Biblical heritage just might have brought out the blogger in me. Who knows if I'll keep this up even after the class?
In my last post, I reflected upon the lessons I've learned from the class. Today, I'll reflect upon the future and what this class might mean for my faith. Just finished writing a final paper for this class and I was astounded about how much my thought processes had changed. Being able to read scripture and evaluate it is really rewarding. So I guess now I'll be a more careful reader of Scripture, not just reading the words but understanding the context.
I figure I've had a good run. The road was rough (ploughing through Hays), but the rewards have been great.
And so ends Sufficient for the day...
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Reflection
As my blogging days draw to a close, I think it is only fitting to write about what Christ has done in my life through an ethics class. Therefore, today there will be no blogging, only reflection.
When I walked into my Biblical Heritage class, I didn't really know what to expect. I remember my professor saying to us once that the purpose of the class was to shake the foundations of our beliefs, but not with the aim of leaving us confused, but with the goal of building a stronger foundation. This has been my story.
I have learned that in all issues, ethical or otherwise, Christ comes first. Always. His heart is what we should seek after, when deciding right and wrong. As hackneyed as the mantra "What would Jesus do" has become, it really does sum up what our ideal response to ethics should be. I have sat in classes that talked about the Christian response to war, tears brimming in my eyes as I thought about my father, a retired general, that had fought at some point. Fought and killed. My father, a retired general. My father, a Christian. I have forced myself to put my father aside, and look at war through the eyes of Christ in order to develop my stance on the issue. I'm still looking...
I have sat in classes that have taught a different way to look at controversial issues such as homosexuality and abortion. Not to find some justification for them, but to discover Christ's response to them. I have been forced to realize that the Church is the body of Christ and as the body, we must love, guide and correct, but never condemn. It is the kindness of God that leads us to repentance...
As my blogging days come to an end, I think it is only fitting to write about what Christ has done in my life through an ethics class. Jesus Christ has made me realize that in all things, He comes first. Always.
When I walked into my Biblical Heritage class, I didn't really know what to expect. I remember my professor saying to us once that the purpose of the class was to shake the foundations of our beliefs, but not with the aim of leaving us confused, but with the goal of building a stronger foundation. This has been my story.
I have learned that in all issues, ethical or otherwise, Christ comes first. Always. His heart is what we should seek after, when deciding right and wrong. As hackneyed as the mantra "What would Jesus do" has become, it really does sum up what our ideal response to ethics should be. I have sat in classes that talked about the Christian response to war, tears brimming in my eyes as I thought about my father, a retired general, that had fought at some point. Fought and killed. My father, a retired general. My father, a Christian. I have forced myself to put my father aside, and look at war through the eyes of Christ in order to develop my stance on the issue. I'm still looking...
I have sat in classes that have taught a different way to look at controversial issues such as homosexuality and abortion. Not to find some justification for them, but to discover Christ's response to them. I have been forced to realize that the Church is the body of Christ and as the body, we must love, guide and correct, but never condemn. It is the kindness of God that leads us to repentance...
As my blogging days come to an end, I think it is only fitting to write about what Christ has done in my life through an ethics class. Jesus Christ has made me realize that in all things, He comes first. Always.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot...
I was at lunch with a friend the other day and she decided to grab napkins for our table. She grabbed quite a few and I sort of chided her for grabbing so many since we obviously weren't going to use them all. She responded by saying a few napkins wouldn't hurt the world and that Jesus was going to come and take us all to heaven anyway so there wasn't a need to get stressed out about the earth. I was disappointed by her response and I made it known to her.
So what's so deep about napkins? nothing really. The incident just got me thinking about how we as Christians, respond to environmental issues. Because if my friend's viewpoint is the popular one among Christians, then we're in trouble. Most Christians will agree that we should be stewards of the earth and its resources; we will agree that it is good to leave something better than you met it; we will agree that the earth is one of God's gifts to us as humans beings. But when it comes to deciding to what extent out stewardship should go, then problems arise.
I think Christians find it hard to deal with environmental issues because we try too hard to look at the big picture: global warming, resource depletion, conservation of energy, waste management and so on. What we need to do instead is start with the little things or as my pastor would say, "living simply so that others may simply live". We forget that while our individual actions may not amount to much, the aggregation of similar actions does. For example, not leaving the water running today means everyone else has a little more the next day, and ultimately, for the future.
So instead of thinking of the bigger things, let's do our own little part today. Sufficient for the day is its own troubles...
So what's so deep about napkins? nothing really. The incident just got me thinking about how we as Christians, respond to environmental issues. Because if my friend's viewpoint is the popular one among Christians, then we're in trouble. Most Christians will agree that we should be stewards of the earth and its resources; we will agree that it is good to leave something better than you met it; we will agree that the earth is one of God's gifts to us as humans beings. But when it comes to deciding to what extent out stewardship should go, then problems arise.
