Flashback Friday: Enough!

I never seek to be one of those bloggers who stirs up controversy and alienates a portion of his audience. But a little over a year and a half ago (2/19/2014) I felt the need to rant. After the events of yesterday, today I feel the need to share that post again. I am not asking you to agree with me. But sometimes we all have to take a stand...

I don't know how many of you are old enough to really remember the Popeye cartoons, but in nearly every episode the hero would reach a point of no return, when the circumstances around him had become more than he could put up with any longer. At those moments his catchphrase was, "That's all I can stands and I can't stands no more!" He would then pop open a can of spinach and smash a few bad guys. I always loved those moments, because I think we all have points in our lives when we just have to say ENOUGH! And today, I am there.

Despite my long held stance as a pacifist (because I believe that is what Jesus asks of us) I have long steered clear of the national debate about guns. My silence has been for 2 primary reasons. I find that most discussions of the topic become political rather than moral, and I have no desire to have political discussions about much of anything. And I have also witnessed that such debate seems to never change anyone's opinion. It turns into yet another case of "I'm right...and you're stupid!" So I have remained quiet.

I live in Florida. Lately there have been three shootings here that have garnered national attention for a variety of reasons. A young man was shot because he was dressed suspiciously and was therefore seen as a threat by a man who should have just left him alone. Another was killed when a man wanted some music turned down in a van at a gas station, thought he might have seen a gun (he didn't) and fired 10 shots into the vehicle to "protect himself." And most recently, a man was shot in a movie theater after he was asked to quit texting during the previews and threw popcorn at the man who asked. The shooter was a retired police officer. I am not here today to discuss the outcomes of the legal maneuverings surrounding these shootings. I am not here to discuss the racism that may well have been involved in the first two. I am here- crying ENOUGH!- because in all three of these situations there was absolutely no reason it should be legal for the men who did the shooting to be carrying firearms. None.

I understand when people feel the need to protect themselves and their families by keeping weapons in their homes. I choose not to, because I would never want to use such a weapon. But that's just me. I understand that people enjoy hunting and have guns to use for sport. I have good friends who love going to shooting ranges and blasting away at targets. I am not suggesting that all guns are a problem. But I am saying there is no good that can come from non-professionals walking the streets, driving around or sitting in movie theaters with guns. Guns in such situations make people stupidly brave and stupidly bold. People who carry guns may not plan to use them, but more and more it seems like they are more than willing to do just that. In all of those situations, words might have been exchanged. Maybe even angry words. But take away the guns and no one would be dead. If "stand your ground" laws mean that you can antagonize a person, and then if they respond in a negative manner you have the right to shoot them, then we have returned to the days of the wild west. Frontier justice. And if you check with the families of the those three dead men, I think you will find that such a return is not as romantic as it may sound.

I have no idea how to get USAmericans to get serious about this issue when special interest groups won't even discuss banning assault rifles, which serve no purpose except for killing people. I just know that concealed weapons in public places in the hands of the average Joe are a really bad idea. I do not want people wandering around with guns any more than I want my neighbors to have nuclear warheads in the garage. I mention these 3 cases, but there are hundreds more. I know many of my closest friends disagree with me on the evils of concealed weapons, but to be honest, today I don't care. I have had all I can stands...and I can't stands no more. Stop the insanity. I don't hate the 2nd amendment. I hate reading nearly every day about a senseless shooting in which someone loses a brother, a daughter, a parent or a friend. I pray we find a way to get guns off the street, because more and more it seems the "legal" weapons are doing as much damage as the illegal ones. And I, for one, have simply had ENOUGH!

Because of Jesus,

Some Gave All

I detest war. All wars, in every form. The senseless loss of young lives, often dictated by old men trying to prove their manhood through power grabs and deceit in the name of patriotism, sickens me. War should always be the final option and the last resort. War should be seen as evil by everyone who worships the Prince of Peace.

But those who sacrifice their lives for our country, sometimes with no clear reason why, are women and men who deserve our highest accolades and our deepest respect. Many people have given of themselves to our nation in a variety of ways. But some gave all. And those are the people we remember today. Take time on this Memorial Day to give thanks to those who have given everything. And to pray for peace so that one day we will have no new names to add to the list of heroes.

Because of Jesus,

I Believe in the Prince of Peace

"I'm a writer, not a fighter..."  - Gilbert O'Sullivan

Some of you know that I am in the midst of a series of random posts called Things I Believe (and you probably don't)! This post is another in that series. Lately several of my posts have been about what it means to be more like Jesus, and one of the aspects I have focused on is his role at the Prince of Peace. This has caused several readers to question if I really believe peace in possible in our lives and in our world in these crazy times. This is my response to those queries. I know this an unpopular opinion. But it is something I believe with all my heart.

I am a pacifist (a believer in nonviolence and peacemaking) because I believe that is what Jesus calls me to be. For me, pacifism is a matter of faith, not politics. Today I would like to tell why I believe pacifism to be the way of the Prince of Peace. (The sound you hear may be half of my 2500 Twitter followers clicking "unfollow" all at once...)

