tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21135207060576614492024-02-07T08:05:09.969-05:00Pastor Bob's MusingsSome thoughts about things in the Presbyterian Church and other stuffPastor Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510081361292855641noreply@blogger.comBlogger118125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113520706057661449.post-33719005321146220302011-06-04T13:46:00.000-04:002011-06-04T13:46:09.899-04:00"WHATEVER IT IS, I'M AGAINST IT!"<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>HE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">With thanks to the Anarchic Comedians in general and the Marx Brothers in particular.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">THIS IS NOT A BLOG ABOUT AMENDMENT 10-A.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>And while it relates to the nFOG that is not the true intent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is about accretions.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I am a presbytery curmudgeon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is if I am not convinced that it is worth voting for the motion before the house I vote against it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Usually my negative vote is singular.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am the only no vote.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have voted against many amendments to the constitution in my time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it doesn't add to the meaning of the constitution or to the need to further define particular sections of the constitution or necessary additions I vote no.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I've done so for the past 20 years, give or take.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I am not sure why the house generally votes yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wonder sometimes if people simply haven't read the amendments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I've read them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have others?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So if it isn't necessary I vote no.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">There is a great irony this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The nFOG is intended to remove the various accretions to the Form of Government.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The argument is that back in 1983 the Book of Order was about 1/3 of its present size.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over the past 27 years the Form of Government grew like a weed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Problem is presbyteries just kept voting for amendments. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The great irony is that while the nFOG is on the ballot this year to remove all the accretions like scraping the bottom of a wooden ship we have before us 10 more amendments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The nFOG removes the accretions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The amendments add accretions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go figure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Aside from amendment 10-A there are nine amendments to the Form of Government, three to the Directory for Worship and nine to the Rules of Discipline.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Putting aside the amendments to the Directory of Worship and the Rules of Discipline the nine amendments to the Form of Government have started the accretions all over again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No sooner have we an nFOG (if it passes) than we have people proposing accretions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I wasn't at the May presbytery to vote against the new accretions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don't see much point in an nFOG if we are just going to start the whole process over again.</span></div>Pastor Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510081361292855641noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113520706057661449.post-29688734314185566102011-05-31T11:32:00.000-04:002011-05-31T11:32:13.340-04:00GOOD VS GOOD, GOOD VS BETTER, GOOD VS BAD, BAD VS BAD AND BAD VS WORSE<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>HE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Unfortunately many people tend to think of the world in either/or ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is people see events in the world and acts by others as good vs. bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Life is never so simple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">GOOD VS GOOD</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">My wife hates seafood of any kind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She eats peanut butter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The very idea of eating peanut butter in any form gives me the shudders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course I am allergic to the stuff.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">From the Sunday after Labor Day to Fathers' Day I am expected to wear a robe and either a tie or a clergy shirt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over the summer I can wear a dress shirt or a polo shirt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Colleagues of mine wear polo shirts and jeans all year long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No robes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">We use traditional worship and traditional hymns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Others use contemporary worship and contemporary Christian music.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Session of the congregation I serve chooses to give directly to mission causes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Others choose to give by general giving through the presbytery.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">As a Christian I choose to make my ethical choices according to the Scriptures – or I should say according to the best interpretation of the Scriptures I can do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would call this ethics of divine command.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Others, non Christians choose other sources as a basis for ethical decisions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Atheists may choose a humanist method of ethics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While the various decisions we make can be good or bad, good or better or bad or bad or even bad or worse the means by which we make the decisions can all be good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This doesn't mean that I don't think all should be Christians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It does mean that living the good ethical life is more dependent on particular acts rather than the means by which one comes to a conclusion about which act is good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Exercising is good, based on your ability to do so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Always consult your doctor first!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But walking, running, riding a bike, lifting weights, pilates and other means can all be good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">GOOD VS BETTER</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">All good is not equal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cutting back on your use of oil is a good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re going to run out of the stuff sooner than most people think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It should be used for fixing roads, clothing and medicine, not to keep our cars running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So driving less and buying a more fuel efficient car is good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Taking public transportation to the extent that it is available better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Turning the temperature in your house to a lower setting in the winter and wearing sweaters is good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Putting solar cells on your roof or running a wind mill is better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Paying your credit cards bills and all your other bills on time is good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Taking a look at what you really need as opposed to what you want is better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we Americans take a look at what people around the world survive on we in comparison are all rich.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you really need that new computer, cell phone, car, suit, shirt, etc., etc.?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Buying less is better no matter what people say about stimulating the economy by going out and buying.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">GOOD VS BAD</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Let's face it we are going to disagree about some of this. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can fighting in a war ever be good?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was killing Osama bin Laden good?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I think there are things we would all agree are good and all agree are bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Putting your trash in a trash can and recycling are good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Throwing your trash on the ground and throwing recyclables away is bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Robbing a bank under any circumstances is bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Talking things through with someone is good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Calling the other names or refusing to listen is bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ending arguments when you disagree with the other with politeness is good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stabbing the other with a knife or shooting the other is bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rearing you children to respect others is good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rearing your children to hate others because of their religion, race or ethnic origins is bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our list could go on and on in this area.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">BAD VS BAD</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Can two actions be equally bad?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shooting someone in the head as compared to beating the other to death is equally bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Failing to feed the hungry yourself or failing to give to organizations that feed the hungry might be equally bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I suspect we could make a rather long list of this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">BAD VS WORSE</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Some will disagree with me about this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think war is always a choice between bad and worse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I use the just war way of deciding whether it is appropriate for a country to go to war or not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe that there have been very few justified wars of late.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That would include both the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But there can be wars in which choosing to go to war is bad but better than choosing not to go to war.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A war to protect the innocent would be an example.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A war to stop an unprovoked attack on one's country is bad but failing to do so would be worse.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This statement is also going to be controversial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe all abortion is wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Abortion can't be right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But there are limited instances when abortion is better than not aborting a baby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one on which we would all agree is when the baby threatens the life of the mother.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Ethics are a lot more complicated that many people think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can hear politicians talk about either/or ethic when running for office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Curiously the better politicians will switch to a more complicated ethic while ruling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So let's think things through rather than reacting from our guts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sinner you prevent from sinning may be you.</span></div>Pastor Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510081361292855641noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113520706057661449.post-16725685610550009422011-05-06T07:57:00.000-04:002011-05-06T07:57:19.812-04:00THE KINGDOM OF GOD, TAX DEDUCTIONS AND CREDITS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwRkjgwrdFezRw9wQwDy0euf7EKR9NPV-maRasN58frCCpZqscHjeh31nfP70VzCmaMJwMs4jwVJzO-nWpbT9GT1zEVX-lcfGefs9IvNEFamvPtQ1Ysy5xdtRJDDtDX4zRcwK0DAX7yBQ/s1600/blg5901.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwRkjgwrdFezRw9wQwDy0euf7EKR9NPV-maRasN58frCCpZqscHjeh31nfP70VzCmaMJwMs4jwVJzO-nWpbT9GT1zEVX-lcfGefs9IvNEFamvPtQ1Ysy5xdtRJDDtDX4zRcwK0DAX7yBQ/s200/blg5901.gif" width="171" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The Federal Tax Code and the codes of those states that have policies that are similar to the federal code are almost impossible to understand. The IRS when giving advice to taxpayers concerning the code clearly say that if the representative of the IRS who gives advice to a tax payer gives the wrong advice the tax payer is still responsible for payment, interest and penalties if that tax payer follows the advice that representative and the advice proves to be wrong. I experienced this curious problem when seeking advice from the IRS. In three different phone calls representatives of the IRS gave three different answers.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">However the biggest problem with the current Federal Tax Code is that it penalizes some taxpayers and rewards others.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Here is an example for pastors. A pastor who owns a house can take a deduction just like anyone else on the interest paid on the mortgage. But the pastor can also deduct part or the entire amount paid in a housing allowance including the full cost of that same mortgage; both the interest and the principle. This puts pastors (and members of the military who own their houses) in the curious position of being able to take deductions for the same expense (the interest on mortgages) twice. Other citizens do not have this benefit.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Large corporations have deductions and credits. Oil companies, despite their huge profits over the past few years, are allowed tax credits.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The list goes on and on. One of the reasons it is so difficult to prepare one's own tax reporting is that the Tax Code is so complicated. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Why does Congress allow such deductions and credits? Through tax policy Congress seeks to reward certain groups and thus set public policy through deductions and credits. Further lobbyists for corporations and groups of citizens influence Congress to provide tax relief for the people and corporations that they represent tax relief at the expense of others. This often has the curious result that a person who earns much more in salary, bonuses, investment income and capital gains than a person in the middle class may pay less taxes that that same person in the middle class. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">It is time to stop such social engineering. If a government is going to be just taxes paid by any individual or corporation must be fair and not benefit one group of people or corporations at the expense of others. If Christians seek to influence governments to provide justice by law tax law must do the same. The basis for such Christians attempt to influence governments is based in the attempt by Christian to make this world as much like the Kingdom of God as possible. In the Kingdom of God there is equality for all people. Thus for the Christian a tax code must be equitable. Without an equitable tax code there is no justice</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The government has the further problem that the debt owed by the government is astounding and growing every day. Just as families and most states in the USA have to balance their budgets so should Congress and the IRS.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I therefore submit the following suggestions for equity in taxes equity based on the fairness and justice proposed for the Kingdom of God</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">1.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span dir="LTR"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">That FICA taxes be paid on all income from salaries and bonuses earned by all people. At the present time those who earn more than a certain amount pay FICA taxes only on a part of their income. The cap on earned income is currently $106,800.00. Anyone who earns more than this pays FICA taxes only on this portion of their income. The given reason for this cap is that those who earn more than this amount will never receive a proportional return on their FICA taxes. But FICA has never given a specific amount of money to any retired person or couple. If an individual or both people in a couple die at the relatively young age of 70 neither they nor their heirs will ever receive back all the moneys put into FICA taxes by them or their employers. Given the current crises in Medicare and Social Security payments on all income and bonuses would go a long way to providing more income to Medicare and Social Security.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">2.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span dir="LTR"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Remove all deductions and credits. Deductions and credits provide lower taxes to a portion of individuals and corporations at the expense of others. Some of these deductions and credits are encouraged by lobbyists who help members of congress get reelected by encouraging individuals, corporations and unions to give to or support a candidate. This is a blatant conflict of interest. Further deductions and credits are attempts at social engineering. The purpose of taxes is to pay the bills of the federal government not to change society.