A new law was passed last week banning anyone from asking for money from the sidewalk. It would be un-constitutional to ban one type of free speech so they couldn't just ban homeless folks but also the firefighters who raise funds for charity, and newspaper hawkers who are ,in most cases, trying to get back on their feet from extremely tough situations. The law was cloaked as a safety issue, that its too dangerous for people to be interacting with traffic, but its obvious that people are just tired of looking at them.
I read several articles about the ban this week and as I scanned through the comments I was shocked at the level of hatred that I saw coming from our community.
There was only one comment that I found in defense of the poor. Here are just a few of the comments:
"It's unsafe and since I drive a convertible, it makes me an open target. I keep a can of mace nearby because the next one that invades my space will receive a free eye wash. I'm sick of all of them."
"The bums just asking for money need to be done away with."
"Locking up the beggars and giving them free room and board is not the solution. Unless, they are put in work camps. See how soon they would leave the area."
"Speaking of Sarasota, was there yesterday and only saw one bum. How refreshing."
"Start hosing them with pepper spray when they come to your window. Once it happens a few times they will get the message and move on. Prolbem solved."
"In DC they are not allowed to approach or touch you and they don't. The just sit there. A bum touches someone in DC and they are beat by the individual and/or the cops and jailed... period."
"A few years back a derelict was standing at the corner with one of those 'will work for food' cardboard signs. It was a very hot day and decided to see if the smelly vagrant would really 'work' for his keep. I rolled my window down and told him I'd give him $5 bucks if got down and gave me 50 push-ups. I pulled around the corner and held up the $5 bill and he got down and got up to a dozen before he gave up!"
"Throw change out the window into traffic."
"Can't you people just make panhandling a capital crime and put them all to death? Come on! Show a little backbone."
"Y'know...I havent got a problem with any of them because I have the intestinal fortitude to refuse to give anyone (who isn't holding a gun to my head) my money. Why is it so diffficult to just say 'no' to a bum? It's just like feeding animals - as long as you give them something they'll keep coming back."
"All homeless should be euthanized. Put your FEMA Camps to good use Mr. Obama"
"get these peices of crap off the streets"
These are people. People with stories (most likely a story much more interesting that yours or mine), people with potential, people who are struggling with addictions, and most of the time they are people who are alone. Get to know a homeless person and treat them with dignity, you'll find that they're not that different from you, and you may be surprised to actually learn something from them. There is much more crime committed by business men in suits than by homeless, but this law may actually cause more crime by causing people to become more desperate for cash. Lets do whatever we can to fight for equal rights for our brothers and sisters on the street.
Give hope, give love, give peace.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
How Different Generations View and Engage with Charismatic and Pentecostal Christianity
from barna.org
Charismatic and Pentecostal expressions of Christianity have been part of the American spiritual landscape for more than a century. How much staying power does that set of beliefs and behaviors have among the youngest generations of Christians? A research study conducted by the Barna Group explored the degree to which four different generations of American adults identified themselves as charismatic or Pentecostal believers. The research also examined generational gaps in terms of beliefs about the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, and spiritual gifts.
Generations Are Distinct
Those fitting the Pentecostal/charismatic criteria stated that they considered themselves to be in that category of believers, said they believe that they “have been filled with the Holy Spirit,” and that God has given them at least one of the charismatic gifts, such as tongues, prophecy, or healing. Overall, that group represents 21% of all American adults and 25% of those who describe themselves as Christian.
Baby Busters (ages 26 to 44) were the generation of self-identified Christians most likely to claim a charismatic or Pentecostal connection (29%), slightly higher than the 26% among the Mosaics (ages 18 to 25) and the 25% among the eldest of Americans (25% among those 64 and older). Surprisingly, the generation that introduced America to “Jesus freaks” and other marks of spiritual intensity – i.e., Baby Boomers (now 45 to 63) – is the generation currently least likely to identify as charismatic or Pentecostal (20%).
In terms of beliefs and attitudes, there are marked differences between the generations. In general, the research shows that younger Christians are more open to charismatic gifts, but more skeptical about the nature of the Holy Spirit when compared to older Christians.
* Christians aligned with the two youngest generations - the Mosaics (56%) and Busters (49%) - were more likely than were Boomers (44%) or Elders (30%) to believe that “the charismatic gifts, such as tongues and healing, are active and valid today.” However, age was a less consistent indicator of people’s awareness of spiritual gifts. Mosaic Christians were the most likely to be aware of such gifts, while Buster Christians the least aware age group.
* Regarding the best-known and most controversial of the charismatic gifts, the spiritual prayer language known as speaking in tongues, younger Christians were more likely to believe that tongues are “valid and active today.” In total, 43% of Mosaics and Busters believe either that God provides every Christian with the ability to speak in tongues or that God gives the gift to some but not to others. This compares to 37% among Boomers and Elders combined. Still, this does not necessarily translate into greater personal participation in speaking in tongues among young believers; just 7% of Mosaic Christians and 9% of Buster Christians had ever spoken in tongues, compared to 13% of Boomer believers and 9% of Elder Christians.
* The four generations also demonstrated contrasting perspectives about the Holy Spirit. Despite their skepticism about the charismatic and Pentecostal expressions of Christianity, older believers stood out from younger Christians for their likelihood of saying that they “consistently allow their lives to be guided by the Holy Spirit.” Elders (64%) and Boomers (59%) outpaced Busters (54%) and Mosaics (38%) on this viewpoint.
* In spite of their openness to the charismatic and Pentecostal elements of the Christian faith, the youngest believers offered an unexpected, existentialist view of the Holy Spirit. In total, 68% of Mosaic Christians said they believe that the third person of the trinity is just “a symbol of God’s power or presence, but is not a living entity.” This compares to 59% of Busters, 55% of Boomers, and 56% of Elders who believe the Holy Spirit is merely symbolic.
* Younger Christians were more likely than older believers to “sense that God is motivating people to stay connected with him, but in different ways and through different types of experiences than has been the case in the past.” A majority of Busters (52%) strongly embraced this perspective, while Boomers (43%) and Elders (39%) were less likely to do so.
Matters of Scope
While the four generations often exhibit divergent views about Pentecostal/charismatic Christianity, these differences do not diminish the significant size of the group. To put it in perspective, the Pentecostal/charismatic contingent represents one of the larger categories of believers in the nation. For instance, while there are twice as many self-described Protestants as Pentecostal/charismatics, and nearly twice as many born again Christians, the group is equivalent in size to the number of Catholics, and larger than the pools of adults who attend Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Episcopal or non-denominational churches. The number of Pentecostal/charismatics is triple the number of evangelicals.
The research also revealed that the charismatic and Pentecostal segment cuts across denominational, geographic and political lines. For instance, 20% of Catholic adults and 26% of Protestants identify as part of the charismatic or Pentecostal segment. Politically, one-quarter of all Republicans (24%) and Democrats (23%), and one-fifth of independent voters (21%), are self-described charismatics or Pentecostals. The data show equal representation in each of the nation’s four geographic regions, ranging from a low incidence of 20% in the Northeast to a statistically equivalent level of 22% in the Midwest.
