Well, another year of Hollywood's biggest night has past and I have to say, Oscar got almost everything right this year!! Here's some things I'm most excited about.
Falling Slowing from the movie Once won best song against three, count 'em, three songs from Enchanted. Once is an unbelievable movie, the Frames are an unbelievable band and Glen Hansard is an unbelievable song writer.
Diablo Cody won best original screenplay for Juno, which did not win best picture. Juno is an awesome movie and clearly the best written of last year. But, just as clearly, can't compete with No Country.
Javier Bardem won best supporting actor for the second creepiest villian in movie history, second only to Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lector (which always got an Oscar). If you see this movie and don't see Javier's eyes in your dreams or hear him say "Call it, friendo" in the back of your mind for a week, you've got brass ones my friends. And, surprise, he's actually a handsome fellow. His dedication in Spanish to his mother was an Oscar moment for the ages.
Daniel Day-Lewis is the best actor ever. There's no question in my mind. I've just put all his movies on the queue from Blockbuster. His indifference for the structure and politics of Hollywood is refreshing as well. Seriously, is there anyone better. Listen to him actually speak, either from last night or on Oprah or something, and then go watch There Will Be Blood or rent Gangs of New York. He is leagues above anyone else who has ever acted or ever will. The Tiger Woods of acting.
No Country for Old Men should have won best picture and I'm happy to see that it did. It's not just a great movie, it's an important movie. It's commentary on our modern world and resignation of the sheriff to that world at the end (if you still don't get the end, that's what it was about, he was giving up) are important for our world to hear right now. The whole package, directing, acting, writing, shooting, editing, all of it were better than anything else last year. Good show Coens!
Jon Stewart was a great host. He was sincere, funny and kept the show moving along. He proved to me that he truly is a great man when he called Glen Hansard's co-writer of Falling Slowly back on stage after commercial break to give her acceptance speech.
It was a great show. I actually wanted to and did sit through the whole thing and was entertained and inspired by the whole thing. Good job Oscars. I love movies.
While I'm on a movie kick, here's one more thing I thought of last night. Think about Harrison Ford for a second. Probably never win an Oscar, he's not known for his depth or range. But think about it: Han Solo AND Indiana Jones. Are you KIDDING ME? That's rediculous. Daniel Day-Lewis might be the best actor of all time, but Harrison Ford IS two of the most memorable and loved and kickass characters of all time. Can't wait for Kingdom of the Crystal Skull!! Keep it up, Mr. Ford.
Watch movies, make art.
BB
Monday, February 25, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Goosebumps: More Rock n Roll Church Stuff
When was the last time you got goosebumps in worship?
Mine is Christmas Eve this year. It had much more to do with the woman and 1-year-old sitting next to me and the memories of Christmas Eve a year before than the service. (sorry, dad)
So another question: When was the last time you got goosebumps in worship that were caused solely by the worship experience itself?
I just listened to Live On Two Legs, a live album by the best band of the past 25 years, Pearl Jam. I was reminded as I listened that my lifetime goosebumps moments were all at rock concerts and very rarely at a worship service.
Pearl Jam opens with Release, my favorite song, as the rain starts coming down.
Metallica bursts into the opening of Fuel as 8, 10-feet-high flames shoot out from the front of the stage five feet from my face.
Eric Clapton starts the encore with the greatest lick ever written, the opening of Layla.
Dave Matthews hits notes so high, MY throat starts to bleed.
Martin Sexton sings of reuniting with his long lost son.
Robert Randolph plays notes on his lapsteel guitar that send shockwaves down my spine.
I have never felt closer to God than in those moments. I mean it, even the Metallica show. And not just close to God; close enough to reach out and touch God's face, close enough to feel the love of God for all creation radiating like the heat from a bonfire.
I have never felt as close to God in any worship experience I have ever been to.
There's three reasons worship, particularly worship music falls short:
1. The music is lame. Please note: none of the concert experiences above are from the many Christian concerts I've been to. No Audio Adrenaline, no Third Day. None of them compare musically. Giving up secular music in high school is one of the dumbest things I've ever done. Christian music sucks. The songs are awful, the lyrics are meaningless and sentimental. Worship music is emotional. Great music is transcendental. (Brief pause to remember the guru of transcendental meditation, Maharishi Mehesh Yogi, who is personally responsible for giving the Beatles the inspiration for the White Album) It doesn't tug on your heart strings; it takes you to another place, a Hole Nother Level. When I experienced a Tool concert, with the only person I have been directly involved in coming to the blessing of baptism, Jeff Green, I got to a point in the concert when all I could do was laugh. Out of joy, out of sheer hopelessness that I would never be able to play like that, out of the magnitude and power of the songs. All I could do was laugh. Lindsey knows that little laugh well. I desire with all my heart to be brought to a place of such perfect bliss that laughter is my only response in worship. But, the music doesn't compare, it can't compete. There is no candle big enough, no fuel powerful enough, for Christian music to EVER hold a flame to great rock music.
