants to be a pastor should be one. And certainly, most definitely, not every person who says, "I feel that I am called to be a pastor," should become one. There are biblical qualifications to become a pastor. And this has absolutely nothing to do with what you or I feel about anything. In the Bible, God called plenty of men who wanted it like a hole in the head.
And as I read the epistles of St. Paul to Saints Timothy and Titus, I don't recall seeing extroversion listed as one of those qualifications. Not explicitly, that is. But it is necessary that he be a man respected in the community, with a stable family life and obedient children, and it says he must be apt to teach. St. Paul also says that a pastor must be hospitable and he commands Timothy to do the work of an evangelist. None of that is exactly the same thing as extroversion, but it certainly means that an extreme introvert, no matter how brilliant, pious or well-meaning might not fit the biblical qualifications. Unless, that is, he is able to overcome his natural tendencies toward introversion enough to fulfill his duties.
I don't know what the experts would consider me. An extrovert or an introvert. Can a person be both? Generally, I think I'm an introvert. The perfect vacation for me is a quiet hotel with a pool or a beach, no phones, a stack of books, near an excellent brew pub and espresso bar. With my family. I enjoy solitude. In social settings, I tend to sit off to the side EXCEPT when I am the host or when I am with people I am very comfortable with. Then I can be quite extroverted.
But so what? How much of this is important to me being a pastor? While I think doing psychological and personality analyses of seminarians does have some merit, I am repulsed by how much attention is paid to such things. Some of the best pastors I know today, had lousy results when they took the tests. And some of the real go-getter types turned out to be jerks or perverts.
Generally, I believe way too much attention is paid in the church's ministry to the behavioral sciences and too little to pastoral theology.
HT: Mere Comments
Friday, December 23, 2005
Atheist Defends Christmas
In any case, here is a clear-thinking atheist Englishman who recognizes the cultural debt owed by Western civilization to Christianity. He writes: "I rejoice wholeheartedly as an atheist that I live in a Christian culture...."
Prayers for Professor Marquart
I was a student of his during my years at Concordia Theological Seminary (1991-1995) in Fort Wayne, IN. His area of expertise is systematic theology or dogmatics. While I loved many of my professors and admired a number of them. Dr. Marquart is certainly one of my most loved and admired.
Professor Marquart is particularly gifted at being clear. And in the field of theology, you may not realize how important that is. He is able to take complicated subjects and explain them and their ramifications with clarity without oversimplification. He is also particularly skilled at being simultaneously witty and winsome as well as bold.
A number of Lutheran bloggers are commenting on Dr. Marquart, not to eulogize him as if his life were over, but to speak well of a man who has accomplised much, is accomplishing much, will continue to accomplish much and, I suspect, will always accomplish much for the Church.
His pastor, Rev. David Petersen, has these touching comments.
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Hollywood - Like mainline Protestant Churches - Is Obsessed with Gay-ness
The two leading armies in this crusade are most mainline protestant churches and Hollywood. Take the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, for instance (I am part of the smaller, more conservative Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod). They are unendingly forming commissions and task forces to study, re-study, examine and re-examine human sexuality. One faithful ELCA pastor I know says that the point is to keep "studying" the issue until they get the votes they want.
Now here's an article pointing out that virtually all of this year's likely Oscar contenders are gay movies.
Junk Movies and Lost Profits
'Brokeback Mountain' leads Golden Globe nominations
Plummeting 2005 box office sparks Hollywood crisis
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Willow Creek: Closing Church to Support Missions
I know I've blogged already about the mega-churches around the country who are cancelling church for Christmas this year, even though it falls on a Sunday morning. But this article was just too rich to pass by.
First is this gem:
At first glance it does sound contrarian," said Rev. Gene Appel, senior pastor of Willow Creek. "We don't see it as not having church on Christmas. We see it as decentralizing the church on Christmas--hundreds of thousands of experiences going on around Christmas trees.So they don't see it as not having church on Christmas, even though they're not having church on Christmas. What kind of remark is that? [George Orwell, Where are you?!] "I'm sorry officer, I didn't see it as going over the speed limit. I saw it as decentralizing the speed limit." Right.