Observations
Reflecting on the findings, David Kinnaman, president of the Barna Group, suggests that “the charismatic and Pentecostal community in the U.S. has reached a conflicting social status – its numbers have established the group as a significant social and spiritual force, yet generational changes and the diffusion of Pentecostalism across many denominations have made its beliefs, behaviors and identities much less focused. For millions of the youngest Christians, the charismatic, Pentecostal and Spirit-filled labels are not as divisive as they were to their parents’ generation. The Mosaic generation in particular is removed from many of the long-standing debates about the validity of spiritual gifts, the role of expressive forms of worship, and about the need for receiving personal direction from the Holy Spirit. As a consequence, the next generation of charismatic and Pentecostal Christians spends less time defending their views to others, but also seems much less certain what they believe or how to put their faith into action.
“It raises the question of what will define the next generation of young charismatics and Pentecostal believers in the U.S. Facing less criticism from within the ranks of Christians, they must focus on being grounded theologically and finding a way to live faithfully within the broader culture of arts, media, technology, science, and business,” commented Kinnaman.
Kinnaman also pointed out that because younger Christians are open to the Holy Spirit and to spiritual gifts but hold contradictory beliefs and behaviors, there will be a premium on the theological and spiritual development of the next generation. “Just like young Christians of various traditions, young charismatics are less likely to adopt their beliefs and practices based on deep, considered theological reflection. The future vitality of this portion of the Christian community will depend in part on connecting young charismatic and Pentecostal believers to better training on theology and doctrine.”
Charismatic and Pentecostal expressions of Christianity have been part of the American spiritual landscape for more than a century. How much staying power does that set of beliefs and behaviors have among the youngest generations of Christians? A research study conducted by the Barna Group explored the degree to which four different generations of American adults identified themselves as charismatic or Pentecostal believers. The research also examined generational gaps in terms of beliefs about the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, and spiritual gifts.
Generations Are Distinct
Those fitting the Pentecostal/charismatic criteria stated that they considered themselves to be in that category of believers, said they believe that they “have been filled with the Holy Spirit,” and that God has given them at least one of the charismatic gifts, such as tongues, prophecy, or healing. Overall, that group represents 21% of all American adults and 25% of those who describe themselves as Christian.
Baby Busters (ages 26 to 44) were the generation of self-identified Christians most likely to claim a charismatic or Pentecostal connection (29%), slightly higher than the 26% among the Mosaics (ages 18 to 25) and the 25% among the eldest of Americans (25% among those 64 and older). Surprisingly, the generation that introduced America to “Jesus freaks” and other marks of spiritual intensity – i.e., Baby Boomers (now 45 to 63) – is the generation currently least likely to identify as charismatic or Pentecostal (20%).
In terms of beliefs and attitudes, there are marked differences between the generations. In general, the research shows that younger Christians are more open to charismatic gifts, but more skeptical about the nature of the Holy Spirit when compared to older Christians.
* Christians aligned with the two youngest generations - the Mosaics (56%) and Busters (49%) - were more likely than were Boomers (44%) or Elders (30%) to believe that “the charismatic gifts, such as tongues and healing, are active and valid today.” However, age was a less consistent indicator of people’s awareness of spiritual gifts. Mosaic Christians were the most likely to be aware of such gifts, while Buster Christians the least aware age group.
* Regarding the best-known and most controversial of the charismatic gifts, the spiritual prayer language known as speaking in tongues, younger Christians were more likely to believe that tongues are “valid and active today.” In total, 43% of Mosaics and Busters believe either that God provides every Christian with the ability to speak in tongues or that God gives the gift to some but not to others. This compares to 37% among Boomers and Elders combined. Still, this does not necessarily translate into greater personal participation in speaking in tongues among young believers; just 7% of Mosaic Christians and 9% of Buster Christians had ever spoken in tongues, compared to 13% of Boomer believers and 9% of Elder Christians.
* The four generations also demonstrated contrasting perspectives about the Holy Spirit. Despite their skepticism about the charismatic and Pentecostal expressions of Christianity, older believers stood out from younger Christians for their likelihood of saying that they “consistently allow their lives to be guided by the Holy Spirit.” Elders (64%) and Boomers (59%) outpaced Busters (54%) and Mosaics (38%) on this viewpoint.
* In spite of their openness to the charismatic and Pentecostal elements of the Christian faith, the youngest believers offered an unexpected, existentialist view of the Holy Spirit. In total, 68% of Mosaic Christians said they believe that the third person of the trinity is just “a symbol of God’s power or presence, but is not a living entity.” This compares to 59% of Busters, 55% of Boomers, and 56% of Elders who believe the Holy Spirit is merely symbolic.
* Younger Christians were more likely than older believers to “sense that God is motivating people to stay connected with him, but in different ways and through different types of experiences than has been the case in the past.” A majority of Busters (52%) strongly embraced this perspective, while Boomers (43%) and Elders (39%) were less likely to do so.
Matters of Scope
While the four generations often exhibit divergent views about Pentecostal/charismatic Christianity, these differences do not diminish the significant size of the group. To put it in perspective, the Pentecostal/charismatic contingent represents one of the larger categories of believers in the nation. For instance, while there are twice as many self-described Protestants as Pentecostal/charismatics, and nearly twice as many born again Christians, the group is equivalent in size to the number of Catholics, and larger than the pools of adults who attend Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Episcopal or non-denominational churches. The number of Pentecostal/charismatics is triple the number of evangelicals.
The research also revealed that the charismatic and Pentecostal segment cuts across denominational, geographic and political lines. For instance, 20% of Catholic adults and 26% of Protestants identify as part of the charismatic or Pentecostal segment. Politically, one-quarter of all Republicans (24%) and Democrats (23%), and one-fifth of independent voters (21%), are self-described charismatics or Pentecostals. The data show equal representation in each of the nation’s four geographic regions, ranging from a low incidence of 20% in the Northeast to a statistically equivalent level of 22% in the Midwest.
Observations
Reflecting on the findings, David Kinnaman, president of the Barna Group, suggests that “the charismatic and Pentecostal community in the U.S. has reached a conflicting social status – its numbers have established the group as a significant social and spiritual force, yet generational changes and the diffusion of Pentecostalism across many denominations have made its beliefs, behaviors and identities much less focused. For millions of the youngest Christians, the charismatic, Pentecostal and Spirit-filled labels are not as divisive as they were to their parents’ generation. The Mosaic generation in particular is removed from many of the long-standing debates about the validity of spiritual gifts, the role of expressive forms of worship, and about the need for receiving personal direction from the Holy Spirit. As a consequence, the next generation of charismatic and Pentecostal Christians spends less time defending their views to others, but also seems much less certain what they believe or how to put their faith into action.