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">3.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span dir="LTR"></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">After removing all deductions and credits graduated percentages of income would provide more income to the federal government. Persons and families who earn less than a certain amount should pay less tax. As income grows so should the percentage of income paid in taxes grow. Under the current system of deductions and credits the burden of taxes falls proportionately higher on the middle class. </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Tax code should not be so confusing that an individual who has graduated from high school cannot understand how to pay his or her taxes. Complicated tax code only benefits a particular group of people in a particular business: those who prepare tax returns for others.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Justice required in Scripture demands that taxes be just. Christians should demand the same.</span></div>Pastor Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510081361292855641noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113520706057661449.post-341443156626111052011-04-30T18:45:00.000-04:002011-04-30T18:45:20.622-04:00A PAIN IN THE NECK<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>HE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This is not a theological screed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Neither is it a complaint about someone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is . . . well you will see.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I'm used to fixing various things around the manse; things within my ability.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fixing the drain plug in the sink certainly seemed to be within my ability.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew what to do. I had the tools.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The job took longer than I thought it would but that is the nature of plumbing. Actually I gave up and told myself I would finish it tomorrow.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The next day I discovered that the cost was higher than I thought it would be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My neck hurt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I dealt with it the way I deal with most medical issues: I ignored it for about a week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was more of a feat than one would think as the pain was pretty strong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It got to the point that I couldn't do my job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally I gave in and went to see the doctor.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Contrary to my expectations the doctor said my problem was not muscular and she sent me off to see the orthopedist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The orthopedist told me it couldn't be muscular because I was too old for that (thanks a lot doc), took an x ray and told me I had arthritis in my neck and possibly a problem with the discs in my neck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To make a long story short he sent me off to have an MRI.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I've heard lots of horror stories about MRIs, about the tiny tube and claustrophobia and the noises that sound like someone hammering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe it's just me but when I closed my eyes I was able to forget that the top of the tube was about six inches above my nose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And yes the noises were loud but I've heard worse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The biggest problem I had was the bump on the MRI machine right under the spot where my neck hurt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got through it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Back to the orthopedist the next day where I am told that I have two bulging discs in my neck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is not good news.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I do nothing about it my neck will continue to hurt all the time and believe me the pain was bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could just go on taking the pain killers the doctor had given me but I decided that long term use of oxycodone was a bad idea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was left with door number three: steroid shots.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Don't get me wrong; as much as it costs modern medicine can be a wonderful thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A decade or three ago I would have had to take pain killers for the rest of my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still, someone sticking a needle into my spinal cord is just a bit disconcerting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That's scheduled for Wednesday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the meantime I have severe pain except for when I give in and take a pain pill.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I suppose this is where I'm supposed to make Biblical and theological statements.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don't believe that God punishes people in this world for their sins except for the obvious like liver problems from drinking too much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What kind of spiritual message is there?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Use the down time to pray and get closer to God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That's all for now.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Unless something totally unexpected happens Amendment 10-A will garner the necessary number of presbyteries voting in the affirmative to become a part of the Form of Government.<span> </span>Here is the amendment with both deletions and additions:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0.25in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><b><span style="font-family: "TimesNewRoman,Bold","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Shall G-6.0106b be amended by striking the current text and inserting new text in its place as follows: [Text to be deleted is shown with a strike-through; text to be added is shown as italic.]</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0.25in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><b><span style="font-family: "TimesNewRoman,Bold","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span> </span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0.25in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><b><s><span style="font-family: "TimesNewRoman,Bold","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">“b. Those who are called to office in the church are to lead a life in obedience to Scripture and in conformity to the historic confessional standards of the church. Among these standards is the requirement to live either in fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman (W-4.9001), or chastity in singleness. Persons refusing to repent of any self-acknowledged practice which the confessions call sin shall not be ordained and/or installed as deacons, elders, or ministers of the Word and Sacrament.</span></s></b><b><span style="font-family: "TimesNewRoman,Bold","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "TimesNewRoman,BoldItalic","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Standards for ordained service reflect the church’s desire to submit joyfully to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in all aspects of life (G-1.0000). The governing body responsible for ordination and/or installation (G.14.0240; G-14.0450) shall examine each candidate’s calling, gifts, preparation, and suitability for the responsibilities of office. The examination shall include, but not be limited to, a determination of the candidate’s ability and commitment to fulfill all requirements as expressed in the constitutional questions for ordination and installation (W-4.4003).<span> </span>Governing bodies shall be guided by Scripture and the confessions in applying standards to individual candidates.</span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "TimesNewRoman,Bold","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">”</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0.25in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The section with the strike-through was originally added to the Form of Government in 1997.<span> </span>The section in italics will soon replace that section.<span> </span>It is my opinion that both either are or have a section that is intended to garner votes from those in the middle of the denomination who needed to be fooled in order to vote in favor of the amendment.<span> </span>It is also my opinion that both failed miserably in this attempt and in fact were not necessary.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The current G-6.0106b was approved by the 1996 General Assembly.<span> </span>A large minority of the GAPJC the previous year had clearly implied that Authoritative Interpretations of the Constitution were no longer going to cut it if the denomination wanted to continue to deny ordination to (using the words of the time) "self affirming, practicing homosexuals."<span> </span>To deny that ordination those who opposed it saw that they would have to amend the Form of Government in a way that would pass the General Assembly and a majority of the presbyteries.<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I may be a starry-eyed idealist but I believe that the writers of the amendment really intended that heterosexuals involved in sexual relationships outside the bonds of marriage and homosexuals involved in sexual relationships should be denied ordination.<span> </span>It is also my opinion that they did not believe that such an amendment would pass the GA and the presbyteries if it only referred to sex.<span> </span>Therefore the last line was added.<span> </span>The last line gave the appearance of inclusion: that is inclusion of sins.<span> </span>The last line was intended to say that the amendment was not just about sex, that amendment was equal opportunity.<span> </span>If one sinned in any way and did not repent of that sin one could not be ordained.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I suggest that the last line fooled people as easily as the child who failed to see the emperor's new clothes.<span> </span>Those who supported the amendment argued that the emperor (the amendment) was so clothed as to cover a multitude of sins.<span> </span>Those opposed and those in "the broad middle of the church" (who are supposed to be ignorant and easily led around by the nose), were not fooled.<span> </span>Everyone knew the primary purpose of the amendment was to deny ordination to self affirming, practicing homosexuals.<span> </span>At that point in history a majority of the denomination opposed the ordination of a homosexual who was having sex with another homosexual.<span> </span>It is my strong suspicion that the last sentence was not needed.<span> </span>The only people who thought it was necessary to "fool" others were those who proposed the amendment.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">14 years later, after voting on the issue several times the General Assembly of 2010 sent an amendment to the presbyteries, the lines in italics above.<span> </span>An earlier attempt to simply remove the current wording had failed.<span> </span>In 2010 the General Assembly proposed that the section of the Form of Government that denied ordination to self affirming, practicing homosexuals be replaced with a paragraph that requires stricter examinations for those seeking ordination and/or installation as <span> </span>Ministers of Word and Sacrament, Elders or Deacons.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">At the meeting of the Presbytery of Philadelphia today (the amendment passed 182-108) every single statement for or against the amendment was about ordination of self affirming, practicing homosexuals except one.<span> </span>The exception was a short and clearly ignored speech by a wandering Don Quixote who tilted at the windmill of the amendment itself, namely me.<span> </span>Again an amendment was dressed up in fine new clothes for the emperor (the amendment) and all the fine children noted that the emperor had no clothes and that the amendment was really about sex.<span> </span>Each person voted on that basis, even this not so foolish Don Quixote.<span> </span>It is my suspicion that an amendment to simply delete the current G-6.0106b would have passed this year.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">All of which is to say that the "broad middle of the church," despite the opinions of those on the left and the right is not so easily fooled.<span> </span>The whole denomination in both 1997 and 2011 knew what Amendment A (same letter both times!) knew what was at stake.<span> </span>The amendments passed in 1997 and 2011 because both the denomination and the culture had changed.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And so I go back to tilting at windmills.<span> </span>I hope that future amendments (which will not be about sex between persons of the same sex) will not be sent to the presbyteries by future General Assemblies with some idea that presbyters can and will be fooled.<span> </span>Those who attend presbytery meetings are a rather canny bunch.<span> </span>Let's just tell the truth and let the votes fall where they may.<span> </span>Here I go, galloping toward that windmill.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Oh, and congratulations to those who have voted for and will vote for amendment 10-A.<span> </span>To those who voted or will vote in opposition I say that Jesus is a tough guy and so is His Body.<span> </span>The Church will endure, particularly if we stick together on the essentials (there, I said it: this issue not an essential!)<span> </span>And to those who voted or will vote in the affirmative, let's go forward together doing the work of Christ.<span> </span>I hope some of you will join me in tilting at windmills.<span> </span>There are others that I think we all can agree should be knocked flat.</span><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></b></div>Pastor Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510081361292855641noreply@blogger.com72tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113520706057661449.post-31451295633005393482011-03-18T00:45:00.000-04:002011-03-18T00:45:09.222-04:00ONE GOOD REASON TO VOTE AGAINST THE NFOGI'm 58 and have no desire to learn a new Form of Government!Pastor Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510081361292855641noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113520706057661449.post-71087862927398152812011-02-15T16:33:00.001-05:002011-02-15T16:34:16.536-05:00SOLAR PANELS ON TELEPHONE POLES<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinNSlYXKQnIbCDaKQo0fCWkbTdJK5vw35r3M_gnL6OsJmOBf6DUBYyfAhzJ6rtPKxrWWbNd8dXcHrw0TkzzNpEO9a5YMwFqjAKGZ-D4AnNy-MlxAlPfZQ16WHkY307_Itvx9Bv1sUuVxM/s1600/pseg-solar-panel-utility-polesjpg-9352c92cb4c10f02_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinNSlYXKQnIbCDaKQo0fCWkbTdJK5vw35r3M_gnL6OsJmOBf6DUBYyfAhzJ6rtPKxrWWbNd8dXcHrw0TkzzNpEO9a5YMwFqjAKGZ-D4AnNy-MlxAlPfZQ16WHkY307_Itvx9Bv1sUuVxM/s200/pseg-solar-panel-utility-polesjpg-9352c92cb4c10f02_large.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I have a church member in intensive care over in NJ so I've crossed the Delaware several times in the past week. The town where the hospital is has solar panels on telephone poles: not all of them but a lot. I figure they are to light the street lights. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Now this is in NJ, not some place with sun from April to November like CA, AZ or NV. There are less days of sun in NJ but those solar panels will still pick up power. The up front cost for a town would be steep but the long run savings would be great. I thought, "How cool is that!" which got me to thinking. (I know some of you are thinking, "Well duh Bob, but sometimes you have to see something to think about it.)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I do know this: there is some plastic in those things and plastic is make from petroleum products. But what a great way to use petroleum products while we still have some?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">So, how much would it cost to have solar panels installed on the roof of the house? How much would it cost to make my own solar panels and put them up myself?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Some research and some answers later.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>Pastor Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510081361292855641noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113520706057661449.post-78675323782254637462011-01-25T17:11:00.000-05:002011-01-25T17:11:45.898-05:00A FEW THOUGHTS ON AMENDMENT 10-A<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Print</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:HyphenationZone>46</w:HyphenationZone> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>HE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:NoTabHangIndent/> <w:SubFontBySize/> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">If you are looking to take part in the ongoing debate about homosexuality in the PCUSA you can skip this blog.<span> </span>I'm not going to talk about it.<span> </span>Instead I'm going to consider what 10-A actually says and how this might affect ordination trials.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Amendment 10-A uses one of my favorite words in the Form of Government three times: the word shall.<span> </span>There are a lot of "mays", "should" and "is appropriates" in the Book of Order, all of which can be ignored by a governing body.<span> </span>Even should means strongly recommended.<span> </span>When I go to my favorite restaurant the waiter may strongly recommend a special.<span> </span>I don't have to order it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"Shall" however is a strong word.<span> </span>You have to do it.<span> </span>It is mandatory.<span> </span>Shall not means you can't do it under any circumstances.<span> </span>So when Amendment 10-A says "shall" three different times you know the writers of the amendment and the General Assembly that passed the amendment meant business.<span> </span>No wishy washy may.<span> </span>You have to do this stuff.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">What does a governing body have to do?<span> </span>Well here is the amendment:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Shall G-6.0106b be amended by striking the current text and inserting new text in its place as follows: [Text to be deleted is shown with a strike-through; text to be added is shown as italic.]