I believe that if we call ourselves followers of Jesus then we must be willing to heed all of his teachings, not just the ones that are convenient in this day and age. He even goes so far as to warn us that when we follow him, we may lose lose everything- because "to find your life you must lose it." It is difficult to love our enemies, yet we are called to do just that. It is hard to turn the other cheek or walk the second mile instead of seeking revenge or "justice," yet that is the path we are called to follow. In the Beatitudes (Matthew 5) Jesus gives us a quick list of life-attitudes that will make us blessed. Included are things like mercy, meekness and peace making- all of which seem so out-of-step with our society. As the great Tom Lehrer once wrote, "It takes a certain amount of courage to speak out about things no one else believes in- like peace and justice and brotherhood." It's a strange world. When Jesus was attacked at the time of his arrest and Peter came to his defense, Jesus rebuked him and told Peter to put away the sword- to my mind disarming me as well. Everything Jesus taught us encourages us to respond to others with God's love, no matter the situation. I believe that scripture declares human life to be sacred, and that there should not be exceptions to that- that pro-life should REALLY mean that God values every life, both the sinner and saint. I believe that the ways of  Jesus are the ways of non-violence. You may not, and I do not claim to have cornered the market on knowledge of what Jesus thought. But as I said before, I find pacifism to be a matter of faith. Psalm 23 reminds us to "fear no evil for God is with us."  Yet we insist on fearing and trying to protect ourselves rather than trusting in God. To again paraphrase Lehrer, "the LORD's our shepherd says the Psalm, but just in case...I better buy a gun!" I know that without grace and the love of God whose name is Jesus that I am condemned to death by my own sin. I owe him my life and my salvation. How can I not trust Him to protect me when I need protecting, even as He did Daniel, Rack, Shack and Benny? It is a matter of faith.

Over the years this stance has often made others question how I would actually respond when faced with violence against myself or my family. I have good friends, people I love and respect, who cannot imagine not fighting tooth and nail to protect their families if the need arose. They find my beliefs to be hard to understand...or downright ludicrous. Surely if I had a way to defend my family, I would. How could I say that I would respond to such a situation with non-violence?

The scenario that is often presented is this-  intruders invade my home and threaten my family. They have a gun, and I have mine. How could I know I would not kill them to save myself and my family? And the fact is that situation requires me to answer I don't know. How could I? Under those circumstances, under all of that tension, it is possible I might just shoot first. I hate to admit it, but it is the truth.

But such scenarios are missing the point for a true pacifist. There is only one way I can stick to my beliefs and practice non-violence in such situations. I must simply never have a weapon. And so I don't. You may think this makes me weak. And you know what? You are right. I am weak, in so many ways. That is why I must lean on the strength of the One who has already saved me from this world. If someone wants to do harm to me or my family, they will have to deal with Jesus, and we will be with Jesus- no matter the outcome. What more protection do I need? 

This is NOT specifically an anti-gun post. I have many friends who are responsible gun owners, hunters and target shooters. But I am anti-violence, and there are far too many gun deaths in our country. More people have been killed by gunfire in the county I live in than by car wrecks so far in 2015. We have a problem. Handguns and assault rifles are not sporting guns, and many of the "people" (I mean idiots, but that seems insensitive to say!) who own them shouldn't be allowed to have Swiss Army Knives, much less high powered weapons. Something needs to change. I do not have the answer for our nation. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. And for us, that means no guns. It means trusting God as we "walk through the valley of the shadow of death." It means having the faith to trust God more than guns. And I do...

Because of Jesus,

Advent: Child of Bethlehem

Today is the 4th Sunday in Advent, and today we light the candle of Peace. Pease is a very complicated word in our world. There is so much violence all around us, and most people talk about wanting peace and praying for peace- but very few us actually work towards it. We tend to confine the concept to a large scale, to things like wars and riots and shootings, and when we think that way peace often seems like a wishful dream. On the hilarious old SNL skit that advertises a collection of songs called A Dysfunctional Family Christmas, one of the song titles mentioned is "Peace on Earth? Where?"  I think many of us would ask that question. And yet, today, we remember that the coming of the Christ-child was all about bringing us peace. Has God failed us?

Let's look at what we know. Hundreds of years before that night in Bethlehem, the prophet Isaiah announced the coming Messiah would be called (among other things) The Prince of Peace. When the angels appeared to the smelly shepherds they said to them, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth Peace and goodwill towards men." Jesus, in his most important sermon, said that those who work for peace would be blessed and called children of God. Peace is important to Jesus, and so many of us claim to be his followers. So where does it all go wrong?

I know you didn't ask, but here is my take on that question. When we think about peacemaking and praying for peace, we start in the wrong place. We pray for the big stuff, the major events, the real tragedies of violence- as we should. But that is NOT where peace begins. It begins in our hearts. God sent his Son on the first Christmas so they we could have peace in our relationship with God. With the coming of Jesus, a bridge was built and we were forgiven and forever connected to the Creator. The Christmas gift should bring peace to our souls. But it can't stop there. The earthly teachings of the Messiah focused completely on one word- LOVE. We are to love ourselves as God's creation; we are to love God with all of our strenght; and we are to love each other no matter what our differences and our circumstances. Peace is so often absent from our lives because we are just so bad at those three things. We dislike ourselves, which gives us bad attitudes and lots of feelings of hostility and jealousy. We are not fully devoted to following Jesus, so we miss out on his call to be radically different. And we seem to constantly be in search of new reasons not to love other individuals- or entire groups of people- in our daily lives. Peace begins with a relationship with The Prince of Peace and spreads through loving the way Jesus taught us to love. If we cannot forgive, overcome differences and face our fears in our families, our neighborhoods, our schools and our workplaces then we have no chance of being peacemakers on the world stage. None.