2. The musicians aren't ready, aren't good enough. I know that in praise bands there is a feeling that all who come to participate are welcome. But you can't put anybody who has good intentions and wants to be invovled up there in charge of taking a congregation to another place with their music. Rock players are virtuosos; they are the absolute best at what they do. They rehearse relentlessly and devote their entire lives to the perfection of their skill. And when they perform, everything is perfect. Now, compare that with the 15-year-old with the out of tune Fender Squire, the church organist transplanted to the Casio keyboard and the 8 vocalists all trying to outsing each other and only accomplishing to sing LOUDER than each other, which is not the same thing. There is nothing wrong with striving for excellence in our worship musicians. Nothing takes me out of an attitude of worship faster than ONE wrong note, one sloppy beginning or chaotic ending, or-especially for me-a drummer who knows ONE beat and ONE tempo and ONE dynamic. Musicallity. Musicainship. Here come the comments about worship being a welcoming environment and a pastor/worship leader not being able to say no to anyone, not being allowed to say "your playing isn't good enough." It's simply not true. Worship is supposed to be an encounter with God, face to face with the giver of life...and MUSIC. If Jimmy wants to play guitar and just learned a sloppy, halting version of Lord I Lift Your Name On High, DO NOT put Jimmy in your praise band. Repeating, there is nothing wrong with striving for excellence in worship music and worship musicians.
3. The whole service is not designed to work and fit together to provide an atmosphere of transformation, transfiguration, transportation. At a rock show, the lights, the stage, the video behind the artists, every single detail goes hand in hand, and works in absolutely perfect harmony to provide the best performance possible. Yes, I said performance. An argument I can't stand is that worship music can't be performance. It HAS TO BE!! And, every possible aesthetic componant needs to work in sync.
This serves as a wonderful transition paragraph, almost as if the writer designed that way.
I want to start a rock 'n roll church. A church whose worship services cause goosebumps and shivers EVERY week. A church that's just as much rock show as worship service. A church that starts no earlier than 10pm and goes until 2 or 3. A church with a pyrotechnics ministry. A church that looks on the inside more like the Blue Note in Columbia than Missouri UMC down the street. I want a praise band that kicks ass-that's right, I said ass-that plays music that would be played on 96.5 the buzz not the crappy Christian radio station, a band that can jam, a guitar player that can play SRV solos behind his head (big ups to Ryan McClouth), a band of real, true-blue, professional level musicians, a drummer who-like every rock drummer should-is just trying to play somehow near the level of John Bohnam, a drummer who knows who John Bohnam is. I want a congregation with ripped jeans and band t-shirts, with tatoos and metal in their heads. A congregation who knows as much about the White Stripes as they do about Jesus. A congregation who knows who the White Stripes ARE!!!
There is a huge, ultra-dedicated, ultra-forgotten population that is looking for God just like the rest of us: rockfans, punks, metalheads, neo-hippies, goths. Every church has that kid who dresses in black, wears eye make up and listens to My Chemical Romance. These kids are forgotten in the best cases and alienated and scolded in the worst cases. In between those cases, the kids are patronized by people who are genuinely trying to help but write off the situation as a phase. Something that you grow out of. You never grow out of being a metalhead, of loving rock music. That's why, if reached, these people could be the most hardcore, devoted disciples since Peter. (that whole getting crucified upside down thing was pretty hardcore discipleship)
The more I write, the more serious, and seriously possible and seriously needed, this seems to me. So, let's daydream a bit. Rev. Brad Bryan, Minister of Metal. Rev. Adam Mustoe, Minister of Pop/Acoustic/Hip Hop (for one of the white-est crackas I know, he's got a lot of hip hop) Rev. Mark Angleton, Minister of Ska. Rev. Adam Caldwell, Minister of Punk/Emo/Screamo. Rev. Andy Bryan, Minister of 80s/Doodlebops. Rev. Crystal Hughes, Minister of Jazz. Rev. Joel Kidwell, Minister of 90s/Alternative. Rev. Dennis Harper, Minister of Classic Pop/Rock. Rev. Jim Bryan, Minister of Old White Guy Music. Rev. Kevin Shelton, Minister of Music No One Has Ever Heard Of but Him.
