Abortion & Kourtney Kardashian

This week, reality TV personality Kourtney Kardashian announced she was pregnant.  While this typically wouldn’t be earth shattering news, what I found interesting was that she freely talked about her decision to keep the baby, even after receiving advice from friends to get an abortion.

Kardashian said, “For me, all the reasons why I wouldn’t keep the baby were so selfish: It wasn’t like I was raped, it’s not like I’m 16. I’m 30 years old, I make my own money, I support myself, I can afford to have a baby. And I am with someone who I love, and have been with for a long time.” (from CNN article, http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/TV/08/19/kourtney.kardashian.baby/index.html ).  

Kardashian related that she read a lot of information from women who had abortions and later regretted it.  Her doctor told her that she wouldn’t regret keeping the baby, but she might regret aborting the child.  She ultimately decided to keep the baby and is due in December.

Kudos to her for talking about the issue and not sweeping it under the rug, and for acknowledging that there are consequences for aborting a child just for convenience sake.

Summer Meditations

My spring has been busy, and my summer looks to be picking up speed.  I’ve been spending a lot of time lately reading.  Right now, I’m in the middle of “Heaven” by Randy Alcorn, “The Imitation of Christ” by Thomas a Kempis, and “Youth Culture 101″ by Mueller.  Waiting on Deck are works by C.S. Lewis, “The Shack”, “Spiritual Exercises” and a new book by Kathleen Norris.

On top of this, I’ve been journaling, writing some psalms, and preparing to start some classes this summer.  Looming on the horizon is the possibility that I may take a nine month course on prayer at a Franciscan retreat.  First, though, I need to see how much time the classes take.

My hope is that I can develop this summer some habits that will last.

Scripture Memorization

I have two goals for this summer.  First, I need to get into a more regular exercise routine.  Second, I’d like to spend time memorizing scripture.  A number of years ago, I wrote a number of verses on notecards to help me memorize the verses.  While I did learn several of the verses, there are some that I did not get learned.

My plan is to take the notecards to the gym (or carry them in my pocket while I’m walking the dog).  We’ll see if accomplishing two goals at once motivates me to do two things I know I should do, but don’t very often!

Now I need to be on the lookout for new verses…

Missed Chances

Late last week, a friend of mine died unexpectedly.  While he had dealt with cancer, it was a seemingly routine surgery that lead to an infection that ultimately killed him.  

I spoke with him at the beginning of the week and we planned to get together later that week (which turned out to be the day he died).  To say I was surprised to discover his death is an understatement.  Regrets, I have a few.

During our last conversation, I had felt a nudge to discuss my faith.  And although I mentioned a few things, I didn’t completely discuss the issue.  And now, I regret my cold feet.

It reminded me about a story from Dwight Moody’s life. Moody spoke one night to a huge crowd.  ”Come back next week and hear the rest of the message,” Moody told the crowd, planning to preach salvation.  Ms. O’Leary’s cow had other plans, and that very night the Great Fire of Chicago started near where Moody spoke, likely killing or displacing everyone in the crowd.  The meeting never reconvened.  Moody regretted not finishing the salvation message that night, and vowed never to assume there would be a tomorrow to tell someone the good news: Christ died to save us.

So while I am remorseful that I didn’t say the things I felt lead to, I join Moody in his pledge to never be in this position again.

Smorgasbord Theology: The Sex Issue

The Christian Church has lost some of its footing in the storm of moral and truth relativism that is sweeping the country.  Why?  We don’t stand firm on the principles set out by God in the Bible.  One such issue is sexual purity.

Sex pervades our culture, and we are daily saturated in sexual innuendo and sexual imagery.   Yet, the Church, who rightly champions against certain sexual sins (homosexuality, abortion), still remains silent on  many of the sexual issues plaguing the Church and country.  Birth control, pre-marital sex, divorce, living together, hook-ups and teenage pregnancy touch all American lives in one way or another. 

In fact, we are at the point where it is nearly universally assumed that a person out of college has sexual experience.  If one should by chance hit their mid-twenties without such experience, the individual is thought “odd” by society for maintaining their virginity.

Our God had a lot to say about sex, as the Creator and Gifter of sex, it is no wonder He has rules about it that need to be followed.  First, sex is a gift given to us, but like any complex gift, it has directions to be followed (Ex. 20:14; 1 Cor 6:18). 

