THAT IS IT. I'm selling my AK-47...

So I can't get off the subject of whether Christians should engage in war. Here's a passage in the bible I just remembered, that I think it has motivated me to sell all of my assault rifles:

This is Jesus speaking to his apostles before he sends them out:

"...take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep." Notice he didn't mention to bring a sword - even though Jesus later in the chapter said they would face some serious haters.

he also says:

"...When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another." Again, says nothing about fighting back. He takes a more passive approach. Would Jesus have organized an army if force was going to help, or if it was important to protect the apostles if they started getting oppressed?

and one last thing in the same chapter that's strengthening my opinion that Jesus is not a fan of war or force:

"Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. "

So the argument that terrorists may come to America if we don't fight them overseas seems to be "being afraid of those that kill the body". Seems to me that we have bigger fish to fry -- caring about people's souls vs. people's safety.

Again, just talking this out. I used to be a big fan of fighting "just wars" and I thought I wouldn't change my opinion then, so even though I'm strongly leaning towards a "love not war" stance on things, I could change my mind if there is a theme in the bible I'm missing.

Love you reply posts on this one!

Have a safe October 31st!

Hi family, friends and enemies -- Happy Halloween! Halloween is one of my favorite holidays - I think because I like tricks, treats and scary stuff. I'm not one of the Christians that believe we shouldn't "celebrate" Halloween because of the pagan roots. I'm not summoning spirits or celebrating paganism. We're in a world that is fallen, and if you try to avoid everything that has connection to pagans you're going to paint yourself into the corner of a small room and NEVER be the salt of the earth that Jesus wants us to be. I think it's a dangerous thing for Christians to create a little Christian bubble that isolates them from non-Christians. Especially when participating in something as innocent as going door to door in a Sponge Bob Square pants costume collecting candy. If I wasn't a Christian and someone invited me to learn about their faith - where they don't participate in Halloween -- I'd think that they have a pretty legalistic faith that is ridiculous. Personally, I can't see Jesus telling kids to stay home and don't have fun trick-or-treating. I can see him saying to stay away from occult activities - but I think trick-or-treating is a bit different. If you really, really feel that participating in Halloween is a bad thing, then don't do it (you shouldn't, or else it is a sin for you) -- this is just my humble opinion and you have a right to yours as much as I do to mine. My only fear is that by drawing a circle around yourself so big that you're not participating in innocent holidays that are not even an echo of whatever their pagan roots may have been, you are creating a perception of a faith that is bit like that of the Pharisees. Have a safe October 31st!

Happy Friday

Hi friends, family, and people who accidentaly came across my blog. I just want to wish you a happy Friday. I don't have much to say today. I'm just avoiding making some cold sales calls for as long as I can....

Here's your wisdom for the day:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

War, huh, Good God Y'all, What is it Good For?

...I'm not sure?? I've been thinking about it lately and even though I have my opinion on most modern day issues for Christians, the war thing is something I still don't have figured out. Is any war "just?" What would Jesus do with situations like Hitler Germany, Rwanda, and now Darfur? Should people there not fight back? Should they turn the other cheek? Should we help them with guns and warfare? Or is there another approach that would help? I know that God hates injustice, but does he ever want us to be his "hands & feet" of justice in a violent way? Doesn't Jesus want us more concerned with the souls of people than with how comfortable they are on earth (even in oppression - I mean look at the apostles - they never fought back)? I think a lot of wars come about because people are concerned about our very temporary life here on planet Earth. I have a wife and a daughter and I hate the idea of potentially being blown up by a madman, but as a Christian I believe I should be concerned more about the eternal destination of my family and that madman - more than being concerned about killing him in his lost state.

Jesus says to turn the other cheek. Jesus saved humanity by hanging on the cross instead of by violence. This says to me that there has to be a way to help these oppressed people with ways other than violence. I'm aware that a lot of people would say this may be next to impossible with certain cultures, but most people would say the way that Jesus lived his life was pretty crazy. Also, if you want a case study that shows violence in a culture can be changed without war, check out End of The Spear (movie or book), a true story about how some missionaries went into one of the world's deadliest, most violent African tribes and -- you guessed it -- the tribe changed it's violent ways in a major way, because of a change in their heart.

I'm not claiming to have a perfect plan for solving the world's conflicts, but from what I read in the Bible it seems to me there could be a better way to start to solve them - the way of self sacrificial love that Jesus modeled. And war never changes the heart of anyone - but sacrifice does.

Please share what you think about this - I'm seeking the truth. I'm seeking to learn why in this age most Christian's think that war is fine, when it seems to me that Jesus modeled change by sacrifice. Please feel free to share with me any different insight you may have on this.

Christian music????