“It raises the question of what will define the next generation of young charismatics and Pentecostal believers in the U.S. Facing less criticism from within the ranks of Christians, they must focus on being grounded theologically and finding a way to live faithfully within the broader culture of arts, media, technology, science, and business,” commented Kinnaman.
Kinnaman also pointed out that because younger Christians are open to the Holy Spirit and to spiritual gifts but hold contradictory beliefs and behaviors, there will be a premium on the theological and spiritual development of the next generation. “Just like young Christians of various traditions, young charismatics are less likely to adopt their beliefs and practices based on deep, considered theological reflection. The future vitality of this portion of the Christian community will depend in part on connecting young charismatic and Pentecostal believers to better training on theology and doctrine.”
Monday, March 1, 2010
Study on: Isaiah 61 part 1
Verses 1-3 (New American Standard Version)
"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
Because the LORD has anointed me
To bring good news to the afflicted;
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to captives
And freedom to prisoners;
To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
To grant those who mourn in Zion,
Giving them a garland instead of ashes,
The oil of gladness instead of mourning,
The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting
So they will be called oaks of righteousness,
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."
This chapter really hit me today, and I would love to open a discussion on it. Its so rich that I would like to take it slow and just take it a few verses at a time.
Verse 1:
Jesus quoted this verse to describe his mission, and if we are called to be like Christ I think its important to make this our mission as well. If we read this passage in context of it being our mission as well then I think we can walk away with a real sense of direction. The Spirit of the Lord is upon us, and he has anointed us to bring good news to the afflicted. In the Hebrew the word "afflicted" also means "humble" "meek" or "poor". "Humble" can mean our state of life, but it can also mean a state of character. When I think of being anointed to bring good news to the "humble", I feel like I have a better idea of who will most likely receive our message of love. "He mocks proud mockers, but gives grace to the humble" Proverbs 3:34. Next we are called to bind up and heal the brokenhearted. Its a lot easier for me to help someone who is suffering in a material way, but in my case its seems harder to help someone to heal inside. Robyn (from the Nest, duhhh) has been an example of someone who is deeply committed to the state of people's hearts, and I am really inspired by that commitment. I hope we can all have the courage to open the doors of the literal prisons and open the eyes of our brothers and sisters who are hurting inside.
Verse 2:
Its really interesting that Jesus only reads half of the phrase in this verse. He proclaims the year of the Lord's favor, which is the Jubilee (Leviticus 25), then he closes the book before the part that proclaims the day of the Lord's vengeance. I believe he did this because until the day He returns we are in the year of the Lord's favor, the year of the Lord's grace. This is the way we are to live, to practice Jubilee, to love one another. Its also interesting that the "acceptable time of grace" is a year, and the the time of "vengeance" is only a day. We all have this deep longing for justice, a "hunger and thirst for righteousness", and God promises us here that there will be a day when he will repay, when the afflicted will be avenged.
Verse 3:
Instead of being burdened by death, he clothes us in beauty. He's not clothing us in something beautiful, but in beauty it self. Isn't this how we feel when we come to know Christ? Clothed in beauty? I want to help others feel the same way, to be a co-worker with Christ in his garden, planting trees of righteousness. I really believe that its possible for us to do these things. We talk about being like Jesus all the time, but I think we are a little scared to actually apply verses like these to ourselves. I have faith that we can, and Jesus expressed an amazing faith in us. He believed we would do even greater things than these. I'm not sure what that looks like, but I'd love to start here with these verses.
So that He may be glorified in us, just as He was glorified in Jesus.
"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
Because the LORD has anointed me
To bring good news to the afflicted;
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to captives
And freedom to prisoners;
To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
To grant those who mourn in Zion,
Giving them a garland instead of ashes,
The oil of gladness instead of mourning,
The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting
So they will be called oaks of righteousness,
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."
This chapter really hit me today, and I would love to open a discussion on it. Its so rich that I would like to take it slow and just take it a few verses at a time.
Verse 1:
Jesus quoted this verse to describe his mission, and if we are called to be like Christ I think its important to make this our mission as well. If we read this passage in context of it being our mission as well then I think we can walk away with a real sense of direction. The Spirit of the Lord is upon us, and he has anointed us to bring good news to the afflicted. In the Hebrew the word "afflicted" also means "humble" "meek" or "poor". "Humble" can mean our state of life, but it can also mean a state of character. When I think of being anointed to bring good news to the "humble", I feel like I have a better idea of who will most likely receive our message of love. "He mocks proud mockers, but gives grace to the humble" Proverbs 3:34. Next we are called to bind up and heal the brokenhearted. Its a lot easier for me to help someone who is suffering in a material way, but in my case its seems harder to help someone to heal inside. Robyn (from the Nest, duhhh) has been an example of someone who is deeply committed to the state of people's hearts, and I am really inspired by that commitment. I hope we can all have the courage to open the doors of the literal prisons and open the eyes of our brothers and sisters who are hurting inside.
Verse 2:
Its really interesting that Jesus only reads half of the phrase in this verse. He proclaims the year of the Lord's favor, which is the Jubilee (Leviticus 25), then he closes the book before the part that proclaims the day of the Lord's vengeance. I believe he did this because until the day He returns we are in the year of the Lord's favor, the year of the Lord's grace. This is the way we are to live, to practice Jubilee, to love one another. Its also interesting that the "acceptable time of grace" is a year, and the the time of "vengeance" is only a day. We all have this deep longing for justice, a "hunger and thirst for righteousness", and God promises us here that there will be a day when he will repay, when the afflicted will be avenged.
Verse 3:
Instead of being burdened by death, he clothes us in beauty. He's not clothing us in something beautiful, but in beauty it self. Isn't this how we feel when we come to know Christ? Clothed in beauty? I want to help others feel the same way, to be a co-worker with Christ in his garden, planting trees of righteousness. I really believe that its possible for us to do these things. We talk about being like Jesus all the time, but I think we are a little scared to actually apply verses like these to ourselves. I have faith that we can, and Jesus expressed an amazing faith in us. He believed we would do even greater things than these. I'm not sure what that looks like, but I'd love to start here with these verses.
So that He may be glorified in us, just as He was glorified in Jesus.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
proverbs
some proverbs that jumped out at me concerning the poor, from chapters 13 and 14.
"The ransom of a man's life is his wealth, but the poor man hears no threat."
"The fallow ground of the poor would yield much food, but it is swept away through injustice."
"Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor."
"Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker,but he who is generous to the needy honors him."
"The ransom of a man's life is his wealth, but the poor man hears no threat."
"The fallow ground of the poor would yield much food, but it is swept away through injustice."
"Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor."
"Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker,but he who is generous to the needy honors him."