I think Christians find it hard to deal with environmental issues because we try too hard to look at the big picture: global warming, resource depletion, conservation of energy, waste management and so on. What we need to do instead is start with the little things or as my pastor would say, "living simply so that others may simply live". We forget that while our individual actions may not amount to much, the aggregation of similar actions does. For example, not leaving the water running today means everyone else has a little more the next day, and ultimately, for the future.
So instead of thinking of the bigger things, let's do our own little part today. Sufficient for the day is its own troubles...
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Win-Win situations?
Okay so I'll admit: I've always thought that success in business meant that someone else somewhere, was losing something. This is one of those few times where I don't chide myself for believing a lie: that's the only model of business I've ever seen at play; one party gets richer to the detriment of the other. Economics rests on the the assumption that the fittest survive. There are no win-win situations. At least that's what I thought.
However a class discussion changed my view on that and I've since begun to realize that there are ways to run a business and make profit without running other people down or exploiting them in some way. I was also shocked to learn that doing business that benefits others before oneself is actually the most profitable way to carry out business. Kinda counter-intuitive huh?
So it's refreshing to see that capitalism, with all its troubles, isn't inherently bad and can be put to noble uses to produce noble results. Who would have thunk it?
However a class discussion changed my view on that and I've since begun to realize that there are ways to run a business and make profit without running other people down or exploiting them in some way. I was also shocked to learn that doing business that benefits others before oneself is actually the most profitable way to carry out business. Kinda counter-intuitive huh?
So it's refreshing to see that capitalism, with all its troubles, isn't inherently bad and can be put to noble uses to produce noble results. Who would have thunk it?
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Show me the money!
Just in case you're wondering, that line is from the movie 'Jerry Maguire' :-)
Money, or should I say wealth, is one issue that Christians tend to take extreme stances on. I've been to churches when all that was preached were prosperity messages that emphasized the 'blessings' that God wants to shower on his children. It always seemed like God's reward to his faithful servants was some kind of financial gain.
On the other hand, I know people that think money is evil and that Christians should not seek to be rich on earth but should wait for heavenly treasure. Let me say that there is heavenly treasure, but I don't think it's God desire that we struggle through life and hope that we'll someday be put out of our misery so we can finally enjoy this heavenly treasure.
We say "[God's] will be done on earth as it is in heaven", yet we don't believe this applies to our material success in life. I often hear this quite and it drives me crazy because I think "that's no even right":
" Money is the root of all evil" or "The love of money is the root of all evil"
But what does the Bible actually say?
1 Tim 6:10
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. ..
In other words, loving money leads to different evils but money itself is not evil and is not the cause of the world'
Let's think about that for a second...
Money, or should I say wealth, is one issue that Christians tend to take extreme stances on. I've been to churches when all that was preached were prosperity messages that emphasized the 'blessings' that God wants to shower on his children. It always seemed like God's reward to his faithful servants was some kind of financial gain.
On the other hand, I know people that think money is evil and that Christians should not seek to be rich on earth but should wait for heavenly treasure. Let me say that there is heavenly treasure, but I don't think it's God desire that we struggle through life and hope that we'll someday be put out of our misery so we can finally enjoy this heavenly treasure.
We say "[God's] will be done on earth as it is in heaven", yet we don't believe this applies to our material success in life. I often hear this quite and it drives me crazy because I think "that's no even right":
" Money is the root of all evil" or "The love of money is the root of all evil"
But what does the Bible actually say?
1 Tim 6:10
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. ..
In other words, loving money leads to different evils but money itself is not evil and is not the cause of the world'
Let's think about that for a second...
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
To war or not to war?
So in light of the class reading on just war theory, I'm going to expand a little bit on my thoughts.
I have always thought that Christians need to be in all noble spheres of life in order to show the love of Jesus whether this be in the business, entertainment, healthcare or education sector. Needless to say, I have always thought of military service as noble and an act of laying down one's life for his friends. However, after reading William Hays' stance on Violence and Just war, I had to rethink my stance. Even now, I 'm still not sure where I stand.
However, I understand that we are to follow the ways of Christ in all things. Not just for the parts that are easy but even for those that make us uncomfortable. In fact, I would say especially for those parts that make us uncomfortable because they are counter-cultural.
Moreover, I'm beginning to understand that a reliance on violence for defense really reflects the rebellion that the Israelites exhibited against God:
So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. 5 They said to him, "You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead [a] us, such as all the other nations have."
6 But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. 7 And the LORD told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. 8 As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. 9 Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do."
10 Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 He said, "This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. 12 Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. 16 Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle [b] and donkeys he will take for his own use. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. 18 When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day."
