Perhaps you’ve seen the firestorm of coverage regarding U.S. Congressman Todd Akin’s (Missouri-R) comments on a Family Research Council radio show. In case you missed it, Akin said:
“at the heart of liberalism, really, is a hatred for God and a belief that government should replace God.”
The use of the word “hatred” seems kind of silly. Those liberals who are atheists don’t hate God; they simply don’t believe in Him/Her/It. It’s illogical to hate something you don’t think exists. And those liberals who do believe feel much the same way as believing Christians. Just another example of trying to get people all riled up over nothing.
Others agree. Rabbi Jim Bennett of Congregation Shaare Emeth in St. Louis was “deeply disturbed” by Akin’s “grotesque politicized attack.” The Rev. Krista Taves of Emerson Unitarian Universalist Chapel in Ellisville, Missouri, said that Akin’s comment:
“shows how very little he knows about liberals, and how very little he knows about God. I’m a liberal because I love God and all God’s creation. I value equality, fairness and compassionate justice because my faith informs my politics.”
After posting about the Wild Goose Festival last week, I was wondering how it went. It was really hot in North Carolina over the weekend, I know that, but I was curious about the turnout, reaction to the speakers, and thoughts about another Festival next year.
After their interfaith panel discussion Saturday afternoon, Rabbi Or Rose and Muslim chaplain Abdullah Antepli walked side-by-side talking quietly. It was quite a site in the South — long known as the “Bible Belt.” The pair, Rose wearing a yarmulke, had just spent an hour together in a tent with former Catholic priest and scholar Paul Knitter discussing interreligious dialogue, and what it is they admire — even love — about each other’s faith traditions.
So it went on Day 3 of The Wild Goose Festival at Shakori Hills Farm, a rural section of Chatham County, not far from the bigger places — Chapel Hill, Durham and Raleigh. While Wild Goose is predominantly Christian, ecumenism and interfaith dialogue have been major themes of the four-day festival that may be the first of its kind in the U.S.
Smiling, sharing, babies in bathtubs, “Love Your Enemies” t-shirts, even “light and humorous” discussions on death. Sounds like some new connections were made.
If you’re a music fan, you probably have heard by now that Clarence Clemons is no longer with us. He died last Saturday following a stroke, and the world has felt a bit greyer and more listless since. And if you’re wondering why this post is even included in the What He Said blog, then you need to experience the revival-meeting nature of The Big Man’s sound.
This is from the legendary 12/15/78 Winterland show in San Francisco:
If you’re in the North Carolina neighborhood this week, you might want to stop in and check out the Wild Goose Festival. Festival organizers describe it thusly:
The Wild Goose is a Celtic metaphor for the Holy Spirit. We are followers of Jesus creating a festival of justice, spirituality, music and the arts. The festival is rooted in the Christian tradition and therefore open to all regardless of belief, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, denomination or religious affiliation.
Michelle Shocked, David Wilcox, and T-Bone Burnett are among the musicians to perform, and speakers include many highlighted in this very blog: Brian McLaren, Jim Wallis, and Shane Claiborne. The festival is a whopping ten years in the making.
I’ll leave you with two quotes from today’s USA Today story. The first is from festival organizer Gareth Higgins:
“We gather to learn what Jesus came to teach us, which is not how to be a Christian, but how to be human.”
The second is from Ken Silva, a Southern Baptist blogger of New Hampshire-based Apprising Ministries:
“The wise Christian will have nothing to do with these neo-Gnostic fools who’ve unbuckled themselves from the Word of God and have embarked upon their Wild Goose Chase of subjective experience.”
Author Dan Brown has a new book out called “Karma” that weaves a tale of the second coming of Jesus. Here’s the synopsis:
Jesus has returned and it’s Judgment Day for mankind. There’s only one problem for Jesus. He has been walking the earth for over 30 years completely unaware that He is the chosen one. Matthew 24:36 states “but of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.”
As compared to 2000 years ago, there were not three wise men waiting to announce His birth. Jesus was reincarnated quite unceremoniously in 1969 under a different name. His true identity and the nature of his past life were hidden from Him until the time was right. Early one particular morning, God speaks to his Son for the first time, catching His Son completely off guard. Through a series of spiritual coincidences, God proves His existence, and wakes His Son up to the destiny which is awaiting Him.
Sounds like a logical next book for the guy who wrote “The Da Vinci Code” and “Angels & Demons,” among others, right? Well, yes, but…no. The Amazon listing shows that Dan Brown is the publisher and that the book is only available in a Kindle edition. Two very big clues.
Different Dan Brown. I wonder how many people will buy the book not knowing.
“For too long, American Christianity has been poisoned by a narrowness of mind and spirit, demanding we believe the implausible, affirm the absurd, and despise the different. For many, the concepts of original sin, a God who sends people to hell, and Jesus as the only path to God can no longer be stomached. Thus thoughtful people leave the church in droves, no longer willing to diminish their lives or the lives of others for the sake of faith.