Friday, February 12, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
Media Exposure, Addiction
Taken from georgebarna.com
"I do a lot of research. The facts and figures from Barna surveys lead to a lot of conclusions, some of which are predictable, some of which are surprising, a few of which become controversial. One of the latter conclusions is this: media exposure has become America’s most widespread and serious addiction.
According to the American Psychiatry Association, an addiction is a chronic disorder in which we are unable to control our need for the substance in question. The Association adds that addictions have a combination of several simultaneous components at work. Addictions literally change our brains. They do so by changing the chemical balance and flow within the brain, or by altering the brain structure, or by changing our emotions, motivations and memory capacity. Addictions cause withdrawal symptoms when exposure to the addictive item is eliminated and they cause us to lose control over how much exposure we seek to experience. The APA indicates that addictions may produce a desire to reduce our exposure – a desire that we are unable to satisfy. Another sign of an addiction is that it causes us to abandon or reduce our involvement in normal and healthy activities. And addictions are characterized by the addict’s repeated denials that a real problem exists. According to APA, when we experience the concurrent presence of three or more of these symptoms, we have an addiction.
To be fair, as we put the media under the microscope, it is important to note that the media can and sometimes do provide important benefits. For instance, we know that some media tools – such as training DVDs, movies, and music – can stimulate thinking and conversation, and often assist in the retention of information. One of the studies we conducted a few years ago showed that people are more likely to remember principles demonstrated in a brief, dramatic video clip than they are to recall the same principles described in a sermon. Media can also provide people with a healthy way of relaxing and decompressing after an exhausting or tense time. They can capture people’s attention and focus it upon items of great importance. And when properly used, media can be help facilitate language development, as well as reasoning and problem-solving skills.
But as often as not, media content winds up serving the lowest common denominator because that’s where the largest audience – and, consequently, the money and notoriety – is to be found. Sometimes that makes media content a distraction from more important or helpful matters. In more serious cases, however, media content can become a debilitating obsession for individuals, and a pathway to societal deterioration.
I arrived at this conclusion based on looking at a lot of data. For instance, if media content and exposure levels are at addictive levels, we would expect to see a steady increase in the amount of media exposure that characterizes the typical person’s life. Research consistently shows such an increase. Two decades ago, the average child under 18 spent about 15 to 20 hours per week digesting media content. Today, it has nearly tripled to almost 60 hours per week of unduplicated time. They now devote more time to media than to anything other than sleep.
We can see this as a generational trend, as well. The elder generation, the pre-Boomers, did not grow up with media ubiquity and never became accustomed to it. Boomers broke the ice, embracing media as their means to free expression. Busters championed technology, making media a dominant companion as they grieved the absence of parents and the thrill of expanding their world electronically. Mosaics, those 22 and younger, have known little else besides a media saturated universe, and look forward to blowing it out even more.
The continual expansion of consumer technology has created a felt need for more content. Americans don’t want to miss out on anything significant. If it’s out there, and has perceived value, they will seek it out.
Another sign of our media addiction is people’s resistance to reducing their amount of media exposure. If we were serious about reducing the amount of media exposure we would witness parents having boundaries on how much media time their children are allowed. Unfortunately, we see nothing of the sort. And if we were serious about reducing the amount of media exposure we would see diminishing expenditures on personal media and technology, on in-home media and technology and even forms of mobile media, such as video screens and satellite radio installed in cars. In each case, we actually see a per capita increase in such spending. In fact, the research shows that growing numbers of people are interested in making their home into a “digital nest.”
In fact, if we were serious about reducing the amount of media exposure we would find surveys showing expectations of future media purchases to be on the decline. We find exactly the opposite: consumers expect to add more electronic and technological goodies to their arsenal as soon as they can afford them.
Another angle on this resistance relates to the breadth of our adoption of new lifestyle components. In this regard we evaluate how people are redesigning their homes and vehicles, their occupational practices, their workplace environment, and their relational practices. In so doing, we find that Americans are increasingly committed to incorporating media tools and content into those dimensions of their lives. In 2009, American consumers spent in the neighborhood of $400 billion on media and technology. As a proportion of disposable income, that figure has remained consistent over the past decade.
Further evidence of our media addiction comes from the measurable physiological changes resulting from our exposure to substantial quantities of media. Studies by the American Academy of Pediatrics note that among children 2 through 18, the greater the media exposure, the fewer the hours of restful sleep they get and the worse the student’s school performance. Their work also shows that the more media a child is exposed to, the more aggressive their behavior and the more desensitized to violence and sexualization they become. Further, they report that the more media a young person digests, the more likely they are to become obese, their ability to engage in culturally normative moral reasoning suffers, and their average attention span is shorter. Add to that the Harvard Medical School research that has discovered a strong connection between the amount of media consumed and the amount of calories consumed. Extended interaction with media also reduces creativity and can result in anxiety due to information overload. Various medical research studies have revealed the effects of media in connection with illnesses such as anorexia and bulimia, and a variety of sexually transmitted diseases.
Still more signs of media addiction include the discovery of a reduction in people’s participation in normal and healthy social, occupational and recreational activities. One phrase may say it all in this regard: couch potato. Much research has found a strong link between time devoted to media exposure and a paucity of relationships and poor physical conditioning. Almost 80% of the TV commercials that kids see each year are for fast food, candy, cereal and toys. The result has been numerous studies showing a firm connection between exposure to such advertising and overeating. The preponderance of media teaches us that violence can be safe, fun, harmless and productive. A common (albeit covert) media message is that it is appropriate to resolve conflicts through disrespectful language, physical violence or other aggressive and intentionally hurtful behaviors that produce positive feelings within the aggressor. Out of more than 3,500 medical and behavioral research studies exploring the association between media violence and violent behavior, only 18 have NOT shown a correlation.
Scary media – whether that be in the form of slasher films, episodes about demonic possession or other portrayals of the dark side and sick behavior – have become the favorite genre of the Mosaic generation. One noted result is that feelings of fear about one’s environment are reaching record levels, manifested in nightmares, judgment of other people based upon appearance or stereotypes, and changes in daily behavioral routines to avoid scary places.
Media exposure has raised people’s willingness to experiment with substances that are intellectually understood to be potentially harmful – such as drugs, sex, alcohol, smoking and pre-marital sex. Further, the provocative dress styles of today’s young people reflects the overt sexualization of children.
Reading for pleasure has diminished substantially over the past 40 years, as the balance of people’s media diet has shifted. One dramatic consequence has been a severe loss in reading capacity among young people. A recent study showed that a majority of the nation’s employers deemed the recent high school graduating class to be deficient in their ability to write in English, to communicate with appropriate language, and to read basic instructions. A similar drop-off has been noted by employers in the communication and language skills of recent college graduates.