Director of Music/Band Leader: Ryan McClouth (the greatest guitar player I have ever known)
Art Director/Stage Design: Ryan Delgado, one artistic Mexican.
Co-Directors of Lighting and Pyrotechnics: Rev. Ron Carlson and Rev. Shane Moore, can you even imagine. Ron in charge of the fire.
Door Managers (bouncers): Adam Leathers, Adam Gordon-Louch.
Ministers of Hospitality (bartenders): Rev. MegAnn Moore. Rev. Katie Trinter. (yeah, that's right Katie, i'm putting the girls in charge of hospitality)
I don't know about any of you, but this church sounds pretty badass.
Rock On People, Rock On.
BB
Mine is Christmas Eve this year. It had much more to do with the woman and 1-year-old sitting next to me and the memories of Christmas Eve a year before than the service. (sorry, dad)
So another question: When was the last time you got goosebumps in worship that were caused solely by the worship experience itself?
I just listened to Live On Two Legs, a live album by the best band of the past 25 years, Pearl Jam. I was reminded as I listened that my lifetime goosebumps moments were all at rock concerts and very rarely at a worship service.
Pearl Jam opens with Release, my favorite song, as the rain starts coming down.
Metallica bursts into the opening of Fuel as 8, 10-feet-high flames shoot out from the front of the stage five feet from my face.
Eric Clapton starts the encore with the greatest lick ever written, the opening of Layla.
Dave Matthews hits notes so high, MY throat starts to bleed.
Martin Sexton sings of reuniting with his long lost son.
Robert Randolph plays notes on his lapsteel guitar that send shockwaves down my spine.
I have never felt closer to God than in those moments. I mean it, even the Metallica show. And not just close to God; close enough to reach out and touch God's face, close enough to feel the love of God for all creation radiating like the heat from a bonfire.
I have never felt as close to God in any worship experience I have ever been to.
There's three reasons worship, particularly worship music falls short:
1. The music is lame. Please note: none of the concert experiences above are from the many Christian concerts I've been to. No Audio Adrenaline, no Third Day. None of them compare musically. Giving up secular music in high school is one of the dumbest things I've ever done. Christian music sucks. The songs are awful, the lyrics are meaningless and sentimental. Worship music is emotional. Great music is transcendental. (Brief pause to remember the guru of transcendental meditation, Maharishi Mehesh Yogi, who is personally responsible for giving the Beatles the inspiration for the White Album) It doesn't tug on your heart strings; it takes you to another place, a Hole Nother Level. When I experienced a Tool concert, with the only person I have been directly involved in coming to the blessing of baptism, Jeff Green, I got to a point in the concert when all I could do was laugh. Out of joy, out of sheer hopelessness that I would never be able to play like that, out of the magnitude and power of the songs. All I could do was laugh. Lindsey knows that little laugh well. I desire with all my heart to be brought to a place of such perfect bliss that laughter is my only response in worship. But, the music doesn't compare, it can't compete. There is no candle big enough, no fuel powerful enough, for Christian music to EVER hold a flame to great rock music.
2. The musicians aren't ready, aren't good enough. I know that in praise bands there is a feeling that all who come to participate are welcome. But you can't put anybody who has good intentions and wants to be invovled up there in charge of taking a congregation to another place with their music. Rock players are virtuosos; they are the absolute best at what they do. They rehearse relentlessly and devote their entire lives to the perfection of their skill. And when they perform, everything is perfect. Now, compare that with the 15-year-old with the out of tune Fender Squire, the church organist transplanted to the Casio keyboard and the 8 vocalists all trying to outsing each other and only accomplishing to sing LOUDER than each other, which is not the same thing. There is nothing wrong with striving for excellence in our worship musicians. Nothing takes me out of an attitude of worship faster than ONE wrong note, one sloppy beginning or chaotic ending, or-especially for me-a drummer who knows ONE beat and ONE tempo and ONE dynamic. Musicallity. Musicainship. Here come the comments about worship being a welcoming environment and a pastor/worship leader not being able to say no to anyone, not being allowed to say "your playing isn't good enough." It's simply not true. Worship is supposed to be an encounter with God, face to face with the giver of life...and MUSIC. If Jimmy wants to play guitar and just learned a sloppy, halting version of Lord I Lift Your Name On High, DO NOT put Jimmy in your praise band. Repeating, there is nothing wrong with striving for excellence in worship music and worship musicians.
