I have been craving home-made chocolate chip cookies since Sunday. Unfortunately, the universe has been against me in my endeavor to make chocolate chip cookies. First, I had no chocolate chips, so I went out and bought some, only to arrive home and find that I had no butter (or even margarine!). I gave up for Sunday and decided to make them Monday instead. Lo and behold I find that I now have no eggs (I made quiche yesterday). I also have no vanilla extract. Oh, and while we're at it, I have no electric beaters (or even the antique ones that you crank by hand). WHY ME?
This series of unfortunate events (which is evidence that the universe is trying to make it all but impossible for me to destroy myself on an overdose of cookie goodness) led to this recipe, which was originally from the back of the Ghirardelli chocolate chip bag, but is now a completely different recipe altogether!
This dubious attempt at using whatever substitutes I had on hand seemed doomed to fail at first, but when I tried the cookie dough I knew I had created a delicious masterpiece! What a wonderful way to end a Monday.
Here's the recipe:
Accidentally Vegan (Almost) Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Cookies
*Disclaimer: If you are a strict vegan, technically the chocolate chips are not certified vegan, but the rest of the cookie is, so you can easily substitute vegan chocolate chips!
1 1/4 cups brown rice flour
1 cup organic white (unbleached) flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup vegan butter (I use earth balance)
1 1/2 cups coconut sugar (Madhava)
1 tsp peppermint extract (or vanilla if you are not into peppermint)
1 banana (mashed up)
1 tbsp molasses (organic unsulphured)
10 oz. Ghirardelli 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup walnuts (or more or none if desired)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together flour and baking soda and set aside.
In a small bowl, mash the banana and mix with molasses to create an egg substitute. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar and "butter" until creamy. Beat in banana "egg" and peppermint extract.
Add flour mixture to the wet bowl and combine.
Drop cookie dough on an un-greased cookie sheet and bake for 8-11 min.
Allow to cool before eating. Cookies may look moist, but when they cool they will be deliciously chewy and just slightly crispy on the edges!
Serves: I made almost 3 dozen medium/small cookies with this recipe.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Friday, August 16, 2013
Elysium: The Futuristic Redemption Story
** SPOILER ALERT **
If you have NOT seen the film Elysium yet and you do not want to know the plot, please bookmark this page and read it AFTER you see the film. I wouldn't want to spoil it for you!
Lately I've been hooked to ancestry.com, finding hints about my ancestors and creating my family tree. It's a blast! During one of my late-night searches, I discovered that my 7th great grandmother's family was born, raised, and died in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. I also found out that they are buried in the cemetery of an Episcopal church I have attended. The church is All Hallows Episcopal Parish, and not only have I been to this church, but I know the rector Alistar and his partner. I met them at the Greek restaurant where I used to work, The Parthenon. I absolutely love encountering these little "coincidental" connections in life!
I also love Matt Damon. So this morning my partner and I decided to go see a movie in an actual theater, which is something we used to do on a weekly basis, but now very rarely. In any case, I had no idea what Elysium was about except that it was a "different kind of action movie," but since it's starring Matt Damon and Jodi Foster, I decided THIS would be our epic date-night film. Little did I know what an impact this movie would have on me.
Around 4PM I had finished doing chores around my apartment and I wanted to kill time while I waited for the movie, which would start at 6:50PM. I decided today would be the perfect day to try to find my ancestors, the Ricketts family, at the All Hallows Parish cemetery. While I was there perusing the gravestones, trying to spy ones that looked as old as the 1700s, a middle-aged man pulled up and started looking around as well. When we crossed paths I asked him whether he knew if there was a map or a directory so that I could identify people in unmarked graves. He said he didn't know, but asked me who I was looking for. We started talking and the conversation turned to religion when I mentioned that I had been to church here before, but Episcopal just wasn't my "style". He told me about Joseph Campbell and about liberation theology and Evolutionary Spirituality. I told him about the church I attend called Evolve Chesapeake. It was a nice, refreshing conversation. There is nothing quite like the feeling that comes from realizing you are not alone in the world.
By the way, the man I met at the cemetery lives in Alexandria and was only in the area because he gave a ride to a bedraggled hitch-hiker. He happened to pass by the church on his way back from dropping off the poor soul and recognized it as somewhere that his ancestors, the Sellmans, were buried. Unfortunately, I did not find the gravestones of the Ricketts family, but I know they are there somewhere.
That is the experiential perspective from which I saw this film, Elysium.
Elysium is a fast-paced film. It plays out as if a camera has been dropped smack in the middle of the hero's (Max's) life, and the audience is left to simply take in what we see and try to make sense of it as the story unfolds. Yet the story is familiar enough for us to understand fairly quickly what is going on. One hundred years from now, humanity will be pretty much exactly the same as it is now, except that the privileged class will no longer live in earthly mansions. Instead, these privileged few will orbit earth on a halo paradise known as Elysium. While citizens of Elysium enjoy perfected healthcare systems that actually cure virtually any ailment in a matter of minutes, breathe purified air, and are waited upon as well as protected by robots, the inhabitants of Earth must labor to manufacture robots and other machinery, clothing, and whatever else Elysium needs to sustain the lifestyle of its citizens. Earth is a giant ghetto.
As the story unfolds, we see one message loud and clear: It's not fair.
A mother and her crippled daughter risk their lives to board an illegal ship to cross the border to Elysium. Just as the mother lifts her daughter to the healing-pod which restores the use of her legs, they are arrested by droids and deported back to earth. But at least her daughter is healed. Of course, three ships originally left Earth, each filled with diseased or dying individuals who had paid probably their entire life's savings just to get to Elysium long enough to lay in a healing pod for a few minutes and receive the healing they needed. Only one ship made it. Only one crippled girl got her legs back. The rest lost either their money, their lives, or both.
It's not fair.