Finally, if we are addicted to media, you can bet that we will deny there is a real problem. And deny we do. Three-quarters (74%) of parents say the exposure of their children to inappropriate media content is one of their top concerns – yet they keep buying their kids media tools and allowing increased exposure. Two-thirds (65%) say they are very concerned that American children, in particular, are exposed to too much inappropriate media content – but a majority of those parents allow their children to have continued exposure to the very media content they are allegedly so concerned about. Perhaps this is because only 9% of parents believe that the media are the most significant influence on their children and only one out of every three enforce any limitations at all upon their children’s use of media.
By the time a person reaches the age of 21, it is estimated that they will have been exposed to more than 250,000 acts of violence through television, movies and video games. They will have viewed more than 2,000 hours, on average, of pornographic images that reduce the dignity and value of human life. They will have listened to several thousand hours of music in which the lyrical content promoted anger, hostility, disrespect for authority, selfishness and radical independence. But parents, teachers and other community leaders essentially allow that exposure to continue without limits.
Among teenagers and young adults, two out of three not only say that the media and technology they use make them happy, but a large majority of them admit that the thought of not having access to that technology causes them substantial emotional stress.
People in other nations, who probably see us more objectively than we can see ourselves, are amazed at not only our media infatuation but also the ever-increasing glut of morally and spiritually degrading content that we generate.
Do you still doubt that we’re addicted? Do a simple personal experiment. Ask a group of 12-year-olds to not watch TV for a week. Ask a group of juniors in high school to stay off the Internet for a week. Ask a group of 20-somethings to abandon their cell phone – and, of course, text messaging – for a week. You might as well ask them all to stop eating for a week: it’s just not gonna happen!
Media use has run the gamut, going from an oddity to a common practice to a habit to an obsession to an addiction in America. What can we do about it? What will you do?"
"I do a lot of research. The facts and figures from Barna surveys lead to a lot of conclusions, some of which are predictable, some of which are surprising, a few of which become controversial. One of the latter conclusions is this: media exposure has become America’s most widespread and serious addiction.
According to the American Psychiatry Association, an addiction is a chronic disorder in which we are unable to control our need for the substance in question. The Association adds that addictions have a combination of several simultaneous components at work. Addictions literally change our brains. They do so by changing the chemical balance and flow within the brain, or by altering the brain structure, or by changing our emotions, motivations and memory capacity. Addictions cause withdrawal symptoms when exposure to the addictive item is eliminated and they cause us to lose control over how much exposure we seek to experience. The APA indicates that addictions may produce a desire to reduce our exposure – a desire that we are unable to satisfy. Another sign of an addiction is that it causes us to abandon or reduce our involvement in normal and healthy activities. And addictions are characterized by the addict’s repeated denials that a real problem exists. According to APA, when we experience the concurrent presence of three or more of these symptoms, we have an addiction.
To be fair, as we put the media under the microscope, it is important to note that the media can and sometimes do provide important benefits. For instance, we know that some media tools – such as training DVDs, movies, and music – can stimulate thinking and conversation, and often assist in the retention of information. One of the studies we conducted a few years ago showed that people are more likely to remember principles demonstrated in a brief, dramatic video clip than they are to recall the same principles described in a sermon. Media can also provide people with a healthy way of relaxing and decompressing after an exhausting or tense time. They can capture people’s attention and focus it upon items of great importance. And when properly used, media can be help facilitate language development, as well as reasoning and problem-solving skills.
But as often as not, media content winds up serving the lowest common denominator because that’s where the largest audience – and, consequently, the money and notoriety – is to be found. Sometimes that makes media content a distraction from more important or helpful matters. In more serious cases, however, media content can become a debilitating obsession for individuals, and a pathway to societal deterioration.
I arrived at this conclusion based on looking at a lot of data. For instance, if media content and exposure levels are at addictive levels, we would expect to see a steady increase in the amount of media exposure that characterizes the typical person’s life. Research consistently shows such an increase. Two decades ago, the average child under 18 spent about 15 to 20 hours per week digesting media content. Today, it has nearly tripled to almost 60 hours per week of unduplicated time. They now devote more time to media than to anything other than sleep.
We can see this as a generational trend, as well. The elder generation, the pre-Boomers, did not grow up with media ubiquity and never became accustomed to it. Boomers broke the ice, embracing media as their means to free expression. Busters championed technology, making media a dominant companion as they grieved the absence of parents and the thrill of expanding their world electronically. Mosaics, those 22 and younger, have known little else besides a media saturated universe, and look forward to blowing it out even more.
The continual expansion of consumer technology has created a felt need for more content. Americans don’t want to miss out on anything significant. If it’s out there, and has perceived value, they will seek it out.
Another sign of our media addiction is people’s resistance to reducing their amount of media exposure. If we were serious about reducing the amount of media exposure we would witness parents having boundaries on how much media time their children are allowed. Unfortunately, we see nothing of the sort. And if we were serious about reducing the amount of media exposure we would see diminishing expenditures on personal media and technology, on in-home media and technology and even forms of mobile media, such as video screens and satellite radio installed in cars. In each case, we actually see a per capita increase in such spending. In fact, the research shows that growing numbers of people are interested in making their home into a “digital nest.”
In fact, if we were serious about reducing the amount of media exposure we would find surveys showing expectations of future media purchases to be on the decline. We find exactly the opposite: consumers expect to add more electronic and technological goodies to their arsenal as soon as they can afford them.
Another angle on this resistance relates to the breadth of our adoption of new lifestyle components. In this regard we evaluate how people are redesigning their homes and vehicles, their occupational practices, their workplace environment, and their relational practices. In so doing, we find that Americans are increasingly committed to incorporating media tools and content into those dimensions of their lives. In 2009, American consumers spent in the neighborhood of $400 billion on media and technology. As a proportion of disposable income, that figure has remained consistent over the past decade.
Further evidence of our media addiction comes from the measurable physiological changes resulting from our exposure to substantial quantities of media. Studies by the American Academy of Pediatrics note that among children 2 through 18, the greater the media exposure, the fewer the hours of restful sleep they get and the worse the student’s school performance. Their work also shows that the more media a child is exposed to, the more aggressive their behavior and the more desensitized to violence and sexualization they become. Further, they report that the more media a young person digests, the more likely they are to become obese, their ability to engage in culturally normative moral reasoning suffers, and their average attention span is shorter. Add to that the Harvard Medical School research that has discovered a strong connection between the amount of media consumed and the amount of calories consumed. Extended interaction with media also reduces creativity and can result in anxiety due to information overload. Various medical research studies have revealed the effects of media in connection with illnesses such as anorexia and bulimia, and a variety of sexually transmitted diseases.
Still more signs of media addiction include the discovery of a reduction in people’s participation in normal and healthy social, occupational and recreational activities. One phrase may say it all in this regard: couch potato. Much research has found a strong link between time devoted to media exposure and a paucity of relationships and poor physical conditioning. Almost 80% of the TV commercials that kids see each year are for fast food, candy, cereal and toys. The result has been numerous studies showing a firm connection between exposure to such advertising and overeating. The preponderance of media teaches us that violence can be safe, fun, harmless and productive. A common (albeit covert) media message is that it is appropriate to resolve conflicts through disrespectful language, physical violence or other aggressive and intentionally hurtful behaviors that produce positive feelings within the aggressor. Out of more than 3,500 medical and behavioral research studies exploring the association between media violence and violent behavior, only 18 have NOT shown a correlation.