<span> </span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">“b. <s>Those who are called to office in the church are to lead a life in obedience to Scripture and in conformity to the historic confessional standards of the church. Among these standards is the requirement to live either in fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman (W-4.9001), or chastity in singleness. Persons refusing to repent of any self-acknowledged practice which the confessions call sin shall not be ordained and/or installed as deacons, elders, or ministers of the Word and Sacrament.</s> <i>Standards for ordained service reflect the church’s desire to submit joyfully to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in all aspects of life (G-1.0000). The governing body responsible for ordination and/or installation (G.14.0240; G-14.0450) shall examine each candidate’s calling, gifts, preparation, and suitability for the responsibilities of office. The examination shall include, but not be limited to, a determination of the candidate’s ability and commitment to fulfill all requirements as expressed in the constitutional questions for ordination and installation (W-4.4003).<span> </span>Governing bodies shall be guided by Scripture and the confessions in applying standards to individual </i></span></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "TimesNewRoman,BoldItalic","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">candidates.</span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "TimesNewRoman,Bold","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">”</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Let's not worry about what would be deleted.<span> </span>What is a governing body required to do?<span> </span>This blog will consider the responsibilities of a Session.<span> </span>I will deal with presbyteries in my next blog. <span> </span>The Form of Government already requires a Session to provide education (preparation) for newly elected officers.<span> </span>The amendment then says that the Session shall examine the candidate's calling, gifts and suitability for the responsibilities of office?<span> </span>What exactly will this look like at a Session meeting?<span> </span>Calling for Presbyterians is a two sided thing.<span> </span>The candidate for office must have a sense of calling but must also be called by God.<span> </span>In the Presbyterian Church God calls people to serve as officers through the voice of the congregation.<span> </span>Thus the Session can only consider the individual's sense of call.<span> </span>This would be a radical improvement over the method used in too many Presbyterian Churches.<span> </span>Too often the Nominating Committee talks about and then asks people they believe will say yes.<span> </span>Usually these people are those who have already served as elders and deacons before.<span> </span>And when the Nominating Committee brings up a new name too often the conversation is still about whether the person will say yes or not.<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Further Nominating Committees too often think that the office of Deacon is one step on the way to being an elder.<span> </span>Nothing could be further from the truth.<span> </span>A person could be a fantastic elder and fail miserably as a deacon and vice versa.<span> </span>Each office requires that the person called have particular gifts in order to serve God effectively in the office.<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Thus if Nominating Committees and Sessions take this first shall seriously their work will become magnified and serve God better.<span> </span>Education will have to include conversation about the meaning of the word call and about the gifts needed to serve in the particular office.<span> </span>Of course all who serve on a Session or a Board of Deacons should not have the exact same gifts.<span> </span>Sessions and Boards of Deacons need people with differing gifts so that the work of God can be done well.<span> </span>While all deacons must have the gift of compassion some of them will need the gift of keeping track of how much money is left to help the poor.<span> </span>Sessions will need people who have the gifts of teaching, leading worship, knowing how to talk with a contractor, and yes, that special person who knows when it is time to stop talking about something and vote.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Suitability for the responsibilities of office is a (possibly intentionally) vague term.<span> </span>Each Session will have to determine what this will mean.<span> </span>One of my hopes is that Sessions will consider whether a particular candidate can keep his/her mouth shut about confidential issues discussed at a meeting.<span> </span>A gossip, in my opinion, is never suitable for any office.<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Having said all of this please note that the sentence says "the governing body responsible for ordination and/or installation shall examine each candidate . . ." I have a question: does the word candidate include those already ordained to the office to which they have been elected?<span> </span>I hope not.<span> </span>Candidate can be a slippery word if we take our meaning from the secular world.<span> </span>A candidate for office in an election can be someone who has never held the office before or someone who currently holds the office.<span> </span>I suspect there are going to be a lot of angry elders and deacons out there if they have to be examined again each time they are elected for office.<span> </span>Maybe I am asking a foolish question here.<span> </span>I do know I really don't want to tell ordained elders that they have to go through the whole examination process again.<span> </span><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The second shall presents in my opinion a particular conundrum.<span> </span>There are 9 ordination questions; some of them very complicated questions (just consider the first question about the confessions!). <span> </span>Let's assume that a Session does not have to re-examine those already ordained.<span> </span>Tully Memorial Presbyterian Church recently examined and then ordained and installed two new elders.<span> </span>How exactly would a Session go about examining a candidate on his/her interpretation of each question?<span> </span>How will the Session determine if the candidate has the ability to fulfill all those requirements?<span> </span>Is a Session allowed to only ask questions about acts and attitudes required by several questions or will the Session have to consider each candidate's ability to fulfill the first ordination question:</span><b><span style="font-family: Times-Bold; font-size: 12pt;"> "</span></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Do you trust in Jesus Christ your Savior, acknowledge him Lord of all and Head of the Church, and through him believe in one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?</span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span> </span>This question is partially a theological question but also a behavior question.<span> </span>Trust is a behavior.<span> </span>How will a Session determine if a candidate has the "ability and commitment to fulfill this question?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">If each candidate has to be examined on each question that is going to make for a long Session meeting, at least if the Session actually does an effective job.<span> </span>It is my suspicion that if elders know ahead of time that the examination will include such requirements (and the requirements of the previous shall as well) they are likely to vote against this amendment.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The last shall is a requirement for the governing body conducting the examination.<span> </span>All candidates can now breathe a great sigh of relief!<span> </span>The two important words in this sentence are "standards" and "individual."<span> </span>The word standard is used in the Form of Government to refer to the Confessions as subordinate to the Scripture.<span> </span>It also says that the Confessions are nevertheless standards.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The Form of Government also uses the word standards in Chapter 6 in the description of the process for examining candidates for office.<span> </span>The standards are the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church that is the Book of Confessions and the Book of Order.<span> </span>Curiously the standards are never actually defined except in G-6.0106b, the very section this amendment would replace.<span> </span>Thus there is currently one defined standard in the Form of Government and it concerns sexual behavior.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The other uses of the word in this section refer to the essentials of the Reformed faith.<span> </span>This is also not defined.<span> </span>Thus there would be no real change if the last sentence becomes part of the Form of Government.<span> </span>Sessions now examine individuals according to the standards of the Reformed faith and determine if each individual meets those essential standards.<span> </span>The essentials standards are never defined although it is clear that they refer in some way to the Constitution.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">My main concern about this amendment as it applies to candidates for the offices of elder and deacon is that they will be roundly ignored.<span> </span>I suspect that most Sessions will simply not carry out such rigorous examinations of candidates for ordination.<span> </span>We American are very concerned with time and such an examination would take too much time at a Session meeting for most members of Session to say nothing of the candidates.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">My other concern is that the amendment does not directly address the issues raised by the current G-6.0106b.<span> </span>But that is the subject for another blog.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">And since this is getting so long I will consider examination of candidates by presbyteries for the office of Minister of Word and Sacrament in my next blog.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div>Pastor Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510081361292855641noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113520706057661449.post-90376934506552624952011-01-04T23:16:00.005-05:002011-01-04T23:38:17.503-05:00WOODSTOCKS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiZeqczAXMXMM0vR0VixC2laEFvYw5VuMIbdgJiTh-ojDeujWSG3UL53jDr0y9p6AsmBjCsVcJTqZh1SlqSAjcPR6xBs5AC8WDSDiKbtUQTe_7PZwozqdtz2AFZ6sxx16lCaRJpNaFbIM/s1600/Woodstock_music_festival_redmond_stage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiZeqczAXMXMM0vR0VixC2laEFvYw5VuMIbdgJiTh-ojDeujWSG3UL53jDr0y9p6AsmBjCsVcJTqZh1SlqSAjcPR6xBs5AC8WDSDiKbtUQTe_7PZwozqdtz2AFZ6sxx16lCaRJpNaFbIM/s200/Woodstock_music_festival_redmond_stage.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I should have written this in 2009 but didn't. Things come to mind when they will. I did write it during November, 2010 and put it on my Facebook page where it was roundly ignored. I suspect it went to that place where all good electrons go . . . except stuff on the web endures forever or at least until Jesus returns. Anyway. . .</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">My whole life I have walked to the beat of a different bongo player. I don't care who wins, loses or even is on Dancing with the Stars. The current craze about vampires strikes me as silly, (where are the shows about zombies?). In fact I watch very little TV. I prefer being online, chatting with friends and family, having obscure dialogues about theology or reading. I am, in short as my daughter regularly tells me, a dork. I can curse you out in both ancient Hebrew and Greek but find that no one cares.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Thus it will not surprise anyone that I did not hear about Woodstock 1969 until it was all over. If one of the slogans of our generation was tune in, turn on and drop out, I was rarely tuned in, didn't turn on until I was safely away at college and dropped out sometime around the time I was born. I would have gone if I had known about it if my parents let me (which tells you volumes about me). My big event that summer occurred during July on top of a mesa in New Mexico (yes I was still a Boy Scout the summer between my junior and senior years in high school). On top of that mesa God told me I was going to be a pastor. My classmates at our recent high school reunion were surprised. That order from God put me into shock from July, 1969 through spring, 1973.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Looking back from the perspective of being 57 I see some good things that happened at Woodstock 1969. 500,000 people managed not to kill each other for 3 days despite the lack of water and food, amidst downpours of rain and seas of mud. That has to be some kind of record. (Philadelphia averages more than a murder a day every year.) People shared food and water. There were announcements from the stage about bad acid. But let's face it those who planned it and those who went were not prepared for the experience. They weren't all brave because they lived through it. They failed the intelligence test for not having enough food, shelter or water. And if you saw the films of the garbage left behind it is very clear that the environmental movement had not begun.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I, on the top of that Mesa sat in the rain in my poncho and waterproofed boots, had my tent pitched down below the mesa and my comrades and I had plenty of food for the next few days. We also were intelligent enough to travel in a small group. While we did not even think about the possibility we probably would have known if asked that there was not enough food or room on the trail for 500,000 people. And while the music wasn't as good (the only music we had was our own singing which wasn't all that good) the view was amazing. There is nothing quite like seeing a herd of deer at sunrise in the mist on a meadow at 10,000 feet above sea level. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">If Woodstock 1969 was an experience of bad planning and peace Woodstock 1999 was an experience of the entrepreneurial talent run amok and violence. I might not have heard about Woodstock 1999 except for the fact that it occurred 16 miles from my front yard. There was plenty of parking, plenty of food and water and most brought their tents. There was a lack of shade which was a real problem but who thought it wouldn't rain?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">My 15 year old daughter wanted to go. Her argument was "what could happen to me among 250,000 people?" I thought that failed the experience with humanity test and didn't let her go. My decision was wiser than I knew. Girls were raped at Woodstock 1999 in front of people who watched and didn't do anything. While walking around topless or naked is not an invitation to rape it also is not intelligent. Yet girls got naked in front of hundreds of people at Woodstock 1969 and no one got raped.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">There was plenty of food and water available in 1999 – for a price. Water cost $4.00 a bottle and the cost of food was sky high. People didn't share and no one gave out food or water for free. So on the last day of the concert there was a riot, encouraged by the performers on stage. ATM machines were broken open and robbed. Portapotties were tipped and burned. To be fair this was one area of poor planning at both Woodstocks. Neither had enough places available when one had to answer the call of nature. But no one burned them in 1969. I haven't even heard that anyone tipped one in 1969!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The peaceful, free spirit of the Woodstock Generation disappeared sometime between 1972 and 1980. Hippies turned into bankers, Wall Street giants and lawyers. A few stayed true to the cause. Curiously you can find a bunch of hippies in Woodstock, NY! But we lost our ideals. We stopped giving money to the bums on the streets sometime before 1980. Tragically many of those on the streets didn't have our advantages. We went to college and they went to Vietnam. We bragged about our generation, sneered at our parents and dreamed about how we would make things different. Remember the songs?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Hope I die before I get old. . . </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Why don't you all just f-fade away. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And don't try to dig what we all s-say." </span></div><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">(The Who, "My Generation.")</span></div><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">"We want the world and we want it now!"</span></div><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">(The Doors "We Want the World and We Want It Now!")</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And that perennial favorite that wasn't in any song that I know of "Don't trust anyone over thirty." Somehow it pales a bit when I look back from my late 50's.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I'm not sure what to say about all of this. We clearly didn't learn to skip stupid wars. George W. Bush is a member of our generation and he launched a pretty stupid war in Iraq. You can argue about the necessity (I personally don't think it fits the Just War standards) but he didn't listen to the Powell doctrine or learn anything from Vietnam. We can also argue about Afghanistan but any student of history knows that fighting a war in Afghanistan is doomed to failure. Even the Macedonians and the Mongols failed to hold it more than one generation. The British lost there and the Soviet Union fell apart partially because of their failed war in Afghanistan. So what are we doing there? I suspect that Osama bin Laden left town around the time we arrived and is somewhere in Pakistan or Yemen. If our intention is to catch him we are probably in the wrong place.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Curiously there were some things we should have learned from those over 30 in 1969. Save your money. What a great idea! Don't buy too much stuff on your credit cards or get a home equity loan on your overpriced house. Stuff like that can cause a fairly significant recession. Have dinner together. Turn off the radio in the car and talk or sing stupid songs together. To be fair to our generation there just weren't all that many stations you could get on an AM radio when you got into the mountains of PA or NY. And yes, learning to diagram sentences and learning the parts of speech was good for us. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">There are also some things we should have learned from childhood. The best toys are the ones that require imagination. A sheet and a table make a much better fort than one made out of plastic, looks like a real fort and has to be put together by an adult. Pick up baseball games are a lot more fun than having adults run the game and yell from the sidelines at the coaches. A ride on bicycles for an afternoon with friends is a whole lot more fun (gasp, choke) than watching TV or playing video games. And big cardboard boxes can often be more fun than the things that come in them.