We are all looking at the Elysian citizens as if they are monsters. Ignorant monsters who have no idea what they are inadvertently doing by simply living with such extravagance. Then at some point we are supposed to realize that WE are the Elysians. Middle- to upper-class folks in first-world countries across the globe ARE Elysium. Only we don't have the technology to escape Earth and create a paradise for the privileged.
This film is ultimately a heroic tale. A mythic salvation story set in the future.
This film is also about citizenship.
The Apostle Paul told the early Christians that, "our citizenship is in heaven." He charged them with being ambassadors for Christ. Christians bear His name and represent Him wherever we are. Paul also said (in Romans 5) that ALL men have been reconciled to God. The Kingdom of Heaven is within each of us. We are all citizens of the Kingdom, thanks to Christ. Some choose to be in exile because some do not accept their citizenship. Still, none are rejected by God, though many reject God.
Elysium means paradise. In mythology it was the place where the blessed go after they die. In the film, Elysium is a Utopia, while Earth is Hell. Children on earth dream of getting to Elysium, but few, if any, ever do.
In the end, it is a heroic tale. The one where a single person must give up his life for the sake of others. Sounds familiar, right? Of course right.
According to Will, the man I met at the cemetery, the story is familiar to every human being, regardless of ethnicity, nationality, or creed. Every single culture has it's own heroic myth. Besides the Christ story, myriads of heroic tales have been told about ordinary and extraordinary people alike who are faced with the decision to either save themselves or save humanity. This is a universal theme. Good triumphs over evil. Love conquers hate.
There is a story told in the film that really sums up the ultimate theme of this movie. It goes like this:
In Africa, the food is on tall trees and the meerkat cannot reach it. So the Meerkat encounters a Hippo and asks for help. The Hippo graciously allows the Meerkat to climb onto its back so that it can reach the food.
In the film, Max hears this story and asks, "What's in it for the hippo?" To which is replied, "The Hippo wanted a friend."
In a "what's-in-it-for-me?" world, these stories remind us that at the heart of each of us is a real human being who just wants to love and be loved in return.
Max is the unlikeliest of heroes. This is probably the reason why I love this story so much. He never wanted to be a hero, but the worst (and best) part is that he really isn't a hero at all except by "chance". He just happens to get exposed to radiation which will kill him in less than a week, and then he must steal information from an Elysian citizen in order to earn his ticket to Elysium where he can be healed of his radiation poisoning (if he lives through the "border crossing"). The person he decides to steal from is the owner of the robot-manufacturing company where he got radiation poisoning from, and it turns out that this guy just re-programmed the entire system upon which Elysium is based (he is saving his dying business by helping Jodi Foster's character perform a systematic coo).
Max is desperate. He just needs to get to Elysium to save his own life. In fact, even when his childhood friend Frey asks him to help her daughter get to Elysium too (she is dying of cancer), he tells her there is nothing he can do.
In the end, the information Max has stolen is the key to making every single human a citizen of Elysium. This incredible revolution would cost Max his life. The man he stole the information from has encrypted it so that it would be lethal upon decryption. When Max transfers the information in his mind to the computer in Elysium, Frey's daughter becomes a citizen and she is cured of her cancer. Medical ships are immediately dispatched to earth with healing pods for the masses. At the cost of his own life, Max saves the people of Earth by providing them with the citizenship they needed to be healed.
The myth of our generation is a futuristic one. We dream of Utopia, but we know there will be inequality and suffering just as there is now. So we imagine a hero, however unlikely, who will ultimately bring an end to inequality and bring about healing.
Jesus healed people, he helped people, and then he died in order to make us citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. He taught us how, but we often forget.
"A new commandment I give to you: that you love one another as I have loved you."
Just like Max, we all have the capacity to love each other enough to lay down our own lives.
May we find it in our hearts to lay down our lives daily and follow Him.
If you have NOT seen the film Elysium yet and you do not want to know the plot, please bookmark this page and read it AFTER you see the film. I wouldn't want to spoil it for you!
Lately I've been hooked to ancestry.com, finding hints about my ancestors and creating my family tree. It's a blast! During one of my late-night searches, I discovered that my 7th great grandmother's family was born, raised, and died in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. I also found out that they are buried in the cemetery of an Episcopal church I have attended. The church is All Hallows Episcopal Parish, and not only have I been to this church, but I know the rector Alistar and his partner. I met them at the Greek restaurant where I used to work, The Parthenon. I absolutely love encountering these little "coincidental" connections in life!
I also love Matt Damon. So this morning my partner and I decided to go see a movie in an actual theater, which is something we used to do on a weekly basis, but now very rarely. In any case, I had no idea what Elysium was about except that it was a "different kind of action movie," but since it's starring Matt Damon and Jodi Foster, I decided THIS would be our epic date-night film. Little did I know what an impact this movie would have on me.
Around 4PM I had finished doing chores around my apartment and I wanted to kill time while I waited for the movie, which would start at 6:50PM. I decided today would be the perfect day to try to find my ancestors, the Ricketts family, at the All Hallows Parish cemetery. While I was there perusing the gravestones, trying to spy ones that looked as old as the 1700s, a middle-aged man pulled up and started looking around as well. When we crossed paths I asked him whether he knew if there was a map or a directory so that I could identify people in unmarked graves. He said he didn't know, but asked me who I was looking for. We started talking and the conversation turned to religion when I mentioned that I had been to church here before, but Episcopal just wasn't my "style". He told me about Joseph Campbell and about liberation theology and Evolutionary Spirituality. I told him about the church I attend called Evolve Chesapeake. It was a nice, refreshing conversation. There is nothing quite like the feeling that comes from realizing you are not alone in the world.
By the way, the man I met at the cemetery lives in Alexandria and was only in the area because he gave a ride to a bedraggled hitch-hiker. He happened to pass by the church on his way back from dropping off the poor soul and recognized it as somewhere that his ancestors, the Sellmans, were buried. Unfortunately, I did not find the gravestones of the Ricketts family, but I know they are there somewhere.
That is the experiential perspective from which I saw this film, Elysium.