19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles."
21 When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD. 22 The LORD answered, "Listen to them and give them a king."
So I guess, it's no longer enough for us as Christians to trust that God will protect us or to say like Daniel did:
"If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."
Where does that leave us then. Are Christians in the military committing sin by being a part of military resistance. Well this is what Hays' suggests and as much as I don't want to, I agree with him. But what about the wars sanctioned by God in the OT. Should we look away from those as well...?
All these questions and no answers at least not until we see the face of God.
Sufficient for the day is its troubles...
I have always thought that Christians need to be in all noble spheres of life in order to show the love of Jesus whether this be in the business, entertainment, healthcare or education sector. Needless to say, I have always thought of military service as noble and an act of laying down one's life for his friends. However, after reading William Hays' stance on Violence and Just war, I had to rethink my stance. Even now, I 'm still not sure where I stand.
However, I understand that we are to follow the ways of Christ in all things. Not just for the parts that are easy but even for those that make us uncomfortable. In fact, I would say especially for those parts that make us uncomfortable because they are counter-cultural.
Moreover, I'm beginning to understand that a reliance on violence for defense really reflects the rebellion that the Israelites exhibited against God:
So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. 5 They said to him, "You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead [a] us, such as all the other nations have."
6 But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. 7 And the LORD told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. 8 As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. 9 Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do."
10 Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 He said, "This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. 12 Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. 16 Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle [b] and donkeys he will take for his own use. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. 18 When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day."
19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles."
21 When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD. 22 The LORD answered, "Listen to them and give them a king."
So I guess, it's no longer enough for us as Christians to trust that God will protect us or to say like Daniel did:
"If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."
Where does that leave us then. Are Christians in the military committing sin by being a part of military resistance. Well this is what Hays' suggests and as much as I don't want to, I agree with him. But what about the wars sanctioned by God in the OT. Should we look away from those as well...?
All these questions and no answers at least not until we see the face of God.
Sufficient for the day is its troubles...
Monday, October 18, 2010
Introducing...Good and Evil
So this weekend I was watching cartoons with my niece and nephew. At some point we started watching Strawberry Shortcake, which by the way I highly recommend :-), and I realized that even in a cartoon series with characters as sweet (no pun intended) as Strawberry Shortcake and her friends, there's still an evil character. That got me thinking to all the other cartoon I ever say during my chilhood.
Here's what I realized; I have never, I mean never, watched a kid's show that didn't have a villain. Never. In my 21 years of existence. Never. Even writing now, I'm still slightly amazed. How can there be no cartoons without villains? It's like it's in our culture to place good and evil side by side. Think about it. For Dora, there's Swiper the Fox, Dragon Tales? Berenstein Bears? yep, there's a villain (usually a different one each episode). Forget the Disney movies. They're classic hero-villain protrayals. Just in case you're concerned that you've never heard of these cartoons before, not to worry, I'm that one random kid that watches way too much kids TV:-)
I started thinking about the effect that this portrayal has on children. On the one hand I think it's great that children areen't deceived into thinking that the world is all strawberries and ice cream (although Strawberry Shortcake might disagree with that), but at the same time, I think it's also kind of distorted. I mean what if a kid decides they want to be the villain instead of the good guy. There's no guarantee that the child's actually going to learn the values or morals that you're trying to get across by depicting good and evil. That a risk. A huge risk to take just so we can present the world in black and white.
But while I'm pondering these things, I'm just gonna sit down and watch another episode of Strawberry Shortcake. Sufficient for the day is its own troubles...
Here's what I realized; I have never, I mean never, watched a kid's show that didn't have a villain. Never. In my 21 years of existence. Never. Even writing now, I'm still slightly amazed. How can there be no cartoons without villains? It's like it's in our culture to place good and evil side by side. Think about it. For Dora, there's Swiper the Fox, Dragon Tales? Berenstein Bears? yep, there's a villain (usually a different one each episode). Forget the Disney movies. They're classic hero-villain protrayals. Just in case you're concerned that you've never heard of these cartoons before, not to worry, I'm that one random kid that watches way too much kids TV:-)
I started thinking about the effect that this portrayal has on children. On the one hand I think it's great that children areen't deceived into thinking that the world is all strawberries and ice cream (although Strawberry Shortcake might disagree with that), but at the same time, I think it's also kind of distorted. I mean what if a kid decides they want to be the villain instead of the good guy. There's no guarantee that the child's actually going to learn the values or morals that you're trying to get across by depicting good and evil. That a risk. A huge risk to take just so we can present the world in black and white.
But while I'm pondering these things, I'm just gonna sit down and watch another episode of Strawberry Shortcake. Sufficient for the day is its own troubles...
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