Do you remember the now infamous article asking the question Is God Dead? It appeared in Time magazine on April 8, 1966 and was authored by John T. Ellis. Mr. Ellis recently died and the news of his passing has renewed interest in the article. In 1966 America was a much different country than it is today. This article provided almost as much fodder for pulpits as John Lennon’s observation that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus, which also occurred in 1966. I believe that Mr. Ellis was attempting to initiate a public discussion on a subject many intellectuals of his day were actively questioning, but one the church was not yet open to pursuing. John Lennon made an off-hand comment that said more about 1960’s culture than about the Beatles. If you have any memory of Beatle-Mania you would likely agree that the boys from Liverpool were in many ways much more popular than Jesus. When was the last time you saw thousands of people fainting from anticipation during a hymn in church or chasing the bus carrying a preacher? In the 1960’s people would do almost anything for a ticket to see the Beatles in concert. Lennon was indicting Christians, not disrespecting Jesus. And once again, the church was masterful in missing the point.
1966 was a genuine turning point for God, Jesus and the church. Questions centered on God’s reality could no longer be dismissed with instant damnation or accusations of treason against all things holy, apple pie and the church. Intellectualism entered the fray like an unwanted guest bent on moving in to stay. Intellectualism planted roots and the church has been slow to adjust. This is not to say that spurts of intellectualism had not been in evidence throughout history, or that all churches were adverse to intellectual discourse in the sixties. The minority of churches dealt with the Ellis article in positive ways and people expanded their theology of God as a result. The majority of churches did not react positively and as a result copies of Time magazine, and five months later Beatles albums, were burned in God’s name. This’ll show ‘em bonfires raged across America and the loser in all of this hubris…was God. Nothing in scripture instructs people to disable their brains in order to become a follower of Jesus. In fact, both Jesus and Paul used intellectual approaches to teach and preach in order to impact the highly intellectual Greeks and Romans and the Hebrew leadership. Even in matters of faith a little bit of thinking goes a long way.
So thank you Mr. Ellis for advancing the discussion on God’s reality. Someone had to do it and you took great abuse for being that person. And my opinion on what God would say about all of this: Thank you for asking about me Mr. Ellis. For the record, I am alive and well. Tell your readers I love them and have a plan for their lives. And never forget that I gave you that magnificent brain for many reasons, and contemplating Me is one of the best. And please ask those bonfire people to stop. One of these days you folks are going to ruin the Ozone layer I put in place for your protection. Stay in touch.
MM (a Beatles fan since 1964)
Monday, September 28, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Vampires Are En Vogue
If you peruse a book store this week you will find vampire novels among the best sellers. Just a cursory look noted seven new titles in the vampire genre and not one featured Count Dracula. Dracula is old school stuff in today’s Yeah, my boyfriend’s a vampire world. Dracula’s very-AARP, although I understand vampires don’t actually retire. In Dracula’s time it took a stake through the heart or a healthy does of holy water to do in a vampire. I haven’t read any of the new novels nor seen the movies but I’m guessing they’re harder to stop these days. This is confusing if one considers all of the modern safety protocols for interacting with blood. Dentists wear gloves, masks and plastic shields to stay safe; vampires drink blood like it’s going out of style. Hello, communicable diseases…Swine Flu…tainted blood.
I’m going on record as simply not getting it. Why the sudden fascination with vampires. They drink blood to stay alive and cannot take direct sunlight. They’re allergic to crosses and if properly fed can live forever. Is this a fad or is it the immortality angle that makes them popular? America is faddish to a fault so it’s likely that in six months vampires will give way to something else. Remember the Da Vinci Code? There were at least twenty- five similar novels that came out after Dan Brown went platinum and how many can you name? We do fads well. As to immortality, that too is a topic that resonates with people. Every major religion has a doctrine of the life to come, although major differences exist as to how that life will play out. None, however, features endless existence as a blood sucking vampire. So let’s accept vampire novels as mind candy that could make for a good read but shouldn’t be taken so seriously that the meaning of life is altered. Vampires don’t exist, nor do wizards and dragons, and much to my dismay, neither did Camelot or Excalibur. Fiction novels are one thing and life is another, so if we don’t mix the two together to an inordinate level all will be well.
