So, I was watching TV yesterday and I ran across a show called "Whale Wars." It looked interesting enough to hold my attention. However, I became suspicious very rapidly. I had heard of this before. Green Peace attacking whaling ships sounded very familiar. Before I could continue watching the show, I decided to do some research on whether they were acting with legal authority or were simply being vandals. My suspicions were correct. The members of "Sea Shepherd", the organization on Whale Wars, are no better than self-righteous vandals.
I want to preface this with the fact that I like whales. Whales are beautiful and majestic creatures. To see them butchered brings a tear to my eye. Guess what, that doesn't make what Sea Shepherd is doing right. The old saying "Two wrongs don't make a right" jumps readily to mind. Let's look at it this way: I believe that abortion is wrong. It is murder. That doesn't make it ok for me to go and assault or murder abortion doctors. I do not have the authority to do that. Just as I don't have authority to "execute" an abortion doctor, so too does Sea Shepherd not have the authority to harass, assault, and vandalize, whalers and their ships.
On a brief tangent, these people care enough about whales sacrifice their lives and time in the middle of the ocean to hunt down and harass whalers but they stand idly by while people murder unborn children. Since when are whales more valuable than human beings? Oh, I guess we have a lot more humans than whales so what is a few dead babies? Sin is not logical.
The reason Whale Wars irks me so much is twofold. (1. These people are getting famous. They have a television show and are getting air time. (2. This is the typical attitude of people. If the other person is doing something bad, all bets are off. I can do whatever I want and it's morally justified. These people have become no better than the whalers! You have lowered yourself to their level. At least the people who are whaling are technically within the law. The law allows whaling for research purposes. On the episode I watched, Sea Shepherd was harassing a ship that is run by the Cetacean Research Institute. Sea Shepherd is the organization that is breaking the law! They have no jurisdiction or legal basis for doing what they are doing. YET, they are lauded and lavished with praise for their actions.
It is sad to see the state of our society today. We value vigilante justice. If we lived in a world like that, we wouldn't like it. Then why do we applaud those kind of actions? I repeat. Sin is not logical.
God Bless,
Stanley
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Friday, April 27, 2012
The "Old Time Religion"
Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to read Rob Bell's book "Love Wins." Now, I'd read much in the way of controversy and criticism of this book. Needless to say, I was very interested to see what it actually said. My fears as to the ideas put forth in the book were very much confirmed. Along with this reading, last night I watched an hour long interview of Rob Bell on a British radio show called Unbelievable. I suggest watching it >> http://www.premier.tv/index.php/show/unbelievable%3f_debate_-_heaven_%26amp%3b_hell?id=1_qkhmbyby
Originally, I was planning on spending this time discussing and dismantling Rob Bell's arguments. Frankly, that has been done so well by many other men. I am not going to spend time on that. I would simply suggest googling "Rob Bell love wins" and plenty of great articles will come up.
What really concerns me, is the attitude that many American Christians have taken to truth. I experienced this first-hand just this last month. I have realized just how much personal experience leads to our theology. This felt alien to me. I, as a person, am not an incredibly emotional person. Those who know me scoff because well, I have one emotion that does capture me frequently. It's called excitement. Debates and argument incite it within me. The key difference is that this excitement is temporary. Think of your favorite thing to do and then just imagine how excited you get! That's simply how I feel. It's a fleeting feeling that doesn't ultimately have an impact on my soul. However, the emotion I'm talking about is very different. It is a strong, soul searching, intense emotion that leaves scars and imprints on the psyche. I'm not like that. I recently read the book "Blue Like Jazz" and it cemented my realization that people have those kind of emotions. The kind of emotions that change the way they think. Maybe I'm being entirely blind, but I'm very clinical about truth. Truth is sterile. It doesn't care how I feel. There are many things that I believe that break my heart and puzzle my mind and yet, they don't stop being true because I don't like them.