Gina, Mads and I went to one of our new favorite hangouts, Augustana Care Center on Friday night to bring some cheer to the oldies there. We went up and down the hallway recruiting people to come listen to some music with us. We rounded up about 15 oldies in the gathering area and we sang karoke to songs from the 50's and 60's ranging from Elivs to Franki Valie to Richie Vallens (sp?), The Who and Aretha Franklin. We weren't winning any best singer awards, but I think we entertained them at least (or at least some of them - we had a few grouches).

One really neat story was of a lady we met named Ruth Bartholemew (can a name be any cooler?) who was visiting her husband that evening. Both she and her husband were probably in their late 60's and her husbad had a stroke earlier in the year and was in very bad shape - he had no control of his body and his face was frozen in expressions beyond his control - very sad. When I went into their room so see if they wanted to go, I actually thought that Ruth was the person in the room, but when I peaked around the corner I saw she was the visitor. I asked if she wanted to come before I realized that, but then she very sweetly let me know probably not because her husband clearly was not mobile (he was in bed). Anyways, we started our singing without them and about 15 minutes into it Ruth came down and was watching us. I can't remember how it happened, but we found out that she was a singer, and she ended up singing a song from our CD. THEN about 10 minutes later, the nurses came rolling Ruth's husband in! He told them that he wanted to hear her sing! She ended up singing a song and after we called it a night we visited with her for a while and she told us he was dying and then we found out she goes to a church we are considering joining (United Methodist Church in Hastings). She told us she has done karoke for a long time (she has a beautiful voice) and now I think she's going to bring her karaoke songs and sing for everyone, including her husand. What an amazing blessing! Gina and I believe God used us to answer a prayer for Ruth and her husband!

Anyways, it was a wonderful night - again, there's probably nothing that we could have done that we would have blessed us more. We pretty much know most of them by name now, and they ask us when we will be back.

control yourself

I think most people would agree that we are creatures of habit -- we are largely programmed by this world to think the way it does (more is better, look out for yourself, someone hits you, you hit them back, etc). However, most would also agree that we do have free will to make choices we want - but how much free will do we have vs. how much of what we do is because we're responding to what we've been programmed by the world to think?

If you've ever struggled with these types of questions, you will probably enjoy Greg Boyd's books and sermon's. A book that changed the way I think about these things is his book, Letters from a Skeptic - a book of letters between Greg Boyd and his ivy league, atheist dad.

If you're an intellectual, or if you know someone who is and you're struggling with questions like how could a loving God allow natural disasters and all sorts of evil, this book is for you. Also, if you're interested in how religion should or should not mix with politics, Greg Boyd was just featured on the front of the New York times for his new book Myth of a Christian Nation - the article can be read here. Lastly, Greg was recently interviewed by Charlie Rose on PBS along with Rick Warren. You can view that interview here.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2 (taken from a letter from the apostle Paul to the church in Rome)

www.dakotacity.org

Hey Minnesota friends,

Just found out about this one from my friend & co-worker Kevin Cash. It's an re-created old village with original buildings. It's only open occassionally throughout the year, and it's going to be open this weekend for Grand History Days. Check it out! www.dakotacity.org

chillin with the oldies

I feel so bad for me - all these postings but nobody is reading them. It's kind of like talking to myself. Ha. Anyways, Gina and I went to Augustana Care Center tonight and hung out with the old folks and chatted with them. It was a lot of fun. We brought some games but the game table was being used. They were pretty funny. If you ever want to feel appreciated, go hang out with the old folks. They are lonely and love to feel appreciated -- kind of neat how it's a two way street. They love to laugh and have fun -- so we actually went out and bought a cheap karoke machine to bring next time for some fun. Stay tuned...

think small

I have many stereotypes of people groups in my mind -- conservatives, liberals, arabs, african americans, hispanics, Christians, non-Christians -- the list goes on and on. If you are a living, breathing human, you do too. Some are good stereotypes, some are bad stereotypes.

Have you ever judged someone based on a group they belong to and end up completely "surprised" that they weren't the type of person you thought they were? I know I have. When that happens it may be God reminding you that you're not an all-knowing God, and it's good to get to know someone before you draw assumptions about them.

The thought I had on the way to work today was -- "think small." Always look at people as individuals and don't judge them on a group they belong too - regardless if you've had a negative experience with someone from a particular group. I know I would'nt like someone sterotyping me with a negative stereotype they have of Christians, salesmen, or of middle-class-white-guys. I guess this is long way of saying what Jesus said summed up perfectly: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Dogs are Better Than Cats: New Evidence

Cat starts house fire, dog saves owner Associated Press For article click here

My Photo

It's weird - so many people have told me I look like a camel in this photo.

Tigers

What a great story - it's not exactly the typical Good News that you'll read about on my blog ... more on that later, but it goes to show you that even in sports when you're down and out (119 losses in the 2003 season) that our God given spirit is very resilient if you don't give up! www.tigers.com