MM
I’m going on record as simply not getting it. Why the sudden fascination with vampires. They drink blood to stay alive and cannot take direct sunlight. They’re allergic to crosses and if properly fed can live forever. Is this a fad or is it the immortality angle that makes them popular? America is faddish to a fault so it’s likely that in six months vampires will give way to something else. Remember the Da Vinci Code? There were at least twenty- five similar novels that came out after Dan Brown went platinum and how many can you name? We do fads well. As to immortality, that too is a topic that resonates with people. Every major religion has a doctrine of the life to come, although major differences exist as to how that life will play out. None, however, features endless existence as a blood sucking vampire. So let’s accept vampire novels as mind candy that could make for a good read but shouldn’t be taken so seriously that the meaning of life is altered. Vampires don’t exist, nor do wizards and dragons, and much to my dismay, neither did Camelot or Excalibur. Fiction novels are one thing and life is another, so if we don’t mix the two together to an inordinate level all will be well.
MM
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
I Dumped Leslie Gore for Shelley Fabares
Call me a heartbreaker if you must but I was merely following my heart. In 1964 I dumped singer Leslie Gore for singer and actress Shelley Fabares. It was a tough decision and I lost sleep over it, but in the end I had to do it. I was in love with Shelley and I couldn’t pretend any longer. Those were tough days. I was nine years old and both Leslie and Shelley were in their late teens. Older women. Leslie sang on American Bandstand and Shelley was on the Donna Reed Show. Successful older women. I sent them both a letter and although I never heard from either one (very busy older successful women), I’ve always imagined Leslie was too distraught to respond and Shelley didn’t want to give up her career and move to Birmingham. They may call it puppy love but mine was of the Great Dane variety.
I’ve always wondered how emotions like love begin, especially for a young man with nine years of life experience. I didn’t have a pimple in 1964 so how could I decipher the compelling forces of attraction to the beautiful red-haired teenager on the television screen? I couldn’t. The same holds true today. I married a beautiful redhead fifteen years later and at twenty four I still couldn’t dissect the in’s and out’s of love. I knew I was in love but I couldn’t explain it. Thirty years later I can explain complex and abstract theological issues but cannot explain love. In essence, I’ve made no progress since 1964. Love has me stymied. I’m guessing it always will.
I also became a Christian in 1964. I walked the aisle (a very Baptist thing) on Easter and told a bald, chubby preacher that I was a sinner and I wanted to be baptized. I remember the compelling emotions of that day and even though I couldn’t explain them, I knew they were real. I was falling in love with God and even though it was a different type of love (there are several types spoken of in scripture), it was love and it required me to act. Today I tell people that I know God is real because I feel his presence at my emotional center. That’s a better explanation than I could have given at nine, but not by much. There are just some things in life one cannot adequately explain. Love is better demonstrated than explained. So hug someone you love. Tell them you love them. Don’t explain it, show it. And then tell God. He invented it you know!
MM (in love since 1964)
I’ve always wondered how emotions like love begin, especially for a young man with nine years of life experience. I didn’t have a pimple in 1964 so how could I decipher the compelling forces of attraction to the beautiful red-haired teenager on the television screen? I couldn’t. The same holds true today. I married a beautiful redhead fifteen years later and at twenty four I still couldn’t dissect the in’s and out’s of love. I knew I was in love but I couldn’t explain it. Thirty years later I can explain complex and abstract theological issues but cannot explain love. In essence, I’ve made no progress since 1964. Love has me stymied. I’m guessing it always will.
I also became a Christian in 1964. I walked the aisle (a very Baptist thing) on Easter and told a bald, chubby preacher that I was a sinner and I wanted to be baptized. I remember the compelling emotions of that day and even though I couldn’t explain them, I knew they were real. I was falling in love with God and even though it was a different type of love (there are several types spoken of in scripture), it was love and it required me to act. Today I tell people that I know God is real because I feel his presence at my emotional center. That’s a better explanation than I could have given at nine, but not by much. There are just some things in life one cannot adequately explain. Love is better demonstrated than explained. So hug someone you love. Tell them you love them. Don’t explain it, show it. And then tell God. He invented it you know!
MM (in love since 1964)
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Running on Empty
I know what it’s like to lose. Eons ago I came in last in a cross country race. Well, last is a bit of a stretch. In reality I came in so last that a search party was being formed. I was so far behind the next-to-last finisher I received an ovation from both teams competing in the meet. I’ve always assumed that the ovation had more to do with hunger and being cold than it did with my finally finishing the course. I’d like to say I came in last due to getting lost, but that’s not what happened. I earned last all on my own. I was simply not ready to race at the level of that particular meet. I was new to the sport at a time when running was not a common activity. This race was two years before the running boom hit and Eugene Oregon became Mecca for runners. Running shoes had to be specially ordered and people asked what you were running from. I guess you could say I was behind my time.