3. The whole service is not designed to work and fit together to provide an atmosphere of transformation, transfiguration, transportation. At a rock show, the lights, the stage, the video behind the artists, every single detail goes hand in hand, and works in absolutely perfect harmony to provide the best performance possible. Yes, I said performance. An argument I can't stand is that worship music can't be performance. It HAS TO BE!! And, every possible aesthetic componant needs to work in sync.
This serves as a wonderful transition paragraph, almost as if the writer designed that way.
I want to start a rock 'n roll church. A church whose worship services cause goosebumps and shivers EVERY week. A church that's just as much rock show as worship service. A church that starts no earlier than 10pm and goes until 2 or 3. A church with a pyrotechnics ministry. A church that looks on the inside more like the Blue Note in Columbia than Missouri UMC down the street. I want a praise band that kicks ass-that's right, I said ass-that plays music that would be played on 96.5 the buzz not the crappy Christian radio station, a band that can jam, a guitar player that can play SRV solos behind his head (big ups to Ryan McClouth), a band of real, true-blue, professional level musicians, a drummer who-like every rock drummer should-is just trying to play somehow near the level of John Bohnam, a drummer who knows who John Bohnam is. I want a congregation with ripped jeans and band t-shirts, with tatoos and metal in their heads. A congregation who knows as much about the White Stripes as they do about Jesus. A congregation who knows who the White Stripes ARE!!!
There is a huge, ultra-dedicated, ultra-forgotten population that is looking for God just like the rest of us: rockfans, punks, metalheads, neo-hippies, goths. Every church has that kid who dresses in black, wears eye make up and listens to My Chemical Romance. These kids are forgotten in the best cases and alienated and scolded in the worst cases. In between those cases, the kids are patronized by people who are genuinely trying to help but write off the situation as a phase. Something that you grow out of. You never grow out of being a metalhead, of loving rock music. That's why, if reached, these people could be the most hardcore, devoted disciples since Peter. (that whole getting crucified upside down thing was pretty hardcore discipleship)
The more I write, the more serious, and seriously possible and seriously needed, this seems to me. So, let's daydream a bit. Rev. Brad Bryan, Minister of Metal. Rev. Adam Mustoe, Minister of Pop/Acoustic/Hip Hop (for one of the white-est crackas I know, he's got a lot of hip hop) Rev. Mark Angleton, Minister of Ska. Rev. Adam Caldwell, Minister of Punk/Emo/Screamo. Rev. Andy Bryan, Minister of 80s/Doodlebops. Rev. Crystal Hughes, Minister of Jazz. Rev. Joel Kidwell, Minister of 90s/Alternative. Rev. Dennis Harper, Minister of Classic Pop/Rock. Rev. Jim Bryan, Minister of Old White Guy Music. Rev. Kevin Shelton, Minister of Music No One Has Ever Heard Of but Him.
Director of Music/Band Leader: Ryan McClouth (the greatest guitar player I have ever known)
Art Director/Stage Design: Ryan Delgado, one artistic Mexican.
Co-Directors of Lighting and Pyrotechnics: Rev. Ron Carlson and Rev. Shane Moore, can you even imagine. Ron in charge of the fire.
Door Managers (bouncers): Adam Leathers, Adam Gordon-Louch.
Ministers of Hospitality (bartenders): Rev. MegAnn Moore. Rev. Katie Trinter. (yeah, that's right Katie, i'm putting the girls in charge of hospitality)
I don't know about any of you, but this church sounds pretty badass.
Rock On People, Rock On.
BB
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Sola Scriptura
There's been a conversation happening in the comment section of my last post between my friend Mustoe (not Adam. Adam is Adam and Mustoe is Mustoe) and myself. Please feel free to read through this conversation. As you do, keep in mind that Mustoe and I are actually best friends and love each dearly, even dream of serving a congregation together sometime in our lives.
My friend brings up a good point concerning my Ten Most Controversial. (I hear the complaints of the fellas who actually have class with me and hear my backhand comments. Some of my viewpoints are simply not blog-worthy nor blog-appropriate)
How do we come to the conclusions we make? I sometimes wish that the "Jump-to-Conclusions mat" from Office Space actually exsisted. Wouldn't it be great if we could just lay out all the possible answers to all the possible questions on some sort of hopscotch board and whichever one we landed on, that's the one we take. No thinking, no debate, no fuss.