James Ward is a musician who (for too many reason to list here) also happens to have been a huge influence on my ministry. The first time I ever met James was 1982. He looked like James Taylor, but when he opened his mouth it was more like Stevie Wonder came flying out! That same year he released his album Faith Takes a Vision, and the first track was a song called Child of Bethlehem. I still break it out every Christmas. In it, James asks interesting questions. What is it we are allowing Jesus to be in our lives? Savior? Teacher? Prince of Peace? God sent his only son to die for us so that each of us would be transformed, and in turn would then be transformers of our world. For over 2000 years world peace has escaped us. But what about the peace in our hearts? My prayer today, with only 4 sleeps left before Christmas, is that we would commit anew to loving the way Jesus loved. That is the path to peace. Enjoy the song, and ponder the question- "Child of Bethlehem, will you be the Prince of Peace?"  Have a blessed Sunday.

My Deliverer is Coming,

"All we are saying..."

In the vast majority of USAmerican churches, the fact that today is the International Day of Peace will go unnoticed. In this crazy world we live in, somehow the concept of working for peace has become a "secular" movement in which the church has abandoned it's historical role of leadership. Never mind that the whole concept of "secular" is not biblical- "all good things come from God." I worked in churches for many years, and generally speaking we are quick to find reasons to celebrate special days. Many churches have Memorial Day services, Labor Day services. Veteran's Day services, Valentine's Day and any other "day" they can find- but have no special events planned for today. Peace is not a popular issue in the 21st century western church, because it is not a popular issue with modern Christians. And it is my personal belief that when we abandon working and praying for peace, we in some way abandon Jesus. Why would I say such a thing? It' simple, really...

There used to be a popular bumper sticker that said, "Jesus said, I believe it and that settles it!"  The life and teachings of Jesus should be EVERYTHING to Christians- but we often tend to ignore the really hard teachings or the things that seem out of step with the world we live in. What did the Christ have to say on the topic of peace? In addition to the Matthew verse you see above, he said things like...

• Love your enemies
• Pray for those who persecute you
• Turn the other cheek
• Walk the extra mile
• Peace I leave with you my friends

We live in a world in which peace is not easy. There are threats all around us, and it is now ingrained in us to respond to violence with violence. We neither seek nor find our safety and peace in the arms of our God; we seek those things by building bigger bombs and making bigger threats. We do not seek restoration in broken relationships as often as we slam those we disagree with on social media. We do not search for healing in our families as often as we just walk away from troubles. Domestic violence is currently a hot topic- it is also, at it's core, an issue of peace! Feeding the hungry. clothing he naked, taking care of the sick & providing shelter for the homeless are issues of peace. Peace doesn't just HAPPEN. It must be something we are forever working towards, in our lives and in our world. And if we really want to be followers of Jesus, Christians need to take the lead in a Christ-centered peace movement that will change our culture. There need to be sermons preached on days like this honoring those who sacrifice for peace the same way we honor those who sacrifice in war. We are called upon to lovers of this world. Love and violence are not good partners.

Working for peace, praying for peace and seeking peaceful solutions for problems large and small may not be popular (and certainly not easy) in the modern church. But we are called to be peacemakers by the Prince of Peace himself. That's good enough for me. I guess really all I am saying is... give peace a chance. Hmm...I think I've heard that somewhere before...

Because of Jesus,

Love Like Jesus

"We are the world..."

Don't worry.  This post has nothing to do with the 1985 USA for Africa song. No video, no more quoting of lyrics. I wouldn't do that to you- today. Even though the sentiment of the song holds so true for followers of Jesus Christ- the world is our family. All people are God's people, even if some of them are completely unaware of that fact. This post is a little bit about that, but it is mostly about a very important if somewhat controversial part of the Jesus Revolution. Stay with me...

One of the real misconceptions of the 21st century Church is that Christianity is still centered in USAmerica. Nothing could be further from the truth. The church is shrinking in our country. It is booming in places with names we can't pronounce. It is growing by leaps and bounds in countries where worshipping Jesus is illegal. The Jesus Revolution lives; I am just not sure it lives here. All of the efforts of many our politicians to legislate Christianity into a "national religion" are back-firing. We are alienating people at a faster rate than we are attracting them. The attitude of the Church quite often does not reflect the teachings of Jesus. The world looks at us and they don't see a people of grace; they see a people who are not very different from the world around us. People outside the Church question our purpose, they question our politics and worst of all, they question our willingness to love. My non-Christian talk about how it sometimes feels like Christians seem more concerned with the way they vote than with the way they live. And too often they are correct. Historians note that when religion and patriotism (no matter the faith and no matter the country) become too tightly intertwined, bad things happen. The kingdom of God knows no earthly boundaries. The only flag the Church should ever fly is the flag of Jesus.