And then there is this from the same article:
The resources that would have funded the church's Sunday service this year will go toward the DVD instead, potentially touching thousands more people than the same message from the stage on Sunday morning, Parkinson said.This one takes the cake. . . and the pie, the strudel and the baklava. They are producing an evangelistic DVD with the money they'll save from cancelling their worship service. I wonder if they've noticed that there are 53 Sundays in 2006. Think of all the money they could spend on missions if they cancelled every service. I'm for that. Sphere: Related Content
Get Ready to Debunk Da Vinci
This is a handy little guide to help you sort out the Da Vinci Code garbage once the upcoming movie hits. It'll be a cultural tsunami and Christians need to know how to respond intelligently. There are many helpful resources, but I like this one because it's short. I've bought copies to give away.
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Prince Caspian Greenlighted?
With the huge box office success Lion, Witch, Wardrobe, the players in L.A. are anxious to get the next movie made, I'm sure. According to this report, they may already be in gear.
Monday, December 19, 2005
Aslan, Not Safe But Good
More thoughts on the Narnia movie. One of the key scenes is when the children are with Mr. and Mrs. Beaver and are first told about Aslan (the Christ figure). The movie shortened the dialogue, so I want to offer you this bit here from the novel itself: "Is - is he a man?" asked Lucy.
This passage is crucial for understanding the character of Aslan and, I would suggest, for understanding Jesus Christ. Elsewhere through the series, the slogan is "Alsan is not a tame lion." Well, folks Jesus is not a tame God. He is not safe, but He is good.
"Aslan a man!" said Mr. Beaver sternly. "Certainly not. I tell you he is the King of the wood and the son of the great Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea. Don't you know who is the King of Beasts? Aslan is a lion - the Lion, the great Lion."
"Ooh!" said Susan, "I'd thought he was a man. Is he - quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion."
"That you will, dearie, and no mistake," said Mrs. Beaver, "if there's anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they're either braver than most or else just silly."
"Then he isn't safe?" said Lucy.
"Safe?" said Mr. Beaver. "Don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you."
One of the deepest troubles of many of our churches is that we have adopted a tame Jesus, a domesticated deity who obeys our commands, and wags his tale when he sees us and generally wants to please. If that is your basic understanding of Christ, you may be worshipping an idol. Beware.
The person who says, "I don't need the church to be saved," essentially has no fear of God. He does not understand his need for Word and sacrament. The person who believes that the essence of Bible study is to give us practical rules for living, has a defective sense of who Jesus is and what He is all about.
Many of us don't want a Savior, we want a therapist. We don't want an Incarnate God, we want feel-good spirituality. We don't want a cross, we want self-realization. We don't want Jesus, we want ourselves.
Lutheran Blog Carnival 13
Go to Aardvark Alley for some awesome links. The earth pig has done a fine job sorting through the finest of the Lutheran blogosphere. The Burr has two links listed.
And I also want to thank Bunnie Diehl. She mentioned the Burr in one of her recent posts and I must have gotten over a hundred hits through her so far. It was what I like to call a Bunnie-lanche (instead of an avalanche).
Sunday, December 18, 2005
The Big Announcement
Although the festival of the Annunciation is March 25, the 3-year lectionary my congregation uses has the reading from Luke 1 today where Gabriel brings the Word to Mary.
Friday, December 16, 2005
Why You Should Go to Church (and not just on holidays)
I'm sure that every pastor is concerned about improving the church attendance of his congregation. Every pastor has sheep that he seldom ever sees, except maybe on holidays or when a wedding or funeral is called for. Some call them the inactives or the delinquents or the under-churched. And when contact is made, there are numerous explanations given, excuses offered, and promises made. I'm not casting stones at those who because of illness or age or uncontrollable circumstances are simply not able to attend church as often as they would like. And I'm not trying to pummel faithful Christians who miss occasionally due to this or that unusual circumstance. This post is only about folks for whom going to church is simply not very important.
It should be noted that these words really only apply to people who call themselves Christians and consider themselves to be Christians. It is obvious why an unbeliever would not come to church.
Many pastors are shy to address this matter because of fear that they'll only offend people or make them feel awkward and thus even less likely to show up on Sunday morning. But I want to try to offer a brief explanation for why people should go to church and answer some of the objections or excuses every pastor hears.
Someone may say, "I can be a Christian without going to church." Well, actually, yes and no. First off, the physical act of dragging oneself out of bed and into a church is not what saves a person. Jesus Christ saves us by his incarnation, life, suffering, death, resurrection and ascension. Going to church and Sunday school must never be viewed as "paying one's dues" in order to stay on God's good side.
Certainly, there are many who do gather with a congregation every week but do so without a living faith. These are the hypocrites who outwardly do right, but have no life within them. But you and I can't see their insides. God will judge them.