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">But we did invent or continue some good things. Women's liberation, the Environmental movement, Gay liberation and the continuation of the civil rights movement were good ideas. My wife is sudden death on failing to recycle anything. We may not always go about them in the right way but they were still good ideas. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">So maybe we of the Woodstock Generation during our final years could remember and put into practice the good things that our parents taught us and the good ideas from the late 60's and the early 70's. It's worth a try.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And if anyone tries to get all those groups together that sang and played at Woodstock 1969 (the ones who are still alive) would someone please tell me ahead of time?</span></div>Pastor Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510081361292855641noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113520706057661449.post-21356962194977175822010-12-21T11:40:00.000-05:002010-12-21T11:40:27.225-05:00Some thoughts about names of time and the sections of the Bible<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>HE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">One of the current struggles in Academia and in the Church is naming things and times in ways that don't upset anyone.<span> </span>In some circles people use BC (before Christ) and AD (Anno Domini that is year of our Lord) to talk about the time before the coming of Jesus and the time after the coming of Jesus.<span> </span>This may make sense in Church circles.<span> </span>After all in the Church we see Jesus as the center of the Biblical story and also as the center of history.<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Our big struggle is not in the Church but in society and particularly in academic conversation.<span> </span>Scholars have come to recognize that insisting that everyone divide history according to the Christian calendar denies religious or other narratives of humans.<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">We can't really expect Jews, Muslims, etc to divide history according to the Christian narrative.<span> </span>In fact both Jews and Muslims when within their own communities measure history by other methods; Jews since the creation of the universe and Muslims from the time of Mohammed.<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">So in the scholarly world and in some other circles time is measured by the abbreviations BCE (before the Common Era) and CE (the Common Era).<span> </span>All seem <span> </span>to accept that BCE and BC still refer to the Christian measure of time but have agreed to ignore that and use terms that do not directly refer to Christian measurement of time.<span> </span>There are curmudgeons that insist we retain BC and AD but BCE and CE are accepted in the majority of the scholarly community.<span> </span>And I think outside the Church we should use the newer terms.<span> </span>We can't expect the whole world to name time according to our beliefs.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Of more controversy is what to name the first and the second parts of the Bible.<span> </span>Christian tradition has used a couple of curious titles: Old Testament and New Testament.<span> </span>These titles are rejected by more and more scholars and curiously by more and more pastors and other Christian leaders.<span> </span>The most popular replacements at this point seem to be "Hebrew Scriptures" and "Christian Scriptures."<span> </span>As I have thought about this recently I have come to the conclusion that neither the old method nor the new method is acceptable.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I find the old names to be unacceptable mainly from a Calvinist perspective.<span> </span>The following definitions of "testament" come from the online Merriam-Webster Dictionary:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0.25in 0.0001pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">1</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0.25in 0.0001pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">a</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> <i>archaic</i>: a covenant between God and the human race </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0.25in 0.0001pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">b</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> <i>capitalized</i>: either of two main divisions of the Bible </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0.25in 0.0001pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">2</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0.25in 0.0001pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">a</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">: a tangible proof or tribute </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0.25in 0.0001pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">b</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">: an expression of conviction: <a href="http://mw1.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/creed"><span style="color: blue;">creed</span></a> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0.25in 0.0001pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">3</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0.25in 0.0001pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">a</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">: an act by which a person determines the disposition of his or her property after</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> death.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2113520706057661449#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I think we can eliminate 2 and 3 for the purpose of this essay.<span> </span>We are left with 1 a and b.<span> </span>B simply describes the names.<span> </span>A, I think, is the proper definition and is the core of the problem. <span> </span>Calvinists have believed since there were Calvinists that there is one covenant between God and humanity.<span> </span>Some will say that there are two covenants, the one between God and Adam and Eve (a covenant of works) and the covenant that follows the sin of Adam and Eve (a covenant of grace).<span> </span>Putting that theological disagreement aside I think Calvinists can agree that at least since the sin of Adam and Eve there is only one covenant.<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">There is of course the not so small problem of the series of covenants in the Old Testament (hold on, we haven't gotten to my suggestion for a better way to name the two parts of the Bible).<span> </span>There are covenants between God and Noah, Abraham, the Israelites at Mount Sinai and David.<span> </span>We also see references to a new covenant between God and Israel in Jeremiah 31.<span> </span>There is also the clear statement in the New Testament that Jesus brings and makes a new covenant between God and the people of Israel but also all who put their faith in God through Jesus.<span> </span>There are references to the new covenant not only in the passages about the Lord's Supper but also in other places (particularly in Hebrews) that make a distinction between the old covenant and the new covenant suggesting that the new covenant is better than the old covenant.<span> </span>The question at hand is does the new covenant replace the old covenant?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Calvinists have said throughout history that all the covenants from Noah down through Jesus are part of God's covenant of grace.<span> </span>Thus the new covenant in Jesus is an extension – and a very important extension – of the covenant of grace that is the story of God's loving pursuit of sinful humanity.<span> </span>To speak of a new covenant smacks of supersessionism, that God's covenant with Christians through Jesus replaces God's covenant with Israel.<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">There is a further problem with the titles Old Testament (or covenant) and New Testament (or covenant).<span> </span>The very titles suggest a radical division between the Scripture from Genesis to Malachi and Matthew to Revelation.<span> </span><span> </span>If there is a new covenant does that covenant replace the old covenant?<span> </span>If there is a new covenant does that make the Scripture of the old covenant no longer relevant?<span> </span>NO!<span> </span>The Scripture of what is called the New Testament builds on that of the New Testament.<span> </span>There can be no real separation between the Scripture in this sense.<span> </span>We do not reject the earlier Scripture because of the coming of Jesus.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The most common new way of naming the two parts of the Bible has this same problem and others.<span> </span>The new names are Hebrew Scriptures and Christian Scriptures.<span> </span>One is picky but then I am a picky person.<span> </span>Parts of Scripture in the section from Genesis to Malachi are not in Hebrew. <span> </span>They are in Aramaic.<span> </span>So while it is mostly Hebrew calling it Hebrew Scripture is not exactly accurate.<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Further if the term "Hebrew Scripture is meant to refer to the Scripture of the Hebrew people as over against the Scripture of Christians we have the same problem we have with Old Testament and New Testament.<span> </span>The section of Scripture from Matthew to Revelation is not the full content of Christian Scripture.<span> </span>Christians believe that the section from Genesis to Malachi is also Scripture and fought for centuries against those who would exclude that section of Scripture for a variety of reasons.<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The main group that rejected the first section of Scripture was the Gnostics, or at least some of them.<span> </span>"Gnostics" is a complicated term that refers to a lot of different groups.<span> </span>Most of them rejected the first section of Scripture insisting that the God of that first section of Scripture is a different God than that of the second section of Scripture – or at least those parts of that second section they accepted along with other documents.<span> </span>They considered the God of the first section of Scripture to be evil and the God of the parts of the second section and the other documents they accepted as Scripture to be the greater and good God.<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">So we cannot make a division between the first and second second sections of Scripture.<span> </span>To do so is to commit not only an error but a form of heresy.<span> </span>While we can say there is a distinction between them there can be no separation between the two sections of Scripture.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Nevertheless for the sake of our Jewish brothers and sisters (and for Christian reasons as well) we need to make a distinction between the first section of Scripture that they accept as Scripture and the second section of Scripture that Christians accept along with the first section.<span> </span>I therefore suggest different terms altogether.<span> </span>Jews call what they would call the three parts of their Scripture, (Torah or Law, Nevi’im or Prophets and Kethuvim or Writings), the Tanach which translated actually means Bible.<span> </span>Thus we can call the first section the Tanach – the Hebrew word for Bible and the second section Additional Christian Scriptures. <span> </span>This would allow us to recognize that Jews believe only the first section of what Christians claim is Scripture as Scripture and that Christians recognize both the first section (from a Christian perspective) as Christian Scripture and the Additional Christian Scriptures as also a part of Scripture.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Of course there is also the text of the Moslem Scripture – the Quran. Muslims believe that the Tanach and the Additional Christian Scriptures are corrupted. <span> </span>And there are also the various Scriptures (although I am not certain that Scripture is the correct word) of various other religions like the various types of Hinduism and Buddhism but since Christians have used "Old Testament" and "New Testament" and scholars and some Christians have changed that to Hebrew and Christian Scriptures I think we can limit the new titles I have given to refer to the Tanach and the Additional Christian Scripture.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Of course I recognize that neither those who use the old terms nor those who use the new terms are going to listen to me.<span> </span>This is merely a suggestion that from both Jewish and Christian perspectives there is better way to name the two sections of what Christians would accept as Scripture.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Have at me all who like or dislike my suggested titles! </span></div><div><br clear="all" /> <hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" /> <div id="ftn1"> <div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2113520706057661449#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span dir="RTL"></span> </span>http://mw1.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/testament</div></div></div>Pastor Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510081361292855641noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113520706057661449.post-4892204843597292742010-12-07T23:57:00.000-05:002010-12-07T23:57:09.719-05:00MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND "I GOT IT FIRST YOU F____KER!"<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>HE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I've watched the yearly culture wars about what to say to people during the month of December, and particularly about what store clerks ought to say to customers. <span> </span>I have recently come to the conclusion that Christians seeking to celebrate the birth of Jesus have no horse in this race.<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">What caused me to come to this conclusion was the refusal of a senator from Oklahoma to participate in a Christmas parade because the Mayor had changed the name of the parade to something like "Holiday Parade."<span> </span>I got to thinking about Christmas parades and what and who are usually in the parades. <span> </span>Maybe there is a small chance that some church put a manger scene in the parade.<span> </span>I suspect most of the floats, bands and people are unspecific advertisements for shopping, fat men in red suits and strange references to winter.<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">So what does all this say about the birth of Jesus?<span> </span>Nothing.<span> </span>Why should I care what a sales clerk says to me when I buy something at Wal-Mart during the month of December?<span> </span>"Have a nice day" is sufficient for the rest of the year.<span> </span>Happy Holidays is nice as it makes a reference to three different celebrations but what about all the other religious groups that don't celebrate anything in December or non religious folk?<span> </span>Besides I think the real message in the store is "It's time to buy presents so come back and spend some more money."<span> </span>Which, unfortunately, has come to be the real meaning of Christmas.<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Yet there is this massive yearly battle over whether sales clerks should say "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays."<span> </span>Now if I happen to know the sales clerk and know that s/he actually believes in Jesus a Merry Christmas would be nice, although I'm not quite sure what "Merry" has to do with the birth of the Savior of the world.<span> </span>Most of the time, given where I live I have never met the sales clerk before and have no idea why s/he would say "Merry Christmas" to me.<span> </span>So why should Christians care what a sales clerk says to them during December?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I think the real issues are power and tradition.<span> </span>Some seem to think if one does not say "Merry Christmas" the myth of Christian America is being threatened by secular humanists.<span> </span>They think they are losing power.<span> </span>Worse, those people from other religious traditions are getting uppity and want some validation for their faith.<span> </span>So refusing to say Merry Christmas ultimately will destroy America and the people who are for free sex, drug use and allowing immigrants into the country will turn America into some kind of land of Satan (which is what the Iranians have been saying for years!).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Those of us in the Reformed tradition who remember our history know that for centuries Presbyterians didn't celebrate Christmas.<span> </span>We also didn't celebrate Easter, have crosses or stained glass windows in our places of worship, use musical instruments during worship or sing anything but psalms during worship but that is the subject of another blog.<span> </span>Presbyterians didn't celebrate Christmas partly because it was "Romanish" (meaning the Catholics did it so we shouldn't) but mainly because the celebration of Christmas in England had become a time to get drunk, dance, and generally carry on.<span> </span>Presbyterians didn't believe in carrying on.<span> </span>It wasn't that Presbyterians didn't have fun it was rather that they wanted to have holy fun.<span> </span>Wearing sexy clothes, puking after drinking too much and dancing into the wee hours of the morning just didn't seem very Christian to them.<span> </span>So they didn't celebrate Christmas.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Then the Queen of England, Victoria, got married to this Elector or something from Germany and brought the German tradition of Christmas trees to England.<span> </span>Songs about Yule logs came back into fashion as did St. Nicholas (now renamed Santa Claus because of a rather poor poem) who no longer left food and gifts for poor Children.<span> </span>He left big presents for all good children.<span> </span>But Yule logs came from Norse celebrations and evergreen trees from pre Christian German religions (probably some form of Druidic belief).<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The modern version of Christmas (at least the shopping version) began sometime in the last 50 or 60 years.<span> </span>Before that kids in most families got new socks, maybe some new clothes if they had outgrown the old clothes, an orange and one toy.<span> </span>Rich folk went for the big spending.<span> </span>Santa Claus became omniscient and kept a list like the Book of Life from Revelation.<span> </span>In America more people had more money and the middle class started buying more and more toys for the children.<span> </span>And good old scientific research enabled toy companies to move from talking dolls to Wiis.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">To top all this off some now believe it necessary to get the most popular toy for their child (or for themselves) so people sit outside of stores starting at 2:00 AM on the day after Thanksgiving in order to they can buy that particular toy.<span> </span>Early in the morning on Black Friday the doors to the stores open, the crowds rush in, (injuring or killing the poor underpaid employee who had the bad luck to be assigned the task of opening the door) and fight with other customers for that particular toy (thus the last part of my title). <span> </span>Christmas has become a celebration of that most important of American dreams, the increase of the Gross Domestic Product.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">What does all this have to do with Jesus?<span> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Nothing, as far as I can tell.<span> </span>Finding some way to celebrate the birth of the second person of the Trinity as a human being (and the not so subtle message that God physically stands with the poor) I think is necessary.<span> </span>But somewhere in all of this we need to make a separation between the traditions borrowed from other religions and cultures, the secular celebration of economic growth and the primary idolatry in America that having more makes one better.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I suggest that we go back to giving presents that meet real human needs along with one toy.<span> </span>That does mean that the yearly tie or sweater has to go.<span> </span>I suspect most Americans have many more articles of clothing than they actually need.<span> </span>No, one toy and a gift the Heifer Project or some equally worthy cause is the way to go.<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And outside of that?<span> </span>Worship and service to others on Christmas day.<span> </span>If God served us by sending his Son shouldn't we follow the model and serve others?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">In any case I think the argument about what to say to people in December has to end.<span> </span>Except about cursing out the person who go the last toy that you wanted on Black Friday.<span> </span>I suggest we don't shop on Black Friday at all and that those who feel they must learn to be polite and kind.<span> </span>That would be a big and pleasant change in the language of December.</span></div>Pastor Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510081361292855641noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113520706057661449.post-91641406347667307142010-11-21T18:55:00.002-05:002010-11-22T20:52:21.103-05:00PEAK OIL AND GOVERNMENT DENIALMy friend <a href="http://www.shuckandjive.org/">John Shuck</a> has blogged about Peak Oil quite a bit over the past few months. I discovered yesterday that it pays to ignore the issue in the short term.<br />
