Allergies suck

Coffee and good books....That's what heaven will be like for me.   Books and caffeine, and now free wifi...woohoo!   So I'm sitting here in Borders, having a large latte and posting to my Xanga.   This is my major vice. 

I could get used to this no internet if it keeps putting me in bookstores.   I'm off for a week, and have some time to sit around bookstores.   Once I'm done with this post I've got some research to do, and then home for supper.  Of course I'll spend way too much money on books, I always do. 

Now on to other matters....I had my spiritual birthday yesterday.   I became a Christian on June 28, 1990.   19 years of Christianity.  I won't say it's all been fun, but then we're not promised a bed of roses.  I think that maybe the worst belief we attempt to instill in new believers...that life will be better now that they're "saved".   Nothing could be further from the truth.   Jesus Christ offers a changed life, but its change of His choice.   Unfortunately, too many make Christianity into a "get out of jail free" card.  Again nothing could be further from the truth.   If Christianity could be reduced to card status it would be a "get free from sin" card.   There are those who not only want a "get out of jail" card, but a "keep on sinning" card.   There are those who also feel the freedom to define God in ways that they themselves would not want done to them.   We've got Replacement theology, gay theology, open theism, feminist theology, liberation theology... I like allowing God to be who He says He is, and I reject all of the above "theologies".  God claims the right and power to define not only Himself, but us as well.   I accept that plain and simple.   I would think a wise person would fear misrepresenting God, but that isn't the case these days.   Jesus tells us in John 8 that if we obey His teaching, living lives of obedience that we will know the truth and the truth will make us free.   So what happens if change something fundamental about the God who is truth?   Doesn't it stand to reason that if we set aside God as He presents Himself that His truth will have no effect in our lives?   I'm not saying we can do anything to change God or His truth in reality, but we can and do keep His truth from affecting our lives.  

And maybe that's the real point...maybe we want to keep the true God's truth from effecting us, and others.   Let's face it a god we can put in our religious box is a safe god.   Such is not a god who can save, but he's a god we can control.   A god we can completely understand is a God who is like us.  We decide his boundaries, his powers, his love for us.   This god is a real god, in so far as we give him or her reality.   In addition we can be rid of that pesky, old, tired, book; The Holy Bible.   The God of the Bible is not the god of open theism, gay theology, replacement theology, liberation or feminist theology.   The God of the Bible is too great to be put in anyone's religious box, or prideful  "limitation theology".   I like the God who doesn't fit into any of my notions of what I want in a "designer" theology.   I am incapable of knowing the form or breadth of the God of the Bible.  He is too great for me.  The God of the Bible will not bend His knee to me or my best efforts to conform Him to an image I like.   This Biblical God demands that I bend my knee, and bow my head to His conforming power.  

I like this God of the Bible.  You may, kindly, keep all "limitation theology", away from me, I won't waste my time, thank you.

My cup o'coffee has runneth dry, and I've got books to buy!

Lonnie  

I had this ready to post many days ago, but thought I'd let the furor over the subject matter cool a bit.  When I'm cool headed I can hear and accept difficult things. 

A Straight,

No Bah Sheep

Post!

(Okay the title is BS, but the post isn't)

An actual staw over wire sheep

I've been spendin a spell over at the SirNickDon, sheep ranch.   He's been havin some ruckus with some other shepherds.   That SirNickDon, he's a pistol!   Anyway, he's got a notice nailed to one of his fence posts.  And some of his fellow shepherds ain't happy 'bout what's on his post!!  Really it's just one lil' ole piece causin all the fuss.... Here 'tis.

Admit complicity for tragedy, and repent.  It is not enough to distance yourself from the murder of George Tiller, the bombing of women's clinics, and other tragedies done by extremists for your cause.  If you want to be taken seriously by a culture that is revolted by such acts, you have to admit that you take them at least as seriously as those uninvolved do.  It is true that the killer of George Tiller did not represent every pro-life worker, but the pro-life movement certainly created an atmosphere that allowed Scott Roeder to justify his actions to himself.  Beyond admitting this, the pro-life movement must further take concrete steps to dissuade this kind of vigilantism like this from taking its name in the future.

If you gotta hankerin to read all of whats on  SirNickDon's old post, well just nosy on over and have a look see.  (Click on his handle above and you'll git there quicker than Dorothy clackin her heels together).

BAH BAH HUMBUG!