There is a truth that Jesus tried to share with us 2000 years ago that we desperately need to believe today. The church in the U.S.A. needs to respond each day like we do in times of disaster and turmoil. We are at our best when we quit thinking about ourselves and reach out to those in need. When our focus is service and love, we show the true nature of the Christ. When we reach out in love and in times of distress no one cares if the people we are helping have a proper theology. No one asks their feelings on Gay marriage. No one wants to know their views on eschatology or universalism. We simply help because their plight is more important than our petty concerns. Their need for love outweighs everything else that usually clouds our minds and our actions. And that, my friends, is what the Jesus Revolution is all about. It's not about improving our theology. It's not about legislating morality. It's about loving the world the way Jesus taught us to love the world. A love without restriction, hesitation or conditions. And perhaps most importantly, it's about doing those things every single day, and offering that love to the people we find it most difficult to share it with. That is what will change the world. "They will know we are Christians by our love" is not just a song- it's a teaching straight from the Master! Love is what will turn around the Church in our country. Don't believe me? Think about this- the Pharisees had all the proper actions, all the correct theology and all of the legal power. Jesus was a wandering vagabond who came to teach us how to love God and each other. Which one changed the world? I promised I wouldn't quote more We Are the World, but I made no such promise about the Beatles. "All you need is love...love is all you need!" Just as long as that love comes from Jesus....

Because of Jesus,

A Hump Day #Peacehug

Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called Children of God. 

- Jesus (Matthew 5:9)

To pray for peace is to pray not for one nation, one faction or for "our side," but to pray that the whole world may know the grace, love and mercy of God as shown through the life and death of Jesus the Christ. Today, let our prayers ring out for "the other ones." In the Gaza, in Missouri, in Iraq, in the Ukraine and perhaps most importantly in our own communities, LORD- this we pray...

Christians are supposed to be some kind of different, following the radical teachings of the Prince of Peace. We are commanded to share the Savior and his love with everyone n to transform the world. But if we can't do it with a smile on our face and with love in our hearts then we've got no right to do it at all. Let peace begin with ME.

Because of Jesus,

Enough!

I never seek to be one of those bloggers who stirs up controversy and alienates a portion of his audience. But today I need to rant. I am not asking you to agree. But sometimes we all have to take a stand...

I don't know how many of you are old enough to really remember the Popeye cartoons, but in nearly every episode the hero would reach a point of no return, when the circumstances around him had become more than he could put up with any longer. At those moments his catchphrase was, "That's all I can stands and I can't stands no more!" He would then pop open a can of spinach and smash a few bad guys. I always loved those moments, because I think we all have points in our lives when we just have to say ENOUGH! And today, I am there.

Despite my long held stance as a pacifist (because I believe that is what Jesus asks of us) I have long steered clear of the national debate about guns. My silence has been for 2 primary reasons. I find that most discussions of the topic become political rather than moral, and I have no desire to have political discussions about much of anything. And I have also witnessed that such debate seems to never change anyone's opinion. It turns into yet another case of "I'm right...and you're stupid!" So I have remained quiet.

I live in Florida. Lately there have been three shootings here that have garnered national attention for a variety of reasons. A young man was shot because he was dressed suspiciously and was therefore seen as a threat by a man who should have just left him alone. Another was killed when a man wanted some music turned down in a van at a gas station, thought he might have seen a gun (he didn't) and fired 10 shots into the vehicle to "protect himself." And most recently, a man was shot in a movie theater after he was asked to quit texting during the previews and threw popcorn at the man who asked. The shooter was a retired police officer. I am not here today to discuss the outcomes of the legal maneuverings surrounding these shootings. I am not here to discuss the racism that may well have been involved in the first two. I am here- crying ENOUGH!- because in all three of these situations there was absolutely no reason it should be legal for the men who did the shooting to be carrying firearms. None.

I understand when people feel the need to protect themselves and their families by keeping weapons in their homes. I choose not to, because I would never want to use such a weapon. But that's just me. I understand that people enjoy hunting and have guns to use for sport. I have good friends who love going to shooting ranges and blasting away at targets. I am not suggesting that all guns are a problem. But I am saying there is no good that can come from non-professionals walking the streets, driving around or sitting in movie theaters with guns. Guns in such situations make people stupidly brave and stupidly bold. People who carry guns may not plan to use them, but more and more it seems like they are more than willing to do just that. In all of those situations, words might have been exchanged. Maybe even angry words. But take away the guns and no one would be dead. If "stand your ground" laws mean that you can antagonize a person, and then if they respond in a negative manner you have the right to shoot them, then we have returned to the days of the wild west. Frontier justice. And if you check with the families of the those three dead men, I think you will find that such a return is not as romantic as it may sound.