<br />
My sister invited us to celebrate Thanksgiving with her family. We live in Philadelphia and she lives in Northern Virginia. I looked into public transportation, admittedly because I didn't feel like driving four hours each way. I discovered that those who use public transportation between cities are punished. <br />
<br />
Here in the Northeast Corridor Amtrak has many trains. One leaves Philadelphia and Washington about every hour each day. It would take less time to go from my house to my sister's on the train and I could sleep or read on the way. The problem is that there is a significant cost to using Amtrak. Given the distance and the miles per gallon that my trusty eleven year old Jeep achieves it will cost about $75.00 for the gas to drive round trip. If we take Amtrak it will cost almost $350.00. And that's just for my wife and me. We simply cannot afford to save energy and take the train.<br />
<br />
I also checked flying and discovered it would us cost a twice as much to fly than it would to take the train. <i>And</i> to fly from Philadelphia to Washington almost every airline requires that one fly to Atlanta from Philadelphia and then to Washington. Talk about a waste of fossil fuels! Further, we could fly to California and celebrate Thanksgiving with my parents for the same price! There are nonstop flights between Philadelphia and Washington. They cost over $900.00 per person. And yes, I check Greyhound. You can't get there from here.<br />
<br />
Since the U.S. government owns Amtrak it could supplement public transportation. It chooses not to do so. Frankly it pays to drive. There has been some talk about placing a significant tax on gasoline and using the moneys from that tax to fund public transportation. The tax, the argument goes, would encourage people to use public transportation. The problem with this idea is that it places a significant burden on the poor. As people seek (if they do so) to buy more fuel efficient cars or even to move to electric cars those who cannot afford new cars will be stuck with their old gas guzzlers as the price of gasoline rises. And in many parts of America there simply is no adequate public transportation. Once you get out of the cities (and frankly some cities have very poor public transportation) there is no way to get from one place to another without driving.<br />
<br />
The sad thing about all of this is that as recently as the mid 1940s there was a fairly adequate public transportation system between cities and within cities in America. As the American love of cars grew and those who could moved to the suburbs the infrastructure of public transportation was allowed to decay in many cities and between cities. <br />
<br />
We who live in Philadelphia are fortunate. Public transportation may take more time and frankly costs more unless you are driving downtown and have to pay for parking but you can get just about anywhere in Philadelphia by train, bus or trolley. This is simply no longer true in too many cities and is practically non existent or costs way too much between cities.<br />
<br />
So I learned yesterday that the Federal government wants me to drive instead of taking public transportation between my house and my sister's. And that is a tragedy.<br />
<br />
A small correction thanks to Jim Loomis:<br />
<br />
"Small detail: The government does not own Amtrak. It's a private corporation that is subsidized by the government."<br />
<br />
Jim and I agree that Amtrak is not subsidized enough. I would add a couple things:<br />
<br />
1. That rider load does affect price: the less riders the less effective rail travel is as a cost of fuel; and<br />
2. That routes have been cut so that less interuban rail is available. THERE IS NO MORE BROADWAY LIMITED! That means to take the train from NYC to Chicago you now have to go either to Pittsburgh or D.C. and wait for another train to get to Chicago. One more incentive to NOT take the train.Pastor Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510081361292855641noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113520706057661449.post-51430607686085086672010-09-10T17:57:00.000-04:002010-09-10T17:57:37.128-04:00UNENFORCABLE LAWS AND MARAJUANAWay back, Way, way back in the early 70’s I smoked marijuana. And unlike a certain former president, I inhaled. Yeah, right, like he was telling the truth about that! Frankly I respect our current president more for telling the truth about his drug use. I didn’t do it very much and quit pretty fast because I didn’t like the way it made me feel. Probably has something to do with having bipolar disorder. I haven’t used the stuff since 1972. I didn’t drink for a long time either for the same reason. I shouldn’t drink at all.<br />
<br />
I write this particular blog because of the war against drugs. In the war against drugs we have lost. Worse our war against drugs is not honest. The plants from which the drugs are made would not be grown, at least in such quantities in South America, South and Central Asia and in US National Forests if it wasn’t for the fact that there is a market out there. We have blamed on and caused problems in the countries that grow the drugs when the real problem is the users. We have a percentage of users that desperately need rehab. We have another (higher I think) percentage of users that are recreational users. They buy the drugs that the suppliers sell. If no one used the drugs there would be no market for them and there would be no poppy growers, coca growers, marijuana growers etc at least none selling their products in the US. AND the drug wars in Mexico would at least be smaller. Users in America are the reason for the drug wars in Mexico. Sale of guns from America to Mexico to drug gangs is the reason for the drug wars in Mexico. And the US government contributes to the problem. The US has exported the war on drugs to Mexico and the Mexican people are paying the price.<br />
<br />
I’m not going to talk about various forms of cocaine, opiates or amphetamines. These can be terribly dangerous drugs. But we do need to talk about marijuana. Whatever you call it, dope, weed, herb, buds people use marijuana. Its use goes back a long way. We get the word assassin from the use of hashish to get killers in the mood to kill someone. That goes back at least to the 1200s.<br />
<br />
There are two core questions: is marijuana worse than alcohol? Studies say probably not. You shouldn’t drive while high and it does a number on your lungs and leaves chemicals in your brain synapses but it is no more addicting than alcohol.<br />
<br />
The other is why do we try to enforce and unenforceable law? Ever since the US government made it illegal to use marijuana in any way the law has been unenforceable. There is too much out there. And frankly buying and using illegal marijuana is worse for you than legal marijuana would be. You can’t know what’s in there from weed cut with another drug to herbicides sprayed by the government.<br />
<br />
So what should be done? Make it legal and sell it in stores that sell alcohol. Make sure no one under 21 can buy it and try to prevent teens from buying it (and fail) just like we do with alcohol. Make the seller have a license to sell. There could even be levels for taste and strength like there is with alcohol. On top of that tax the hell out of it like various governments do on alcohol and cigarettes. And make sure that the growers have to uphold stringent rules that make the product pure, like the growers of chickens and eggs are supposed to do. Make it a moral issue rather than a legal issue. Then concentrate on the drugs that do real harm.<br />
<br />
Is marijuana good for you? Nope. Neither are alcohol, cigarettes and eating regularly at fast food restaurants or even great restaurants that slowly kill people with fat. Christians should see the use of all these things as a moral issue. <br />
<br />
There are a lot of things out there that are bad for you and can cause an addiction, not necessarily a physical addiction but an addiction that causes certain brain chemicals to be released. Obesity is a bigger problem than using marijuana. Gambling is not good for the addicted because of those brain chemicals. So is sex for the sex addict. Are we going to ban McDonalds, gambling, sex, alcohol, glue, cigarettes, etc, etc? And if we try will it work? <br />
<br />
So let’s get out of the business of trying to enforce laws at least against marijuana. Unenforceable laws are bad for the public because they contribute to disobedience against other, more important laws. <br />
<br />
Let’s try something that makes sense. <br />
<br />
Boy is this one going to get me in trouble!Pastor Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510081361292855641noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113520706057661449.post-68162226753661090522010-08-31T02:32:00.000-04:002010-08-31T02:32:26.289-04:00WISHESI want to go back to Israel! And I want to take a trip and spend it all with Palestinians. That confuses the heck out of people I know. Why do I have to chose sides? I want the best for everyone who lives between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean.Pastor Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510081361292855641noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113520706057661449.post-35285615015615806192010-08-26T13:36:00.002-04:002010-08-26T13:36:23.317-04:00GAs, GAPJCs and AIs<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5COwner%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5COwner%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5COwner%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link><style>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">This past summer the 219<sup>th</sup> General Assembly considered an overture that sought a General Assembly Authoritative Interpretation of the constitution that said the General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission could not make Authoritative Interpretations of the Constitution. Only the General Assembly could do so. The General Assembly voted it down. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">There is a certain irony about the General Assembly seeking to make an Authoritative Interpretation about Authoritative Interpretations but that isn’t the intent of this blog. I’m wondering how much the General Assembly knew about the history of disciplinary decisions that reached the top governing body or its Permanent Judicial Commission. Just so I don’t have to type as many letters, General Assembly will be GA, the General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission will be the GAPJC and Authoritative Interpretations will be AIs. And before anyone jumps up and down saying I don’t know everything:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">1.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I didn’t research this so I’m going from memory; and<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">2.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">This will be a history that follows the Northern branch of the Church.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">It looks like there was a time when there weren’t PJCs. Back in the day the GA at the very least became a court when it made judicial decisions. We can hear this in old references to governing bodies as courts of the church. Then of course they became judicatories (hear the word judicial in there?) then governing bodies and if the new Form of Government passes they will be councils. I hope I can remember the change if it passes. I still have trouble calling the Committee on Preparation for Ministry by its name instead of Candidates Committee and I’ve had since 1983 to make the change.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">ANYWAY you can read in the Session minutes of any congregation that was established before 1875 records of trials held by the Session. And in fact the Book of Order still says the Session tries cases related to members of the congregation, elders and deacons. Those found guilty of offenses could always appeal the decisions to the presbytery. And here is where things change.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">For a long time presbyteries, synods and GAs would become courts and hear judicial matters when necessary. There were no PJCs. You can find an example back in the mid 1830s when a case from Philadelphia Presbytery came before the GA. The Presbytery had refused membership to a pastor from New Jersey because the members didn’t like his theology. The GA became a court for the time it spent considering the matter and then overturned the Presbytery’s decision. This, by the way, was one of the factors in the Old School/New School split back in 1938. (And did you know that the two sides went to civil court both claiming the name “Presbyterian Church in the USA?”)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I’m not sure when PJCs were established. My guess is that at some point courts of the church got too busy and decided to turn over judicial cases over to PJCs. But for a long time the GAPJC’s decisions weren’t permanent until the GA approved them. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I’m not sure when the GA stopped making decisions on the GAPJC’s decisions. My guess is it was back in 1983 when a new Book of Order joined the polity of the Northern and Southern branches of the church. Whether it was a southern tradition is beyond my knowledge.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">So what I find curious about the AI that would have said that GAPJC AIs were not AIs is that was we always did things before 1983. It would have been less confusing. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Weird, huh?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Anyone who knows more about the history of the Book of Order is invited to write a more complete blog on the subject with quotes from past Books or Order and footnotes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Pastor Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510081361292855641noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113520706057661449.post-45119581017345283742010-08-24T19:39:00.002-04:002010-08-24T19:39:12.061-04:00PAYING FOR FREE SPEECH<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5COwner%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5COwner%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5COwner%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link><style>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Last year the Supreme Court decided that the McCain/Feingold Campaign Finance Law was unconstitutional because it violated a portion of the first amendment to the constitution: the right to free speech. A few days ago Target used its “right to free speech to give one politician millions of dollars.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I freely admit I am not a legal scholar and am not and never will be a candidate for the Supreme Court, thank God. Neither am I rich. All of which disturbs me when we talk about campaign contributions and free speech.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">It has seemed to me for some years now that those who have money or control media corporations have a larger amount of freedom when it comes to speech. This doesn’t mean I can’t and don’t have my say. Just ask anyone in Philadelphia Presbytery. But if freedom of speech is measured in part by the ability to have large groups of people hear what I have to say I’m not even in the running.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">There are two ways money buys more free speech for some than for others. The first is simply buying stock. If you have enough money or enough money and friends who have money you can make sure that everyone hears your perspective. Rupert Murdoch gets his opinions, through the voices of others, heard around the world by owning Fox Network and a bunch of newspapers. Others argue, and I think with some justification that what used to be the mainline TV news stations had and have a decidedly more liberal bent. But perspective is beside the point. Money equals the ability to get your views and perspectives heard by more people, that is if you put your money into media: newspapers, radio stations, TV networks and now news slots on the internet. Who decides which stories are important enough to put on my Yahoo page? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">So buy a lot of stock and you can decide what is really news. But buy a candidate and you get to help make decisions that shape laws. Campaign finance laws sought to limit the amount any individual, union or corporation could give to a particular candidate. Of course there were ways around this. You didn’t have to give to the candidate all you had to do was form a political action committee. After all George W. Bush didn’t pay for all those ads about John Kerry and his career in swift boats in Vietnam. Did someone lie about his bravery over there? Ya got me. But we can all be very sure that he road in small boats along with other brave men who fought in a dangerous place. Meanwhile what no one managed to say loud enough, Bush was busy playing with National Guard fighter jets.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">But now you or your organization can give all you want to a particular candidate. You can in effect buy the candidate. Anyone who thinks that large campaign contributions don’t affect the candidate who received them has forgotten how easy it is to corrupt humans.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">So the second way to get lots of free speech is to buy a candidate. Then you don’t actually have to say anything to the whole world. You just remind the politician who got her there and who will make sure she wins again if she does what you want. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">So the Supreme Court says that free speech is up for sale. Wonderful. Thus is made a new American dream. Now you don’t have to grow up to be president. You only have to buy one of your very own.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Pastor Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510081361292855641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113520706057661449.post-7718095925956768312010-08-23T20:31:00.000-04:002010-08-23T20:31:57.819-04:00BLOG TAX?I live about two miles from the border of the city of Philadelphia. This has both good effects and bad. If I want to go to the ballet, the art museum or the latest musical I can get there in less than half an hour on public transportation. It also brings some of the best hospitals in the nation within reach for treatment. The latter became important when I received some serious injuries a couple years ago and was in a fantastic trauma unit.<br />