Alas, there is no such product. We are called, and really were created, to make up our own minds. At one point in Monty Python's Life of Brian, Brian-who is being confused with the Messiah and blindly followed by hundreds of crazed disciples-finally addresses the crowd with the thesis of the film. "Don't you see, you don't need to follow ANYBODY, think for yourselves."
Sola Scriptura refers to the belief that Scripture alone is sufficient to guide all moral, social and spiritual actions and decisions. Mustoe is very right to point out that I am adamantly against this view, especially as it is used by the "fundys" (Ryan Delgado has a great post on Facebook about the true nature of fundamentalism, btw). Anyone can, and everyone has, use scripture to support every point of view under the sun. The KKK, the extremist Jihadists, slave traders, Fred Phelps and his hate-mongering family. All say that there actions and viewpoints are guided and defined by Scripture.
I did not mean to give the impression that my interpretation of Scripture is the one and only support for my views on homosexuality, violence, luxury, etc. I don't use Scripture that way; as just another article to support my hypothesis like some holy debate team captain. I don't even like sermons that jump from verse to verse in order to prove the point of the message, usually taking all those verses far out of their original context and meaning.
As a Wesleyan, I believe in four things that must always guide our theology, philosophy, missiology and all the rest. Scripture is absolutely one of the four. The others are reason, experience, and tradition. And, I would add a fifth, conscience.
The views expressed in the last post are guided by my interpretation of scripture, my life experience, the tradition out of which I come, my own personal reflection and reasoning, and how each of those views sit on my conscience. In the case of homosexuality (which I MUST point out is not the conversation mustoe and I are having; we are having a discussion of conclusion making, not the specific conclusion) in my interpretation of scripture: 1. the homosexuality to which the Bible speaks is unequivocally wrong and sinful; it is idolitrous pederasty, having sex with young boys who serve in the Greek and Roman temples. 2. the homosexuality we know now, the loving, committed relationship between two people of the same gender, didn't exist or wasn't discussed when the Bible was written. 3. Jesus does quote the OT in the "man leave his home and take a wife" passage, but he does not say this is how marriage is defined in every case and the only way that it isn't sinful. 4. When it comes to Paul, he thinks we're all wrong for being married, gay or straight, so....5. Even if you consider homosexuality a sin, isn't there a strong message of grace and mercy and forgiveness in Scripture. Isn't there a "take the plank from your own eye" passage.
In my experience, homosexual people are no different than the rest of us. It's even hard for me to talk about homosexual people like another race, another subset of people. All of us are broken, wonderful, sinful, grace-filled people just trying to do the best we can in this life.
In my tradition, the UMC states that homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching. (the reason i used the same language when referring to a life of luxury). I don't agree, but as a UMC pastor I must uphold this statement in my ministry. I hope to be a part of the church that changes this view in the Book of Discipline. (btw, it says the same thing about violence, war, and gambling) As far as my family tradition, I was raised to uphold, respect, love, serve all people regardless of...well...anything. I was raised to believe that all people should have access to the same rights and priviledges.
In my own reasoning, I think about the arguments against. It is sinful: well, so is smoking and I did that, so is drinking and i do that, so is lusting and I do that...a lot. It is unnatural: while I cannot picture being with another man myself, love and committment and relationship may be the most natural things in this world. It attacks the institution of marriage: marriage isn't doing so great in the hands of the heteros, my friends. I just can't get my mind to a place that thinks, or reasons, that homosexuality is wrong.
And the point I added, conscience: it FEELS wrong to me to say that homosexual people are sinful or wrong or not worthy of marriage or somehow not as worthy as I am to serve God in ministry. It FEELS wrong.
Deep breath.
Well, there you have it. Again, I don't mean to start the be-all-end-all of debates on homosexuality. The point of this post is method: how do we come to the conclusions to which we hold? In order to better understand the views of others, we must understand our own and how we arrive at them. Method is the basis of conversation, or dialogue to use a buzzword. I respect the views of those who have come to their conclusions through a long process of reflection, study, reasoning and discussion. I do not respect the view that this is wrong, that is wrong, I'm for Barack, I'm for Hilary, I'm for McCain, my point is the only acceptable point...but I really don't know why.
Discussion and conversation is the key. Or, we could just stand on either side of the line and scream random Bible verses at each other.
I love you, Mustoe. BB
My friend brings up a good point concerning my Ten Most Controversial. (I hear the complaints of the fellas who actually have class with me and hear my backhand comments. Some of my viewpoints are simply not blog-worthy nor blog-appropriate)
How do we come to the conclusions we make? I sometimes wish that the "Jump-to-Conclusions mat" from Office Space actually exsisted. Wouldn't it be great if we could just lay out all the possible answers to all the possible questions on some sort of hopscotch board and whichever one we landed on, that's the one we take. No thinking, no debate, no fuss.