Scary media – whether that be in the form of slasher films, episodes about demonic possession or other portrayals of the dark side and sick behavior – have become the favorite genre of the Mosaic generation. One noted result is that feelings of fear about one’s environment are reaching record levels, manifested in nightmares, judgment of other people based upon appearance or stereotypes, and changes in daily behavioral routines to avoid scary places.
Media exposure has raised people’s willingness to experiment with substances that are intellectually understood to be potentially harmful – such as drugs, sex, alcohol, smoking and pre-marital sex. Further, the provocative dress styles of today’s young people reflects the overt sexualization of children.
Reading for pleasure has diminished substantially over the past 40 years, as the balance of people’s media diet has shifted. One dramatic consequence has been a severe loss in reading capacity among young people. A recent study showed that a majority of the nation’s employers deemed the recent high school graduating class to be deficient in their ability to write in English, to communicate with appropriate language, and to read basic instructions. A similar drop-off has been noted by employers in the communication and language skills of recent college graduates.
Finally, if we are addicted to media, you can bet that we will deny there is a real problem. And deny we do. Three-quarters (74%) of parents say the exposure of their children to inappropriate media content is one of their top concerns – yet they keep buying their kids media tools and allowing increased exposure. Two-thirds (65%) say they are very concerned that American children, in particular, are exposed to too much inappropriate media content – but a majority of those parents allow their children to have continued exposure to the very media content they are allegedly so concerned about. Perhaps this is because only 9% of parents believe that the media are the most significant influence on their children and only one out of every three enforce any limitations at all upon their children’s use of media.
By the time a person reaches the age of 21, it is estimated that they will have been exposed to more than 250,000 acts of violence through television, movies and video games. They will have viewed more than 2,000 hours, on average, of pornographic images that reduce the dignity and value of human life. They will have listened to several thousand hours of music in which the lyrical content promoted anger, hostility, disrespect for authority, selfishness and radical independence. But parents, teachers and other community leaders essentially allow that exposure to continue without limits.
Among teenagers and young adults, two out of three not only say that the media and technology they use make them happy, but a large majority of them admit that the thought of not having access to that technology causes them substantial emotional stress.
People in other nations, who probably see us more objectively than we can see ourselves, are amazed at not only our media infatuation but also the ever-increasing glut of morally and spiritually degrading content that we generate.
Do you still doubt that we’re addicted? Do a simple personal experiment. Ask a group of 12-year-olds to not watch TV for a week. Ask a group of juniors in high school to stay off the Internet for a week. Ask a group of 20-somethings to abandon their cell phone – and, of course, text messaging – for a week. You might as well ask them all to stop eating for a week: it’s just not gonna happen!
Media use has run the gamut, going from an oddity to a common practice to a habit to an obsession to an addiction in America. What can we do about it? What will you do?"
Thursday, February 4, 2010
MLK JR
"The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it. Through violence you may murder the liar, but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth. Through violence you may murder the hater, but you do not murder hate."
"Men often hate each other because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don't know each other; they don't know each other because they can not communicate; they can not communicate because they are separated."
"Many of the ugly pages of American history have been obscured and forgotten. A society is always eager to cover misdeeds with a cloak of forgetfulness, but no society can fully repress an ugly past when the ravages persist into the present. America owes a debt of justice which it has only begun to pay. If it loses the will to finish or slackens in its determination, history will recall its crimes and the country that would be great will lack the most indispensable element of greatness — justice. "
"On some positions, Cowardice asks the question, "Is it safe?" Expediency asks the question, "Is it politic?" And Vanity comes along and asks the question, "Is it popular?" But Conscience asks the question "Is it right?" And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must do it because Conscience tells him it is right. I believe today that there is a need for all people of good will to come together with a massive act of conscience and say in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "We ain't goin' study war no more." This is the challenge facing modern man."
"The strong man holds in a living blend strongly marked opposites. The idealists are usually not realistic, and the realists are not usually idealistic. The militant are not generally known to be passive, nor the passive to be militant. Seldom are the humble self-assertive, or the self-assertive humble. But life at its best is a creative synthesis of opposites in fruitful harmony. The philosopher Hegel said that truth is found neither in the thesis nor the antithesis, but in the emergent synthesis which reconciles the two. "
"Jesus recognized the need for blending opposites. He knew that his disciples would face a difficult and hostile world, where they would confront the recalcitrance of political officials and the intransigence of the protectors of the old order. He knew that they would meet cold and arrogant men whose hearts had been hardened by the long winter of traditionalism. ... And he gave them a formula for action, "Be ye therefore as wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." ... We must combine the toughness of the serpent with the softness of the dove, a tough mind and a tender heart."
"Softmindedness often invades religion. ... Softminded persons have revised the Beautitudes to read "Blessed are the pure in ignorance: for they shall see God." This has led to a widespread belief that there is a conflict between science and religion. But this is not true. There may be a conflict between softminded religionists and toughminded scientists, but not between science and religion. ... Science investigates; religion interprets. Science gives man knowledge which is power; religion gives man wisdom which is control. Science deals mainly with facts; religion deals mainly with values. The two are not rivals. They are complementary."
"One has not only a legal, but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws."
"As I have walked among the desperate, rejected and angry young men I have told them that Molotov cocktails and rifles would not solve their problems. I have tried to offer them my deepest compassion while maintaining my conviction that social change comes most meaningfully through nonviolent action. But they asked — and rightly so — what about Vietnam? They asked if our own nation wasn't using massive doses of violence to solve its problems, to bring about the changes it wanted. Their questions hit home, and I knew that I could never again raise my voice against the violence of the oppressed in the ghettos without having first spoken clearly to the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today — my own government."
"Don't let anybody make you think God chose America as his divine messianic force to be a sort of policeman of the whole world. God has a way of standing before the nations with justice and it seems I can hear God saying to America "you are too arrogant, and if you don't change your ways, I will rise up and break the backbone of your power, and I will place it in the hands of a nation that doesn't even know my name. Be still and know that I'm God. Men will beat their swords into plowshafts and their spears into pruning hooks, and nations shall not rise up against nations, neither shall they study war anymore." I don't know about you, I ain't going to study war anymore."
"Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like any man, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!"
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Waking up to Babylon
Everyday we wake up in a world that is full of pain, that sees so much suffering. And in our culture we can choose to ignore it if we want to, or we can choose to open ourselves to it. I read the scriptures and I hear them calling me to be a part of bringing justice into the world. To bring justice to the suffering and oppressed by meeting their needs and at the same time separating ourselves from the systems of oppression that cause injustice.