But what if there were another way? What if God wanted us to grow and change, both in our theology and our beliefs? In The Evolution of Faith, Philip Gulley invites us to put aside slavish obedience to antiquated faith claims and worldviews that no longer ring true, and discover what we really believe, rather than what we’ve always been taught.”
Another day, another GOP presidential candidate. Or so it seems. Rick Santorum entered the fray today. It should be another interesting, fatiguing, completely soul-sapping presidential race from now until next November. And religion will surely play a large role. Obama’s Christianity (or perceived lack therof). Romney’s Mormonism. Newt’s devout Catholicism (following closely on the heels of being a devout Southern Baptist). Santorum’s claim that he’s more Christian than any of his competitors.
But in their platforms and agendas, are any of these candidates truly Christian? Are they really following Jesus’ message to help the poor and the needy? Are they lovers of peace, or flexers of American muscle?
“As I’ve said before in On Faith, I am a person of faith who is not religious. As I’ve also said before, I am a complete fan of Jesus Christ, largely because, according to the Gospels, the guy was so not a hypocrite. He flat-out lived his faith, putting into practice all those inconvenient rantings about inclusiveness and giving a damn about the poor; gunking things up for the rest of us with bothersome statements about rich men, needle eyes and camels.
At no point did Jesus say thou shalt covet diamonds that cost more than the houses a lot of Americans are losing.Of course, Newt’s not the only politician who exudes the toxic glow of Christian hypocrisy. Almost all American presidential candidates claim to be fans of Jesus. So what are they fans of? The man’s outfits? His hairstyle? His commitment to walking everywhere and thus getting regular exercise?
It’s obviously not his selfless poverty, which, to me, non-Christian admirer of Jesus that I am, appears to be the heart of his message.”
I’ve been watching the saga of Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel with interest over the past several months. He was universally worshipped in the state of Ohio and in many parts of the country (not Michigan) as a morally upstanding chap who could really teach and motivate his players at the highest levels of collegiate football. I wondered. To me, to be in the top 5 year after year, you probably have to cut some moral corners here and there.
What I didn’t know was that Tressel was also revered as a Christian hero. In an impressive piece, Former Ohio State campus minister Rev. Jonathan Weyer writes:
“Tressel started bible studies, wrote books about character values, and preached integrity in all things. He spoke at Christian rallies, talked about the importance of his faith, and how much it influenced his life. Tressel had become the darling of the Christian world in our state. He became the personification of that curious American creature that is part sports hero and part religious icon.”
Jim Tressel resigned earlier this week for covering up misdeeds in his program and then lying about both the misdeeds and the coverups. The misdeeds themselves will most likely cost the football program dearly in years to come. What to do now? Here’s Weyer again:
“I hate what Tressel did. I hate that he lied. But even more, I hate that I put him in a position to break my heart so much. He should never have been there in the first place. Tressel is just a guy, a good football coach who messed up for a variety of reasons. He should never have been my idol and it’s not fair to blame him for my own sin, the sin of making an idol in my life.
I really hope the Tressel situation will really make us as Christians examine our whole point of view on our icons by asking the questions: Are they icons for the right reasons? Are they icons because they are poor in spirit, meek, peacemakers who admit their sins, weaknesses, Are they servants, lovers of God and humans, or good neighbors?
Or are they icons because they are famous, supposedly moral, powerful, and influential?”
You see Ayn Rand’s name popping up all over the place lately. I read both “The Fountainhead” and “Atlas Shrugged.” I thought the former was terrific; in fact it’s the only book I have ever stayed up all night reading. “Atlas Shrugged,” however, I thought was a tired re-write of “The Fountainhead.” Swap Dagny Taggart for Howard Roark and railroads for architecture, and you’re done.
Today, her name is constantly mentioned by prominent Republican politicians, most notably Rand Paul and Paul Ryan (say those names together 5 times fast), who feel her writing perfectly captures the morality of capitalism.
But what about her feelings on God, religion, and faith? They certainly can’t have it both ways when it comes to Ayn Rand, right? I wonder how they will explain the following to their conservative/evangelical Christian base?
Surprise, surprise: the world didn’t end on Saturday at 6:00pm. Harold Camping is apparently “flabbergasted” that his prediction didn’t come true. What he should be “flabbergasted” about is the fact that with no Biblical training, and no knowledge of Greek or Hebrew, he was able to decipher the day of Judgement, convince hundreds/thousands of people to follow him, and build a $120M radio empire with 160 stations in 49 countries. I’m flabbergasted about that, too.
What does he say now to the followers who spent their life savings on billboards? What does he say to the mother in California who slit her daughters’ throats and wrists? Mr. Camping is supposed to make a statement later today.
For those who *did* believe Saturday was the end, you might want to check out this article for your next steps.
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