Thursday, 18 June 2009
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Currently
The Shack
By William P. Young
see relatedSTRAW SHEEP ARGUMENT
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)
![0[1]](http://x25.xanga.com/122f666601637244999754/z194215689.jpg)
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!!
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Comments (18)
Donald Miller in "Blue Like Jazz" set up a confessional on the campus of a secular university. When people came in he confessed to them the sins of the Christian Church from the days of Jesus on until modern times. That chapter was really powerful for the same reason that your post is. Jesus paid for my sins even though He was never guilty. I need to follow in His footsteps.
haha "yum yum lamb chops!"
with how obnoxious some people are, don't we wish? LOL
idunno man. that sufficiently wets my matches...
pass the mint jelly
i used to do that. i suppose over the years being held personally responsible for every evil deed of any person, white, christian or having any vague semblence to myself instilled an attitude of "screw you i do what i want" or, "if you're going to do the time, might as well do the crime".
im not by any stretch saying my current attitude is in any way a good one. it's easier to be contrite when a sword isnt being held to your neck(figuratively speaking)
@Tom@revelife - very insightful
Well that's cool. Doesn't matter so much the past as who you are now.
I have repented for my city b4 & seen a horrible drought end. It is sound thinking.
It's so disconcerting to begin reading a post you assume has nothing to do with you and then see your name. For a second it's like, "Crap, what did I do now?" But this is very cool, and I definitely agree with your analysis. I am becoming more and more convinced that the center for all Christian ethical thinking has to be the example Christ set. Paul even used that as his example when discussing dietary scruples. It has to be central. Great job thinking this through.
I like it. Besides, being reasonable only ever got people reasonable results. Christ was unreasonable and got unreasonable results. Sense a trend?
@Tom@revelife - I forgot about that, but yeah I do remember reading that. I think at the time I was in a pretty bad place personally. When I read Miller's account it kind of went in one ear and out the other. It's certainly a good addition to the conversation...Thanks Tom.
@SeitekiChibiNeko - Falling into the stupid, stinky sheep category myself, I will raise no bleat against any other stinky sheep...That's my answer and I'm sticking to it.
@pamilvr - Ha ha ha!
@Justin_DeBin - It matters if you're lost to God, and in need of a savior. It matters if those who claim to represent Christ do wrong, and misrepresent Christ. To God it matters, and the Bible shows that, time and time again. That it doesn't matter some of us, doesn't change the matter for God.
@ionekoa - Being blamed and taking the lumps someone gives you for the harm another has given them, isn't the same thing. The point, when confronted with the very real and evil behavior of fellow Christians, will you just accept it in order to serve God's purposes? Maybe you're not there yet, and that's okay, if you don't plan on staying there. I don't believe any of us have the natural inclination to be anything like Christ. With God all things are possible, so if we're open to God working His grace in us, He can get us where He wants us. I'd simply ask, "Are you willing for God to at least make you willing?"
@Made2sing4Jesus - I believe in experiential theology. I believe we should read what the Bible says and experience it in our lives. Serving God's purposes will bring God's results. Though sometimes it's long in coming.
@SirNickDon - I'm not really this smart. The Holy Spirit is, and any good insights I have come from Him. The screwed up, stupid, "sheepish" stuff is all mine.
@striemmy - Sounds reasonable
ryc: I don't really see this post fitting into the poem I wrote, but I can definitely see where it might fit into this post. Does that make sense? So yeah, they are related.
And you do make some good points in this post.Well, maybe I am one of those "weak in the faith" brothers, but I believe that Christ took all the sin(s) of the world past, present, and future upon Himself. I feel as though there is a sort of false piety in repenting of sins of others when I have plenty of my own REAL sins to repent of. I am truly sorry for anyone - saved or not - who is so eaten up with hatred that he commits murder. And as for the charge that Christians taking a stand against abortion fueling the hatred of abortion doctors, I would say we are overlooking the intense hatred that those at enmity with God have in general. In other words, Christians did not invent hatred or intolerance or bigotry.
@quest4god@revelife - Hmmmm....me thinks I see a new post in what you say. I didn't know who would give me your response, but I've been waiting for it the way a buzzard awaits the arrival of the impending clash of battle...greedily, hungrily, mouth wateringly, MUUUUAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
Seriously, that's the response I've been hoping for, thank you. And don't worry I'm nothing like a buzzard. You believe me right??
@Such_Were_You - I am not sure that I am subscribed to you. Let me know when you write this follow-up post. Thanks.
"That means the shepherd's insanely happy about finding the stupid rebellious sheep!! " Yay, Lonnie!! I love your way of putting things.
I remember a caller to my husband's radio show years ago who was going easy on the more rabid abortion protesters--you know, the ones who show pictures of bloody babies and shout 'murderer'. My husband disagreed with him, of course, and kept talking and talking to this guy to flesh him out, and finally the guy said, 'Look, maybe we should do more than that. Somebody should just take a rifle and take these abortionists out at the knees.'
That's when my husband banned him from every calling the show again.
What happened next? My husband got calls from other 'Christians' scolding him for being so harsh with the lunatic.
That's how we got where we are today.
I used to be a staunch pro-lifer... but where in the Bible are we told to keep unbelievers from killing/sacrificing their children? (other than being a "light in the darkness") It happened back in the Bible days too... oh yeah God is more concerned with OUR actions (those of us who are HIS). It's easy to point out and talk about other people's sins but we, as a group, rarely want to completely apply God's ways to ourselves.