Simply put, many Christians take issue with SirNickDon's little paragraph I've got in italics.  And who wouldn't be bothered by that paragraph?   SirNickDon does indeed suggest that pro-lifers are, at least a little, responsible for fostering an atmosphere which, "...allowed Scott Roeder to justify his actions [committing murder] to himself."         It is awfully nervy to suggest, that I, a pro-life Christian, should take any responsibility for what a murderer, I've never met, did in a place I've never even visited!   Perhaps next he'll suggest it was my fault Catholic priests molested children!   

Doesn't matter what he thinks, or what he writes.   His point is rendered moot.   I'm not saying he's wrong, I'm saying his reasoning needs to be... well, a lot less reasonable.  

Christians need to shoulder responsibility for the guilt of people like Scott Roeder.

  Okay, okay, calm down....What I'm saying is insane, so at least hear me out.  Look at it this way... you've got more time to plan your scorching 'flame'.

WHEN THE GOOD SHEPHERD IS CRAZY...

So this savior, Jesus, taught this parable about a lost sheep.  The story is found in Matthew 18,

"What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? ¹³And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray."

This parable doesn't, in any way prove, the point I hope to make.   The point is to show the nature of Jesus, the Good Shepherd.   The shepherd in the parable isn't blamed for losing the sheep.  Sheep can be very rebellious and when they are, they just keep getting into trouble.   The shepherd leaves 99 sheep unattended to go and find the one.   Do that math, either shepherds failed math, or concern so powerfully overtakes their senses they can only think of the lost sheep.   

When the shepherd finds his sheep he beats the stupid thing, and shouts over and over,with cruel glee, "YUM! YUM! Lamb chops tonight!"  Oh, wait, that's not how the story goes is it?!   ^13"And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray."  Whomp! There it is!  The shepherd "rejoices"...That means the shepherd's insanely happy about finding the stupid rebellious sheep!!  I told you!  CRAZY! 

But that's not even the craziest thing I've got to show you.  The next part is just totally the craziest thing there ever was!!   I mean Jesus, the Good Shepherd, lost ALL His reason....

A STRAW SHEEP ARGUEMENT

First Jesus expects that we love His stinky, dirty, stupid, pain in the ass, often rebellious sheep.   I have to love Calvinist sheep, Methodist sheep, Anglican sheep, Church of Christ sheep, and that's not all!   YUCK!! Christians, SUCK SWAMP WATER!  Christians know better than anyone else how much every other Christian sucks!   The Good Shepherd demands we love and rejoice over His sheep!!   

Jesus takes upon Himself responsibility for what He did not do.   Didn't Jesus take the sin of the world upon Himself on a Roman cross?   Jesus was innocent, but "He who knew no sin became sin, that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus."   We didn't ask Jesus to take the sin of the world upon His shoulders.   He knew that the only way any of us could possibly be saved was if He took the guilt for our sins upon Himself.    It's a Biblical family tradition.   Moses pleaded with God not to destroy the Israelites who had rebelled against God.   Nehemiah repented to God for, not just his sins, but the sins of the Hebrew people.  Isaiah acknowledged, before God that he was "a man of unclean lips, from among a people of unclean lips."  

With this understanding I now make my "straw sheep" argument:

A stupid shepherd (errant Christian) kicks a sheep (lost person) in a hole (does evil to a sinner, and makes Christ look evil).  Would you then leave the sheep in the hole?   Even though it wasn't you who kicked the sheep in the hole, won't you, a disciple of the Great Shepherd, take responsibility to get the sheep out of the hole?    That is after all what Jesus did.

What Jesus did isn't reasonable, it's insanity!! it's just what Jesus does, and it's what Jesus calls us to do.   There will be times that lost "sheep" won't allow the Lord's  under shepherds to pull them from the hole.  Such is simply the case.  The issue isn't what errant sheep do or don't do.  The issue is do we allow Jesus to instill in us a heart after His own heart, and become shepherds who take responsibility for a sheep's situation? 

I don't shoot abortion doctors, vilify gay people, or molest children.   I do however confess and own that Christians have done some pretty bad things in the name of Jesus Christ.   I understand if lost sheep prefer a deep hole to knowing me and Jesus who has saved me.   Who misrepresented Christ matters little. Who will accept responsibility for reaching religiously wounded people, who can't know the "real" Christian from a hole in the ground?  

May God make His face to shine upon you, and His peace be with you,

Lonnie  

Let the "flames" begin!!