Sunday, October 16, 2005

Badgers win, Gophers disappoint me once again


As a man true to my word, I have placed this "W" for the badgers upon my blog. After taunting my friend Steve, a current Michagan resident and Badger alum, about last week's Minnesota/Michagan game and the upcoming Badger/Gopher game, a little wager was made regarding the Minnesota(my alma mater)-Wisconsin game yesterday. Had Minnesota not gut wrenchingly blown their amazing lead yesterday, and had not God clearly wanted the Badgers to win (how else can you explain it), Steve would have a large Minnesota "M" on his blog. The Gophers rushed for 400 yards and still lost this game. I'll make excuses, becasue I can; we all know the Gophers would have won this game had they been able to play their starting QB, Bryan Cupito, instead of this redshirt freshman QB Tony Mortensen. Alas my Gophers have once again let me down. At least there is alawys hockey.

Here's to you Steve and your badgers.

Steve's blog can be found at http://alreadynotyet.blogspot.com/.

Friday, October 07, 2005

U2


I love U2. I am sitting here alone, it is late and I cannot really sleep. I listen to U2 and my soul is comforted. They always have that effect. You should listen to them. “Running to Stand Still” has a particularly strong effect on me; as does “Whose Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses”.

I meet this band late in life. I think I bought my first CD at the age of 18. And it has been a slow process of failing more and more in love with them.

U2 presents a messy spirituality. Following Christ is not easy, and does not always make a lot of sense. These guys are really honest about that, and I find that comforting. Their lyrics have just a sense of truth accompany them.

Aside from that they are really trying to make a difference in the world. Championing the cause of the widows and orphans in the world, and that is pretty sweet. The songs reflect the values of God’s kingdom, peace, justice, faith, hope, love, and worship.

I could say a lot more, but I think they are sweet. They’ve got some awesome skills.

Tuesday, October 04, 2005

Pacifism


Pacifism, I have really been struggling with this one lately. When I read the teachings of Christ, this seems to be at the core of Jesus’ teachings. Turn the other cheek type of thing.

I have been reading a lot of church history these days, and it is interesting to see that the early church, first 3 centuries of Christians were all pacifists. The church did not allow Christians to partake in military service. Christians never fought back if they were attacked. As many know hundreds upon thousands of Christians were persecuted and literally slaughtered without even putting up a fight at this time in history.

This all dramatically changed with the conversion of Constantine and the emergence of a Christianized Roman Empire. If everyone was a Christian it made it hard to build an army to protect the empire if everyone was a pacifist. This eventually resulted in Augustine’s writing Just War. He details when war is appropriate and when it is not.

However, I am wondering if Christians have strayed from the teachings of Christ, which never condones violence. I am not asking about the legitimacy of military, or even a government. I think governments have a certain right from God to defend themselves and go to war. I am wondering, what is the role of the Church and pacifism? Is there ever a time to defend or attack as Christians? We as Christians are called to peace. Peter was chastised for picking up the sword in the garden of Gethsemane, and Jesus harsh words are those who live by the sword will die by the sword. Is not our fight against powers and principalities, entities of the spiritual world? We are people called to peace.

If my wife is being attacked do I step in and fight? Can a Christian in good conscience enlist in military service – kill in the name of a government? Is not my responsibility to the values of the Kingdom before the values of my government? If I am unwilling to serve my government with military service should I enjoy the rights extended to me by that government? Should Christians take up arms against violence, or respond with some sort of creative passive resistance? What are your thoughts?