Elysium is a fast-paced film. It plays out as if a camera has been dropped smack in the middle of the hero's (Max's) life, and the audience is left to simply take in what we see and try to make sense of it as the story unfolds. Yet the story is familiar enough for us to understand fairly quickly what is going on. One hundred years from now, humanity will be pretty much exactly the same as it is now, except that the privileged class will no longer live in earthly mansions. Instead, these privileged few will orbit earth on a halo paradise known as Elysium. While citizens of Elysium enjoy perfected healthcare systems that actually cure virtually any ailment in a matter of minutes, breathe purified air, and are waited upon as well as protected by robots, the inhabitants of Earth must labor to manufacture robots and other machinery, clothing, and whatever else Elysium needs to sustain the lifestyle of its citizens. Earth is a giant ghetto.
As the story unfolds, we see one message loud and clear: It's not fair.
A mother and her crippled daughter risk their lives to board an illegal ship to cross the border to Elysium. Just as the mother lifts her daughter to the healing-pod which restores the use of her legs, they are arrested by droids and deported back to earth. But at least her daughter is healed. Of course, three ships originally left Earth, each filled with diseased or dying individuals who had paid probably their entire life's savings just to get to Elysium long enough to lay in a healing pod for a few minutes and receive the healing they needed. Only one ship made it. Only one crippled girl got her legs back. The rest lost either their money, their lives, or both.
It's not fair.
We are all looking at the Elysian citizens as if they are monsters. Ignorant monsters who have no idea what they are inadvertently doing by simply living with such extravagance. Then at some point we are supposed to realize that WE are the Elysians. Middle- to upper-class folks in first-world countries across the globe ARE Elysium. Only we don't have the technology to escape Earth and create a paradise for the privileged.
This film is ultimately a heroic tale. A mythic salvation story set in the future.
This film is also about citizenship.
The Apostle Paul told the early Christians that, "our citizenship is in heaven." He charged them with being ambassadors for Christ. Christians bear His name and represent Him wherever we are. Paul also said (in Romans 5) that ALL men have been reconciled to God. The Kingdom of Heaven is within each of us. We are all citizens of the Kingdom, thanks to Christ. Some choose to be in exile because some do not accept their citizenship. Still, none are rejected by God, though many reject God.
Elysium means paradise. In mythology it was the place where the blessed go after they die. In the film, Elysium is a Utopia, while Earth is Hell. Children on earth dream of getting to Elysium, but few, if any, ever do.
In the end, it is a heroic tale. The one where a single person must give up his life for the sake of others. Sounds familiar, right? Of course right.
According to Will, the man I met at the cemetery, the story is familiar to every human being, regardless of ethnicity, nationality, or creed. Every single culture has it's own heroic myth. Besides the Christ story, myriads of heroic tales have been told about ordinary and extraordinary people alike who are faced with the decision to either save themselves or save humanity. This is a universal theme. Good triumphs over evil. Love conquers hate.
There is a story told in the film that really sums up the ultimate theme of this movie. It goes like this:
In Africa, the food is on tall trees and the meerkat cannot reach it. So the Meerkat encounters a Hippo and asks for help. The Hippo graciously allows the Meerkat to climb onto its back so that it can reach the food.
In the film, Max hears this story and asks, "What's in it for the hippo?" To which is replied, "The Hippo wanted a friend."
In a "what's-in-it-for-me?" world, these stories remind us that at the heart of each of us is a real human being who just wants to love and be loved in return.
Max is the unlikeliest of heroes. This is probably the reason why I love this story so much. He never wanted to be a hero, but the worst (and best) part is that he really isn't a hero at all except by "chance". He just happens to get exposed to radiation which will kill him in less than a week, and then he must steal information from an Elysian citizen in order to earn his ticket to Elysium where he can be healed of his radiation poisoning (if he lives through the "border crossing"). The person he decides to steal from is the owner of the robot-manufacturing company where he got radiation poisoning from, and it turns out that this guy just re-programmed the entire system upon which Elysium is based (he is saving his dying business by helping Jodi Foster's character perform a systematic coo).
Max is desperate. He just needs to get to Elysium to save his own life. In fact, even when his childhood friend Frey asks him to help her daughter get to Elysium too (she is dying of cancer), he tells her there is nothing he can do.
In the end, the information Max has stolen is the key to making every single human a citizen of Elysium. This incredible revolution would cost Max his life. The man he stole the information from has encrypted it so that it would be lethal upon decryption. When Max transfers the information in his mind to the computer in Elysium, Frey's daughter becomes a citizen and she is cured of her cancer. Medical ships are immediately dispatched to earth with healing pods for the masses. At the cost of his own life, Max saves the people of Earth by providing them with the citizenship they needed to be healed.
The myth of our generation is a futuristic one. We dream of Utopia, but we know there will be inequality and suffering just as there is now. So we imagine a hero, however unlikely, who will ultimately bring an end to inequality and bring about healing.
Jesus healed people, he helped people, and then he died in order to make us citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. He taught us how, but we often forget.
"A new commandment I give to you: that you love one another as I have loved you."
Just like Max, we all have the capacity to love each other enough to lay down our own lives.
May we find it in our hearts to lay down our lives daily and follow Him.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
DOMA is Done!
The federal government of the United States no longer officially defines marriage as being limited to a relationship between one man and one woman. Hallelujah!!! Now same-sex marriages will be federally recognized and given the same privileges as heterosexual married couples!
Of course, this raises the question of whether married couples should receive special privileges at all. I think not, especially if the couple is childless. The original point of financial benefits for married couples (when the privileges were initially put into place) was to ensure that the children that resulted from the marriage would be provided for. Probably most of the financial benefits of marriage should only apply to couples with children. In any case, that is a congressional debate for another day. For now, I am rejoicing that the injustices against same-sex couples who are married or wish to be married are no more!!!
