My Head Hurts

Recently, in trying to research what I believe (that sounds a bit absurd already) I've had all these new terms thrown at me... Emerging Christians (or is it emergent?) neo-charismatic, radical center (I kind of like that one), substitutionary atonement... My head is spinning.

While I really admire theologians for all their hard brain-work, I'm not a theologian; I'm a pretty simple-minded human. Sometimes I just want to curl up under the sheets and forget about it all.

Meanwhile, I'll just do the best I can: love God and love my neighbor, as the Bible says to do. (Luke 10:27) Some days that's all I can do.

Am I wrong? Will I go to hell if I don't understand the nature of the Trinity? I don't think so. I don't think God expects us to fully understand Him. After all, He's bigger than we are.

Peace, Love, Hope

Q. Does God answer Tebow's Prayers?

A. Yes. He says, "I'm not that much of a football fan. I'm into baseball. Go Angels!"

If you don't know who Tim Tebow is, you're probably not a football fan. (I'm not, so I had to look him up.) He's a football player who's known for praying on one knee before and during football games, and for pointing up at "God" when things go well on the field.

I'm indifferent to over-the-top grandstanding. It might attract positive attention to God, but it will more likely attract negative attention. Here's why: Tebow prays. Tebow wins games. Christians attribute his wins to his prayer, not to his natural abilities, (not to mention the abilities of the other people on the team!) When the team wins, God wins! Yay! When the team loses (as they did last night...)

Was God watching another game?

Was He mad at Tebow?

Does He even EXIST?

Or... maybe God doesn't work that way at all. Prayer is great, and I'm all for it, but this kind of "Look at me, I'm praying" is dangerous, especially when mixed with frenzied fans. No one questions a player wearing lucky socks if he or she loses, but if a Christian loses, that's fodder for those who are looking for us to fall.

The moral: Tebow; keep praying, and keep practicing. God wants you to have faith in Him. He just might not care if you win the game.

Peace, Love, Touchdown!

A Third View on the "Gay Issue."

I've decided it’s time for me to come out of the closet. This is really hard, because I haven't spoken to another person with my problem. (I feel so alone.)

See… I'm gay-neutral. There, I said it. I just don't think my opinion of gays really matters. It seems like every other person on this earth feels the need to LOUDLY voice his or her personal opinion. I don't. My opinion about your personal life (Is it a sin? Is it a choice?) doesn't matter.

I'm afraid that by my silence I've given the wrong impression. Because I'm an environmentalist, people might think I'm ultra-liberal and therefore pro-gay.

Because I'm a Christian, People might think I'm ultra conservative and anti-gay.

I'm neither. I'm pro-love.

Since I'm gay-neutral, I am in favor of legalizing gay marriage. It’s not up to me to decide if two people who love each other should be married. Why should I decide?

Look around. Some of these couples have been together for decades. They're living their lives, keeping jobs, sometimes raising children, whether I acknowledge it or not. Anti-gay laws do nothing whatsoever to promote my "family values." In the state where I live, legal gay marriage has flip-flopped from illegal to legal back to illegal, and in my house I couldn't tell the difference.

I do have one thing to say, though:

I am passionately, vehemently, anti-hate, anti-bullying, anti-holier-than-thou.

Some people would say this isn’t the Christian way to believe. Wrong. I believe this way BECAUSE I am a Christian. Jesus, when He said "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone" (John 8:7) meant that no one should bully another person. No one should oppress another person. Ever. For any reason.

This is an issue I am not neutral on!