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And then there are the negatives. The traffic into and from Philadelphia affects traffic here. Violence hasn't really arrived from Philly but it right at the edges of town. And the poverty in the nearby section of Philly spills over. <br />
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But tonight I celebrate the fact that I don't live in Philly, even with all its benefits. In the Washington Post today there was an <a href="http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/philly-requiring-bloggers-to-pay-300-for-a-business-license-101264664.html">article</a> that says Philadelphia has begun to demand that bloggers get business licenses to the tune of $300.00 and pay tax on any money they make. I immediately thought: a. I am very glad I live outside of Philly and b. you can make money by blogging without doing it for some corporation? Who knew? One poor person was told to get a business license and to pay taxes on the $11.00 he made over the past two years! <br />
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Granted Philadelphia like many cities and states has some serious financial problems. With the recession/depression tax income has gone down and the city has two choices: cut programs or raise taxes. Of course if the city raises taxes more businesses will move to the suburbs ultimately sending the city deficit higher. And the problem is so great that the city has terrible choices. Should it cut police and fire personnel or close libraries and pools? Or will it have to do both? <br />
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But a tax on blogging? It's not like most of us bloggers work for newspapers, magazines, or televisions stations or networks. Most of us are individuals who shoot off our big mouths on the internet just like we would on the telephone or the public street. A lot of us talk about important issues, or at least what we think are important issues. And we have the joy of carrying on long distance conversations/arguments with other bloggers around the nation and world.<br />
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I suppose it would be impossible to tax people talking on the public street or gossiping on their phones (now there is a good idea: tax gossip, another sin tax!) . Or maybe not Big Brother is always watching, in parking lots, businesses and even at traffic lights. Big brother could just as easily listen, at least on telephones. <br />
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So bloggers let us hope and pray that states and the feds and other cities do not jump to follow Philadelphia's lead. Blog tax would be just as chilling on free speech as Google's suggestion that they keep an eye on who goes where, does what and says what on the internet. <br />
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In the meantime it is very nice to live two miles outside the Philadelphia city limits. Pastor Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510081361292855641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113520706057661449.post-33858759861130356032010-08-03T22:49:00.000-04:002010-08-03T22:49:35.030-04:00YOU COME FROM WHERE?We Americans all come from someplace else. One could argue that Native Americans didn’t immigrate but the evidence suggests that even the ancestors of Native Americans came from somewhere else. Whether they got here by walking or by boat is a current controversy. There are these bones down in South America that shouldn't be there. If we go back to some ancestor that can be identified as THE ancestor (at least one that we can find in the fossil record) we all have to say our ancestors came from Africa. Strangely enough here in America that has political connotations.<br />
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In any case my father’s people came from Scotland by way of Northern Ireland and from England. (I don’t think they intermarried until they were here in America otherwise the Scots would have refused to marry the English and vice versa.) My mother’s people came from Germany (no not Pennsylvania Dutch, a religious distinction, but all the same from Germany) and England (Pilgrims and Puritans, so what, right?) My great aunts always wanted me to join the Mayflower Society and/or the Sons of the American Revolution. I’ve always figured I wasn’t there so I'm not going to take the blame or the credit. I did join the Saint Andrew's Society (descendants of Scots) but that was mainly so I have an excuse to wear a skirt and various implements of destruction. They also wanted my wife to join the Daughters of the American Revolution and this is where things get complicated.<br />
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It seems that whether any of your direct ancestors landed on Plymouth Rock or fought in the American Revolution you can join the Mayflower Society and/or Sons or Daughters of the Revolution if you marry someone who’s direct ancestors landed on Plymouth Rock or fought in the American Revolution. So my lovely wife could, if she chose to, become a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. But her father came to these shores just after the First World War as a first generation immigrant from Italy. She is half Italian. Can you imagine what all those Pilgrims and Puritans would think of that? The first word that would come to their minds would be “Romanish.” The second word would be “stocks” as in locked up in one of those things that you put your head and hands into and people get to throw rotten vegetables at you all day.<br />
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Curiously it is the other side of her family that makes her a true blue American. On her mother’s side of the family her ancestors have been in America since the 1700’s. In Maryland. Jews. That’s right she has Jewish relatives that go back to before the Revolution and may have fought in the Revolution! (The rustling noise you hear is those Pilgrims and Puritans spinning in their graves again.) I haven’t heard of Jews being accepted into the Daughters of the American Revolution but my wife doesn’t want to join whether it’s because she is married to me (no great honor) or because some ancestor fought against the British.<br />
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Another curiosity is that white Americans assume that their relatives have been here in America longer than, let us say, “those of color.” For some reason if you have East or South Asian features white folk assume that you are just off the boat. This used to and may still infuriate a friend of mine. Her relatives had been here time out of mind but white Americans kept coming up to her and asking, “When did you come to America?” She gave them both barrels “My Great Great Grandfather was a missionary in San Francisco in the late 1800’s! When did YOU get here?" And if you are a Sikh from India the uneducated among us may throw stones at you because they can't tell the difference between a Sikh and a Muslim! <br />
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Worse, particularly in the Southwest are the problems of Americans of Hispanic and Native American descent. In Arizona you better have your passport with you these days or they may just throw you over the border even if your relatives have been here for a couple thousand years! And good luck getting a passport in Arizona if you look like you are Hispanic! (I had a curious conversation with a legal immigrant from Mexico yesterday about how she could get passports for her daughters who were born here and are American citizens! We were afraid birth certificates wouldn't be enough. She is afraid that if she takes her children down to visit their grandparents they won't be allowed back in!)<br />
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Alas, there are those whose ancestors never chose to come here. Their ancestors were captured by their neighbors, sold to white folks and arrived here by ship. Some could even be in the Sons or Daughters of the American Revolution! (I wouldn't hold my breath on that one. Just ask Thomas Jefferson's black descendants.) And while it is true that many more Africans went to Brazil and the Caribbean as slaves than to what became the United States that doesn’t excuse what British and American slavers did. As Malcolm X said, “We didn’t land on Plymouth Rock. Plymouth Rock landed on us!” And alas African Americans have always been forced to the back of the line, right in front of the Native Americans.<br />
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I’m sorry to say I don’t have a better way to end this little essay than this: let’s get some latkes, some collard greens, some cous cous, a pizza, some curry, some Peking Duck, enchiladas, apple pie and if I forgot the food your grandmother made be sure to bring it (and some antacids) and sit down to dinner. If nothing else we can eat together.<br />
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Oh, and since God created all of us we are all relatives ya’ll come to the next reunion yes? It occurs right here at Tully Memorial Presbyterian Church next Sunday. Be prepared to enjoy the fried plantain cooked by our recently arrived African Immigrant brothers and sisters!Pastor Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510081361292855641noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113520706057661449.post-9731537071888512032010-07-29T22:06:00.002-04:002010-07-29T22:06:38.133-04:00WHERE IS JOHN SHUCK WHEN WE NEED HIM?So, I write what should be at least a provocative blog and almost no one comments. John leaves town and suddenly there is nothing to talk about except some youth pastor from Chicago.<br />
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Yes I'm a bit jealous.<br />
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COME BACK JOHN! "There's no place like home."Pastor Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510081361292855641noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113520706057661449.post-4994302591020552112010-07-26T00:23:00.002-04:002010-07-26T00:23:15.019-04:00MINISTERS: ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE CONGREGATION<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5COwner%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5COwner%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5COwner%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link><style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">I have seen the assertion which is the title of this blog many times in church. Many congregations print them in the church it is an integral part of Protestant ecclesiology. We say we believe in the “priesthood of all believers.” Frankly our practice says that this assertion is suitable for fertilizing the pasture.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">One of the fundamental principles that we all should have learned and put into practice is that there is only one class of people in the Church: the “Laos.” Laos is a Greek word for people. Unfortunately we have imported the word into English as “laity” which was not the intention of Paul. There is no separation between laity and clergy in the New Testament. There is only the laos or the people of God or the body of Christ.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Paul makes this clear in the 12<sup>th</sup> chapter of 1 Corinthians. Christians are not and cannot be divided by rank. To do so is to deny the very truth of the Gospel. All are sinners, all come to the gathering of the people of God as equals: all are sinners that have been forgiven through Christ. Paul’s point in 1 Corinthians 12 is that different people have different gifts. We can argue with our Pentecostal friends as to whether the lists of gifts in Ephesians, Romans and 1 Corinthians are extensive or whether there are other gifts of the Holy Spirit. Paul’s point is that being blessed (or cursed) by the Holy Spirit with one gift or another does not raise one Christian above others and that all gifts are necessary. The hand cannot say to the eye “I have no need of you.” All gifts are needed and no matter how spectacular one gift seems that gift is the equal of all the other gifts including the seemingly mundane gift of “hospitality” which, if one were to rank gifts, I believe should be most honored.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">None of this is to say that the Church should encourage sin. As Paul says in Romans 6 we died with Christ and our sinful selves died with him. We rose to new life. But as Paul points out in Romans 7 we don’t always do what we want to do. What he doesn’t say is that sometimes we even want to do and choose to do what we know we shouldn’t do! So while Christ sets us free from sin we struggle seeking sanctification. But sin does not necessarily disqualify someone from membership in the Church or being blessed with a gift of the Spirit. Although Paul had to go and make it complicated in 1 Cor. 6 by talking about excommunicating a man who had sex with his stepmother (or maybe his biological mother?). It seems that there are sins and the affirmation that they are not really sinful can be the cause of separation from the Body of Christ. But what about ordination?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The word “ordained” enters the picture in our ecclesiology and messes up the whole vision of the Church as one people, one body in Christ. Yes when ordaining deacons, elders and ministers of Word and Sacrament we say that some are called to particular duties in the Church and that these duties do not make someone more important than others. Those duties are dependent on gifts of the Holy Spirit. And yes, Jesus calls on those who would be great to be the servant of all. So when the church ordains someone they are told to be the servant of all. But is that how we really see elders, deacons and Ministers of Word and Sacrament (MWS)?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12pt;">We say that the ordained are actually the servants of the people of God. Frankly this statement while well intentioned is a lie at least as we practice our ecclesiology. Church members think that ministers of Word and Sacrament are an exalted class with elders and deacons one step below.. Our education sets us apart. Our apparel in worship sets us apart. In Bible studies when we come in as merely “members” of the Bible study when a tough question comes along everyone’s head turns toward the MWS. After all we have the training. We know. We got all that education so that we would know. We are the resource for the Church. We are the ones who truly know how to do evangelism. If the pastor doesn’t visit you in the hospital the Church has not really reached out to you. Curiously this is even truer in a multi staff congregation. If the “senior” pastor doesn’t visit you in the hospital then the Church has not really come to you. (Thank God for <i>Stephens’ Ministries</i> that is overcoming this prejudice!) Prayer by the pastor is considered more effective. Flowery prayer by the pastor is considered to be better than the simple prayers of church members (which frankly are often more profound in their simplicity than the most eloquent prayer of a pastor praying extemporaneously or reading from the Book of Common Worship!). </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">And sadly being a deacon is considered a step toward becoming an elder even though these callings have different gifts! A deacon who knows who is in the hospital and always sends a card or makes a visit clearly has different gifts than an elder. Some elders would make terrible deacons but are superb elders. Some deacons would make horrible elders. And some MWSs would be terrible elders or deacons. Elders are called to be spiritual leaders of the Church (and not just those who run the financial business of the Church). Deacons are called to be servants to the people and those who point to injustice in the community. Too often these roles with their accompanying gifts are considered the true role of the pastor. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In so doing we destroy the central concept of the Church that all have gifts and all are to use their gifts for the good of the body of Christ. We believe, in effect, that Paul was wrong. If the pastor is the big toe of the body the big toe cannot say to the eye “I have no need of you.” Yet that is the practice of our ecclesiology! The pastor is held up as the person with all the gifts and “regular” church members do not have gifts and do not have any calling other than to come to worship and listen and maybe sing quietly. The robes and the stoles the pastor wears mark him or her as different from the “regular” church members. The very apparel of the pastor underlines a false ecclesiology!