There are many people, some of whom are in my own family, who will say, "Even if the government recognizes gay marriages, in God's eyes, marriage is still between a man and a woman." *sigh*
Tell that to the same-sex couples who have been married for 50 years in every way except on paper. God originally created Eve for Adam because "It is not good for the man to be alone". Companionship, intimacy, and love was His aim. All three can just as easily be shared between a same-sex couple as between a heterosexual couple.
C.S. Lewis writes that, "The New Testament has lots to say about self-denial, but not about self-denial as an end in itself...there lurks in most modern minds the notion that to desire our own good and earnestly hope for the enjoyment of it is a bad thing..."
Throughout my entire young life, I have endeavored to seek Christ. I have followed Him and communed with Him. I abide in Him, and He abides in me. I seek good, I rejoice at truth, I am angered at injustice. Five years ago, I fell in love with a person named Roshi, who happens to have been born with a female body. How can this be? When I first realized I was in love, I went straight to the Lord, asking Him what it meant and what I should do. He told me I had to take a leap of faith. So I did. Against the will of my family, against the traditions in which I had been brought up, I jumped out into the unknown to be with the one whom my soul loves. I have never regretted that leap.
No, it has not been easy. I took the road less travelled by, the one where I didn't get the luxury of having my parents pay for me to have the typical "college experience". I worked through college, and I am the better for it. There were no drunken parties, no crazy nightlife, yet I feel like I didn't miss out on anything. Every other day I would drive an hour just to spend two hours sitting in the restaurant where my beloved worked, helping serve customers, completing homework assignments, and stealing kisses when we had the chance. Somehow I look back and think how much we were in love, yet our love now is deeper still. How is that possible? How did I graduate from college completely DEBT FREE and buy a car (which is completely paid off now), and manage to make so many friends who love and support us? I know how. I took a leap of faith. I said to God, "I trust you. I will follow my heart and trust that you will take care of the rest."
Yes, there has been heartbreak. The family I grew up with, the people nearest to my heart, have rejected my beloved. They still love me and accept me, but they will not accept Roshi. This breaks my heart more than anything. I don't understand why their stubborn hearts refuse to at least try to see that Roshi is the person I love and want to spend the rest of my life with. The trouble is, I am afraid they will lose me altogether because as Roshi and I become one, it will become impossible for them to accept me without accepting her.
They will close their hearts to our love, and they will not want to meet their grandchildren.
To what end?
Does their refusal to accept Roshi make me love her less? Do they hope that eventually Roshi and I will break up of our own accord and that I will come back to them like a prodigal daughter? What does their scorn accomplish?
Absolutely nothing. Except pain, heartache, and regret.
The deepest desire of my heart is that my parents, and Roshi's parents, and our siblings and cousins and aunts and uncles, will want to celebrate WITH us when we exchange vows. Yet I am afraid that the only people who will be celebrating are those who have been with us since the beginning. The friends who have stood by our side and supported us these past five years. Yet friends can never replace the people who raised us from birth, the ones who taught us to speak and walk and seek God. There will be a hole in my heart if our families do not come to our wedding, or want to visit our children. I do not understand why they have to cause so much pain for us. All I did was fall in love.
Of course, this raises the question of whether married couples should receive special privileges at all. I think not, especially if the couple is childless. The original point of financial benefits for married couples (when the privileges were initially put into place) was to ensure that the children that resulted from the marriage would be provided for. Probably most of the financial benefits of marriage should only apply to couples with children. In any case, that is a congressional debate for another day. For now, I am rejoicing that the injustices against same-sex couples who are married or wish to be married are no more!!!
There are many people, some of whom are in my own family, who will say, "Even if the government recognizes gay marriages, in God's eyes, marriage is still between a man and a woman." *sigh*
Tell that to the same-sex couples who have been married for 50 years in every way except on paper. God originally created Eve for Adam because "It is not good for the man to be alone". Companionship, intimacy, and love was His aim. All three can just as easily be shared between a same-sex couple as between a heterosexual couple.
C.S. Lewis writes that, "The New Testament has lots to say about self-denial, but not about self-denial as an end in itself...there lurks in most modern minds the notion that to desire our own good and earnestly hope for the enjoyment of it is a bad thing..."
Throughout my entire young life, I have endeavored to seek Christ. I have followed Him and communed with Him. I abide in Him, and He abides in me. I seek good, I rejoice at truth, I am angered at injustice. Five years ago, I fell in love with a person named Roshi, who happens to have been born with a female body. How can this be? When I first realized I was in love, I went straight to the Lord, asking Him what it meant and what I should do. He told me I had to take a leap of faith. So I did. Against the will of my family, against the traditions in which I had been brought up, I jumped out into the unknown to be with the one whom my soul loves. I have never regretted that leap.
No, it has not been easy. I took the road less travelled by, the one where I didn't get the luxury of having my parents pay for me to have the typical "college experience". I worked through college, and I am the better for it. There were no drunken parties, no crazy nightlife, yet I feel like I didn't miss out on anything. Every other day I would drive an hour just to spend two hours sitting in the restaurant where my beloved worked, helping serve customers, completing homework assignments, and stealing kisses when we had the chance. Somehow I look back and think how much we were in love, yet our love now is deeper still. How is that possible? How did I graduate from college completely DEBT FREE and buy a car (which is completely paid off now), and manage to make so many friends who love and support us? I know how. I took a leap of faith. I said to God, "I trust you. I will follow my heart and trust that you will take care of the rest."
Yes, there has been heartbreak. The family I grew up with, the people nearest to my heart, have rejected my beloved. They still love me and accept me, but they will not accept Roshi. This breaks my heart more than anything. I don't understand why their stubborn hearts refuse to at least try to see that Roshi is the person I love and want to spend the rest of my life with. The trouble is, I am afraid they will lose me altogether because as Roshi and I become one, it will become impossible for them to accept me without accepting her.
They will close their hearts to our love, and they will not want to meet their grandchildren.
To what end?