God's Word does command us to gather and certain promises are given for when we do. Jesus said that when two or three gather in his name, he is present with them. And Hebrews 10 tells us not to neglect assembling together. There is no question that it is the will of God for his children to come together in his name around His Word and Sacrament. To say that you don't really have to go to church is like telling God that you don't really have to do something which He clearly wants you to do. A person who says this is committing the sin of rebellion. So if a person continuously and insistently avoids assembling with the church around the gospel, that person is putting himself in terrific danger.
Others will say that they are too tired or too busy or have too many scheduling conflicts to make church attendance a priority. And somehow, with gentleness, humility and patience, we need to explain that this thinking is incoherent to the Christian mind. Are you too tired or too busy to breathe? Do you have too much to do to drink water and eat food on a regular basis? If you are too tired to breathe, then you are too tired to live and will die. If you are too busy to eat and drink, then you will starve, dehydrate and die.
You must go to church, not because of the mere fact that God commands it, but because you need to hear the Word of God preached and applied to you. And you need this often. More than just at Christmas and Easter. You need it like you need air; you need it more than you need air. Because without air, you'll only stop breathing but without the Word of God you'll go to hell.
The gospel of Christ crucified for sinners is your bread of life. It is your living water. It is the breath which animates you. If a man has no hunger to hear about God's mercy, if he feels no longing to be in the gracious presence of His Creator, if he cares nothing for the means of grace, then.... well, then something is seriously deeply wrong.
My Wife's Comments on the Narnia Movie
I encourage you to check out Julie's impressions of LWW over at her blog Jottings and Such.
And just for fun, I am tagging her to respond to the two memes that've been floating out there:
1) List Ten Guilty Pleasures
2) Five Random Facts about you
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Go See the Narnia Movie
I took the family out to dinner and a movie this evening. After a meal of sushi and hot sake, we finally saw The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I loved it and I know you will too. And it gave me the opportunity to talk about the gospel with my 10-year-old son for the twenty minute drive home.
Many have written fuller reviews than I will, but here are a couple of my thoughts.
- First, I thought the casting was mostly excellent though occasionally mediocre. As many reveiwers have noted, young Georgie Henley was delightful as Lucy. Like Gene Veith, I hope the dear gets nominated for an Oscar. But I'd also give a best supporting actress nod to Tilda Swinton. I thought she was perfect. The book describes the White Witch as simultaneously very beautiful, capable of being charming, and mean as a snake. I thought I wouldn't like Liam Neeson's voice for Aslan, but I did. The other three child actors were only OK, the fellow playing Peter being the most disappointing of all. He didn't quite merit the title of "Peter the Magnificent." The actor who played Mr. Tumnus, the faun, was very good. The scenes with him and Lucy were among the very best.
- Like all of Lewis's fans, my great concern was that Disney would ruin another classic tale. I can't think of a single fairy tale they've told properly, so I would've expected them to obliterate everything good about this one too. But they did not. The Christian imagery was retained and comes through quite well.
- The film's Aslan was good - even great - but not perfect. Of course, how could it be? Having read all seven of the Chronicles of Narnia several times (and as a life-long disciple of Jesus Christ), I have a broadly developed, deeply reflected upon, relationship with Aslan. I knew this introduction to a character I already know and love so well would be lacking, and it was. But it does so much well that I still give the movie Aslan a thumbs up.
- The overall experience of the film, for me was an A-. I liked The Lord of the Rings better, even though the Christian imagery is clearer in Narnia. And that is due, I think, to the superior craftsmanship of Peter Jackson (and cast) to Andrew Adamson. Adamson is previously best known for directing the two Shrek films, the first of which was wonderfully good and the second of which was abyssimally bad.
Film Geeks 2.0
Cyberbrethren
The American Scene
Open Book Sphere: Related Content
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Some Mega-Churches Announce Will Be Closed on Easter - Falls on a Sunday
Pastor Rip M. Auff of Abundant Life Family Center (a church) in Harbinger, Texas announced this week that in 2006, they will cancel their church services on Easter so that their employees and members can spend time with their families.
"I don't see what the big upset is about. This is just a desire for us to emphasize family time on Easter," Auff replied. To the hard-nosed stick-in-the-muds, this reflects an idea common in certain religious circles, the idea that one can strengthen one's family relationships by skipping church. The church, in other words, is an impediment to reeeaaallll spiritual growth.
Auff continued, "As our chums over at Willow Creek have said, 'we don't think of it as not having church. We think of it as de-centralizing church.'" Another highly reputable news source has observed that this is like having church by not having church.
