The web site “Fishermen” is selling Jesus. Not surprising a lot of people are selling Jesus. He apparently sells well. What is interesting is “Fishermen” is selling Jesus looking like Troy Aikman, riding a bull and a motorcycle, playing soccer like Pele, and looking like a hip college prof. Of course, the Lord has managed to keep his crown of thorns and robe intact for each activity. He has a cowboy hat in his hand for the bull riding event, but apparently it is just for show since there is no way he could put it over the thorns. I think the point of these action figures is Jesus is always with us. Apparently that is good news for all the X game participants.
Crazy me, I thought the promise of Jesus presence was given to encourage those who, in obedience to his directions, engage in the advance of God’s Kingdom in this world. No apparently Jesus was thinking, “You’re going bungee jumping!!! Count me in.”
I wrote the previous post last night on politics and faith. This morning I awoke to the news saying 100 evangelical leaders met in private to discuss endorsing John McCain. I don’t know any of the details as to who these leaders are, or what they are officially going to do. My question is how many evangelicals actually pay attention to what these leaders say they ought to do? Does this sort of thing really matter in the real world? What will be the practical implications? Will these leaders use their ministries and organizations to promote the election of John McCain? If yes, how will that affect the work God has called the church to?
Once again we are in the midst of a national political campaign with the Presidency on the line. These events always raise questions about the role of religion in politics. How deeply involved should people of faith be involved in the political process? To what degree should one’s faith inform one’s politics? How influential should religious leaders try to be in the political process? These questions come around with every national election.
I don’t claim to have the definitive answers to these questions. Personally I can’t avoid having my voting informed by my faith. How could it be otherwise? If I really believe what I profess to believe then that belief will affect how I cast my vote. At the same time, I am really uncomfortable with the expectation of some religious leaders that those of like faith should all come to the same conclusions about how their beliefs should be applied in the voting booth. I am also really uncomfortable with religious leaders using their faith platform to promote political agendas.
This morning I was reading a biography of Francis Asbury, the great Methodist circuit riding preacher of early American history. Asbury was being quite effective as a gospel preacher in the colonies just before the Revolutionary War. The American patriots were concerned about where everyone’s loyalties lied. Asbury tried not to get involved and focused on gospel preaching and ministering to the people of God where ever he found them. Then Charles Wesley issued a letter supporting the side of England and encouraging Methodists and their ministers to be loyal to the home country. This automatically raised suspicions about Asbury and ended up limiting his ministry for several years. Asbury’s problems at this time probably could have been avoided had Wesley kept his political views to himself and not married his faith to his politics.
So what role should religious leaders play in politics?
Email is becoming a big pain in the backside. Rarely do I receive an email with any personal thought put into it. Mostly I receive a lot of spam. Regularly I receive a few newsletters I intentionally subscribe to and read. Everyday I receive emails from well meaning friends and family members with the dreaded “FW” leading off in the subject line. I look at 1 out of every 1,000 of those. Most Fowarded emails come with lame subject lines about how important it is, about how you have to pass it on, or how you have never read anything like this. Pleeeeease…give me a break. Look, I realize that every once in a while someone writes something really profound that is worth sharing with friends. But hey, put some effort into it. Don’t just click an email list to forward it to. Think about who could really use the info and who would be blessed or helped by it. If i don’t come to mind, don’t send it. Better yet, write a personal note about how you were reading this and it made you think of me and how this would (help, bless, encourage, apply to my circumstances).
I used to think email was great. Mostly because I am so stinking tight I thought it would be great to get around the cost of postage. I’ve discovered that email just will never replace a good old fashioned hand written note or letter.
Go ahead and send the FW’s - but count on them being deleted 98% of the time.
