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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