I learned a great deal from finishing last that November morning in Arkansas. I know what it’s like to fail and I know what it’s like to lose. If losing builds character I have character. If losing teaches a person the finer points of winning I am finely pointed. If simply finishing is a victory I came away victorious. And, I am a better person for the experience. Why? Because there’s going to be a loss in every life and the earlier we learn to deal with the failures the better we will navigate life. Imagine if your first major flop came at age forty? How would you deal with it? Not gracefully in all likelihood. Yes, it’s better to learn to lose as a freshman cross country runner in a race you never should have run. So, in case this same thing happens to you, remember that last place really isn’t so bad. In the end, life isn’t measured by when you finish, but by how you finish!
MM
I learned a great deal from finishing last that November morning in Arkansas. I know what it’s like to fail and I know what it’s like to lose. If losing builds character I have character. If losing teaches a person the finer points of winning I am finely pointed. If simply finishing is a victory I came away victorious. And, I am a better person for the experience. Why? Because there’s going to be a loss in every life and the earlier we learn to deal with the failures the better we will navigate life. Imagine if your first major flop came at age forty? How would you deal with it? Not gracefully in all likelihood. Yes, it’s better to learn to lose as a freshman cross country runner in a race you never should have run. So, in case this same thing happens to you, remember that last place really isn’t so bad. In the end, life isn’t measured by when you finish, but by how you finish!
MM
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Is This Really in the Bible?
An Arizona pastor recently preached a sermon that included a prayer request that God strike the President of the United States with a brain tumor and that he die in the manner of the late Senator Kennedy of Massachusetts. A direct quote reads “I hope that God strikes Barack Obama with brain cancer so he can die like Ted Kennedy and I hope it happens today.” He went on to say that he does not condone killing and that his message and position centers on spiritual warfare. O.K., so it is appropriate to pray that God will afflict a person with terminal disease as long as it is benefits God’s own Kingdom? This guy’s a preacher so it is correct to expect that his statement be consistent with the Bible. Where is this found in scripture? The Old Testament possibly? It’s certainly not in the Old Testament book of Jonah. God made Jonah take His message to the arch enemies of Israel, a group who stood for everything Israel opposed. Jonah tried his best to circumvent God’s plans for the Assyrians because he, not God, hated them so. Is there a lesson here for God’s called and chosen leaders?
In short, yes there is. Lesson One: Always remember that you are not only speaking for your church or organization, but for all of Christianity as well. If you say something that is patently unscriptural and that reeks of bad theology you will do damage to God’s Kingdom. Someone will hear what you say and make decisions about the reality of God and the integrity of scripture. Lesson Two: Know scripture and theology. Assuming this Arizona minister went to seminary it is hard to believe that his theology could be so grossly incorrect. The New Testament is built upon a foundation of love, forgiveness and selfless living. The Royal Law found in James puts the needs of other people ahead of our own. No place in scripture reads Thouest hack me off so I pray that God striketh you with a terminal case of boils. Quite the contrary actually. Lesson Three: Mixing faith and politics has always made for a bad stew. Jesus made it clear that believers should not seek to overthrow Roman rule because it differed with the mission of the church. The job of the church is to reach, teach and disciple people and not to be the administrator of the country. Over the past thirty years there has been a great deal of diffusion on this subject and the end result has not been pretty. The church has become smaller and less influential and a large segment of society has written us off completely. Lesson Four: If you are a moron and break lessons one and two on a regular basis and make God look badly in the eyes of those He has called us to reach…seek a new line of work. Enough said.
MM
In short, yes there is. Lesson One: Always remember that you are not only speaking for your church or organization, but for all of Christianity as well. If you say something that is patently unscriptural and that reeks of bad theology you will do damage to God’s Kingdom. Someone will hear what you say and make decisions about the reality of God and the integrity of scripture. Lesson Two: Know scripture and theology. Assuming this Arizona minister went to seminary it is hard to believe that his theology could be so grossly incorrect. The New Testament is built upon a foundation of love, forgiveness and selfless living. The Royal Law found in James puts the needs of other people ahead of our own. No place in scripture reads Thouest hack me off so I pray that God striketh you with a terminal case of boils. Quite the contrary actually. Lesson Three: Mixing faith and politics has always made for a bad stew. Jesus made it clear that believers should not seek to overthrow Roman rule because it differed with the mission of the church. The job of the church is to reach, teach and disciple people and not to be the administrator of the country. Over the past thirty years there has been a great deal of diffusion on this subject and the end result has not been pretty. The church has become smaller and less influential and a large segment of society has written us off completely. Lesson Four: If you are a moron and break lessons one and two on a regular basis and make God look badly in the eyes of those He has called us to reach…seek a new line of work. Enough said.
MM
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