I have no idea how to get USAmericans to get serious about this issue when special interest groups won't even discuss banning assault rifles, which serve no purpose except for killing people. I just know that concealed weapons in public places in the hands of the average Joe are a really bad idea. I do not want people wandering around with guns any more than I want my neighbors to have nuclear warheads in the garage. I mention these 3 cases, but there are hundreds more. I know many of my closest friends disagree with me on the evils of concealed weapons, but to be honest, today I don't care. I have had all I can stands...and I can't stands no more. Stop the insanity. I don't hate the 2nd amendment. I hate reading nearly every day about a senseless shooting in which someone loses a brother, a daughter, a parent or a friend. I pray we find a way to get guns off the street, because more and more it seems the "legal" weapons are doing as much damage as the illegal ones. And I, for one, have simply had ENOUGH!

Because of Jesus,

Peace on Earth

Today is the second Sunday of Advent, and I want to talk about the candle of Peace. The prophet Isaiah, when listing the names of the coming Messiah, said that He would be called the "Prince of Peace." And in fact, Jesus does bring a spirit of peace and love to the hearts and souls of many people each day. But when it comes to peace in our world, those same followers of Jesus have often done precious little to help the cause. The Christian church has often been at the forefront of causing divisions in our world rather than helping to heal them. We are so quick to point out our "superiority" and the faults, flaws and differences in others that we fail to grasp the fact that the love of God is meant to bind us together, not separate us.

Over the past 30 years or so, the evangelical church has often supported political positions that make us seem like war-mongers. We worry about being safe from communists, terrorists and others who wish USAmerica ill, so we build vast armies and greater weapons.  We live in a world where some defense is needed, I suppose. But we too frequently use violence as a first choice instead of the final option. This shows an incredible lack of faith in God. The great Tom Leher once wrote about Israel, "The Lord's our shepherd says the Psalm, but just in case- we're gonna' build a bomb!" Our strength should be found in our faith, not in our weapons. We ignore Jesus' teachings about being peacemakers because they do not fit in with our fears. On the world stage the followers of Jesus have too often failed to honor the Prince of Peace with our actions.

Why is this? I believe it is because we fail to be peacemakers as individuals. I grew up knowing too many "church" people who talked of peace- and were willing to fight with anyone who disagreed with them! We cannot bring peace to the world if we can't bring it to our homes and relationships. I cannot have anger and hatred towards my next door neighbor and expect to bring the love of Christ to the larger stage. I cannot reach out to a hurting world if I don't make peace with my own family. When I was in the 8th grade, the school chorus I was in sang a song at our Christmas program called Let There Be Peace On Earth. The message was simple- if there is to be peace on our planet, it must begin with each of us. One relationship at a time. I have heard the song hundreds of times since, and it never fails to move me. The angels left the shepherds with a promise of "peace on earth and goodwill towards men" on that most holy night we celebrate at Christmas time. If peace is to begin with you, then who is it you must make peace with? Who must you forgive? Who must you ask for forgiveness? Who must you compromise with in the name of love? Read the lyrics to Let There Be Peace On Earth (or click that link to hear it on YouTube) and decide- in a country where we spend endless hours discussing our differences, what will YOU do to bring us together? It's Christmas. Light the candle of peace in your soul- choose to make a difference. Choose peace. 

Let there be peace on earth,

And let it begin with me.

Let there be peace on earth

The peace that was meant to be.

With God as our father

We are family.

Let us walk with each other

In perfect harmony.

Let peace begin with me

Let this be the moment now.

With every step I take

Let this be my solemn vow.

To take each moment

And live each moment

With peace eternally.

Let there be peace on earth,

And let it begin with me.

Jesus, the only hope for me is you...and you alone!

#PeaceHug

Today has been set aside as the International Day of Peace. Many of you know that due to my own religious beliefs and my Quaker roots that I am a pacifist, and so this is an important day to me. I want it to be important to you too. I thought of writing about so many things to convince you that we need to "give peace a chance."  I thought about quoting Jesus as he taught us that peacemakers are blessed and that we should be "cheek-turners" when others turn violent. I thought about preaching about the sacredness of human life and the folly of hatred and revenge, both on a world scale and in our personal lives. I thought of writing about how we need to seek mercy and justice for the "least of these" in a world that so often responds to them with scorn. I thought of asking how we can follow a God who shows us such grace and forgiveness while at the same time seeking to "heap burning coals" on the heads of those who wrong us. But all of that seemed so BIG, and so theoretical.  I wanted to give you something concrete to DO on this special day. Something that might not change the world, but something that just might change YOUR world.

So here it is. Are you ready?  HUG SOMEONE. That's right...HUG SOMEONE!!!  Make a statement that love is the answer while violence and hatred are not. Hug people you see today. Hug people you don't like. Hug everyone!  While using social media,use the hashtag #PeaceHug and give virtual hugs all day long. Be part of a revolution of peace! Why a hug?  Here's a list: 

So share a hug today. Be a peacemaker. And feel free to start with me...

