Mingled Musings

Some of you may have seen this but I just came across this video tonight and was rocked! Let’s all make war!

HT: KYPolitics

In this postmodern world we are often confronted with the idea that we should not make sweeping assertions or proclaim things to be true because they “may not be true for everyone.” This mindset all too often creeps into the church as well. However, it does not seem that we are experiencing anything new. In reading Luther’s Bondage of the Will, I came across this quote that seems just as pertinent today as it did 500 years ago. To set up the context he is taking aim at Erasmus’s statement that “I take to little satisfaction in assertions that I would readily take up the Sceptics’ positions wherever the involiable authority of Holy Scripture and the Church’s decisions permit.”

First, Luther lays out his definition for an assertion, he defines that to be, “staunchly holding your ground, stating your position, confessing it, defending it and perserving in it unvanquished.” This seems like a foreign concept in our day where many are hesitant to stand on any truth.

However, he then goes on to make a statement that I think would serve us all well today.

“Away, now, with the Sceptics and Academics from the company of us Christians; let us have men who will assert, men twice as inflexible as very Stoics.”

These are challenging words for a time in which we are told that compromise is an honorable quality and “open-mindedness” is something to be desired. As someone just receiving a call into the pastorate I pray that I will have this boldness in “stating [my] position, confessing it, defending it and perserving in it unvanquished.”

I saw this article a couple days ago and immediatly had mixed emotions on this decision by the new administration. The article explains this clearly but during the Bush administration the Pentagon instituted a ban on photographs of the coffins of those killed in action when returning home. However, the new administration has decided to retract this ban. One one hand, I am all for a free press. I think it is critical to our democracy to know what is happening in our world, even if this is something difficult to stomach. On the other hand, I think we owe it to the families of those who have lost loved ones to respect those lost and not make a spectacle out of a very sad and private situation. I’m still not sure where I come down on this but would love to hear your thoughts.

There has been quite a bit of debate over the past few weeks regarding the nearly $1 Trillion stimulus package that was proposed by President Obama and pushed through Congress. While I won’t rehash the debate that has already taken place, I think this is a terrible bill that seeks to do too much and is a thinly veiled attempt by the President and Congress to put significantly more control of the economy into the hands of the government rather than in the hands of those it belongs to.

However, I think the more significant issue is what is yet to come. Media outlets are reporting tonight that President Obama is set to introduce his 10-year, $634 Billion health care plan. They are not hiding the fact that this is a move in the direction of universal health care, but the terrifying part is they are also recognizing this is not the total cost involved in such an endeavor. They are saying that this only serves as a “down payment” on a form of universal health care. I would argue, that looking at past health-related programs and the estimated costs vs. the actual costs of the program, this “down payment” is going to be a much smaller portion of the total cost than they are willing to recognize now. The scary part is that they are funding over half of this proposal by tax-cuts on those making over $250K/year. While this may not seem like a big deal at face value and it will be passed of by saying the rich can afford to pay more taxes, many of those paying more taxes are not individuals but rather, small business. It does not seem very wise in this time of economic turmoil to be raising the tax burdens on small businesses who are going under at an astonishing rate.

Keep in mind this is just one bill, I have not even mentioned the $400B catch-all appropriations bill that is going through Congress in the near future. We are quickly nearing in on $2 TRILLION, and this is just the tip of the iceberg. For a little perspective, keep in mind that the entire federal budget for FY2008 was right around $3 trillion.

I believe that it is our duty, as believers, to hold our leaders accountable. We are to pray for them but also ensure that they are being good stewards of the system they are entrusted with. I am not sure that is the case here.

First off, I want to apologize to my two readers for my lack of posts lately. I have had trouble getting back in the blogging routine with classes starting but I refuse to relapse into my old habits of letting my site fall apart after a few weeks.

As most of you know, I had the privilege of spending a few days in Bella Union, Peru recently. While it is often cliche for mission trips, this having been my first venture outside of the States, this trip was truly life-changing. There are a couple thoughts that kept reoccuring throughout the week in Peru that I would like to spend a couple minutes reflecting on.

1) We serve a big God! While a simple statement that we have all heard in one form or another since we were children, this has been the thought that has transformed my life in the last couple years and one that I couldn’t escape in Peru. Now, I know God is in Lexington, he works in Louisville, and even in California, but after sitting on a plane for 7 hours and arriving in a foreign land with people who I couldn’t understand, I quickly realized God is there too! This is something that I knew in theory, but I had never let the breadth of God’s work really sink in. More than the overwhelming fact of God’s presence being everything, the most humbling aspect of this is that we are allowed the privilege of serving this God. Wow!

2) God’s Word is alive! I guess this one is along the same lines but there is nothing like seeing able to watch God’s word penetrate the hearts of those who I can’t even communicate with. It is easy to rely on our own thoughts and what we perceive to be our understanding of certain truths, but there is nothing I can do that comes remotely close to the effect the word of God has. Many times in Peru, the only thing I was equipped with was a spanish Bible. Instead of trying to express something in an articulate way, I was forced to just open God’s word and let it speak for itself, trust me, it does!! Again, I come to the same conclusion, God doesn’t need be but gives me the privilege of serving Him and spreading His word!

I plan to be back on a more regular basis with thoughts on books, scripture, and the inauguration of our new President. Regardless of our views, this is a special week. I plan on doing a couple posts on the significance of this week and where we go from here. Hope everyone is doing well and staying warm!

I am currently writing from an internet cafe in Bella Union, Peru. Things are going great on the trip so far. God is working in amazing ways in the hearts of people here. Their faith has challenged me and their passion for being transformed into the image of Christ is inspiring. We are going right now to have a worship service with the believers in Bella Union. I probably won´t be able to post again until I get back but until then, please continue to pray for our work here, pray thatGod would work in the hearts of those we would meet and pray that we would humble ourselves in such a way that God would work through us to reach the people of Peru.

Hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Years! I will be leaving today for Peru and will return on Jan. 13th. I hope to be able to post while down there but if so it will be very sporadic. Your prayers would be greatly appreciated for our team and the work we will be doing in the mountain region of Peru. I am excited to see what God has in store for us there and I am looking forward to reporting the results when I get back. Thank you all!

Interesting tidbit I found in one, of what I am sure will be many, postmortem stories on the Bush presidency. The whole things is interesting but I found the last paragraph especially significant. I am sure many politicos will write this off as a disgruntled staffer or someone with an axe to grind but this account of the view toward evangelicals couldn’t be more accurate. While I don’t want to paint everyone with a broad brush this seems to be a common mindset of many “campaign types” in the political party most of us align ourselves with. It is a reminder that we cannot afford to blindly submit to a political party rather we must be ambassadors for a greater cause in this world.

However, on a political note, I think this is indicative of what could be a fatal trend for the GOP. Many have argued that evangelical turnout was one of the main reasons for victories in 2000 and ‘04 and a mindset of appeasement toward evangelicals could spell trouble for the GOP.

Anyone who has ever read Christopher Hitchens certainly knows what to expect concerning his open hostility toward believers. This article may be the best example of that sentiment yet. I am thankful that, although I am no better than Mr. Hitchens, God, by his grace, has come in and changed my very nature from a depraved man to a child of the most high God. I can only pray that Mr. Hitchens eyes would be opened to the glories of God.