Does their refusal to accept Roshi make me love her less? Do they hope that eventually Roshi and I will break up of our own accord and that I will come back to them like a prodigal daughter? What does their scorn accomplish?
Absolutely nothing. Except pain, heartache, and regret.
The deepest desire of my heart is that my parents, and Roshi's parents, and our siblings and cousins and aunts and uncles, will want to celebrate WITH us when we exchange vows. Yet I am afraid that the only people who will be celebrating are those who have been with us since the beginning. The friends who have stood by our side and supported us these past five years. Yet friends can never replace the people who raised us from birth, the ones who taught us to speak and walk and seek God. There will be a hole in my heart if our families do not come to our wedding, or want to visit our children. I do not understand why they have to cause so much pain for us. All I did was fall in love.
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Making Things Good
Mundane chores cause my mind to think more deeply than usual. Unloading the dishwasher, I found myself humming one of my favorite songs by Caedmon's Call, "There is a Reason". Specifically, the chorus struck me as deeply significant: "He makes all things good, He makes all things good," and I suddenly wondered, What if making things good is exactly what we are supposed to do as followers of Christ? Didn't Jesus reconcile us to God through his work on the cross, and command his disciples to also take up a cross and follow? If Jesus' ministry was to heal, help, and bring the light of truth to people's lives, then shouldn't that be what our lives are about as well?
It may seem too simple for an epiphany, but it got me thinking about how Christians make following Christ into a religion, when really following Christ is the opposite of religion. If you think about it, religion is law and captivity. Religion is Egypt. Safe and predictable, yet demanding and painful. In "Egypt" we know our place, we have food and shelter, we are protected by a powerful nation. Oh, and we are slaves. God's redemptive power liberates us through Christ by calling us out of religious slavery and into a free and spirit-led life.
Once we are free, we simply follow Christ. When we follow, it means we are imitating, we are being like the Rabbi. If Jesus went around literally making things good, then we should too. What does this mean in every day life?
If someone is hungry, feed them.
If someone is thirsty, give them something to drink.
If someone needs a place to belong, invite them into a loving community.
If someone is lost, help them find their way (note: this does not mean judge them and tell them to live their life in the way that you think is best).
Whenever and wherever we encounter evil, we need to do whatever we can to make things good. Of course, that means something different for every unique situation. We have to learn to listen to the Spirit for direction when we don't know how to make things good in difficult circumstances. Sometimes we are just a part of the process, and we may never see the end result, but we have to do our part anyway.
The words of Paul encourage us to, "not let evil conquer you, but overcome evil with good," (Romans 12:21).
The Kingdom of God is alive and well among us. Let us live in that reality by transforming the evil we encounter in the world into GOOD.
It may seem too simple for an epiphany, but it got me thinking about how Christians make following Christ into a religion, when really following Christ is the opposite of religion. If you think about it, religion is law and captivity. Religion is Egypt. Safe and predictable, yet demanding and painful. In "Egypt" we know our place, we have food and shelter, we are protected by a powerful nation. Oh, and we are slaves. God's redemptive power liberates us through Christ by calling us out of religious slavery and into a free and spirit-led life.
Once we are free, we simply follow Christ. When we follow, it means we are imitating, we are being like the Rabbi. If Jesus went around literally making things good, then we should too. What does this mean in every day life?
If someone is hungry, feed them.
If someone is thirsty, give them something to drink.
If someone needs a place to belong, invite them into a loving community.
If someone is lost, help them find their way (note: this does not mean judge them and tell them to live their life in the way that you think is best).
Whenever and wherever we encounter evil, we need to do whatever we can to make things good. Of course, that means something different for every unique situation. We have to learn to listen to the Spirit for direction when we don't know how to make things good in difficult circumstances. Sometimes we are just a part of the process, and we may never see the end result, but we have to do our part anyway.
The words of Paul encourage us to, "not let evil conquer you, but overcome evil with good," (Romans 12:21).
The Kingdom of God is alive and well among us. Let us live in that reality by transforming the evil we encounter in the world into GOOD.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Re: "Why Did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha, and Mohammed Cross the Road?" (Brian McLaren)
This morning I was running late to "church" and when I did get there I could not find a parking spot, so I took the hint and decided to listen to a Beyond the Box podcast and blog today. The most recent Beyond the Box episode is an interview with Brian McLaren about his new book, Why Did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha, and Mohammed Cross the Road?. While listening to their discussion, I bought the Kindle version of the book so that I can better respond to McLaren's ideas here on my blog.
As I mentioned in my last post, religious pluralism and tolerance is a hot theological topic right now in churches and Christian groups across America. I would like to blog further on this subject as I read through Brian's book, but for now I'd like to outline some main points and questions I wrote down while listening to Beyond the Box today.
Who Am I?
I will never forget the moment in my life when I fully realized that my identity was completely and totally found in Christianity. I was riding the bus in Wahiawa, Hawai'i, on my way to my part-time nanny job on Wheeler AFB (Air Force Base, for those of you who are unfamiliar with military acronyms), when a fellow bus-rider asked me who I was, or how would I define myself. I remember being taken aback by this question. It was a simple question, very straightforward, but I had never answered such a question before because no one had ever asked it before. Despite being caught off guard, I knew my answer instantly, "I'm a Christian." That's who I am.
The primary purpose of Brian's book is to address Christian identity and how Christians relate to followers of other religions based on the identity we take on. Many Christians take on an identity based on their denomination, or theological beliefs. For example, "Presbyterian", "Baptist", or "Methodist". Others take on an identity based on a broader group such as "Calvinist" or "Evangelical". Still others may prefer to say, "I'm a believer" or "follower of Christ". No matter which specific identity a Christian chooses, having a Christian identity poses a problem when relating to the rest of the world. When we define ourselves as Christians, we automatically must ask the question, "what does being a Christian mean, exactly?" We all know it means following Christ, but there are so many issues we face today that Jesus did not directly address (that we know of). Many times we are left to listen to whichever theologians or philosophers we subscribe to, because we just don't know what it means to be a Christian in every single circumstance.