Because of Jesus,

I Am a Pacifist

"While you are proclaiming peace with your lips, be careful to have it even more fully in your heart."  - St. Francis of Assisi

"I never want America to forget that Jesus Christ was the first non-violent revolutionary..."  - Stephen Stills

In the hours, days and weeks following the tragic events in Newtown, Connecticut my Twitter feed has erupted with both pro and con arguments on the subject of gun control.  I do not claim to have any true insight into the politics of this issue, and I do not intend to make this post about the 2nd amendment, the NRA, or the statistics that establish USAmerica as the world leader in gun violence.  But I do have something to say.  I am a pacifist (a believer in non-violence and peacemaking) because I believe that is what Jesus calls me to be.  For me, it is a matter of faith, not politics. Today I would like to tell why I believe pacifism to be the way of the Prince of Peace.  (The sound you hear may be my 2300 Twitter followers clicking "unfollow" all at once...)

I believe that if we call ourselves followers of Jesus then we must be willing to heed all of his teachings, not just the ones that are convenient in this day and age. He even goes so far as to warn us that when we follow him, we may lose lose everything- because "to find your life you must lose it." It is difficult to love our enemies, yet we are called to do just that. It is hard to turn the other cheek or walk the second mile instead of seeking revenge or "justice," yet that is the path we are called to follow.  In the Beatitudes (Matthew 5) Jesus gives us a quick list of life-attitudes that will make us blessed.  Included are things like mercy, meekness and peace making- all of which seem so out-of-step with our society.  When Jesus was attacked at the time of his arrest and Peter came to his defense, Jesus rebuked him and told Peter to put away the sword- to my mind disarming me as well.  Everything Jesus taught us encourages us to respond to others with God's love, no matter the situation.  I believe that scripture declares human life to be sacred, and that there should not be exceptions to that- that pro-life should REALLY mean that God values every life, both the sinner and saint.  I believe that the ways of  Jesus are the ways of non-violence.  You may not, and I do not claim to have cornered the market on knowledge of what Jesus thought.  But as I said before, I find pacifism to be a matter of faith.  Psalm 23 reminds us to "fear no evil for God is with us."  Yet we insist on fearing and trying to protect ourselves rather than trusting in God.  To paraphrase the great Tom Lehrer, "the LORD's our shepherd says the Psalm, but just in case...I better buy a gun!"  I know that without grace and the love of God whose name is Jesus that I am condemned to death by my own sin.  I owe him my life and my salvation. How can I not trust Him to protect me when I need protecting, even as He did Daniel, Rack, Shack and Benny?  It is a matter of faith.

Over the years this stance has often made others question how I would actually respond when faced with violence against myself or my family. I have good friends, people I love and respect, who cannot imagine not fighting tooth and nail to protect their families if the need arose. They find my beliefs to be hard to understand...or downright ludicrous.  Surely if I had a way to defend my family, I would.  How could I say that I would respond to such a situation with non-violence?

The scenario that is often presented is this-  intruders invade my home and threaten my family. They have a gun, and I have mine.  How could I know I would not kill them to save myself and my family?   And the fact is that situation requires me to answer I don't know. How could I?  Under those circumstances, under all of that tension, it is possible I might just shoot first. I hate to admit it, but it is the truth.

But such scenarios are missing the point for a true pacifist.  There is only one way I can stick to my beliefs and practice non-violence in such situations.  I must simply never have a weapon.  And so I don't.  You may think this makes me weak.  And you know what? You are right.  I am weak, in so many ways.  That is why I must lean on the strength of the One who has already saved me from this world.  If someone wants to do harm to me or my family, they will have to deal with Jesus, and we will be with Jesus- no matter the outcome.  What more protection do I need? 

Let me finish by making one thing clear- I am NOT anti-gun.  I have many friends who are responsible gun owners, hunters and target shooters.  But I am anti-violence, and there are far too many gun deaths in our country. Something needs to change. I do not have the answer for our nation.  But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.  And for us, that means no guns. It means trusting God as we "walk through the valley of the shadow of death."  It means having faith.  I welcome your feedback and your questions.

Because of Jesus,

Peace on Earth: An Advent Prayer

Today is the third Sunday in Advent, and I can think of no words to share today that are more appropriate than the words of the great Christmas hymn I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day, written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.  The past few days have found many of us praying and hoping for peace on this planet. Mr. Longfellow captures our feelings:

And in despair I bowed my head:
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men."

So as we prepare for the coming of the Prince of Peace, let us be steadfast in our commitment to love one another and to be bringers of peace in this often dark and violent word.  I remind you again that the only hope for us is Jesus.  I hope you have a blessed day.

Because of Jesus

Remember

It's Memorial Day, a day set aside to remember those who have fallen while serving their country.  We will remember these men and women of valor in many ways.  There will be flags and parades.  There will be picnics and barbeques.  There will be endless marathons of war movies and patriotic songs.  There will be time spent with family and friends.  But the primary message of the day, the reason we gather, is to remember.  


As this day passes I hope you will take time to do two things.  One is to pause, be still and silent, and say a word of thanks for all those who have served and sacrificed.  It is their day.  So please, REMEMBER.


The second thing I ask of you involves LOOKING FORWARD.  Pray for our leaders and our country, that we will take great pause and use better judgement before sending brave women and men into harm's way in the future.  Let us be ever vigilant in praying for the prophecy of Isaiah 2:4- God shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.

Because of Jesus (The Prince of Peace),

One Tin Soldier

Jerry, Melissa and Lorelei Hanbery welcomed Juliet Ruby to the world on Monday, and everyone is doing well.  Also please pray for for buddy Jeremy Godwin, who is having surgery today!


