October Baby

A couple of days ago my wife and I went to see the movie October Baby. I'm not a huge fan of films. Too often the characters are underdeveloped, the plots thin, or the solutions a deus ex machina ending. I thought this movie was well done, well acted and a good story line. I encourage you to see it.

It's a prolife message without being preachy. We need more stories like this. Stories are what will move people to reject the evil of abortion and still meet the needs of young scared women who are in trouble.

The movie tells the story of a young woman dealing with the effects of abortion in her life. She survived one, and was not supposed to live. But here is her story. But think, there are over forty million - 40,000,000 stories that never were. Who will tell their stories? Who will speak for the silent voices?

God, The Bible, and Christianity

The Bible study group that I "lead" during the week has been studying a book by D. A. Carson, entitled The God Who is There. We're also watching the video. I can't recommend them highly enough. The audio and visual are available online as well.

I was privileged to take (I believe) three classes from Dr. Carson while I did my doctoral work at Trinity. We also were members at the same church for several years during that time and he helped me pursue a university teaching position (which didn't work out). He is a godly, gracious, and learned man. He also has a way of cutting through to the heart of the matter without losing sight of peripheral issues.

So what is the book about? Whether you have been in the church for a short time, a long time, or whether you are only interested in Christianity, you need to read the book or watch/listen to the audio-visual material. Do you want to see how theology leads to awe and worship and service?

I remember how when at seminary I came across the term "salvation-history." That is, the Bible is more than doctrine (although it certainly is that); it is the story of how God is working to redeem humanity, the world, and the entire universe through the person, sacrifice, and victory of Jesus Christ. Our understanding of the Bible and of the nature of Christianity, therefore, must flow from knowing the story first and our place in it. To use an analogy (and have it backwards, I know), "salvation-history" is the Christian equivalent of the history of Middle-Earth as told in the Silmarillion, The Hobbit, and the Lord of the Rings.

Here's the blurb from the site that has the a/v material I mentioned above:

In February 2009, Don Carson presented a 14-part seminar entitled “The God Who Is There” at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis. This series will serve the church well because it simultaneously evangelizes non-Christians and edifies Christians by explaining the Bible’s storyline in a non-reductionistic way. The series is geared toward “seekers” and articulates Christianity in a way that causes hearers either to reject or embrace the gospel. It’s one thing to know the Bible’s storyline, but it’s another to know one’s role in God’s ongoing story of redemption. “The God Who Is There” engages people at the worldview-level.

Are you interested in learning about Christianity or the Bible? Do you lead a Bible study or Christian small group? Are you looking for something to read that will challenge the way that you look at the world? Are you curious about God? Read the book or listen/watch the a/v material.

And may your life be forever changed as you meet and surrender to the ultimate reality, the God Who is There.

What kind of leader?

Here we are, in the middle of the next American electoral season. Up for grabs is the presidency and the direction that the country will go. What are some important guidelines that we can use as we examine the (currently) three major candidates that are running?

I just began reading How to Pick a President, one of Christianity Today's new line of ebooks. (Yes, I'm reading it on my new Kindle.) The first criterion that the author discusses is virtue. The virtues specifically mentioned are moral courage, temperance, commitment to justice, commitment to keeping one's word, and prudence.

The importance of picking leaders who exhibit these virtues is that we can trust them to make hard decisions in the reality of political life. If a candidate says that he (or she) will do x, y, and z relative to immigration, the reality is that by the time that Congress has had its say, and that various realities have been dealt with, x, y, and z may have changed into m, n, and o!

Instead, we should pick a leader who tells us what justice toward illegal immigrants who are already here looks like. And what it means to her to protect our borders. And how we will guard the rights of citizens as opposed to those who are here legally or illegally. And so on. Then we can decide whether or not we agree with those values. And then we decide whether these values are in fact just, and whether the candidate has had a record of keeping his word and exhibited the moral courage to stand up for what he believes to be right even if it costs him power, money, or prestige. And if that person is elected, then we trust her or him.

The book I mentioned above mentions that it is important that we look to a candidate's commitment to these values in their public and (hopefully) also in their private lives. This means that what a candidate said and did before and after they entered public life is very important. How else can we measure their fitness for leading us? Those who wish to lead us but who keep their private lives hidden perhaps shouldn't be trusted.

this life and the next

In March 2009 I had a few blog posts about why Christianity offers more hope and meaning to human existence in the light of life and death.