God wants us to enjoy sex within the confines of marriage to one person (Gen 1:28; 1 Cor. 7:9).  Marriage, as defined by God, is between a man and a woman (Gen. 2:24).  In this type of relationship, there is no shame (Gen 2:25).

Outside marriage, sex is forbidden (Ex. 20:14; 1 Cor. 6:18; 1Thes. 4:3-6 Eph 5:3; Col. 3:5)   While this may seem harsh to some, the practical effects of ignoring this advice surround us.  Sex creates a bond between individuals and when we ignore that fact, we reap the consequences.  Men and women are created with differences. 

For women, sex has a significant emotional component and women attempt to use sex to bind men to them emotionally.   How many women have sex simply because she believes if she doesn’t put out, she’ll lose the man?  Popular culture wrestles with this in the discussion of what date should you expect sex – put out too soon, you’re a tramp; but wait too long, and you’re a prude.

For men, sexual jealousy seems to be a bigger issue.  At what point can you expect her to stop flirting with or seeing other guys?  And do you have to stop seeing other women at the same point?  Even today, it is less socially acceptable for women to have several simultaneous male partners than it is for men to have several simultaneous female partners.

Sexual revolution? For whom?  We have sex without consequences for men.  Women will always have consequences whether through pregnancy, chemical issues due to birth control or the higher incidence for sexually transmitted disease.  We have men and women living together who barely know each other’s full name.  We share sheets with someone before we would share important financial information.  We use surgery to fix a problem that could be avoided through self-control, commitment, prophylactics or chemicals.

Christ’s Church does a poor job avoiding the same pitfalls.  Obviously, the Church should treat those who repent from sexual sins with grace as a sexual sin is not any worse than another sin. 

But we should  discuss sex with our young people, and explain the pitfalls.  We should not allow people living in sexual sin to serve in the church until that sin has been repented.  We should strive to help marriages be successful and offer help to those couples who are struggling.  The divorce rate for Christians should not be higher than that of the rest of society, as it is now.

We should reach out to singles and provide opportunities for them to both minister and be ministered to, not leaving them to the sidelines in a family centered church frenzy.

Most importantly, we must hold fast to the whole of the Biblical principles.  Not just picking and choosing the things we like, and ignoring the things we don’t like.  Otherwise, we reinforce the smorgasbord theology.

Smorgasbord Theology: Now What?

The Barta Group published a survey of Americans religious beliefs this week.   Among the findings:  71% of Americans are more likely to  develop their own religious beliefs and not follow a defined set of beliefs from a particular church.   And65% of Americans believe that people of other religions can find eternal life and salvation.

Although the results are unclear whether “other religions” includes other denominations (Roman Catholic, Methodist, etc)  or other religions (Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism etc), the trend is for individual Americans to pick, buffet-style, from the long list of religious principals what things to apply to their life.  Apparently, to most Americans all religious things are equally true. 

Don’t like the Hindu prohibition on eating meat?  Just choose another food based rule.  Don’t like Christianity’s stand on sex?  Pick another one off the table.

Obviously the falsity of this approach is apparent:  By their very terms, not all paths can be true.  For example, most religions claim to be the one way, whether to heaven, enlightenment or nirvana.  If they are all right, then they are all liars too.

But how should Christ’s Church respond to this?  We’ve lost credibility with the masses by our hypocrisy on a number of fronts.  We point to homosexual marriage as a great abomination to God, but don’t look to cleaning our own houses of worship of other sins such as adultery, divorce, greed, lust or idolatry. 

We emphasize God’s love without mentioning God’s righteousness or wrath, thereby convincing people that God will accept them as long as they try to live a good life (however they define “good”).  

 We try to convert people by making them conform to never-explained rules before they are in love with Jesus.  Or we fall to the other extreme and refuse to explain how flouting God’s rules have consequences, actually failing  to give aid to help them extract themselves from the bad situation.

We refuse to let people see our struggles with sin, each other, and life by sugarcoating Christianity, then wonder why people drop out of church when the going gets tough. 

We don’t treat each other with grace during our disputes on minor points (like color of fellowship hall carpet, time of service, etc.).  We become entrenched in the “our way” is best mentality on non-essentials such as  worship music style, or the wardrobe of the minister.