I am not sure why, but we seem to be having a week of blog posts themed around music.  I first wrote about this particular song back in October of 2009.  I never saw the original Billy Jack, yet few movies have ever had as much influence on my youth ministry career.  The hit song from that movie was One Tin Soldier, written by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter and performed by Coven.   We sang it at camp when I was a camper, and continued to sing it off and on my first few years on the Quaker Lake Camp staff.  We sang it so much, in fact, that we got sick of it. In fact, like many great youth group songs, it at some point made it to the Youth Group Jukebox of Cheese (Songs that are cheesy, but as some point became popular with a group).  But you can't keep a good song down, and it would make comebacks during my time at Springfield Friends Meeting, and, after another hiatus, at First UMC-Kissimmee.  The reasons it kept coming back are simple; it has a wonderfully catchy melody and a message that resonates with students in every generation- peace and love.  And it hits the nail on the head on the number one reason for violence in our world- greed.  I offer this thought:  the arrival of the Christ-child was heralded by angels singing "Peace on earth; good will to all people."  Why, then, do we still have war, famine and injustice?  A bumper sticker says it all:  Know Jesus, Know Peace;  No Jesus, No Peace.  Here are the amazing lyrics to One Tin Soldier.

Listen children to a story that was written long ago

about a kingdom on a mountain and the valley folks below

On the mountain was a treasure buried deep beneath the stone

and the valley people swore they'd have it for their very own

CHORUS: 

So go ahead and hate your neighbor, go ahead and cheat a friend

Do it in the name of Heaven you can justify it in the end

There won't be any trumpets blowing, come the judgement day

On the bloody morning after....One tin soldier rides away

So the the people of the valley sent a message up the hill

asking for the buried treasure, tons of gold for which they'd kill

Came an answer from the mountain with our brothers we will share

all the secrets of our mountain, all the riches buried there

CHORUS

Now the valley cried with anger "Mount your horses!  Draw your swords!"

So they killed the mountain people and they won their just rewards

Now they stood beside the treasure on the mountain, dark and red

Turned the stone and looked beneath it...

Peace on earth, was all it said.

All of our armies and weapons and technology and fear have not made the world a safer place.  "Why don't you look into Jesus...you know He's got the answers...     -Larry Norman

Because of Jesus,

Heroes: Senator Mark Hatfield

Sen. Mark O. Hatfield

I have never been a person to be very involved in the world of politics- unless you count complaining as being involved.  There was a time however, in which I was very outspoken about a particular political hot button.  In the last 1970s and early 1980s the threat of global thermonuclear was was very real.  Our government and that of the former Soviet Union had spent years building and stockpiling nuclear weapons, and the possibility of their use led many Christian pacifists to take up a "sword of peace" in the name of Jesus.  Many of those (like myself) who did this were wild-eyed young radicals with little to lose.  One who took a stand that could have cost him everything was Senator Mark Hatfield of Oregon.  He passed away Sunday, and so today I want to remember the only political hero I have ever had.


As early as 1966, Senator Hatfield was working in the U.S. senate to end the war in Vietnam.  Later, he was a republican senator at a time when what we now know as the conservative movement was just beginning.  He was an evangelical Christian at a time when evangelicals were first finding their political clout.  As Jerry Falwell's Moral Majority ( I had a button on my office bulletin board for years that said, "The Moral Majority is neither!") began to organize and campaign for Ronald Reagan in the late 1970s, Senator Hatfield found himself at odds with both his republican and evangelical friends.  For those of you old enough to remember those years, imagine being an evangelical republican opposed to Ronald Reagan. It was not an easy path.  He was a tireless worker for peace because he believed that the way of peace was the way of Jesus.  Over the following years he pushed for things like nuclear disarmament, a Nuclear Freeze and the Law of the Sea Treaty.  He did all of those things not because there was political gain got be made (quite the opposite), but because he believed they were issues that Jesus would be concerned about.  He took the words of Christ about peacemaking very seriously. And this willingness to follow Jesus often put him at odds with his contemporaries in evangelical politics.  I first became a fan when he began to champion the concept of a World Peace Tax Fund.  I had friends and colleagues who had begun to refuse to pay, or to attempt to designate for other things, the portion of their taxes that were being spent on the military, which was well over 60 cents on the dollar at the time.  Some went to jail for this protest. Senator Hatfield helped to promote the idea that if a special tax fund were set up for those who didn't want their money spent on war, then a compromise could be found.  This never came to pass, and the good Senator found himself enemy #1 of groups like the Reagan republicans and the Moral Majority.  At one point, he was #1 on their hit list of people that they wanted to defeat in the next election.  I remember my total disbelief as a Christian group tried to defeat the most outspoken follower of Jesus in the senate.  Such things no longer shock me...


So today I celebrate the life of Mark Hatfield as he goes to be with his God by remembering that his life is a reminder of what the Jesus Revolution should look like.  His life was driven by his belief in the teachings of Jesus.  He was not perfect, nor always right- but he stood up for his beliefs in a very public forum even when most of the rest of the world stood against them.  He is a reminder that no one political party or perspective holds the truth- only Jesus does.  And for me, Senator Hatfield's life is a beacon to us all.  The Jesus Revolution is about standing for what is right- even if you are standing alone.  