Two years ago my last grandparent died and a year later her sister died. A month ago her husband, my great uncle died. All three were strong believers in Jesus Christ and had been for most of their lives. They all lived into their 90s.

Throw Them All Out

Yesterday I finished reading the book with the title of this post. I find it more than disheartening that our leaders both in the business and political spheres are in business and public office more to enrich themselves than they are to serve the public. I urge you to read the book before the next election.

The author, Peter, Schweizer, describes ways that national political leaders use their insider knowledge to enrich themselves. This includes stock purchases, land deals, and more. This involves both parties, and several administrations back. It's not a Right vs. Left or Republican vs. Democrat issue. It's about politicians who are enriching themselves in ways that you or I would go to jail for. It's about them feeding at the public trough and helping their business friends get rich and avoid the consequences of their poor actions.

These politicians and business leaders are responsible for creating the economic climate that has created our current financial crisis. But we, the voting public are to blame as well. We vote by party, or because our "guy in DC" has influence or gives us goodies. Well, the time has come to end all of this.

So what's to do?

Schweizer elaborates:

• trading on insider, nonpublic information must be illegal for everyone, including government officials and their aids.
• members of Congress must not be allowed to trade stocks in companies in areas where they are involved in committee work
• whistleblower laws must apply to Congress
• earmarks that Congressional members receive any benefit for must end
• no campaign contributions must be allowed when Congress is in session
• the federal government must not make loans or give grants. The government should not be in the business of picking winners and losers.

His end paragraph is telling:

"The problems we face today are not the result of the individual failings of a few leaders. What we face is a system that is compromised by the perception that U.S. public policy is a marketable commodity. It's time to fix it. Let's relegate the Government Rich to the ashbin of history. If you want to get rich, do it the legitimate way. Go out and produce a useful good or service that you have a right to sell." (176, see Amazon.com link above for the reference)

So, my opinion is to vote against everyone in Congress and the White House and start over. Send them a warning that we will not, we CANNOT continue with things as usual. Otherwise there won't be much of a country left to pass along to our children and grandchildren.

Bonsai as spiritual lesson

Last Saturday my wife, daughter, and I visited the Denver Botanical Gardens to see the Bonsai show that the local Bonsai Society holds every Father's Day weekend. There were many beautiful and interesting trees on display.

At one point we watched a demonstration. One of the society members had previously purchased a pyrocanthus bush. It had an interesting central trunk, but the remainder of the three foot high bush was full of small branches growing in all directions.

As we watched, the gentleman explained how and why he pruned the branches away until about an hour later what was left resembled a small tree. As he worked, what came to my mind was John 15.

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Now, I know that Jesus was speaking of grape vines not bonsai trees! Nevertheless, I think that their is a significant lesson to be learned. I also know that there are other

ways of obtaining bonsai materials such as growing materials from seed. Ignoring these, here's what I learned.

When the bonsai artist finds a wild specimen or a nursery item, he takes what is already there, twisted, gnarled, more or less growing as it wills. Then he looks at that specimen to find a tree that he can form. Each specimen is different, even material from the same species and area. So the bonsai artist cuts off what doesn't match what he thinks is best for that tree, and when he's done, he has the beginnings of a tree. Then comes the trimming of the roots, and then the longest part - training the tree so that the parts are in proportion and the tree is beautiful. The trimming and pruning may take a few hours initially. The training may take years.

So too, God takes us as we are, wild, gnarled, damaged, growing our own way. Then, he cuts. And cuts and cuts, and trims so that we begin to fit the form that he has in mind for us. Each of us is different. None of us will be identical. Some need more trimming, some more training. When he's done, he has a human shaped as he wills, unique, a master piece of his working with our imperfections and sins. And the artist receives the praise.

Now the cutting, trimming, and training is not pleasant. While plants do not feel pain, I can imagine that if they could they would be protesting the entire pruning, trimming of roots and the boredom of the training.

But the end product is a tree of great beauty, a tribute to the artist.

Bonsai as spiritual lesson

Last Saturday my wife, daughter and I went to the Denver Botanical