Minister of Music for the church, C. Meinthemiddle, D.Mus., added "It's more than being family-friendly. It's being lifestyle-friendly for people who are just very, very busy."
In fact, the church governing board is planning to meet in the new year to discuss cancelling church every Sunday for the above stated reasons.
Rev. Auff explained, "Up to now, we average 7,000 attendees each weekend. Do you have any idea how much work goes into preparing for all that? And the number of volunteers? By Mondays, I'm really tired."
Another church leader who asked to remain anonymous stated that she has noticed that some weekends their numbers drop down below 6500. "That can be really frustrating, you know," she said. "All that work, you want a lot of people there to enjoy it."
While some church members have complained, "they're just hung up on human tradition," the pastor argued. "We're not about tradition. We're about Jesus. And you don't need to come to church to worship Jesus do you?!"
The leaders of Abundant Life Family Center said that they gave their church its name for a reason. It's all about family was the repeated refrain.
Related Burr post.
[P.S. I'm only kidding a little. See this right here. And if you don't go over to What You Do, Do Quickly for this trenchant post, I won't give you any pudding.]
Having an Abortion Makes Women Feel Bad
Why is this news? Apparently, a new study in Norway concludes that having an abortion causes women to experience long-term stress and anxiety - more so than women who've have natural miscarriages. Isn't that obvious to everyone? It seems to me that that's like reading a headline that says "snow is cold." I guess you'd have to be pretty ignorant about snow in order for that to be new information to you.
Of course, women who have abortions experience long term stress and anxiety. The study also says that they have to work hard for many years not to dwell on what they've done. Again, this can be explained very simply: a conscience.
Every single person in the world knows that abortion is wrong. They know it regardless of what they say or think. And that's because of a little thing known as natural law, the law of God imprinted on every human heart. It's one of those things that you can't not know. Killing your pre-born children is wrong. Even the simplest beasts of creation know that. And so does every woman who's ever borne a child in her womb.
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Santa Cutting Off Heads of Children
A rich couple in Manhattan hung this grotesque display in front of their home in order to, reportedly, protest the commercialization of the Christmas season.
Ah yes, nothing reminds folks of the true meaning of Christmas like images of Santa Claus decapitating children. Oh the magic of the holiday.
I, too, despise the mockery our culture has made of the Christian festival. But this stunt is only intended to shock and disgust. It accomplishes nothing good.
And even if their message against materialism were clear - which it's not - I have a hard time taking that seriously from someone who lives in a $3 million brownstone. It seems that commercialism has been good to them sometime along the way.
It reminds me of a Reuters report I read earlier about Pope Benedict XVI denouncing the materialistic mentality people have at Christmas. Huh?! Aren't those gold cuff links I see in your photo, Holy Father? The pope lives like a renaissance king and he's telling me and you how not to be materialistic. Those who live luxuriously simply have no credibility in this area. None. It's like a pornstar preaching about chastity. If you want to teach the world how to be un-materialistic, do what Jesus said and sell all you own and give it to the poor.
HT: GOP and the City
Monday, December 12, 2005
Five Fun Facts on ME
Well, I've been tagged twice with this one. First by The Cubicle Reverend (whom I believe started it) and now by the shy and cuddly Pastor David Petersen (if only he'd come out of his shell).
List Five Facts About Self
O.K. Petersen tagged me and I noticed that four of his five were things he dislikes. I'm going to do four things I like and one thing I dislike.
- One of my life goals is to visit Egypt. I have always been fascinated by the history, culture, etc. And I'm intrigued by the Coptic Church and their current leader, Pope Shenouda.
- Favorite beer is, without question, Guiness Stout. But I can't stand it from a bottle. Has to come from the draft. I also like Yuengling Ale, Corona, and Goose Island Honker's Ale. So if you were wondering what to get me for Christmas. . . .
- My favorite local band is Good Brother Earl. I go see them live every chance I get. They are releasing a new CD early 2006.
- Pop CD I literally cannot stop listening to right now is Extraordinary Machine
by Fiona Apple.
- I generally don't like cooked vegetables. If I can't eat it raw, maybe with a little dressing or seasoning, I'll likely pass. Exception: Corn on the cob. Is corn a vegetable or a grain? I've never understood that.
Narnia Reviews
I have always loved C.S. Lewis (pictured left) and I'm delighted his The Chronicles of Narnia
But anyway, the people I know who've seen it have liked it very much.
