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July 2001 ON BEING OUT OF THE "FAITH LOOP"
I read an amazing report in June by UWE SIEMON-NETTO (UPI Religion correspondent) Full Story about a recent survey conducted by Barna Research Group of Ventura, California, that seemed to point to an absolute collapse of mainline Protestantism in the USA.For example, 79 percent of America's Lutherans, 80 percent of the Episcopalians, 82 percent of Methodists, and 78 percent of Presbyterians fail to affirm the basic Protestant tenet that humans do not earn their way to heaven by good works. This shocked me, because the 16th century Reformation provided a foundation with the theological principle that humankind is justified by grace through Christ’s saving work and that good works are merely the fruit of the faith. The Vatican had accepted this very principle in 1999 in accord with the Lutheran World Federation. But as I read on I found other amazing facts: The Barna poll identified that only 9 percent of the Catholics in the United States agree with this theological concept that Martin Luther had observed from chapter 3 of the apostle Paul's epistle to the Romans. As I was reading on, I felt as if I were totally left out of the Christian "faith loop." Barna observed in their survey that only 33 percent of the American Catholics, Lutherans and Methodists, and 28 percent of the Episcopalians agreed with the statement that Christ was without sin. The world of faith changes, but how can it change so dramatically? Barna still affirmed in their interviews God as the all-powerful Creator. Nevertheless, a mere 17 percent of the Catholics, 18 percent Methodists, 20 percent Episcopalians, 21 percent Lutherans, and 22 percent of the Presbyterians told Barna that they thought Satan was real. My question is: "Are the answers of this survey for real?" Am I that much disconnected from mainstream Christianity? Do you fall into any of these categories? Do you believe Christ committed sin? Do you believe Satan is fiction? Do you believe that you can save yourself through good deeds?
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August 2001 Shopping Center Atmosphere
When you look around on the Internet and look for Christian websites, you’ll find not too many. This was one of the reasons we launched this site. But interestingly enough you find in any web search a company that operates as beliefnet.com. I find that very interesting, because "beliefnet.com" operates as the shopping center for all faiths. No matter if you are Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, Jew, etc., you’ll very likely find your faith there. What amazes me is that Christians have bought into this concept. I saw that smaller sites advertise beliefnet.com’s banner on their site and in return beliefnet.com advertises the Christian site with a banner on their site. Is the next step that we rent our churches to Buddhists? Or should we get together with Hindus and see if they can promote the Christian faith? It raises also the following question: Is Christianity just one of many religions which holds part of the eternal truth? Is there a possibility that Christ asked us to be disciples and respect other faiths because they also lead to salvation? When John and Peter were together Peter proclaimed boldly in Acts 4:12, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." This message should ring in our ears, because it is the same message Jesus proclaimed repeatedly. If we believe that there is no salvation to be found in any other "God" or message, then why are Christians selling out to a multi-faith site like beliefnet.com? If I am wrong allow me to suggest that we bind all messages such as the Bible, the Koran, etc. in one book. Tell me what you think.
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August , 2001
On Friday, August 24, 2001, I read an article in USA TODAY, where a USA TODAY/CNN/Gallop Poll identified that 34% of all Americans are in favor of legalizing marijuana. I remind you that is up 23 percentage points from 1969! The poll also indicated that most supporters come from America’s West. They are in the age category between 18 and 49 and are mostly independent voters. When I read these polls I always feel out of touch with the rest of the world. I am trying to find the answers and, indeed, USA TODAY tried to give me two arguments of the proponents: "It is too expensive to chase marijuana users and growers," and "It is medically needed for some dying patients." After reading the arguments I even felt more out of touch. I ask myself: "Are we willing to save money, in order to bring a percentage of marijuana users to harder drugs?" Well, the legalizers’ argument may be that these would have found harder drugs anyway!
Maybe, just maybe.
What if marijuana would not be legalized and individuals who respect the law (even if they had the desire for tasting) would not touch it, but with this law they may try it and would follow the route of destruction by using harder drugs over time?
Needless to say I am not in favor. I do not believe that I would enjoy a pastor who just had a "buzz" from "grass." Neither would I have confidence in seeing my dope smoking doctor for my annual physical. Or, and better yet, I rather fly and visit my family in Germany in an airplane who has a pilot who is "marijuana free."
The proponents of this law may say that there would have to be some restrictions for some professions like doctors, etc. Restrictions? Who is going to pay for monitoring that process? I thought this legalizing issue would save us money?
And finally we come to the issue of bringing relief to dying patients. My dear friends, if that is what it takes to bring relief to my suffering brother or sister then I would allow doctors to prescribe marijuana as a controlled, monitored substance. Morphine is certainly not legalized or is it? Is that the next step after we legalize marijuana?
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October, 2001 ou and Your PastorOctober is/was clergy appreciation month and it gives ministers time to reflect upon their ministry. Being a minister of a small congregation of about 120 members for the last three years, I often wonder what brings ministers to the place they are in. Looking at Jesse Jackson I have no clue where his congregation resides. Do you? Where would you mail a card? Does Benny Hinn receive "Thank You " cards this month? Does the Rev. Falwell know his beginnings? Finally, why is the Crouch family (TBN) so successful in ministering? They must be swamped in appreciation cards. I do not even want to remind you of the Pope who must be overwhelmed with cards from all over the world. The fact is that very few people ‘know’ their pastors. Maybe he/she visited you, maybe you listened to his/her sermons, you chatted with him/her at the last get-together-pitch-in-dinner, but how much do you really know about him/her? This month I plead with you to get to know your pastor. Build a relationship, build a friendship, and allow yourself to become closer to him/her. That is true appreciation. . . all year around. |
January 2002 Homosexuality and how we deal with the issue in our churches
This months' feature will attract much controversy, because the issue of homosexuality and the church has always been an issue among believers. As long as I have been a Christian I always heard two voices: "Homosexuality is a sin and those who practice such behavior end up in damnation" or "Homosexuality has always been in existence and there is nothing sinful about it."