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Should pastors not receive proper education? I suspect that there are many out there sitting in the pews that would make better pastors than the person in the pulpit. But since we in the Presbyterian tradition have valued education we seem to think that those who get good grades in seminary and pass all their ordination exams are fit to be pastors. Nothing could be further from the truth. While it is wonderful to be able to study the Bible in Greek and Hebrew and be able to quote the early Church Fathers those abilities will not make one a good pastor. Most true pastoring is learned in the first few years of ministry after seminary or not at all. Why do so many MWS drop out in the first few years? Maybe it is because they don’t have the gifts to be pastors. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I therefore ask the critical question: is ordination a good idea or even a Biblical idea? In the Old Testament God called Moses to lead the people of God. But even Moses had to be told that he wasn’t the be all and end all and that he needed help. So the first elders were called. These elders served as judges in the case of conflict between Israelites. Prophets spoke the word of God to the people and most particularly to the social elite. The kings and the priests had their callings and their roles. How then did the pastor become prophet and priest (and in some congregations also the king!)? Through false ecclesiology. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In the New Testament Jesus calls disciples by merely saying “Follow me.” There was no kneeling and laying on of hands. Any seminary training the disciples received was through following Jesus and making a lot of mistakes. Notice that the disciples were not the most educated or most holy people in Israel in their day. They may have been illiterate! But they followed. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">And yes, there were those seven Helenistic Jews chosen to make sure that all widows got their food. Here we see real Presbyterianism in action. The people chose the seven. The Apostles laid their hands on the seven and prayed over them. This is one of the two passages that come closest to our ordination ceremonies.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But these men then go off and do other things besides making sure the widows get fed! Stephen preached the gospel in Jerusalem and died for it. Granted what he said was offensive. Philip preached in Samaria and then to an Ethiopian eunuch on the road to Gaza. Clearly calling to a particular task by the Church by the voice of the Church did not necessarily mean that one could only operate in that role. (Although strangely enough the Samaritans didn’t receive the Holy Spirit because they came to faith through Philip’s teaching. Peter and John had to go down to give the Spirit to the Samaritans?)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The other ordination we see in the New Testament (also in Acts) is when Paul and Barnabas are chosen by God through the voice of the Holy Spirit spoken by what one could call a session. The Spirit spoke, the elders laid hands upon them and Paul and Barnabas went out as apostles. We have no idea why God chose these particular people although it seems that God had a joke in mind by sending Paul the Pharisee of the Pharisees out to preach to the Gentiles. But as far as we can tell Paul and Barnabas were not chosen because their Greek was better than that of others or because they knew the Old Testament better than others. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">If what we see as the actions of God in calling people to particular tasks in both Old and New Testament God seems to have an insidious method of choosing the least likely, the ones with no power and the big sinners. Jacob would be no one’s choice to be a patriarch of Israel. If Jacob came to dinner you would count your silver spoons after he left! Moses was a murderer who begged God not to send him down to Egypt because he just didn’t have the gifts or frankly the desire. Against all cultural norms God chose Deborah as a Judge. God called Ruth the Moabite to be the great grandmother of David the king (through the scheming of Naomi and some planned hanky panky on the side) yet the law in Deuteronomy specifically says that Hebrews shall not marry Moabites! Samuel the child was called. David the youngest was called. Amos the trimmer of date trees was called. And Jesus, whose female ancestors named in Matthew were all notorious and whose mother had the gossips of Nazareth buzzing because she clearly got pregnant before she should have (at least as the gossips counted out the months) was the Messiah! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Put to death on the cross Jesus was the equal of criminals. But he was also the only one who is truly prophet, priest and king, the one Messiah. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So what are the requirements for ordination? The Book of Order says that those who are ordained are to be held to a higher standard. But should they? If we really believe that all members of the congregation are ministers (or what we say about ministry is a lie) then call to service in the Church is given at baptism and confirmed when a child or an adult has reached the point where she can understand God’s calling to her. And if all who are called to ministry are sinners (and we all are, ordained or not) what sin is too great so as to disqualify someone from a particular calling from God? The only thing that seems to disqualify someone is continuing in sin that is known to be sin to the point that the Church excommunicates the individual. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I have been ordained for over 30 years. If education and ordination exams mean anything I am empowered to officiate at weddings, administer the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper and to preach the Word because theoretically I know more about those actions than someone who has not been to seminary. I do think such knowledge is necessary for someone in a congregation but I am not sure that one needs to be ordained to be able to explain the meaning of marriage, baptism or the Lord’s Supper. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So we come back to the beginning: is ordination good for the Church? I suspect not. Ordination seems to be a holdover from Roman Catholic tradition that says ordination is a sacrament and that only those have received that sacrament are able to perform the miracle of changing the bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus. And only those who have received the sacrament of ordination (named the sacrament of orders, actually) are able to offer the forgiveness of God to others. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Theoretically we Presbyterians left all that behind. Isn’t it time to let go of the vestiges? </div><div class="MsoNormal">If we have to have a ceremony for those who take on tasks according to the gifts of the Holy Spirit and receive what education is needed to use those gifts maybe we should commission them to the task? And we should do it for all who have received particular gifts of the Spirit, no matter what those gifts may be.</div>Pastor Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510081361292855641noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113520706057661449.post-31813995192275823642010-07-20T23:57:00.001-04:002010-07-21T02:22:16.341-04:00THE WEARING OF STOLESMuch has been made of the wearing of stoles of late, particularly rainbow stoles worn as a statement concerning the ordination of gays and lesbians. There has been criticism and support. In this highly charged climate it might be helpful to consider the wearing of stoles and by whom over the history of the Church. Most of this information comes from a delightful site called “<a href="http://www.nerdcountry.com/Vestment/encyclopedia.htm">nerd country</a>.” If the information is wrong please blame the folks at nerd country or me if I have failed to interpret them correctly. <br />
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“The word stole derives via the Latin” as a word borrowed (as often happened) stola, from the “Greek . In its ancient form, it is the language of classical ancient Greek literature and the New Testament of στολη (stolē), "garment", originally "array" or "equipment". (The word is used eight times in the New Testament in each case referring to "<span><a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/stole.html">a loose outer garment for men extending to the feet, worn by kings, priests, and persons of rank</a>.")</span><br />
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The stole was originally a kind of shawl that covered the shoulders and fell down in front of the body; on women they were often very large indeed. (My note: the stola therefore was originally a garment for women. What might that say about “clergy?”). After being adopted by the Church of Rome about the seventh century (the stole having also been adopted in other locals prior to this), the stole became gradually narrower and so richly ornamented that it developed into a mark of dignity. Nowadays, the stole is usually wider and can be made from a wide variety of material.<br />
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There are many theories as to the "ancestry" of the stole. Some say it came from the tallit. A tallit (taleth or talet in Sephardic Hebrew and Ladino) (tallis in Ashkenazic Hebrew and Yiddish) is a Jewish prayer shawl worn in the synagogue on Shabbat and holidays, and while reciting morning prayers (Shacharit), as well as afternoon (Mincha) and evening prayers (Ma'ariv) by many Sephardic Jews. The tallit has special meaning because it is very similar to the present usage (as in the minister puts it on when he or she leads in prayer) but this theory is no longer regarded much today. More popular is the theory that the stole originated from a kind of liturgical napkin called an orarium. In fact, in many places the stole is called the orarium. Therefore it is linked to the napkin used by Jesus of Nazareth in washing the feet of his disciples, and is a fitting symbol of the yoke of Christ, the yoke of service. (the word stola is not used in the John 13 to describe the cloth Jesus used to wash the feet of the disciples.)<br />
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The most likely origin for the stole, however, is to be connected with the scarf of office among Imperial officials in the Roman Empire. As members of the clergy became members of the Roman administration, they were granted certain honors, one specifically being a designator of rank within the imperial (and ecclesiastical) hierarchy. The various configurations of the stole grew out of this usage. The original intent then was to designate a person as belonging to a particular organization and to denote their rank within their group, a function which the stole continues to perform today. Thus, unlike other liturgical garments which were originally worn by every cleric or layman, the stole was a garment which was specifically restricted to particular classes of people based on occupation.<br />
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(The above is mostly from the nerd community with some editing. The following is my comment.)<br />
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In other words the stole is NOT a symbol of humility or a follower of Christ. It is a symbol of one’s place and office in the Roman Empire and the Church. It is a symbol of separation between laity and clergy. One could argue then as is often done, that a stole should be worn only by ordained clergy. (Deacons in the Roman Catholic and Anglican traditions wear a stole in a different configuration, over the left shoulder, across the chest and the back to the right side of the body.)<br />
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In the early Church, however, those who read, preached and celebrated the sacraments wore everyday clothes like everyone else attending worship. It was only as Christianity became the religion of the Roman Empire that clergy began to wear stoles as a sign of office. <br />
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One could argue therefore that the wearing of stoles by clergy is a statement about the Church, that there is not true equality in the Church between those called to serve as Ministers of Word and Sacrament and the so called “laity.” If we Presbyterians truly believe that the laos, the people includes all Christians pastors either should not wear stoles or all Christians should. <br />
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As to the wearing of stoles as a political or religious statement by one or more groups in the Church the stole should not be worn by as a symbol of difference but rather as a symbol of unity. That, I believe is one of the intended messages of those who wear rainbow colored stoles at meetings when the issue of ordination of gays and lesbians is to be voted upon. All should wear the stole or none unless of course we believe that Ministers of Word and Sacrament are somehow more important or to be elevated above other members of the Church. I hope we are past the Roman days at least in the Presbyterian Church. If not I will gladly stop wearing a stole.Pastor Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510081361292855641noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113520706057661449.post-47842904154239790972010-07-20T01:13:00.003-04:002010-07-20T01:27:19.392-04:00ISRAEL, DISINVESTMENT AND VOLVO?<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5COwner%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5COwner%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5COwner%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link><style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">The Presbyterian Church (USA) finished its biennial General Assembly earlier this month. One of the hot topics was Israel. A report from the Middle East Study Committee came to before the Assembly along with calls (overtures) for condemnation of Israel as an apartheid regime and calls for disinvestment in Caterpillar, Inc. Caterpillar is a well known producer of building equipment and equipment that can be used to tear buildings and other things down.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The report was amended to be more even handed when talking about Israel and Palestine. Still Caterpillar was distinguished for specific condemnation. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">For those who have not followed the disinvestment debate the Presbyterian Church (USA) has debated this for years, starting back in 2004. On a regular basis people produce pictures of Caterpillar equipment being used to destroy a home, uproot an olive tree or build a wall. And it does happen. Israel is a country. It certainly isn’t a perfect country. It also isn’t the worst example of bad government even in the Middle East. Some examples:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In Egypt radical Muslims beat up, kidnap and kill Christians and destroy any attempts by those Christians to make sufficient space (or any buildings) for their worship services. The government does not respond to Christian pleas for justice. And if a Muslim dares to convert to Christianity that person may well be killed.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In Saudi Arabia if anyone who is not a Muslim (and I think this would also include Muslims who do not follow the Wahabi teaching that is the government sanctioned form of Islam) dares to have a worship service they will be arrested. During the first Gulf war Christians who sought to worship went by helicopter to an aircraft carrier so that Christian (and one presumes also Jewish) worship would not pollute the sacred soil of Saudi Arabia. This was the rule while troops from a wide variety of countries kept Iraq at bay so that Saudi Arabia would not fall as Kuwait had. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In Pakistan Christians are regularly threatened with accusations of blasphemy against Islam when a Muslim wants what a Christian has. And while the Churches in Pakistan protest little is done. Christians get thrown into jail for blasphemy or killed and if by some chance they are acquitted of the charge they have to move because their Muslim neighbors will kill them. Others receive notes on their doors telling them that they have to convert or they will be killed. This is not a joke. Some were killed very recently. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">These are our allies.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In Iraq, and curiously it’s worse now than before Saddam Hussein was overthrown, Christians are subject to threats, bombings and kidnappings. Those who make the threats mean business. People have been kidnapped. Others have been killed while at worship. Many have fled to Jordan and Syria for protection. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Iranian police break up Christian worship and threaten anyone who converts to Christianity with death. For that matter if you are an Iranian and don’t like the fast and loose way the former leader became the current leader through a corrupted counting of votes you may well end up in prison and be tortured.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Christians providing loving families for orphans in Morocco were all kicked out the country earlier this year on the possibility that the children they care for might become Christians. I suppose this was a real possibility even though the families didn’t try to convert them. After all those Christian families had been the only people who had loved them! Now those children are in orphanages.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In Turkey a couple of years ago three Christians were killed, two because they were Muslims who had become Christians and one because he operated a Christian printing press. And if you dare to bring up the fact that the former regime in Turkey killed hundreds of thousands of Christian Armenians by murder, rape or failing to provide food to those in concentration camps Turks will be offended and say that you are denigrating their country with lies.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I freely admit there are things that various Israeli governments have done that I disapprove of or at least regret as a necessity. Having seen the security barrier/wall (mostly a barrier with barbed wire and guards) I hate it. And yet suicide bombings dropped off to nothing after the barrier/wall was built. I call for the barrier to be on the Green Line, not through the farms of Palestinians. Not only is it unjust but some of these folks are my Christian brothers and sisters! I strongly object to talk by a few Israelis that the Palestinian problem should be dealt with by kicking all Palestinians out of any territory between the Mediterranean and the Jordan River. And my list could go on. Curiously I find my Jewish friends willing to criticize actions by the Israeli government that they think are wrong. They can go to Israel and shout it at the top of their lungs! What would happen to a Muslim standing in Saudi Arabia who dared to criticize the oppressive government of Saudi Arabia?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But I have to ask, why Israel? When Christians are persecuted in Egypt why does the Presbyterian Church (USA) not say a word? When Christians and others are arrested in Saudi Arabia for daring to sing hymns quietly in their homes why does the Presbyterian Church (USA) not condemn? When Christians are killed (and to be fair Muslims as well) in Nigeria why does the Presbyterian Church (USA) keep silence? When the Greek Orthodox Church urges the government of Greece to pass laws outlawing the establishment of other Christian groups what does the Presbyterian Church (USA) say? Nothing. Is Israel the government with the worst record of abusing its citizens and others in the Middle East? It is not. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">All I can conclude is that there are probably at least two reasons:</div><ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal">Israel as the people of the Covenant, the people that God called, must be held to higher standards than others and particularly Muslim states. Is our message that we expect Muslims to be evil and therefore we don’t even bother to criticize them? Or is the message that Jews are different? It is somehow acceptable to criticize Jews and not Muslims?</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">While there are a variety of Muslim states in the Middle East (and no one complains about that) a Jewish state is not allowed.</li>