Brian talks about a dichotomy between Christians who are hostile towards those outside of Christianity, and those who are becoming more liberal and sort of accept every religion. He says neither of these is the best way to be, because the former is not at all in accordance with how Jesus lived, and the latter is basically a loss of Christian identity altogether. Brian suggests that there is another option, which is to have a strong sense of Christian identity, yet that Christian identity actually invokes benevolence and kindness towards those who practice other religions or have different beliefs than we do. Unfortunately, many Christians think that if we show kindness or good-will towards people who worship other gods, then we are somehow being unfaithful to Jesus.
However, this is an invalid way of thinking because we do not have to give up any part of our own identity as Christians in order to be kind to others. Jesus commanded us to love one another, and to go even further and love our enemies as well. How can we love our enemies if we don't talk to them?
Many Christians think that loving our enemies means trying to convert them. This is because we seem to think that all religions are simply different ways of addressing the same question. For example, what happens when we die? In reality, each religion has its own set of unique questions. Yes, various religious teachings overlap and have surprising similarities as well as equally striking differences, but overall the only reason each religions' answers are different is because the questions are different.
How Should We Address People Who Do Not Identify as Christians?
When Muslims are asked how they are taught to relate to non-Muslims, many respond by quoting from the Quran, "I made you different so that you would seek to know one another." Yet many Christians are trained to respond with this verse: "Jesus is THE way, the truth, and the life," (John 14:6). What if instead, we were trained to respond by quoting 1 John 4: "My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn’t know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can’t know him if you don’t love. This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they’ve done to our relationship with God."
I think maybe its time for those of us who identify as Christians to reconsider what being a Christian really means. In order for us to have a strong identity, we first need to understand it.
Let me ask you this question: When you share Christ with someone, does the person you are sharing with feel threatened or enlightened?
When we talk about Jesus with people, many times what they hear (whether we intend it or not) is, "if you don't believe in Jesus, you are going to hell," but what we want them to hear is, "Jesus is God's love in human form. He came to reveal the incredible goodness and grace of God towards humanity. When we truly understand that and follow Jesus, we walk in His love and grace, which causes us to be humble, hospitable, loving, and kind people. Isn't that the kind of world you want to live in? A world where love and kindness towards one other are people's first priority?"
We can absolutely identify as Christians and respond to those who are different from us in a hospitable rather than a hostile way.
Grace and peace to you all!
As I mentioned in my last post, religious pluralism and tolerance is a hot theological topic right now in churches and Christian groups across America. I would like to blog further on this subject as I read through Brian's book, but for now I'd like to outline some main points and questions I wrote down while listening to Beyond the Box today.
Who Am I?
I will never forget the moment in my life when I fully realized that my identity was completely and totally found in Christianity. I was riding the bus in Wahiawa, Hawai'i, on my way to my part-time nanny job on Wheeler AFB (Air Force Base, for those of you who are unfamiliar with military acronyms), when a fellow bus-rider asked me who I was, or how would I define myself. I remember being taken aback by this question. It was a simple question, very straightforward, but I had never answered such a question before because no one had ever asked it before. Despite being caught off guard, I knew my answer instantly, "I'm a Christian." That's who I am.
The primary purpose of Brian's book is to address Christian identity and how Christians relate to followers of other religions based on the identity we take on. Many Christians take on an identity based on their denomination, or theological beliefs. For example, "Presbyterian", "Baptist", or "Methodist". Others take on an identity based on a broader group such as "Calvinist" or "Evangelical". Still others may prefer to say, "I'm a believer" or "follower of Christ". No matter which specific identity a Christian chooses, having a Christian identity poses a problem when relating to the rest of the world. When we define ourselves as Christians, we automatically must ask the question, "what does being a Christian mean, exactly?" We all know it means following Christ, but there are so many issues we face today that Jesus did not directly address (that we know of). Many times we are left to listen to whichever theologians or philosophers we subscribe to, because we just don't know what it means to be a Christian in every single circumstance.
Brian talks about a dichotomy between Christians who are hostile towards those outside of Christianity, and those who are becoming more liberal and sort of accept every religion. He says neither of these is the best way to be, because the former is not at all in accordance with how Jesus lived, and the latter is basically a loss of Christian identity altogether. Brian suggests that there is another option, which is to have a strong sense of Christian identity, yet that Christian identity actually invokes benevolence and kindness towards those who practice other religions or have different beliefs than we do. Unfortunately, many Christians think that if we show kindness or good-will towards people who worship other gods, then we are somehow being unfaithful to Jesus.
However, this is an invalid way of thinking because we do not have to give up any part of our own identity as Christians in order to be kind to others. Jesus commanded us to love one another, and to go even further and love our enemies as well. How can we love our enemies if we don't talk to them?
Many Christians think that loving our enemies means trying to convert them. This is because we seem to think that all religions are simply different ways of addressing the same question. For example, what happens when we die? In reality, each religion has its own set of unique questions. Yes, various religious teachings overlap and have surprising similarities as well as equally striking differences, but overall the only reason each religions' answers are different is because the questions are different.
How Should We Address People Who Do Not Identify as Christians?
When Muslims are asked how they are taught to relate to non-Muslims, many respond by quoting from the Quran, "I made you different so that you would seek to know one another." Yet many Christians are trained to respond with this verse: "Jesus is THE way, the truth, and the life," (John 14:6). What if instead, we were trained to respond by quoting 1 John 4: "My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn’t know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can’t know him if you don’t love. This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they’ve done to our relationship with God."
I think maybe its time for those of us who identify as Christians to reconsider what being a Christian really means. In order for us to have a strong identity, we first need to understand it.
Let me ask you this question: When you share Christ with someone, does the person you are sharing with feel threatened or enlightened?