Alas, there is no such product. We are called, and really were created, to make up our own minds. At one point in Monty Python's Life of Brian, Brian-who is being confused with the Messiah and blindly followed by hundreds of crazed disciples-finally addresses the crowd with the thesis of the film. "Don't you see, you don't need to follow ANYBODY, think for yourselves."
Sola Scriptura refers to the belief that Scripture alone is sufficient to guide all moral, social and spiritual actions and decisions. Mustoe is very right to point out that I am adamantly against this view, especially as it is used by the "fundys" (Ryan Delgado has a great post on Facebook about the true nature of fundamentalism, btw). Anyone can, and everyone has, use scripture to support every point of view under the sun. The KKK, the extremist Jihadists, slave traders, Fred Phelps and his hate-mongering family. All say that there actions and viewpoints are guided and defined by Scripture.
I did not mean to give the impression that my interpretation of Scripture is the one and only support for my views on homosexuality, violence, luxury, etc. I don't use Scripture that way; as just another article to support my hypothesis like some holy debate team captain. I don't even like sermons that jump from verse to verse in order to prove the point of the message, usually taking all those verses far out of their original context and meaning.
As a Wesleyan, I believe in four things that must always guide our theology, philosophy, missiology and all the rest. Scripture is absolutely one of the four. The others are reason, experience, and tradition. And, I would add a fifth, conscience.
The views expressed in the last post are guided by my interpretation of scripture, my life experience, the tradition out of which I come, my own personal reflection and reasoning, and how each of those views sit on my conscience. In the case of homosexuality (which I MUST point out is not the conversation mustoe and I are having; we are having a discussion of conclusion making, not the specific conclusion) in my interpretation of scripture: 1. the homosexuality to which the Bible speaks is unequivocally wrong and sinful; it is idolitrous pederasty, having sex with young boys who serve in the Greek and Roman temples. 2. the homosexuality we know now, the loving, committed relationship between two people of the same gender, didn't exist or wasn't discussed when the Bible was written. 3. Jesus does quote the OT in the "man leave his home and take a wife" passage, but he does not say this is how marriage is defined in every case and the only way that it isn't sinful. 4. When it comes to Paul, he thinks we're all wrong for being married, gay or straight, so....5. Even if you consider homosexuality a sin, isn't there a strong message of grace and mercy and forgiveness in Scripture. Isn't there a "take the plank from your own eye" passage.
In my experience, homosexual people are no different than the rest of us. It's even hard for me to talk about homosexual people like another race, another subset of people. All of us are broken, wonderful, sinful, grace-filled people just trying to do the best we can in this life.
In my tradition, the UMC states that homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching. (the reason i used the same language when referring to a life of luxury). I don't agree, but as a UMC pastor I must uphold this statement in my ministry. I hope to be a part of the church that changes this view in the Book of Discipline. (btw, it says the same thing about violence, war, and gambling) As far as my family tradition, I was raised to uphold, respect, love, serve all people regardless of...well...anything. I was raised to believe that all people should have access to the same rights and priviledges.
In my own reasoning, I think about the arguments against. It is sinful: well, so is smoking and I did that, so is drinking and i do that, so is lusting and I do that...a lot. It is unnatural: while I cannot picture being with another man myself, love and committment and relationship may be the most natural things in this world. It attacks the institution of marriage: marriage isn't doing so great in the hands of the heteros, my friends. I just can't get my mind to a place that thinks, or reasons, that homosexuality is wrong.
And the point I added, conscience: it FEELS wrong to me to say that homosexual people are sinful or wrong or not worthy of marriage or somehow not as worthy as I am to serve God in ministry. It FEELS wrong.
Deep breath.
Well, there you have it. Again, I don't mean to start the be-all-end-all of debates on homosexuality. The point of this post is method: how do we come to the conclusions to which we hold? In order to better understand the views of others, we must understand our own and how we arrive at them. Method is the basis of conversation, or dialogue to use a buzzword. I respect the views of those who have come to their conclusions through a long process of reflection, study, reasoning and discussion. I do not respect the view that this is wrong, that is wrong, I'm for Barack, I'm for Hilary, I'm for McCain, my point is the only acceptable point...but I really don't know why.
Discussion and conversation is the key. Or, we could just stand on either side of the line and scream random Bible verses at each other.