We let the world pigeon-hole us into sound bite theology, and don’t explain how Christianity is rational, historical, and most importantly, resonates in our lives.

In short, we avoid applying Paul’s words:  “I appeal to you brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.”  1 Corinthians 1:10

Our meaningless (non-theological) divisions and the confusion that surrounds them lead the non-believer to believe Christianity is just another religion:  Not the only way to reconciliation with God.

Disturbing trends in “Christianity”

A disturbing study from the Barna Group came out this week highlighting the religious beliefs of Americans:  

*       71 % of Americans say they are more likely to develop their own set of religious beliefs than follow defined beliefs of a particular church.

*       61% of born-again Christians  pick and choose from the beliefs of different denominations

*        82% of born-again Christians under the age of 25 pick & choose

*        50% of Americans believe that Christianity is now just one of many faith options people can choose from

*        44 % disagree with the above perception

*        50%  of those interviewed do not believe in the existence of Satan

*         33% believe Jesus sinned while on earth

*         40% say they do not have a responsibility to share their faith with others

*         65% of American Christians saying that people of other religions can find salvation and eternal life (It is unclear if other religions includes other denominations)

*         47%  of Evangelicals think that many different religions can lead to eternal life

*          80% of  these Christians cited one non-Christian faith as a route to salvation while  61 % named two or more

How would Jesus  respond to these beliefs? 

I am the Way, the Truth and The Life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.  John 14:6

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and Son and the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  Matthew 28:18-20.

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  1 Peter 5:8

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness  of God.  2 Corinthians 5:21

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”  John 1:29

Virginity: Simple Sales Transaction

In September, “Natalie Dylan” announced she would be auctioning off her virginity to pay for graduate school.    She wants to get a degree in Family & Marriage Therapy after completion of her degree in Women’s Studies, and does not see auctioning sex as demeaning. 

Ms. Dylan proudly follows in the steps of her older sister, who worked at the Bunny Ranch in Nevada as a prostitute to pay for her degree.  To date, she claims to have offers up to $3.7 million dollars for the one night stand.

She said “It is shocking that men will pay so much for someone’s virginity, which isn’t even prized so highly anymore.”

Ms Dylan has divorced sex from any emotion, and I wonder how this “transaction” will affect the rest of her life.  Will she ever get over the label of “prostitute” (as she is selling sex for money)?  After this great divorce of emotions and physicality, can she ever get back to the marriage of sex and love?

Have we come to this as a society – that purity is auctioned off to the highest bidder – in the end leaving both parties without it? 

Has sex merely become a commodity?  Give me this material thing and I’ll trade you that sexual behavior.  Forget love, commitment, chastity and purity, it’s all about me and my instant (monetary)  gratification.

Singleness: Mentor for Contentment

A speaker I heard today made a comment that reminded me of the obvious:  The most perfect example of humanity never had sex, never was married and did not have kids – Jesus.

How quickly I forget that the things I desire, marriage and family, are two things that Jesus did not have either.  Yet he lived a rich life full of people and experiences.  He had time to minister to others.  Time to spend with His Father. 

How much time do I waste dreaming of the day I marry?  Or how much money do I spend to look attractive to men?  Not that these are necessarily sinful (although they could very easily fall that direction), but these ideas drain me of time and money I could spend elsewhere. 

Jesus is the standard all Christians should strive to be like, although we will fall short.  I need to remember that I am a “little Christ” and focus on what God wants me to do, not what I want God to do for me.  I must be content in my circumstances and remember that God works all things for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  Romans 8:28.

Death: My Sympathies?

A man I know who rather regularly disparages Christians suffered a death in his family.  What fascinated me was that nearly everyone spoke of how they would be praying for him.  Or how he’d see the person again in heaven.

When he has made it clear that he doesn’t believe in God and finds those who follow Christ to be simple-minded fools, why would it comfort him to have that “unliving god” or a “unbelievable spirit” asked to give him relief from his loss?

These condolences are only helpful to someone who believes in Almighty God and knows the person believes in Christ’s death and resurrection.  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus.” Romans 6:23.

Which still leaves me with a conundrum:  how to console a non-believer about another non-believer’s death and provoke a discussion about God, Jesus and eternal life.