Here are a couple of other opinions.
Roger Ebert, Chicago film critic, appears to have liked it quite a bit.
And Rev. Paul McCain appears to have loved it.
I'm jealous. I want to see it right now. (sigh)
Saturday, December 10, 2005
Israelis Find a Way to Offend God Without Breaking the Law
First, let me say that I have a great deal of respect for Jewish believers, particularly those of the orthodox varieties. And I was recently delighted to hear of an organization called Jews Against Anti-Christian definition.
However, as a Christian, I obviously believe our differences remain quite substantial. And over the millennia, even as many things have changed, many more have stayed the same.
On one occasion, Jesus said to a group of Jewish Pharisees:
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!"There seems to have always been a strain within Judaism that is so concerned about obeying the letter of the law, that the spirit of the thing is overlooked.
Now I read this story in the Telegraph. Apparently, the parliament of Israel has decreed that euthanasia is permissible only if performed by a machine. In other words, they still assert that it is wrong for a man to euthanize another man. But a man can invent a machine to do it for him and thus remain within the law.
Now listen, if I invent a machine that will automatically, on a timer, rape and kill my neighbor, am I accountable for that or not? I did not rape or kill anyone. The machine did it. Uh huh. The Sanhedrin is still alive and well. Sphere: Related Content
Friday, December 09, 2005
Just About the Perfect Drink
O.K., I really like to drink coffee. And I like it strong. I drink it everyday. The employees at the local Caribou Coffee know me well. Another beverage that I really enjoy is Coca-Cola. I could have put that on my guilty pleasures list below. Not just any cola, I must say. Specifically Coke. You remember the Pepsi challenge in the 80s. Pepsi people staked out at malls and invited people to try Coke and Pepsi side by side. Supposedly, most people chose Pepsi. I chose Coke every time.
And now there comes THIS!!!!!!!
The only way this could be more perfect is if it included a couple of jiggers of Guiness Stout. Ah, nectar from Olympus!
10 Stiegemeyer Guilty Pleasures
I got tagged a while back and, though I meant to, I never got around to answering. The reason I think I put it off is because I was having a hard time coming up with ten interesting things to say. I don't think I succeeded below, so don't expect much insight or hilarity.
Cubicle Reverend asks us to post ten guilty pleasures. By "guilty," I don't think he means "sinful," so don't expect any titillating confessions. These are in no particular order, by the way. And feel free to comment.
- I'm a cookie monster. Luv 'em. Gotta have 'um. Oreos are best. Next, Chips Ahoy. And thirdly, Nutter Butters.
- Scary movies. I'm not a major horror movie aficionado, but I do enjoy well-crafted movies and books that make you sit on the edge of your seat.
- Pulp fiction. I read more new books than old. I know, I know. How, you are wondering, can I live so far out on the edge. It's scary, man. But I firmly agree with C.S. Lewis that for every new book one reads, one should read an old one. I just don't always practice what I preach.
- XM satellite Radio. I love the variety, the options, and the complete 100% absence of ads. I have discovered so many wonderfully talented artists that I would never have found otherwise. Commercial radio is so inhuman, so cookie-cutter, so, so, so ... Commercial.
- Computer Games. At the end of a day of visiting the sick, attending meetings, researching, writing, answering the phone, etc., nothing is so relaxing as blowing up entire civilizations.
- People Magazine. Not great literature, I'll grant you. But notice the long line of very heady journals I read every week and then give me a break. I don't care about the Hollywood gossip (pathetic really), but I like keeping up on the latest happenings in TV, movies, music, books, etc.
- Dark & bitter coffee.
- Dark & bitter beer.
- Dark & bitter chocolate. (I guess I'm just a dark and bitter person).
- Cats. Some people are dog people. Others are cat people. I love both. But my kitties are special.
Church Growth Tactics Taken to Logical End
Church Growth / Schmurch Schmowth. What Christian pastor does not want his church to grow? I'm mission-minded. I'm "on fire" to get the Word out. What I object to is the lack of discernment so apparent today in the church. I'm opposed to watering down the message to increase church attendance. I'm opposed to jettisoning 20+ centuries of wisdom, piety and practice just to appear more "relevant." I'm opposed to latching onto the latest liturgical gimmicks or blindly embracing the newest methods / programs / techniques promising to put rumps in my pews.
