Web logs. Facebook statuses. Twitter updates. Text messages. In today's world of super-connectivity and constant 'status' updates, it's easy to use these online forums as a platform for our opinions. This is both good and bad. Facebook, MySpace and other sites give us a means to influence our peers. But does this really do any good? Will this blog even penetrate the ingrained mindsets of its readers? Do these avenues of communication really make a difference?
Most of us are very hyper-connected, so much so that we barely have time to fully read a blog or lengthy email, much less let its words soak into our conscious. We are a very busy society. If anything has a chance to grab our attention, it has to be quick and catchy. So why do we spend so much of our time and energy notifying the world of our every thought and activity? Probably because it's a fun way to share community in this digital era.
If our opinions really matter, what's the best outlet for them? Is it Facebook? Writing a blog? A post on a Web site? We need to think beyond the boundaries of the Internet. Over half of human communication is nonverbal—and most of us know that actions speak louder than words.
In my free-time, I spend more than my fair share writing thoughts and opinions online. It's a great way to share my views. Yet it's also led me to this point, where I'm questioning the validity of those efforts. If we have something to say, and if it's truly important, then let's say it. Blogging is great, but don't let it be a substitute for action. If we have the time to write our Web logs and Facebook notes, then we should have the time to write a letter to our senators.
This all may sound as if I'm wary of technology and its influence in our lives. Not so. There are great opportunities for the truth to abound. Nowadays, the moment someone starts to report something false, there are twenty other people on the Internet within minutes setting the record straight. I am hesitant to believe, though, that the Internet and social networking sites are the most powerful ways to create the influence we seem to crave. I want to follow doers, not sayers. Inspirational words don't mean squat to me if there isn't action backing it up.
Can we change the world? I think so. But it'll take more than a Facebook status update.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Evil On My Mind
Somehow evil has found a way to stick itself in my mind. Blame my recent reading material, I guess. I've been researching apologetics for a series of lessons that I'm teaching. Apologetics is defined as the defense of one's beliefs and this research has called my own into question. For the past decade, I've held a tight grip on my Christian faith. Sometimes I'm not quite sure why, either. Recently I've been reading so many articles and hearing so many stories that could cause me to question my faith. Evil has a way of doing that. It usually pushes people away from God. In fact, the problem of pain is the single biggest obstacle for spiritual seekers. Public-opinion pollster George Barna once conducted a survey that found the top question people would want to ask God was, "Why is there pain and suffering in the world?" In my opinion, these two issues are so closely related to evil that they could be brothers.
To be fair, pain and suffering can do us much good. Sometimes suffering produces in us endurance. Although, the pain I'm talking about is the undeserved and grossly unjust suffering that exists in this world.
I've been to India. I've been up close to those that end up in National Geographic pages. I've read the numbers over and over. 14 million orphaned by AIDS in Africa. 1.9 million street children in Mexico City (over 240,000 of those are abandoned). 1 in every 3 Afghan women experience physical, psychological or sexual violence. An estimated 2.4 million people worldwide are victims of human trafficking and forced prostitution. I don't even know how to fathom these statistics.
Most of the readers of this blog don't know how to fathom it, either. That's why we don't know how to help or where to start. I've learned throwing money at these problems is NOT the answer. When you give your money away, you are enabling a lifestyle where people expect handouts. It's like the old adage: Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for life. Charity removes the initiative for people to go and do for themselves.
So what's the answer and where am I going with all of this?
Well, there is no single or easy answer. Many factors contribute to the problem of suffering and evil in this world. Poverty, lack of education, corrupt government and a spiritual emptiness plague many parts of the world. These are some of the main causes of the evils we hear about in the news every day. Over half of world's population, which is 3 billion people, lives on less than two dollars a day. That's a statistic worth repeating: Over half of the world's population lives on less than two dollars a day. There is an extreme imbalance here. Can we fix this problem? Rick Warren, author of The Purpose-Driven Life and pastor of Saddleback Church, has suggested an initiative called The P.E.A.C.E. Plan, which enables churches worldwide to become a global distribution network, providing evangelism, education and health care. This makes sense because there are churches within walking distance almost anywhere in the world, whereas medical facilities are many times a one- to two-day walk. But what good is a plan like this if evil has ridden us of faith? Where is God, who's supposed to look out for "the least of these?" Should we just aim to be global do-gooders, without acknowledging a spiritual connection to it all?
These statistics and issues challenge faith, for sure. They're hope-killers, ripping to shreds any faith that we might have in a greater good. When I hear these statistics, I hear evil. When I read the stories of brothel girls, I read evil. When I see photos of dying children, I see evil. But for me, evil doesn't kill my faith. It actually acts as a spark. Evil, despite its best attempts, ignites my faith. You see, I believe that God is most needed where evil has set up its camp. If I accept that something is evil, it means that I acknowledge that there must be a moral 'good.' Ah, there's my spiritual connection. I choose to be on good's side and to fight injustice when and where I am able—and I am able. Most of us are. We must be honest, though—we cannot rid this world of evil. Still, that doesn't mean we should lay down and let it run all over us.