When we talk about Jesus with people, many times what they hear (whether we intend it or not) is, "if you don't believe in Jesus, you are going to hell," but what we want them to hear is, "Jesus is God's love in human form. He came to reveal the incredible goodness and grace of God towards humanity. When we truly understand that and follow Jesus, we walk in His love and grace, which causes us to be humble, hospitable, loving, and kind people. Isn't that the kind of world you want to live in? A world where love and kindness towards one other are people's first priority?"
We can absolutely identify as Christians and respond to those who are different from us in a hospitable rather than a hostile way.
Grace and peace to you all!
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Churched
I ran across a blog online by Tim Bruster, in which he lists the top 15 theological topics/issues today. One of the first comments I read under his post was about the local church. So I got to thinking, if people don't engage with other believers and seekers, how can the important theological issues of our day be discussed?
I'm not saying that everyone needs to go to church. In fact, I am not sure that a whole lot of discussion about important theological topics even happens at any given Sunday morning service. Growing up in the church, most of the discussions I overheard were pretty much the same as discussions people have at the grocery store with acquaintances they randomly come across. Either that, or speculation about this or that person who did not show up to "church" that day.
Is that really what church means? A group of people who call themselves Christians meeting in one building to sing lyrics they read from a screen on the wall and listen to someone who supposedly knows more than they do about God and the bible tell them how they should be living their lives.
Before I blaspheme any further, I would like to point out that I have been in churches where genuine fellowship happens and people are genuinely seeking God and truth about important theological issues. However, I have noticed that those churches in which theological issues are paramount, where it seems that every member is a biblical scholar, in such churches, there is a certain lack of welcome for those who are seeking and those who are lost. Those churches are closed off in a way because they are so consumed with finding theological answers. On the other hand, churches where it's all about love and welcome and fellowship, where everyone is hugging and meeting together outside of church hours (yes, they are actually real friends, not just on Sunday morning--imagine that!), there is often a lack of importance placed on discussing theological issues. These people discuss the gospel and the teachings of Jesus, how we can walk in his footsteps, but they tend to shy away from theological debate because it can be divisive.
What is a part-time theologian to do in this situation? The only group of people friendly enough to accept me is pretty much closed to any serious discussion of theology. Yet those who would debate with me til we were both blue (or red) in the face do not welcome me.
My family and I came up with a sort of solution with the help of some friends of ours who were going through a sort of theological revolution with us at the time. The revolution was such that we had to leave "the church" because our new ideas were so radical that we became theologically unwelcome. In any case, we began a new "church" that we dubbed "Beer & Bible Study" (B & BS). Anyone who liked to drink beer and discuss biblical topics (not necessarily both, and not necessarily at the same time) was welcome. Maybe this is what every church needs as a supplement? Small groups that meet and invite anyone and everyone to come and discuss theology.
Grace and peace to you!
I'm not saying that everyone needs to go to church. In fact, I am not sure that a whole lot of discussion about important theological topics even happens at any given Sunday morning service. Growing up in the church, most of the discussions I overheard were pretty much the same as discussions people have at the grocery store with acquaintances they randomly come across. Either that, or speculation about this or that person who did not show up to "church" that day.
Is that really what church means? A group of people who call themselves Christians meeting in one building to sing lyrics they read from a screen on the wall and listen to someone who supposedly knows more than they do about God and the bible tell them how they should be living their lives.
Before I blaspheme any further, I would like to point out that I have been in churches where genuine fellowship happens and people are genuinely seeking God and truth about important theological issues. However, I have noticed that those churches in which theological issues are paramount, where it seems that every member is a biblical scholar, in such churches, there is a certain lack of welcome for those who are seeking and those who are lost. Those churches are closed off in a way because they are so consumed with finding theological answers. On the other hand, churches where it's all about love and welcome and fellowship, where everyone is hugging and meeting together outside of church hours (yes, they are actually real friends, not just on Sunday morning--imagine that!), there is often a lack of importance placed on discussing theological issues. These people discuss the gospel and the teachings of Jesus, how we can walk in his footsteps, but they tend to shy away from theological debate because it can be divisive.
What is a part-time theologian to do in this situation? The only group of people friendly enough to accept me is pretty much closed to any serious discussion of theology. Yet those who would debate with me til we were both blue (or red) in the face do not welcome me.
My family and I came up with a sort of solution with the help of some friends of ours who were going through a sort of theological revolution with us at the time. The revolution was such that we had to leave "the church" because our new ideas were so radical that we became theologically unwelcome. In any case, we began a new "church" that we dubbed "Beer & Bible Study" (B & BS). Anyone who liked to drink beer and discuss biblical topics (not necessarily both, and not necessarily at the same time) was welcome. Maybe this is what every church needs as a supplement? Small groups that meet and invite anyone and everyone to come and discuss theology.
Grace and peace to you!
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
What if I'm Wrong?
We've all asked this question (I hope): "What if I'm wrong?"
Today I watched a video (note: please watch/listen to the video before you continue reading to help you better understand what I'm writing about) on YouTube that my mom recommended to me over Thanksgiving. What the guy says struck me as exactly what the church needs to hear. Can atheists be closer to truth than those who claim to follow The Truth?
I empathize with atheists because I have asked many of the same questions as they have throughout my Christian experience. In fact, one of my friends was actually raised Christian and home-schooled (like me), and is now an atheist. During our conversations, I discovered that the questions that led him to atheism were the very same questions that led me to where I am today (which I cannot define with a singular "-ism" or "-ity").
When you grow up in the Christian community, when bible study is a serious and daily activity, when worship music fills your ears each evening while mom makes dinner, the world feels comfortable and safe and good. Many people never leave the comfort and safety of a theology built using bricks backed by great thinkers (such as Aquinas, Augustine, Calvin, and Luther). Many people never ask the questions that lead them out of the safety of what I call "the Christian Cave" (an allusion to Plato's allegory of the cave). Those who do ask dangerous questions often brush them under a rock or dismiss them. Why? Because they don't want to leave the safety of the cave, of course! People want to be safe, they want to understand things. Inside the cave, everything is simple and comfortable. Asking questions AND following where the answers lead takes us outside where everything is unpredictable and we have to trust completely in God instead of our own understanding.