One of the saltier local Lutheran pastors jokes that if drawing large numbers is our only aim, then let's have "topless usher-ettes." His concept, not mine. Well, this is no coarse joke. This German church is taking what I consider to be the obvious measures when "Church Growth" merely means getting lots of people to come to your church. I don't know if their tactic is working. But then again, I don't think whether something "works" is the way to evaluate the Church.
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Idolatrous Churches Closed on Christmas
You know your church is messed up when even CNN (sometimes affectionately known as Christ-hater News Network) knows you are doing something wrong.
The network is reporting about a number of well-known so-called mega-churches that are cancelling services on Christmas Day, even though it falls on a Sunday this year. First, keep in mind that most of these churches never have services on Christmas morning, only Christmas Eve. But it is highly irregular for a Christian Church to cancel a Sunday service. And, oh boy, just you wait until I tell you the reason these churches are cancelling their services on December 25th.
First, why do Christians worship on Sundays to begin with? Because that is the day of the week on which our Lord rose from the dead. So the first Christians, beginning with the apostles themselves, began worshipping on the first day of the week, which they also began to call the "Lord's Day." They did this so that each week begins with a little Easter.
And why do Christians traditionally worship on Christmas Day? Because that is the day when the ancient church chose to commemorate the birth of our Savior. It is a holy day for Christians the world over and there is no better way to observe it than by coming to God's House to receive His gifts through Word and Sacrament.
Do you want to know why these Mc-Churches are cancelling their Sunday services on X-mas? Because they say . . . are you ready for this . . . "Christmas is a family day." Now isn't that preposterous??!! That is the most pious sounding impiety I've heard in a while.
So do they mean that the way you strengthen your family is by NOT going to church? And all this time I have been operating under the delusion that Christmas was about paying homage to the one eternal Son of God who became man, the son of Mary, to bear away my sins and iniquities. Where in the world did I get that insane idea? I must have missed something. So now I get it. Christmas is about family. I guess those congregations don't have any single people in them. Or any childless widows. Or anyone who might be painfully estranged from their families. I suppose Christmas is not for people like that.
Anyone that says that "Jesus is the Reason for the Season," but then intentionally makes the choice to stay at home with his family instead of going to hear the gospel and receive the Body and Blood of Christ is a loud clanging gong and a hypocrite.
I'd say I'm speechless except for the fact that I can't seem to stop ranting about it. Maybe I should calm down now. Read it for yourself here.
And further thoughts from other bloggers:
Bunnie Diehl
Get Religion
Ales Rarus
See this related Burr post.
And thanks to The Southern Conservative for a great post and the picture I snatched, hoping he doesn't mind.
Post-Script: Listen, I am not pouring out a blanket condemnation on all Christians who make a decision to go to church on Christmas Eve and maybe not on Christmas Day. But I am condemning pastors and churches that see no need to offer the Divine Service on this high festival day, especially when it falls on the anniversay of our Lord's Resurrection from the dead. The irony is skull-crushing. Christians who complain about how secular the holiday has become should take note that is people like this who are most to blame.
And In This Corner . . . Santa Claaaauuuusss!!!
Everyone who knows me will tell you that my favorite fourth century Turkish saint to commemorate on December 6th is none other than Nicholas, Bishop of Myra. We always exchange gifts on this day in our household in remembrance of the good bishop's fabled kindness and generosity.
I've long known that St. Nicholas attended the First Council of Nicea (A.D. 325) , from which came the Nicene Creed. That's been one of the coolest things about him in my view.
But I'd never heard this juicy tidbit until today. According to Pr. Petersen, Nicholas got so frustrated with the heretic Arius that he went up to him and slapped him.
Of course, clergy are not allowed to hit people. And Nicholas had to say he was sorry (even though that cad Arius had it coming). And though I do not approve of violence in the church or at church councils, I do surely wish I'd have been there to see it.
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
I Saw Mommy Killing Santa Claus
Do you believe in Santa Claus? I don't and as far as I can recall, I never have. Now the troubling thing is that some of you will think I had a deprived childhood for not experiencing the "magic" of Santa. Well, it gets even worse. We never taught our son anything about Santa Claus, other than that he is make-believe (gasp!). But don't worry, I won't spoil it by wearing my "Santa is Dead" t-shirt to church on Christmas Eve.
I never used to have a problem with Santa. I always thought of him as a fun and harmless goofy thing to do at Christmastime with the kids. But more and more these days I am beginning to really hate the big guy in the red suit. Now I hesitate to say anything because I know that I will offend some very pious and excellent Christian parents who do enjoy the whole Santa thing. I'm not throwing stones at you or saying you're a bad parent or anything like that. But I am suggesting you reconsider the whole Santa business.