</ol><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">None of this justifies sin and oppression. But it does make me wonder: why Israel?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">BTW I found an interesting picture on a website called “electric intifada, a Palestinian site. It is a picture of a back hoe presumably destroying the house of a Palestinian family. And the machine was built by Caterpillar, er. no Volvo? Why don’t we hear about Volvo at General Assembly? Here is the link and the picture:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article11236.shtml">http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article11236.shtml</a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ3H5qfobwdzB_2Py2IGYW90nJkIItOr89vvFgQwcxkr4jjD4kvONUdMnoR76N-VlaT_4rRPV7nHZWMRXnQJMhXuefX49f0EXEgaUs2N-yt1fQFeROYaKn0L9duiqdnnyHx89WF7xxw-k/s1600/100429-volvo-walaja-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ3H5qfobwdzB_2Py2IGYW90nJkIItOr89vvFgQwcxkr4jjD4kvONUdMnoR76N-VlaT_4rRPV7nHZWMRXnQJMhXuefX49f0EXEgaUs2N-yt1fQFeROYaKn0L9duiqdnnyHx89WF7xxw-k/s320/100429-volvo-walaja-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So in two years when we talk about divestment in Caterpillar again shouldn’t we also talk about Volvo? And about Christian Church buildings that are destroyed in Egypt? Blown up in Iraq? Christians being killed and threatened with death in Nigeria or Pakistan? Should we divest in companies that sell bulldozers to Egypt? Or don’t we care about what those other countries do? And if we think only Israel is to be condemned what does that say about us Presbyterians?</div>Pastor Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510081361292855641noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113520706057661449.post-28374911399772375832010-07-07T04:41:00.000-04:002010-07-07T04:41:02.930-04:00I CAN'T SLEEP THEREFORE: GOOD THINGS ABOUT THE BLOGOSPHERE AND THE INTERNETThe blogosphere, when used incorrectly, is a relatively anonymous place to say nasty things about the ideas and character of others. At its best the blogosphere confronts us with ideas that are different from our's and occasionally leads us to blogs we never would have found without the references of others.<br />
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Consider this: <a href="http://www.shuckandjive.org/">John Shuck</a> and I aren't exactly in the same theological camp. Actually that's like saying that the solar system is part of the Pinwheel Galaxy (go ahead, look it up!). I think John would agree that we have rather different theological ideas but somehow we still manage to get along. I won't try to define John as I'm not sure even John can define John!<br />
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BUT it was on John's blog that I first saw a reference to <a href="http://forbiddengospels.blogspot.com/">Dr. April DeConnick</a>, expert in early Christian literature, both that which later became orthodox and that which did not become orthodox and some stuff that was always really way out there. Dr. DeConnick persuaded me to buy a couple of her books, not by recommendation but rather by her writings on her blog. So now I know more about the Gospel of Judas (and the disagreements about it) than I ever expected to know. I read regular posts about this and that Gnostic group and pleas that all scholars who actually want to do scholarship on early Christian literature must also learn Coptic. (And I thought I was uneducated because I never learned Latin and I've let my Hebrew slip!) She continues to plan and schedule conferences that I am unable to attend (she is in Houston TX and I am in Philadelphia PA) and recommend papers that will be read at the meetings of the Society for Biblical Literature which I can also not attend. How could I ever explain to the Session that hearing papers on obscure Gnostic texts will somehow help the congregation?<br />
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Yesterday Dr. DeConnick recommended a new blog by a colleague of her's from England <a href="http://larryhurtado.wordpress.com/">Larry Hurtado</a> who's specialty is Textual Criticism and other things pertaining to it. Someone named <a href="http://biblerefshelf.sudalyph.org/">David</a> commented on one of Dr. Hurtado's blog posts which directed me to an old book. Which brings us to the part where I talk about the internet.<br />
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One of the nicest things about the internet is that you can find just about anything information you want if you just put the right words together in a web search. That, BTW is how I found the Pinwheel Galaxy. I just googled galaxy names and found a list. On a more serious note David mentioned a book that is an absolute must have for those who are interested in how to do Textual Criticism, <i><a href="http://ia301504.us.archive.org/0/items/newtestamentinor82west/newtestamentinor82west.pdf">The New Testament in the Original Greek: Introduction and Appendix</a> </i>by Hort and Westcott, the folks who really turned Textual Criticism into a science (and who list every possible text available to them in their texual notes in their Greek New Testament). Fortunately their book is old enough to be in the public domain and I am in the process of downloading it right now (it's over 29 mbs). I plan to read this baby on my vacation this summer (which confuses my children and amuses my wife). It seems that libraries are scanning their older texts and placing them online in PDF format. If one is a student at a registered school one already has free access to all kinds of papers available online. Now the books are becoming available too. BTW you can find Mark Twain free online too. So don't neglect that celebrated jumping frog!<br />
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And I wouldn't have found Hort and Westcott's book if I hadn't been reading John Shuck's blog which referred to Dr. Deconnick, who referred to Dr. Hurtado on who's blog David commented and made a reference to Hort and Westcott. Thank you John and Dr. Deconnick and Dr. Hurtado (who's blog I have added to my bookmarks) and David!<br />
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Who would have thought that when Al Gore invented the internet :) that it would be a scholarly resource for theologians and Biblical scholars and people like me who think reading such is fun! And for free too! As a Scottish immigrant who is a member of Tully Memorial (she's 92 and going strong) says, "There's no point in being Scottish unless you work at it!" Free literature is where it's at!<br />
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6 more mbs to go! Have fun out there on the internet ya'll. And be careful out there!<br />
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Just a few years agoPastor Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510081361292855641noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113520706057661449.post-52265104157141806412010-07-03T03:24:00.006-04:002010-07-03T08:14:17.488-04:00THE DONATISTS, LUTHER, CALVIN AND THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5COwner%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5COwner%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5COwner%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link><style>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">Every time General Assembly happens in the PCUSA I spend the summer calming down irate church members. A lot of members think all General Assembly talks about is sex (and homosexual sex at that) as that is what is usually reported in the secular media. But every once in a while the General Assembly makes some proclamation or another that really gets people steamed, like the decision in 2004 about divestment and Israel. That got church members so upset they forgot about homosexuals! Well, not really. So part of me is kind of grateful that we have General Assembly every other year now. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">And after most General Assembly meetings these days some person who calls him or herself an Evangelical get’s all upset and says they’ve had it, they are leaving the denomination. Sometime in the next couple of years a few more congregations will leave the PCUSA either through making a quiet deal with their presbyteries or through loud newspaper stories and civil court actions. Every time this happens I think “Donatist.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">I was almost a Church Historian but through the grace of God became a pastor instead. But I love and find much instruction in Church history. There is very little that happens in the Church that hasn’t happened before.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">Anyway, remember the Donatists?<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2113520706057661449#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">[1]</span></span></span></a> During the last terrible persecution before Constantine came along and made Christianity the religion of the empire the Roman government got really smart and decided not to go after the little fish this time. The soldiers went out and rounded up the priests and the bishops, figuring if they killed off the leadership the Church would fall apart. They also tried to gather up all the Christian books and sacred vessels used in churches. (If there were leaders there could be no teachers. If there were no books there would be no way to recover the Good News.) They didn’t catch all the leadership. Some of the leaders that were caught went ahead and died, refusing to deny Jesus or to give up books or vessels or the names of other Christian leaders. Some specifically refused to say that Caesar was Lord and not Jesus and offer incense to Caesar. And some didn’t die because they did deny Jesus or gave up books or sacred vessels.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">After the Church became legal in the midst of all the battles about Jesus’ divinity and humanity and the Trinity and Gnosticism there was an often forgotten heresy called Donatism. It’s named after its one of its leading proponents Donatus (who may have been one Donatus or another depending on which history you read). The Donatists looked at those who had been in prison and had denied Christ and lived or gave up books or sacred vessels and refused to accept their supervision or to receive the sacraments from them. They said that those who had held onto life or gave up books or sacred vessels weren’t really Christians anymore. So when those who had survived the persecution through giving up books, etc. anointed someone and ordained them the Donatists would say that person wasn’t really a bishop. And when that person who had denied Jesus in jail presided over the Eucharist the Donatists would say that it really wasn’t the Lord’s Supper, that the bread and wine hadn’t become the Body and Blood of Jesus. They also rebaptized people because they believed that the baptisms performed by those who had denied Jesus were invalid.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">The Church back then (including many who were tortured and did not give up their faith) surprised the Donatists by saying that they were the heretics! There is a terrible irony here. Those defending the honor of Jesus were heretics? The Donatists must have been shocked. They got kicked out (and I suspect some of them left in a huff too) because they wouldn’t take communion from a sinner who had denied Jesus or gave the soldiers a copy of the Bible. Of course it took over 100 years for the heresy to die down. It was a big mess. And we are much more polite these days than they were back then. The Donatists and the Catholics killed each other while consecrating separate bishops for the same towns.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">The Donatists forgot something very important. Peter, the first Pope (the Donatists were in Western Africa) had denied Jesus. He did it three times and he wasn’t even under arrest or being tortured. He was looking for a way to avoid being arrested and tortured. This is one of the most important stories in the Gospels. Every time a leader in the Church gets to feeling all high and mighty he or she ought to be required to read the story about Peter denying Jesus. After all, we are all like Peter.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">One of my favorite stories of St. Francis tells of a time when a great and angry crowd met him on a road in the country. They demanded to know if he was the one who had killed a certain person. Francis replied that he didn’t remember killing that person but that he was a sinner and had done equally evil things and sometimes worse. The crowd was preparing to hang Francis when a local dignitary rode by on his horse and asked what was going on. The crowd said that Francis had said he had killed someone. The dignitary said, “Oh that’s just Francis. He didn’t kill anyone. He’s crazy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">I suspect that Francis was the only sane person that day. Who indeed has not committed sin, equally evil or worse? We enter and stay in the Church through the grace of God in Jesus not through our own holiness.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">The core points here are:<o:p></o:p></span></div><ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">All are sinners both before and after we become Christians. Who among us knows what they would do if threatened with death for not handing over a Bible or refusing to deny Christ? We all hope we would stand strong but who knows until s/he is in such a position? If Peter could be forgiven by Jesus should not all who fall be forgiven and received again with grace? Those who pronounce the words of institution at the Lord’s Supper are sinners. Those who lay on hands at ordinations are sinners. Those who baptize are sinners. Those who preach are sinners. The sins of the one who baptizes do not make the baptism invalid. If it did no baptism would be valid. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">This is not to encourage sin but rather to proclaim the grace of Christ. Christians seek to be made more holy through the Holy Spirit. We struggle and fail or sometimes struggle and are victorious. But we can never claim the victory ourselves but only give glory to Christ. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">The Church is one. There is only one Body of Christ. While we Protestants have gone out of our way to split into smaller and smaller factions over issues from infant and/or believers baptism to whether bishops should be allowed (we Presbyterians get really incensed at the idea of bishops) the Church of Christ is still one.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">The examples of Luther and Calvin provide great instruction. They never sought to leave the Church (that is what we today might call the Roman Catholic Church). They sought to teach the Truth. They knew that the Church down throughout history had fallen again and again into sin and heresy but the Church was still the Church. They didn’t leave the Church they were kicked out, excommunicated. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">There is no holier Church outside the one Church. There is only the one Church. We together are sometimes more holy or less and more heretical or less. But leaving and seeking a more holy Church will never produce the result sought. When one goes seeking a more holy denomination they only find new fights about new issues. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: small;">So as General Assembly begins we already know from reading the overtures and the business brought before the assembly that there will again be controversies over sexuality, over Israel and Palestine and over a proposed new Form of Government. It is more than likely, given our inability to see the future that there will be some issue unknown to us at this time that will create even greater controversy. But leaving the denomination to find a more holy denomination or even to establish a more holy independent congregation will never succeed. Every assembly that I enter receives sinners if it receives me. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div><br />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" /><div id="ftn1"><div class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2113520706057661449#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 10pt;">[1]</span></span></span></a> Information about the Donatists can be found in the Catholic Encyclopedia at <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05121a.htm">http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05121a.htm</a>. All errors in use of and interpreting the information are mine.</div></div></div>Pastor Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510081361292855641noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2113520706057661449.post-14106068515760022822010-07-01T17:35:00.001-04:002010-07-03T07:10:00.000-04:00Death and SpamWhen you die there are certain things your loved ones (or your executor or executrix) have to do. They need more death certificates than most people imagine because all these government agencies have to be told. If you own a house they not only have to sell it but have to clean it out first.<br />
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All of which set me to wondering about the electronic, that is net stuff that you leave behind. I have a bunch of email boxes. Will my loved ones remember to delete them or will they go on forever? And I average around 50 pieces of spam everyday at one email. Even if my loved ones delete my email box will spam be sent to me forever?<br />
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I just realized that the internet is the gift that keeps on giving . . . maybe into eternity. Or when Jesus returns will all spam be sent to hell and good emails be rewarded?<br />
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Life was much simpler when there were radios and TVs for entertainment and the TV only got three channels.Pastor Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510081361292855641noreply@blogger.com0