At this point, you're probably dying to know--what are these questions I'm referring to?
Here are a few of the basic questions that every good philosopher will ask:
1.) If God is good, why does he allow/cause suffering?
2.) If God is love, how can he bear to send people to hell for all eternity?
3.) Jesus came to save us, but from what?
Here are some examples of answers that mainstream Christianity will provide:
1.) God's ways are higher than ours. He has a purpose in suffering. He is sovereign over all. In our limited view, we cannot see his wisdom and purpose for all things (in other words, the ends justify the means).
2.) God is not just love, but justice also. God is just and demands payment for sins. Also, he will not force people to be with him in heaven if they do not want to. They made their choice on earth. It's their own fault if they didn't trust in Jesus.
3.) Jesus came to take on the punishment for sins on our behalf. He paid the price of death and hell so that those who believe in him don't have to.
I remember the time when I both heard and repeated those answers. Answers are security, safety, comfort. Questions bring doubt, questions lead to a quest, a journey. Most of us just want to sit in the repose of home.
Anthony DeMello put it like this: People are asleep. Most people spend their entire lives asleep. True spirituality wakes us up.
...The question is, do you want to wake up?
If the answer is yes, then the three questions I originally asked will lead you on a journey outside of mainstream Christianity. You may have to leave the church. You will have to take a wrecking ball to your theological house, break those bricks, and start from scratch. You might even have to make the bricks from scratch too.
That's what happened to me. I faced those questions, and I was tired of the cookie-cutter answers that ultimately made absolutely no logical sense (any philosophical atheist can tell you that). So I tore down the house, and started rebuilding. At first, I thought I didn't have to tear down the entire house. I thought maybe replace the roof, a few windows, maybe remodel some rooms and get new siding. Nope. The more questions I asked, the more I began to make out some parts of the answers, the more I realized the whole house has to be destroyed. Everything. Which left me with only the foundation: Love. Intelligence. Beauty. Truth. Life.
God is love. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. That's it.
From that foundation, I began building again, but progress is much slower because I know how hard it was to tear down the original house. The last thing I want to do is have to tear down and rebuild again.
This blog is a collection of my thoughts as I rebuild my theological house. Join me, share your thoughts, and let's get building!!
Today I watched a video (note: please watch/listen to the video before you continue reading to help you better understand what I'm writing about) on YouTube that my mom recommended to me over Thanksgiving. What the guy says struck me as exactly what the church needs to hear. Can atheists be closer to truth than those who claim to follow The Truth?
I empathize with atheists because I have asked many of the same questions as they have throughout my Christian experience. In fact, one of my friends was actually raised Christian and home-schooled (like me), and is now an atheist. During our conversations, I discovered that the questions that led him to atheism were the very same questions that led me to where I am today (which I cannot define with a singular "-ism" or "-ity").
When you grow up in the Christian community, when bible study is a serious and daily activity, when worship music fills your ears each evening while mom makes dinner, the world feels comfortable and safe and good. Many people never leave the comfort and safety of a theology built using bricks backed by great thinkers (such as Aquinas, Augustine, Calvin, and Luther). Many people never ask the questions that lead them out of the safety of what I call "the Christian Cave" (an allusion to Plato's allegory of the cave). Those who do ask dangerous questions often brush them under a rock or dismiss them. Why? Because they don't want to leave the safety of the cave, of course! People want to be safe, they want to understand things. Inside the cave, everything is simple and comfortable. Asking questions AND following where the answers lead takes us outside where everything is unpredictable and we have to trust completely in God instead of our own understanding.
At this point, you're probably dying to know--what are these questions I'm referring to?
Here are a few of the basic questions that every good philosopher will ask:
1.) If God is good, why does he allow/cause suffering?
2.) If God is love, how can he bear to send people to hell for all eternity?
3.) Jesus came to save us, but from what?
Here are some examples of answers that mainstream Christianity will provide:
1.) God's ways are higher than ours. He has a purpose in suffering. He is sovereign over all. In our limited view, we cannot see his wisdom and purpose for all things (in other words, the ends justify the means).
2.) God is not just love, but justice also. God is just and demands payment for sins. Also, he will not force people to be with him in heaven if they do not want to. They made their choice on earth. It's their own fault if they didn't trust in Jesus.
3.) Jesus came to take on the punishment for sins on our behalf. He paid the price of death and hell so that those who believe in him don't have to.
I remember the time when I both heard and repeated those answers. Answers are security, safety, comfort. Questions bring doubt, questions lead to a quest, a journey. Most of us just want to sit in the repose of home.
Anthony DeMello put it like this: People are asleep. Most people spend their entire lives asleep. True spirituality wakes us up.
...The question is, do you want to wake up?
If the answer is yes, then the three questions I originally asked will lead you on a journey outside of mainstream Christianity. You may have to leave the church. You will have to take a wrecking ball to your theological house, break those bricks, and start from scratch. You might even have to make the bricks from scratch too.
That's what happened to me. I faced those questions, and I was tired of the cookie-cutter answers that ultimately made absolutely no logical sense (any philosophical atheist can tell you that). So I tore down the house, and started rebuilding. At first, I thought I didn't have to tear down the entire house. I thought maybe replace the roof, a few windows, maybe remodel some rooms and get new siding. Nope. The more questions I asked, the more I began to make out some parts of the answers, the more I realized the whole house has to be destroyed. Everything. Which left me with only the foundation: Love. Intelligence. Beauty. Truth. Life.
God is love. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. That's it.
From that foundation, I began building again, but progress is much slower because I know how hard it was to tear down the original house. The last thing I want to do is have to tear down and rebuild again.
This blog is a collection of my thoughts as I rebuild my theological house. Join me, share your thoughts, and let's get building!!
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