You see, I think that 50 years ago - or even 20 years ago - Santa Claus was indeed fun and harmless. But today, I'm not so sure. Fun, yes. But harmless?
Well, let's put it to a test. Go grab ten random 5-year-olds and ask them if they know who this man is. Ask them to tell you who he is AND why he comes. Write down their answers.
Next, have the same ten random 5-year-olds tell you who this is. Who is the person in the center of this picture? Ask them that AND ask them why he came. I am convinced that unless you grabbed all ten of these kids straight out of a truly superlative Sunday school program (such as ours), fewer than half would be able to answer the first question correctly and not one will be able to answer the second question. Oh, if you repeated this test a dozen times, you might find a nano-percentage of children who actually know what you're talking about, but most simply will not.
Then again, maybe you'll prove me wrong. I could be full of beans. But I suspect that today's children know a whole lot more about Santa Claus than they do about Jesus Christ.
And if I'm right, then Santa Claus is not harmless fun. He has supplanted Jesus as the reason for the Christmas celebration in the minds of most children, even Christian children. And if that is the case, then Santa Claus is a false god, an idol, the anti-christ, and anything but harmless.
Last night, I was in a video store looking for something to pass the evening and the store was playing the recent film Polar Express. Admittedly, I only saw/heard about 20 minutes of it, but what I witnessed disturbed me. And I mean "disturbed" in the sense of watching baby harp seals being clubbed to death. All this stuff about Christmas is about believing - believing in what? Santa. Santa this. Santa that. And at the end, the movie makes him into a Titan demi-god who grants wishes and makes children's dreams come true. Some folks have a word for that. It's called a religion. And this business that Christmas is about nostalgia, friendship, being nice - that's a false American 20th century religion invented by Macy's, Coca-Cola and Frank Capra.
Do yourselves a favor and commemorate the birth of Christ and that alone this Christmas.
Monday, December 05, 2005
Recommended Advent Devotional Reading
Every Advent for that last several years, I have read a book by St. Athanasius called On the Incarnation
St. Athanasius, as you know, confronted the Arian heresy at the Council of Nicea in A.D. 325. One of my favorite factoids about the Council of Nicea is that the real St. Nicholas was there as the Bishop of Myra.
The version of On the Incarnation
The edition I am linking you to is from St. Vladimir's press and I have no doubt it is quite good as well.
Sunday, December 04, 2005
Saturday, December 03, 2005
It's Festivus for the Rest-of-Us
The world is trying to change Christmas into something else, something it’s not. The world says that Christmas is a time for decorations and large meals, a time for family and children, a time for presents and the Charlie Brown Christmas special on TV. And while all those things are nice, the only one that has anything to do with Christmas is the Charlie Brown show. The world has done such a good job of hijacking Christmas that most Christians haven’t even noticed. Opening presents has become more important than coming to church. Let Christmas be about Christ or forget about it altogether.
The managers at Wal-Mart now tell their employees not to wish anyone a “Merry Christmas” in case it might offend someone. What offends me is when non-Christians celebrate Christmas, to tell the truth. I don’t celebrate Yom Kippur. Do you know why? Because I am not a Jew. I don’t celebrate Ramadan because I am not a Muslim. I don’t celebrate the Summer Solstice because I am not a witch. Why should anyone celebrate the birth of Jesus who does not recognize Him as the Son of God - which He Himself claimed to be - who came to redeem sinners?
Clearly, we live in a world that in some ways is hostile to Christianity. We have it pretty easy in America. No one is going to put you into jail or shoot you in the back of the head because you brought your children to Sunday School. But what is happening here in America is almost worse than in China or the Sudan. Here Christianity is permitted, but it is being slowly drained of all its meaning.
If the world wants to have their holiday with the decorations and gifts and office parties, then let it do so, but I wish they’d call it something else. A number of years ago, there was a famous episode of Seinfeld, a popular television sitcom in the 1990s. And the joke in this one particular episode was that the characters wanted to invent their own December holiday and they called it Festivus. Now that actually makes sense to me. A Christmas without Jesus Christ is not Christmas. Call it something else because it is something else.
We in the church can still have our presents and decorations but we will gather to worship the Christ child. And that’s because we know the true identity of that little stranger wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.
He is no mere prophet, no new-fangled Buddha offering nothing more than a set of wise teachings. He is, in reality, the incarnation of the one true God. God, in Christ, has come to dwell with man. And to bring real light into the world, a light that can never be snuffed away.