I love you, Mustoe. BB
Monday, February 11, 2008
Brad's Ten Most Controversial
I'm all about conversation. The press and the politicians want us to believe that if we disagree we can't get along, we can't work together for a better world. As my friend Adam and I know, most people think that "doctrinal issues" are a reason for people to not be friends.
But, in order to be a part of the conversation, one must know where they stand, back up that stance with evidence and be able to support it. So here are my top ten controversial stances, political, religious, social and sometimes fun views that I hold close to my heart. So, here we go.
10. I truly believe that our nation is run EXACTLY how the X-Files said it was-a bunch of old, rich, powerful white guys, sitting around in a smoke-filled room behind closed doors making decisions for the rest of us.
9. Marijuana should have the same laws and regulations as cigarettes and alcohol. Cigarettes kill 1200 people a day. Alcoholism destoys lives and familes. And I've never met an unpleasant, hard-to-get-along-with or seriously troubled pot smoker.
8. If you still think George W. Bush was a "good" president, it's probably going to be hard for us to be friends.
7. If you drive a full-size pickup truck, there's a 60% chance that you're a jerk. Your jerkness is proportional to the size of tires, the amount and content of bumper stickers, the height of your lift and the relation of your truck to the actual work you do.
6. Hunting and conservation/environmentalism have NOTHING to do with each other.
5. Violence is bad, wrong and evil in every case-war, domestic violence, capital punishment, self-defense. All bad. "If someone strikes you on the cheek, turn to him the other."
4. Hand guns should be absolutely illegal for anyone but law enforcement.
3. It is REDICULOUS to think that evolution is still a theory. I can't believe we had presidential candidates who didn't believe in evolution. Isn't there an educational requirement to become the leader of the free world?
2. Driving a luxury car-a car over $50,000-is incompatable with Christian teaching.
1. There is no scriptural, reasonable, traditional or experiential reason that homosexual people should not be allowed, nay encouraged, to be married or ordained as pastor. The kind of homosexual activity in the Bible is more like To Catch a Predator than Will and Grace.
Bonus stance: Oprah is bad for America.
Let the conversation begin, BB
But, in order to be a part of the conversation, one must know where they stand, back up that stance with evidence and be able to support it. So here are my top ten controversial stances, political, religious, social and sometimes fun views that I hold close to my heart. So, here we go.
10. I truly believe that our nation is run EXACTLY how the X-Files said it was-a bunch of old, rich, powerful white guys, sitting around in a smoke-filled room behind closed doors making decisions for the rest of us.
9. Marijuana should have the same laws and regulations as cigarettes and alcohol. Cigarettes kill 1200 people a day. Alcoholism destoys lives and familes. And I've never met an unpleasant, hard-to-get-along-with or seriously troubled pot smoker.
8. If you still think George W. Bush was a "good" president, it's probably going to be hard for us to be friends.
7. If you drive a full-size pickup truck, there's a 60% chance that you're a jerk. Your jerkness is proportional to the size of tires, the amount and content of bumper stickers, the height of your lift and the relation of your truck to the actual work you do.
6. Hunting and conservation/environmentalism have NOTHING to do with each other.
5. Violence is bad, wrong and evil in every case-war, domestic violence, capital punishment, self-defense. All bad. "If someone strikes you on the cheek, turn to him the other."
4. Hand guns should be absolutely illegal for anyone but law enforcement.
3. It is REDICULOUS to think that evolution is still a theory. I can't believe we had presidential candidates who didn't believe in evolution. Isn't there an educational requirement to become the leader of the free world?
2. Driving a luxury car-a car over $50,000-is incompatable with Christian teaching.
1. There is no scriptural, reasonable, traditional or experiential reason that homosexual people should not be allowed, nay encouraged, to be married or ordained as pastor. The kind of homosexual activity in the Bible is more like To Catch a Predator than Will and Grace.
Bonus stance: Oprah is bad for America.
Let the conversation begin, BB
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Politics
Can anybody easily and succienctly (sp?) explain to me what the hell is going on?
Delegates, super delegates, primaries, caucausi. Obama won more states but less delegates. But, he says he won more delegates. But now matter what the actual people vote, the super delegates can vote however they want.
What the hell?
And, supplimental question, should I care?
BB
Delegates, super delegates, primaries, caucausi. Obama won more states but less delegates. But, he says he won more delegates. But now matter what the actual people vote, the super delegates can vote however they want.
What the hell?
And, supplimental question, should I care?