I personally have attended endless seminars presenting by both sides of the issue. I have spoken to countless people who are practicing homosexuals and those who defy such behavior. . .and "Yes" I have read the Bible!
Though we all may have our opinion about it, we are all not clear on how to deal with "that" issue. I recognize that either side can not wish the other side away and so both sides on occasion become very hostile to each other. Once we are at that point we become empty, because we are not willing to confront our brothers and sisters about how we feel.
This month we have tried to bring both sides closer to each other. How are we to live in harmony as a congregation when we recognize there are "others" out there? In our being together it is important to recognize what we believe and and that we earn a biblical understanding on how treat each other as Christians.
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March 2002 John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Many people in this world believe that everything is "OK" in their lives. For numerous people everything becomes "OK," because we in our western, industrial society are taught to believe that we have to respect every opinion, every action and almost every behavior. Once we have arrived at that understanding, we also have to conclude that humankind can do ‘no wrong’ anymore, because the "truth" lies in the eyes of the beholder and others have to live with it. However, is that so? Should we as Christians apportion for huge margins of truth? If all people are right and no one is wrong, why did Jesus Christ die for us? If we are being taught to respect others’ behaviors, thoughts and actions, then we will lose in a sense the meaning of sin. What once was sin for us has become truth by consent. Once that is the case, we do not even need forgiveness anymore. In addition, we do not even have to consider giving forgiveness to others. To me that concept seems very strange, because the death of Christ had everything to do with God’s reconciliation with humankind! History does not work backwards and we should remember that once we have overstepped certain boundaries in our life, when we have traded the "truth" for our own satisfaction, then we have become slaves to our own being. We are no longer in a covenant and relationship with our God. You may ask: "Do you know what truth is? Do you alone hold the truth?" Of course not, but in my 44 years of living I have learned certain principles of life that I believe apply to every human being. I call them sacred. They are in fact "installed" by our God. Every human action initiates a certain reaction, which is in the essence of things. I know that these reactions are built in by our God and are felt equally by every human being. We must seek the will of God for us! We as Christians must observe the reaction(s) to our actions and the "truth" should become plain to us. And that truth is not "multiple truth!" We, as humankind, live by our choices! We are empowered by God to make the right choice. If we make wrong choices, we harm ourselves and what is worse is we harm others and our future. Evil always works exponentially! I pray that we daily seek the will of God for us, that the truth will come to us in our discernment and that we will remain strong in believing that there is only "one truth"
October 2003
As we enter into the peaceful season We, as Brethren have always been known to be a peace church. A people who believe that peace is the ultimate. The ultimate state to live and to coexist in. We, as Brethren have and had many among our midst who dedicated their life toward peace and have brought the message of peace among those who lived violent lives (often by choice) in the name of God.
Nothing has been more on my mind recently then the deaths of the soldiers of the war and the deaths of Iraqi civilian. But at the same time I also question(ed) us, as Brethren, the ones who believe in nonviolence, where we were when the leader(s) of Iraq bulldozed thousands of their own into the sand of the desert, when women where raped, when innocent political opponents were killed with poison gas, when women were oppressed, when the life of children meant next to nothing. check out these recent military updates
I also always wondered in the past where our voices were when thousands and thousands of people killed each other in the former country of Yugoslavia in the name of God. So, all of this raises the question: Should there be simply an accepted state of mind of ethical and moral sovereignty and . . . should we just accept the state of mind of a culture in its own context of reality? I mean just for the cause of peace. Because if that would be possible, no one would be able to dictate values to the other ‘believer.’ However, the very essence of Christians is that there is no sovereignty in living with each other. And the very essence of Islam proclaims the same.
But even we, as a nation, who assumes we have ethical and moral sovereignty within our country, know we are only fashioned by extremes. Extremes that trickle down to us from obsessed behaviors of those who see no limits in living in the universe. And that is precisely the reason why “the other side” hates us. “They” do not hate us as human beings, but because “they” feel we have no limits to our extreme living and living out our (lack of) virtues.
“Aah,” you may say, “so that is why I should accept them and they should accept us?” (You really meant to say that we should have not waged war on “them.)
And I say: “Impossible... we as the human (oops, as Americans) race cannot accept a culture that embraces the killing of women who commit adultery; accept the killing of political opponents ... and so on!”
You reply quickly: “And they feel the same way about homosexuality and its promotion, prostitution, alcohol, abortion, adultery!. . .need I to go on. . .?”
I respond: “To live in a democracy is to swim above water and not to seek the dark caves in the dark sea. Every system has its’ failure, but freedom is the greatest intrinsic desire in all of us.
“And so are virtues”. . .you answer in a humble voice.
And then I wonder: “Is peace not a virtue?”
As Brethren, (oops, as Christian) I should know. . . .
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