Attempts at Honesty

Reflections on the interplay of the Bible and Culture

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Are boycotts effective in “reclaiming our culture”?

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Recently I was notified that there is an American Family Association boycott of Home Depot over their LBGT policy.

This morning, I was made aware of a boycott of Fort Worth public transportation because they agreed to display advertising from an atheistic group. The story can be seen by clicking on this link.

I question whether there is a Biblical basis for pursuing these boycotts. Do these efforts further our commission to make disciples? Do they generate more heat than light? What message does a boycott send to a the world at large?

If we have the Truth, do we have to respond in fear when lies are disseminated? Are we really confident that Truth wins in the end?

Your thoughts?

They’re still clueless

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CluelessIt turns out that those popular kids in High School really were as clueless as me; they were just better at hiding it. Now the popular kids are elected officials and still clueless. I came upon this thought as I wondered why the decisions made by our government representatives seem to be getting less rational.

I have heard it said that it is insanity to do the same thing over and over again and expect a different result. Yet, humanity has been trying for at least 6,000 years to run things without God. The further we get away from the plan that God revealed to us, the worse the results are. Why am I surprised at the foibles of a government that is increasingly turning to Atheism as the state religion?

Jesus predicted that immediately prior to his return, things will get a lot worse. I should not be surprised that there is increasing hostility toward God and those who believe in Him.

As I move into 2011, I am reminded that as individuals and as a church, we have the responsibility to continue making disciples. The distinction between the citizens of Heaven and the citizens of this world will become more clear as we near the end. It is our job to be used by God to bring many into the Kingdom of Heaven before it’s too late.

It is my hope and prayer that God will bring revival to our country and that we will return to the principles upon which it was founded. But if not, we should not be dismayed because our King is soon to return to claim his throne.

Bring on 2011. We’re one year closer . . .

Nativity Battle

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NativityIt is the middle of December and the time for email notifications lamenting that a community or business does not allow the display of the Nativity scene or other religious symbols.

In the past, I thought that my lack of concern about this was an indication of lack of spiritual fervor. Yet, in spite of trying to dial up my fervor, I still find it difficult to burn calories over these cases.

Last week, I had some windshield time in a car that is not iPod compliant which gave me some time to think. Here are some thoughts on the move to ban religious displays:

  1. The church has always survived persecutions. I’m not sure that I would categorize a ban on religious symbols as persecution, but even so, we will not be hurt by this. As Ravi Zacharias has stated, “the Church has always outlived her pall bearers.” Even in communist states where no religion could be openly practiced, the Church survived.
  2. The trend against display of religious symbols is a symptom of the decline of the organized church, not the cause of it. In other words, the fact that much of the church lost its theological way through the 20th century is the reason for the decline in acceptance of Christianity.
  3. Does the Church (all believers) suffer because the distinction between believers and unbelievers is made more clear? The fact that unbelievers no longer revere religious symbols has no impact on the truth of Jesus Christ.
  4. We still have the freedom to be the Church and to share the good news of Jesus Christ. I question how much value a Nativity Scene in a park has in bringing people to consider the claims of Jesus.

My conclusion is that we should be living Nativity Scenes. We should live our lives in such a way that we demonstrate that God has indeed come among us and brought real change. We should stop whining about the loss of a veneer of respectability and be willing to do the hard work of living out the claims of Christ before a watching (and sometimes hostile) world.

Comments are welcome . . .

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