In the book of Revelation, John gives this system a name. Babylon.
The prophets used to denounce the literal Babylon so often and so vigorously that it became a byword for human pride and injustice. Every age has its 'Babylon', the personification of greed and luxury and pleasure which draw us away from God, and in John's day it was the Roman Empire. They conquered many nations, crucified all who did not pledge allegiance, and in the process became very very wealthy. This allowed lavish lifestyles for some, while many of the people in their empire lived in persecution and poverty to make the lifestyles of those in power possible. Babylon depends on people to survive (Rev 17:6), and it is up to us whether we contribute to that system or we abstain from it. John describes Babylon as a great prostitute " with whom all of the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk." The market is at the center of it, feeding the system. He tells how the merchants of the earth profit from her (Rev 18:11-13), how they will mourn when she falls, and lists all of their cargo and goods: gold, silver, jewels, pearls, spices, wine, animals, food, perfumes, clothes, chariots of war and horses and more. And at the end of the list he writes "slaves and human souls." Because this empire of consumption could only stand on the back of the weak. Today corporations, nations, and markets take advantage of the weak, and we, the consumer are the ones who pay their salaries. Nothing has changed. The cargo is the same, and its hard to find anything that doesn't have blood on its hands. The food in our grocery stores is grown, harvested, or slaughtered by immigrants who get treated like slaves because they have no rights in this country. People can't take care of themselves by what they eat because they have to choose between paying bills or eating healthy, and now 1 in 4 Americans have diabetes, and among minorities its about 1 in 2. Its not that they don't want to eat healthy, they simply can't. The clothes we wear have been sewn by women and children who make a pair of jeans that sell for $150 here, and get paid 15 cents a day while working in hellish conditions and trying to support an entire family. The gas we put in our cars fuels wars and nuclear tension. We consume so much, and produce so much waste that we are destroying our planet, God's creation that he called good. The diamonds and gold we adorn ourselves with, have the blood of Africans washed off them before they make it to us. So many movies and shows we watch are responsible for the apathy that kids have toward violence, and the advertisements tell us to indulge, consume, and become something that we are not, and we pay the cable bill and buy the products that keep the system alive. All of these things cost more than whatever we paid for them, they cost lives, they cost human souls.
Its time for an Exodus.
John writes, "Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues, for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities." When he says "Come out of her", he is painting a picture of what is going on, and its a pretty explicit picture. Babylon is the great prostitute that has seduced humanity into adultery, and God is telling us to come out of her, as in to stop in the middle of intercourse, because that is what we are doing, we are in bed with her. We enjoy the system, it feels good, its so easy, so convenient, but we have to open our eyes to the suffering it causes. Its a system that keeps a handful of people very powerful, it keeps the middle class pacified, and all at the cost of people's lives, people's souls.
I hear the scriptures calling me to a life of justice.
"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy."
Matthew 5:7
"Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering."
Hebrews 13:3
"Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy."
Proverbs 31:8-9
"Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me."
Matthew 25:40
"Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly." Romans 12:16
"Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God."
Luke 6:20
"Has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?"
James 2:5-7
"Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you."
James 5:1-6
"As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life."1 Timothy 6:17-19
We can live another way.
"Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need."
Acts 4:32-35
"For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness."
2 Corinthians 8:13-14
"Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
John 13:34
The kingdom of God is a way of life in which the only law is love, to love God and neighbor, and where justice is brought through grace. None of us can do it alone, but together we can bring healing to the nations.
Let's use our imagination, lets dream of new ways to live. Lets take care of the earth, not only because we love the earth, but because we love people. Its projected that by 2020 most wars in the world will be over clean water. Its already bad enough that thousands of people are dying today simply because of their water, but when wars start over this even more will die. We can change this. This is why we want to take care of the earth, this is why we want to grow our own food, this is why we want alternative fuel, this is why we live simply, because we are called to love and to save. We have been given an amazing honor; to be the body of Christ. Lets be part of the solution, and not the cause of the problem.
Babylon is falling, and I just hope we can come out of her before we're caught beneath the rubble.
In the book of Revelation, John gives this system a name. Babylon.
The prophets used to denounce the literal Babylon so often and so vigorously that it became a byword for human pride and injustice. Every age has its 'Babylon', the personification of greed and luxury and pleasure which draw us away from God, and in John's day it was the Roman Empire. They conquered many nations, crucified all who did not pledge allegiance, and in the process became very very wealthy. This allowed lavish lifestyles for some, while many of the people in their empire lived in persecution and poverty to make the lifestyles of those in power possible. Babylon depends on people to survive (Rev 17:6), and it is up to us whether we contribute to that system or we abstain from it. John describes Babylon as a great prostitute " with whom all of the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk." The market is at the center of it, feeding the system. He tells how the merchants of the earth profit from her (Rev 18:11-13), how they will mourn when she falls, and lists all of their cargo and goods: gold, silver, jewels, pearls, spices, wine, animals, food, perfumes, clothes, chariots of war and horses and more. And at the end of the list he writes "slaves and human souls." Because this empire of consumption could only stand on the back of the weak. Today corporations, nations, and markets take advantage of the weak, and we, the consumer are the ones who pay their salaries. Nothing has changed. The cargo is the same, and its hard to find anything that doesn't have blood on its hands. The food in our grocery stores is grown, harvested, or slaughtered by immigrants who get treated like slaves because they have no rights in this country. People can't take care of themselves by what they eat because they have to choose between paying bills or eating healthy, and now 1 in 4 Americans have diabetes, and among minorities its about 1 in 2. Its not that they don't want to eat healthy, they simply can't. The clothes we wear have been sewn by women and children who make a pair of jeans that sell for $150 here, and get paid 15 cents a day while working in hellish conditions and trying to support an entire family. The gas we put in our cars fuels wars and nuclear tension. We consume so much, and produce so much waste that we are destroying our planet, God's creation that he called good. The diamonds and gold we adorn ourselves with, have the blood of Africans washed off them before they make it to us. So many movies and shows we watch are responsible for the apathy that kids have toward violence, and the advertisements tell us to indulge, consume, and become something that we are not, and we pay the cable bill and buy the products that keep the system alive. All of these things cost more than whatever we paid for them, they cost lives, they cost human souls.
Its time for an Exodus.
John writes, "Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues, for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities." When he says "Come out of her", he is painting a picture of what is going on, and its a pretty explicit picture. Babylon is the great prostitute that has seduced humanity into adultery, and God is telling us to come out of her, as in to stop in the middle of intercourse, because that is what we are doing, we are in bed with her. We enjoy the system, it feels good, its so easy, so convenient, but we have to open our eyes to the suffering it causes. Its a system that keeps a handful of people very powerful, it keeps the middle class pacified, and all at the cost of people's lives, people's souls.
I hear the scriptures calling me to a life of justice.
"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy."
Matthew 5:7
"Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering."
Hebrews 13:3
"Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy."