Because of Jesus,

Peace On Earth

Today is the final Sunday of Advent, and on our wreath we will light the candle of Peace.  The prophet Isaiah, when listing the names of the coming Messiah, said that He would be called the "Prince of Peace."  And in fact, Jesus does bring a spirit of peace and love to the hearts and souls of many people each day.  But when it comes to peace in our world, those same followers of Jesus have often done precious little to help the cause.  The Christian church has often been at the forefront of causing divisions in our world rather than helping to heal them.  We are so quick to point out our "superiority" and the faults, flaws and differences in others that we fail to grasp the fact that the love of God is meant to bind us together, not separate us.

Over the past 30 years or so, the evangelical church has often supported political positions that make us seem like war-mongers.  We worry about being safe from communists, terrorists and others who wish USAmerica ill, so we build vast armies and greater weapons.  We live in a world where some defense is needed, I suppose.  But we too frequently use violence as a first choice instead of the final option.  This shows an incredible lack of faith in God.  The great Tom Leher once wrote about Israel, "The Lord's our shepherd says the Psalm, but just in case- we're gonna' build a bomb!"  Our strength should be found in our faith, not in our weapons.  We ignore Jesus' teachings about being peacemakers because they do not fit in with our fears.  On the world stage the followers of Jesus have too often failed to honor the Prince of Peace with our actions.

Why is this?  I believe it is because we fail to be peacemakers as individuals.  We cannot bring peace to the world if we can't bring it to our homes and relationships.  I cannot have anger and hatred towards my next door neighbor and expect to bring the love of Christ to the larger stage.  I cannot reach out to a hurting world if I don't make peace with my own family.  When I was in the 8th grade, the school chorus sang a song at our Christmas program called Let There Be Peace On Earth.  The message was simple- if there is to be peace on our planet, it must begin with each of us.  One relationship at a time.  I have heard the song hundreds of times since, and it never fails to move me.  The angels left the shepherds with a promise of "peace on earth and goodwill towards men" on that most holy night we celebrate at Christmas time.  If peace is to begin with you, then who is it you must make peace with?  Who must you forgive?  Who must you ask for forgiveness?  Who must you compromise with in the name of love?  Read the lyrics to Let There Be Peace On Earth (or click the link to hear it on YouTube) and decide- in a country where we spend endless hours discussing our differences, what will YOU do to bring us together?  It's Christmas.  Light the candle of peace in your soul- choose to make a difference.  Choose peace. 

Let there be peace on earth,

And let it begin with me.

Let there be peace on earth

The peace that was meant to be.

With God as our father

We are family.

Let us walk with each other

In perfect harmony.

Let peace begin with me

Let this be the moment now.

With every step I take

Let this be my solemn vow.

To take each moment

And live each moment

With peace eternally.

Let there be peace on earth,

And let it begin with me.

Jesus, the only hope for me is you...and you alone!

One Tin Soldier

I never saw the original Billy Jack, yet few movies have ever had as much influence on my youth ministry career.  The big song from that movie was One Tin Soldier, written by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter and performed by Coven.   We sang it at camp when I was a camper, and continued to sing it off and on my first few years on the Quaker Lake Camp staff.  We sang it so much, in fact, that we got sick of it. In fact, like many great youth group songs, it at some point made it to the Youth Group Jukebox of Cheese (Songs that are cheesy, but as some point became popular with a group).  But you can't keep a good song down, and it would make comebacks during my time at Springfield Friends Meeting, and, after another hiatus, at First UMC-Kissimmee.  The reasons it kept coming back are simple; it has a wonderfully catchy melody and a message that resonates with students in our world- peace and brotherhood.  And it hits the nail on the head on the number one reason for violence in our world- greed.  I offer this thought:  the arrival of the Christ-child was heralded by angels singing "Peace on earth; good will to all people."  Why, then, do we still have war, famine and injustice?  A bumper sticker says it all:  Know Jesus, Know Peace;  No Jesus, No Peace.  Here is One Tin Soldier.

Listen children to a story that was written long ago

about a kingdom on a mountain and the valley folks below

On the mountain was a treasure buried deep beneath the stone

and the valley people swore they'd have it for their very own

CHORUS: 

So go ahead and hate your neighbor, go ahead and cheat a friend

Do it in the name of Heaven you can justify it in the end

There won't be any trumpets blowing, come the judgement day

On the bloody morning after....One tin soldier rides away

So the the people of the valley sent a message up the hill

asking for the buried treasure, tons of gold for which they'd kill

Came an answer from the mountain with our brothers we will share

all the secrets of our mountain, all the riches buried there

CHORUS

Now the valley cried with anger "Mount your horses!  Draw your swords!"

So they killed the mountain people and they won their just rewards

Now they stood beside the treasure on the mountain, dark and red

Turned the stone and looked beneath it...

Peace on earth, was all it said.

All of our armies and weapons and technology and fear have not made the world a safer place.  "Why don't you look into Jesus...you know He's got the answers...     -Larry Norman