[Side note: Since I referenced the Charlie Brown Christmas Special above, I want to direct you to Gene Veith's blog here, where he gives an excellent appraisal of the annual Christmas television specials.
Friday, December 02, 2005
Happy Chrismahanukwanzakah!!
Maybe you've noticed that there's a bit of a controversy brewing these days about whether people should say, "Merry Christmas." My take on it is this: If someone says to me, "Happy holidays," I will respond, "What are you talking about? There is nothing called "holidays." What exactly do you mean?" I intend to do so with a completely straight face until they give me a response. I don't care if it makes the elderly greeter at WalMart feel uncomfortable.
You see, if I were an employee at a store like that, no one would be able to tell me that I am not permitted to wish someone a Merry Christmas. This is something I'd be willing to lose a job over. Of course, that is very easy for me to say since, in my profession, that is not likely to happen anytime soon.
But listen. Recently, I was asked to do the swearing in of newly elected borough officials and offer a benediction. I told the fellow that I'd be very happy to participate in this civic event and say a prayer, but only so long as there would be no restrictions on the wording of my prayer. I will pray in the name of Jesus Christ and will mention the Holy Trinity and all that stuff. He said, "Go for it." And I will.
It's a good thing that I don't live in that secularist Shangri-la of the state of Indiana, because there a federal judge has decreed that no Christian ministers who pray at state legislative meetings may mention the name of Jesus. See here. Some people are getting their shorts in a knot over that but it's not unusual. . . if you live in Saudi Arabia.
Here is what I tell people when they ask me to pray in public. "I am a Christian and the minister of a Lutheran church. I would be happy to pray (in most circumstances), but I will pray a Christian prayer. If that makes you uncomfortable, then please ask someone else. I will not be offended. However, if you still want me to pray, you know what I will say." It's that simple. I'm not trying to be offensive, but neither will I cloud my identity as a Christian so the Rastafarians in the audience won't jump and holler.
Back to the Merry Christmas controversy. In some ways, I see this as a tempest in a teacup. I don't really care if people are allowed to say Merry Christmas. In that regard, I'd just do what I want and let the rest fly a kite.
And by the way, why do non-Christians want to celebrate Christmas in the first place, as so many do. That offends me. This is a celebration of the birth of Jesus, not a gift-fest with Santa and booze soaked office parties. I truly and very sincerely believe that the U.S. government should repeal December 25th as a federal holiday. Let's see what happens then.
By the way, here is a hilarious ad from Virgin mobile phones spoofing the blending of religions this time of year to appease everyone. It's funny, though I liked last year's version better. I can't find it anywhere. If you have a link to the 2004 version of this ad, please send it to me.
And MERRY ADVENT (Christmas doesn't even start for another 23 days).
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Flannery O'Connor Shouts to the Morally Hard of Hearing
Why is it that the so many of the greatest 20th century American authors were Roman Catholics? One of my favorites happens to be Flannery O'Connor, who died much too early in 1964 from lupus. She wrote a number of short stories including the classic A Good Man is Hard to Find
Several years ago, I also enjoyed a volume of her Collected Works 
A lot of Christians hear that Flannery O'Connor was a devout believer and they read her works expecting to be edified. And I suspect many of the pious put her books away half-read. They are not happy stories. They are not pretty. In fact, some of the most shocking ugliness ever put on paper can be found in the horror writings of this petite Georgian maiden.
Some Christians think that "Christian writing" should always be uplifting and cheerful. They may even try to use Scripture to support this assertion. "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things (Phil. 4:8)." They'll say, "you see, God's Word tells us we should be concentrating on positive things, whatever is lovely and whatever is pure." But I'd respond as I believe Miss O'Connor would have done by saying, "Yes, but notice what the apostle mentions first. Whatever is true." And let's face it, not every true thing is lovely or inspiring. Some true things are quite grim. And many of these truths need to be told as well. And that is where the fiction of Flannery O'Connor serves its highest purpose. She wrote the kind of material she did because she understood that it needed to be said and said in such a way as to be heard.
I'll conclude with this quote from O'Connor herself which, I think, sums up one of the tasks of every Christian artist as well as every preacher.
'The novelist with Christian concerns will find in modern life distortions which are repugnant to him, and his problem will be to make these appear as distortions to an audience which is used to seeing them as natural;....to the hard of hearing you shout, and for the almost-blind you draw large and startling figures.'Sphere: Related Content