Proverbs 31:8-9
"Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me."
Matthew 25:40
"Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly." Romans 12:16
"Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God."
Luke 6:20
"Has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?"
James 2:5-7
"Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you."
James 5:1-6
"As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life."1 Timothy 6:17-19
We can live another way.
"Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need."
Acts 4:32-35
"For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness."
2 Corinthians 8:13-14
"Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
John 13:34
The kingdom of God is a way of life in which the only law is love, to love God and neighbor, and where justice is brought through grace. None of us can do it alone, but together we can bring healing to the nations.
Let's use our imagination, lets dream of new ways to live. Lets take care of the earth, not only because we love the earth, but because we love people. Its projected that by 2020 most wars in the world will be over clean water. Its already bad enough that thousands of people are dying today simply because of their water, but when wars start over this even more will die. We can change this. This is why we want to take care of the earth, this is why we want to grow our own food, this is why we want alternative fuel, this is why we live simply, because we are called to love and to save. We have been given an amazing honor; to be the body of Christ. Lets be part of the solution, and not the cause of the problem.
Babylon is falling, and I just hope we can come out of her before we're caught beneath the rubble.
Friday, January 29, 2010
SAVE THE MANATEE FROM HATERS!!!!!!!!
Even if everyone thinks you are completely useless, and question your the purpose of your existence, I still think you are awesome.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
"God on our side" by Bob Dylan
Oh my name it is nothin'
My age it means less
The country I come from
Is called the Midwest
I's taught and brought up there
The laws to abide
And that land that I live in
Has God on its side.
Oh the history books tell it
They tell it so well
The cavalries charged
The Indians fell
The cavalries charged
The Indians died
Oh the country was young
With God on its side.
Oh the Spanish-American
War had its day
And the Civil War too
Was soon laid away
And the names of the heroes
I's made to memorize
With guns in their hands
And God on their side.
Oh the First World War, boys
It came and it went
The reason for fighting
I never did get
But I learned to accept it
Accept it with pride
For you don't count the dead
When God's on your side.
When the Second World War
Came to an end
We forgave the Germans
And we were friends
Though they murdered six million
In the ovens they fried
The Germans now too
Have God on their side.
I've learned to hate Russians
All through my whole life
If another war starts
It's them we must fight
To hate them and fear them
To run and to hide
And accept it all bravely
With God on my side.
But now we got weapons
Of the chemical dust
If fire them we're forced to
Then fire them we must
One push of the button
And a shot the world wide
And you never ask questions
When God's on your side.
In a many dark hour
I've been thinkin' about this
That Jesus Christ
Was betrayed by a kiss
But I can't think for you
You'll have to decide
Whether Judas Iscariot
Had God on his side.
So now as I'm leavin'
I'm weary as Hell
The confusion I'm feelin'
Ain't no tongue can tell
The words fill my head
And fall to the floor
If God's on our side
He'll stop the next war.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
write ups
a couple of humbling articles :)
"I came to the show pretty much unaware of the first two acts and expecting to be blown away by the band I came for, Clock Hands Strangle [pictured below, photo by Nicole Kibert]. That’s not exactly what happened.
The opener, Tampa’s own Alexander and The Grapes, were the best band of the night. They sounded like Tallahassee’s fantastic Holiday Shores with Yoni Wolf of Why? on vocals (if Yoni were less nasally). The foursome produced some pretty pleasant pop-infused rock music, not too loud or too heavy. For one of the songs, “The Walk,” they brought out a slide guitar and the delayed twang of the instrument complemented the song’s country-tinged melody. The crowd was digging the band during their almost hour-long set and clamored for an encore. The band satisfied, ending epically with a rendition of Bob Dylan’s “I Shall Be Released.” Although lead singer/guitarist Alexander Charos called the freezing cold weather “Floridian blasphemy,” the music made this reviewer warm and toasty.......................
Oh, well. I guess it just goes to show that expectations don’t always turn out as planned. But at least I discovered a new local band I like — Alexander and The Grapes....."
-Creative Loafing
"Well the weekend was good all in all. I hope all of you had a nice one as well. However, mine was enhanced at the New World Brewery in Ybor City Friday night. After a couple beers, I was sitting with a smoke and a band kicked in. The sound was new and took my ear immediately. Then, a gentleman by the name of Alexander pushed lyrics out to the crowd with a wisdom of that from another era. This four piece band, by the name of Alexander and the Grapes not only caught my attention, they were able to captivate a crowd of about 100 people. The band played a half hour set that was filled with their originals. Alexander Charos the lead singer, Phillip Charos the drummer, Tom Dicks on Bass, and Chase Swan playing lead guitar/slide combined to put out a sound infused with a little Wilco, a little Dylan, and all of their souls. Be on the lookout for Alexander and the Grapes 6 song LP which was recorded and is being mixed in Cambridge, MA as we speak. You can catch them on MySpace where they have the band’s gigs posted regularly."
-SLAM magazine
"I came to the show pretty much unaware of the first two acts and expecting to be blown away by the band I came for, Clock Hands Strangle [pictured below, photo by Nicole Kibert]. That’s not exactly what happened.
The opener, Tampa’s own Alexander and The Grapes, were the best band of the night. They sounded like Tallahassee’s fantastic Holiday Shores with Yoni Wolf of Why? on vocals (if Yoni were less nasally). The foursome produced some pretty pleasant pop-infused rock music, not too loud or too heavy. For one of the songs, “The Walk,” they brought out a slide guitar and the delayed twang of the instrument complemented the song’s country-tinged melody. The crowd was digging the band during their almost hour-long set and clamored for an encore. The band satisfied, ending epically with a rendition of Bob Dylan’s “I Shall Be Released.” Although lead singer/guitarist Alexander Charos called the freezing cold weather “Floridian blasphemy,” the music made this reviewer warm and toasty.......................
Oh, well. I guess it just goes to show that expectations don’t always turn out as planned. But at least I discovered a new local band I like — Alexander and The Grapes....."
-Creative Loafing
"Well the weekend was good all in all. I hope all of you had a nice one as well. However, mine was enhanced at the New World Brewery in Ybor City Friday night. After a couple beers, I was sitting with a smoke and a band kicked in. The sound was new and took my ear immediately. Then, a gentleman by the name of Alexander pushed lyrics out to the crowd with a wisdom of that from another era. This four piece band, by the name of Alexander and the Grapes not only caught my attention, they were able to captivate a crowd of about 100 people. The band played a half hour set that was filled with their originals. Alexander Charos the lead singer, Phillip Charos the drummer, Tom Dicks on Bass, and Chase Swan playing lead guitar/slide combined to put out a sound infused with a little Wilco, a little Dylan, and all of their souls. Be on the lookout for Alexander and the Grapes 6 song LP which was recorded and is being mixed in Cambridge, MA as we speak. You can catch them on MySpace where they have the band’s gigs posted regularly."
-SLAM magazine
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