BB
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
The Difference
I am sitting in Hendrix Hall of St. Paul School of Theology, waiting for Ecumenical Theology and the Unity of the Church to begin its spring semester term. Appropriately, I heard yesterday a definition of the difference between myself and the Fundamentalist Evangelicals.
It came from an NPR interview with the first director of Bush's Office of Faith Base Initiatives and the new author of Godly Republic. I can't remember his name right now, but he is a non-Evangelical Catholic and professor of Religion and Politics somewhere.
In the course of his interview, he said, almost offhand, that the difference between him and Fundamentalist Evangelicals is that they do everything they do to get other people to be Christians. And he does what he does because HE'S a Christian.
Brilliant. That's what I see and I'm sure it's filtered through the media and my own lenses, but it's what I see. Evangelism, in terms of conversion to Christianity, is what guides the theology, preaching, mission and service and ecclesiology of Fundamentalists. Discipleship, or following the example and teaching of Jesus Christ, is what guides and defines me and my ministry.
I know that some of you will say that being evangelical is being a disciple. I get that point. But, conversion just never has been and never will be the focal point of my ministry. I preach, teach, serve, visit, comfort, study, invite, welcome and love because I am a follower of Jesus Christ not necessarily to make others follow Jesus Christ.
This is a question I think every Christian pastor and every Christian needs to ask themselves. Recognizing and reflecting on why we do what we do is an important part of discipleship. And, let me make this clear, i'm not saying that one is better than the other. I'm just saying that this difference exists. Some people on the extreme fringes of both sides think that differences in opinion mean that people can't work together and love each other. That's BS in my opinion. Differences make us human, and loving, liking and living with each other, working with each other to serve the world in spite of our differences is what makes us Christians. But, it is a question we all need to ask. Are you a Great Commission Christian? "Go and make disciples of all nations" Or, are you a Responding Christian? "Love others BECAUSE Christ loved you." Niether one is right, niether one is better. But it is important as followers of Jesus Christ to understand the reasons and drives that define your minstry. And, btw, you can be both.
I declare that my theology, ecclesiology, pedagogy, preaching, missiology and ministry are defined by my discipleship and following of Jesus Christ. I am concerned with evangelism in terms of spreading and showing the love of Jesus through my words and actions; not too concerned with the conversion of the world to Christianity.
Greatest Super Bowl Ever!!! gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggGGGGGGG-MEN!!
Peace, BB
It came from an NPR interview with the first director of Bush's Office of Faith Base Initiatives and the new author of Godly Republic. I can't remember his name right now, but he is a non-Evangelical Catholic and professor of Religion and Politics somewhere.
In the course of his interview, he said, almost offhand, that the difference between him and Fundamentalist Evangelicals is that they do everything they do to get other people to be Christians. And he does what he does because HE'S a Christian.
Brilliant. That's what I see and I'm sure it's filtered through the media and my own lenses, but it's what I see. Evangelism, in terms of conversion to Christianity, is what guides the theology, preaching, mission and service and ecclesiology of Fundamentalists. Discipleship, or following the example and teaching of Jesus Christ, is what guides and defines me and my ministry.
I know that some of you will say that being evangelical is being a disciple. I get that point. But, conversion just never has been and never will be the focal point of my ministry. I preach, teach, serve, visit, comfort, study, invite, welcome and love because I am a follower of Jesus Christ not necessarily to make others follow Jesus Christ.
This is a question I think every Christian pastor and every Christian needs to ask themselves. Recognizing and reflecting on why we do what we do is an important part of discipleship. And, let me make this clear, i'm not saying that one is better than the other. I'm just saying that this difference exists. Some people on the extreme fringes of both sides think that differences in opinion mean that people can't work together and love each other. That's BS in my opinion. Differences make us human, and loving, liking and living with each other, working with each other to serve the world in spite of our differences is what makes us Christians. But, it is a question we all need to ask. Are you a Great Commission Christian? "Go and make disciples of all nations" Or, are you a Responding Christian? "Love others BECAUSE Christ loved you." Niether one is right, niether one is better. But it is important as followers of Jesus Christ to understand the reasons and drives that define your minstry. And, btw, you can be both.
I declare that my theology, ecclesiology, pedagogy, preaching, missiology and ministry are defined by my discipleship and following of Jesus Christ. I am concerned with evangelism in terms of spreading and showing the love of Jesus through my words and actions; not too concerned with the conversion of the world to Christianity.
Greatest Super Bowl Ever!!! gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggGGGGGGG-MEN!!
Peace, BB
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