I’m not a big fan of “Jesus Junk.” T-shirts with slogans ripped off from the latest cultural fads or commercial craze, bumper sticker slogans like “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven,” and heavenly breath mints. I just can’t imagine Jesus hawking this stuff. Lifeway Christian stores is offering for sale a Daniel action figure. According to the web page: “Kids will love playing with this Daniel and lion figurine. Reinforce God’s protection as they learn the story of Daniel. “
What kids will learn is they better hit the weight room and bulk up and get on some steroids if they want protection from a lion. Daniel has the body of Arnold when he was in his prime - who knew? No wonder the lions didn’t eat the guy, apparently they were a third his size. Daniel could have tossed them between some pita bread and made a snack out of them. I’d stay in the back of the den too. Look at the size of those feet! No lion could knock that guy over! Of course, we all know that Jewish men of that era were white with blond hair. Love the headband by the way, but isn’t that so 70’s? Not sure about the cat thing on the front of the outfit either. I can picture Daniel looking into his closet and thinking aloud, “I’ve got just the outfit for the lion’s den…been dying to wear it…oh look, I made a pun.” Hey and what’s with the shield? I wasn’t aware Nebuchadnezzar let Daniel take armor with him. Were the lions skilled with swords and arrows?
Well, I’m relearning the story of Daniel all over again - thanks Lifeway! Here he is - Daniel…………..
I was in a small town hospital a week ago today (long story) and I picked up a local newspaper. They had a picture of a local boy on an interesting bike. It looks like he welded two bike frames together, one on top of the other. Here it is for your enjoyment….
I haven’t posted much lately. Life has been too busy to take time for blogging. One thing that has been taking some time - in a good way - is my youngest son’s wedding. It was an outdoor affair and the rain had been falling all month along with constant winds. Thanks to God, we had a day with clear skies and calm breezes - the worst storm of the year hit the next day. It was a great time. A beautiful wedding and lots of fun celebrating. Here are a couple of pics.
A couple of times a week I meet with some friends in the morning for coffee. It gives us a chance to shoot the bull and solve all the world’s problems. Earlier this week we decided to break our normal routine and go to Starbucks for our session.
To me coffee is coffee. I have never tried Frapacinno or Cappacino and I don’t think I even have them spelled correctly. Just give me some regular ole coffee and I’m content. Don’t need anything with stuff on top, or anything that has to be mixed in a blender, and for sure don’t put ice in it.
When I got in line at Starbucks a young man was in front of me and he ordered something like a “Starbucks moccha latte iced with a double shot with cream whipped shaken not stirred.” He said it so fast I didn’t quite make out exactly what he wanted but the smiling woman taking his order didn’t miss a beat. She put the concoction together in no time.
My turn - “Good morning!!!! Welcome to Starbucks!!!! How can I help you???”
“I want coffee,” I replied.
She paused and with a confused look on her face asked me if I wanted a “tall.”
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m sure there is a good reason they don’t call them small, medium and large, but that is my gauge for drinks. Asking me about tall and short and whatever comes in between is like talking to me about liters and kilometers. I’m just guessing at some sort of conversion into measurements I understand. It was too early. “I want a small coffee.”
“What kind of coffee do you want?” She said, the smile now absent.
“Just regular coffee,” I said.
“We have a “Wild West Jamaican Dark Roasted Morning Wakeup Call or the Costa Rican Spring Break Restful Medium Blend,” she said.
“Just give me the medium thing. A small one.”
“OK, I need a short Costa Rican Spring Break Restful Medium,” she said to no one in particular but a blond college age girl sprang into action. “That will be $6,359 and 23 cents. Do you want that on your credit card?”
They need to have special classes for ordering at Starbucks. How do all these people know what this stuff is? I’ll I know is that you drink coffee and some people put sugar and/or cream in it. I’m Starbucks challenged. I think I’m past learning how to order at Starbucks. So its back to the old hang out where you just ask for coffee. They don’t give you options about the size of the thing. You just get a cup and the waitress comes around occasionally and asks if you want it warmed up. They put a chrome mini-pitcher on the table with cream in it and a glass sugar jar with the flappy lid from which it comes out. Its pretty simple and it only costs about a buck.
Incidentally, I notice that Starbucks ends with a buck in the plural form - “BUCKS.” Aptly named I say.
It has been a while since I made another installment in the interesting bike pictures category. I found a company that makes bikes for different types of vendors. With the price of gas what it is, they may find an uptick in orders. You can check out their business at: Workman Cycles
David Miller was about to win a stage when his bike chain snapped. Here is a video of his reaction. I wonder if it is like baseball and you get to keep it once it goes over the fence? Wouldn’t that be sweet!!!!
