A Sign of the Times?

Check out this in today's New York Times.

A bizarre exercise to say the least, which makes me wonder what is really going on in school these days. As my friend Francis Mooney observed, the child in this "creative" exercise was actually made the center of attention and in a strange way rewarded for the very behavior for which he was supposedly being punished.

Nevertheless, what are people thinking?

Under God . . . Two words getting lots of attention these days due to the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruling yesterday.

In addition to my post yesterday, i recommend Francis Mooney's comments. After reading the opinion myself this morning, i fail to see the "coercion" involved in being in class when others recite the Pledge. The girl in question had the right to refrain _ how is it coercion if she is not forced to participate? Furthermore, the claim that such an environment caused the girl "harm" is equally perplexing.

I agreed with the dissenting opinion, and it was encouraging to see bipartisan support for the Pledge _ specifically, Sens. Tom Daschle and Joe Lieberman being critical of the court. It would seem only appropriate for Sen. Lieberman to support the Pledge given the fact that he quoted II Chronicles and prayed during the speech he gave in 2000 upon being named Al Gore's running mate.

Another perplexing thing was the silence of the likes of Barry Lynn of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State when Sen. Lieberman gave that acceptance speech nearly two years ago.

The concept of Under God, and the bristles that run down the spines of many, underscores the truth that our human hearts, by nature, resist, or rebel against the notion of being under anyone or anything other than ourselves. We are back in the Garden and the fruit is looking tasty.

Thankfully, He is greater and will save us from ourselves.

A federal appeals court ruled that the Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional because it calls for students to swear "fealty" to God, thus it violates the separation of church and state. Despite the various legal questions and disturbing issues raised, there is a certain call to us as believers which should grab our attention. Do we, His people, swear allegiance to Him and live according to that?

I Cor. 6:19-20 is a great reminder, and a great challenge.

Ahh . . . Church Growth.

Just read this post at Connexion, and it stirred those old thoughts which used to constantly plague me during my time in ministry. The best thing for many churches would be Church Shrinkage, or Church growth in a downward direction.

How troubling to see the industry created by the concept of Church Growth and the strategies involved in it. the American Church is certainly guilty of corporate strategies, yet seem quite ignorant of the Biblical record.

What Church Growth strategy was being employed when Abraham was about to sacrifice Isaac? What strategy was at play when Moses spent 40 years on the backside of the desert? What strategy was at work as Paul sat in prison?

God was sovereign in all those instances, no doubt _ but it certainly was not a quantifiable strategic approach the way so many churches go about their ministries.

God is being reduced to an agenda, a formula and a technique. We would do very well to remember that as Trinity, God is relationship _ and He calls us to the same. Let's not chase a marketing gimmick, lest we fall into the same trap as the Pharisees.

Many thanks to Bene Diction and xavier+ for the kind mentions of my poem The Chameleon.

In particular, Francis Mooney had some additional comments on the poem which were insightful, as he usually is.



Nobody Gets Hurt

Nobody moves and nobody gets hurt,
That's how we're living;
Lives in a shell _
Like waking up each day with a shackle.
I don't want to risk feeling too much;
Can't you leave me alone?
Good fences make good neighbors.

Sitting contently in the dark.
Falling in love with enemies dressed up like our friends.
Under delusion from the start;
We've got our eyes on the prize, but is it the right one?

And we feel the longing,
Inconsolable as it seems.
A hunger in the darkness;
This most beautiful dream.

Mystery is calling me.
Grab my hand, we'll venture into this sacred romance.
So much more than meets the eye,
Deep is calling to deep . . .
Can you hear it?

So long lost, but now found.
Does this vision scare you, drive you to your knees?
Speechless, clutching in the dark,
Just a little light goes a long way.

And we feel the longing,
In consolable as it seems.
A hunger in the darkness;
This most beautiful dream.