Many Christians in the modern Church are reacting to ideas that they feel are old-fashioned or mean. Frankly, I don't think old is an insult. I think that old things are amazing! I collect books and finding an old book is one of the most acute thrills. Why is new better? Why is the old thrown out? Christianity isn't a fad or a technology that needs to be upgraded every generation. Christianity is the religion of my father, my forefathers, and their fathers too! That's one of the most beautiful things about it. In the storm of life, Christ's Church stands firm. Time rolls over her head and yet she is as beautiful as ever. Are we going to reject orthodoxy because our parents and grandparents are sinners? How preposterous! How can we expect them to be anything else? The Bible says that there is none who is righteous. We want them to accept us and forgive our faults, yet we choose to reject their "Old-timey religion" because of their "hypocrisy" and uptightness. We're no worse than they are! Because they were "too strict", now we're going too far and giving our children a soft Christianity that won't preach the hard stuff like hell. So, because fallen sinners failed to live out God's perfect and upright law, it stops being true? To the contrary, it shows forth OUR own failings!
This, I feel, is a rampant problem. God has blessed me with a wonderful home life. I have two parents who love each other, amazing teachers and role models, an awesome sister, and stability in my life. I really don't understand situations and emotions that are strong enough to shape one's idea of truth. I simply believe The Bible as God's Word and Law. It doesn't change based on how I feel.
God Bless,
Stanley
P.S. I highly recommend reading Blue Like Jazz. It was soft on the Law of God, but it was orthodox on salvation. Also, Donald Miller is a talented writer who draws you in and interests you with his stories and observations.
Originally, I was planning on spending this time discussing and dismantling Rob Bell's arguments. Frankly, that has been done so well by many other men. I am not going to spend time on that. I would simply suggest googling "Rob Bell love wins" and plenty of great articles will come up.
What really concerns me, is the attitude that many American Christians have taken to truth. I experienced this first-hand just this last month. I have realized just how much personal experience leads to our theology. This felt alien to me. I, as a person, am not an incredibly emotional person. Those who know me scoff because well, I have one emotion that does capture me frequently. It's called excitement. Debates and argument incite it within me. The key difference is that this excitement is temporary. Think of your favorite thing to do and then just imagine how excited you get! That's simply how I feel. It's a fleeting feeling that doesn't ultimately have an impact on my soul. However, the emotion I'm talking about is very different. It is a strong, soul searching, intense emotion that leaves scars and imprints on the psyche. I'm not like that. I recently read the book "Blue Like Jazz" and it cemented my realization that people have those kind of emotions. The kind of emotions that change the way they think. Maybe I'm being entirely blind, but I'm very clinical about truth. Truth is sterile. It doesn't care how I feel. There are many things that I believe that break my heart and puzzle my mind and yet, they don't stop being true because I don't like them.
Many Christians in the modern Church are reacting to ideas that they feel are old-fashioned or mean. Frankly, I don't think old is an insult. I think that old things are amazing! I collect books and finding an old book is one of the most acute thrills. Why is new better? Why is the old thrown out? Christianity isn't a fad or a technology that needs to be upgraded every generation. Christianity is the religion of my father, my forefathers, and their fathers too! That's one of the most beautiful things about it. In the storm of life, Christ's Church stands firm. Time rolls over her head and yet she is as beautiful as ever. Are we going to reject orthodoxy because our parents and grandparents are sinners? How preposterous! How can we expect them to be anything else? The Bible says that there is none who is righteous. We want them to accept us and forgive our faults, yet we choose to reject their "Old-timey religion" because of their "hypocrisy" and uptightness. We're no worse than they are! Because they were "too strict", now we're going too far and giving our children a soft Christianity that won't preach the hard stuff like hell. So, because fallen sinners failed to live out God's perfect and upright law, it stops being true? To the contrary, it shows forth OUR own failings!
This, I feel, is a rampant problem. God has blessed me with a wonderful home life. I have two parents who love each other, amazing teachers and role models, an awesome sister, and stability in my life. I really don't understand situations and emotions that are strong enough to shape one's idea of truth. I simply believe The Bible as God's Word and Law. It doesn't change based on how I feel.
God Bless,
Stanley
P.S. I highly recommend reading Blue Like Jazz. It was soft on the Law of God, but it was orthodox on salvation. Also, Donald Miller is a talented writer who draws you in and interests you with his stories and observations.
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