I will continue to read about evil, day after day, year after year. Somedays I will be numb to it, as many of us have become. It's hard not to numb our ears to its sound. Thankfully, God has used evil as an ignitor for my faith. Now I have to start doing something about it—something other than sending a check.
To be fair, pain and suffering can do us much good. Sometimes suffering produces in us endurance. Although, the pain I'm talking about is the undeserved and grossly unjust suffering that exists in this world.
I've been to India. I've been up close to those that end up in National Geographic pages. I've read the numbers over and over. 14 million orphaned by AIDS in Africa. 1.9 million street children in Mexico City (over 240,000 of those are abandoned). 1 in every 3 Afghan women experience physical, psychological or sexual violence. An estimated 2.4 million people worldwide are victims of human trafficking and forced prostitution. I don't even know how to fathom these statistics.
Most of the readers of this blog don't know how to fathom it, either. That's why we don't know how to help or where to start. I've learned throwing money at these problems is NOT the answer. When you give your money away, you are enabling a lifestyle where people expect handouts. It's like the old adage: Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for life. Charity removes the initiative for people to go and do for themselves.
So what's the answer and where am I going with all of this?
Well, there is no single or easy answer. Many factors contribute to the problem of suffering and evil in this world. Poverty, lack of education, corrupt government and a spiritual emptiness plague many parts of the world. These are some of the main causes of the evils we hear about in the news every day. Over half of world's population, which is 3 billion people, lives on less than two dollars a day. That's a statistic worth repeating: Over half of the world's population lives on less than two dollars a day. There is an extreme imbalance here. Can we fix this problem? Rick Warren, author of The Purpose-Driven Life and pastor of Saddleback Church, has suggested an initiative called The P.E.A.C.E. Plan, which enables churches worldwide to become a global distribution network, providing evangelism, education and health care. This makes sense because there are churches within walking distance almost anywhere in the world, whereas medical facilities are many times a one- to two-day walk. But what good is a plan like this if evil has ridden us of faith? Where is God, who's supposed to look out for "the least of these?" Should we just aim to be global do-gooders, without acknowledging a spiritual connection to it all?
These statistics and issues challenge faith, for sure. They're hope-killers, ripping to shreds any faith that we might have in a greater good. When I hear these statistics, I hear evil. When I read the stories of brothel girls, I read evil. When I see photos of dying children, I see evil. But for me, evil doesn't kill my faith. It actually acts as a spark. Evil, despite its best attempts, ignites my faith. You see, I believe that God is most needed where evil has set up its camp. If I accept that something is evil, it means that I acknowledge that there must be a moral 'good.' Ah, there's my spiritual connection. I choose to be on good's side and to fight injustice when and where I am able—and I am able. Most of us are. We must be honest, though—we cannot rid this world of evil. Still, that doesn't mean we should lay down and let it run all over us.
I will continue to read about evil, day after day, year after year. Somedays I will be numb to it, as many of us have become. It's hard not to numb our ears to its sound. Thankfully, God has used evil as an ignitor for my faith. Now I have to start doing something about it—something other than sending a check.
Tell Me Again, Why Do I Go To Church?
It seems to me that we're a very skeptical society. This thought came to the front of my mind this week as I sat in a midweek Bible study at my church. We were discussing the popular book, The Shack, while relating its story of redemption to other facets of the Christian faith. One member of the group commented on a discussion he had with a missionary friend. This missionary friend told him that other cultures tend to see more miracles that we do in America. The missionary told him that the culture he's working in has seen almost every one of Jesus's miracles occur within the people there. They reported blind persons gaining vision, among other miracles.
Astonishing. Can you believe that? If you can't, then I'm glad you're reading this.
It's hard not to be skeptical. We're so used to our comfortable lives here that we probably lack the desperation for God and for healing that is prevalent in those who live in third-world countries. Most of us don't have many huge crises. If we get sick, we just take some medication. If we need food, we just go to the store and buy it. Now there still are instances in our country where we can find that desperation, such as in cases of a terminal illness, but for the most part, it's just not seen here.
So where does that leave us? And tell me again, why do I go to church?
I think we're all hungry for truth and for a purpose to our lives. I guess that's why we go to church. Do we think about that, though, as we sing songs and recite prayers on Sunday mornings? This is why many think religion has lost its relevance. Maybe they're right. We're just not very desperate for God. We've found fulfillment in other creature comforts and going to church tends to be more of a habitual thing, like brushing your teeth or going to the grocery store. My hope is that we can all start viewing church and our journey with God as something more like going to the gym. Just as with exercise, our journey with God is a slow, ongoing process that must be continually practiced in order to reap its rewards.
It's hard to see our need for faith when church seems so monotonous and repetitive. Although, we don't seem to mind repetitive actions when it comes to lifting weights and working out. That's because we know that exercise has to be ongoing and if we keep on the path, our bodies will show the results. It helps me to keep these types of things in mind as I go to church each week. I go to church not to be entertained, but as a life discipline. I need to be reminded that I need God. I need to receive forgiveness and I need to continually learn how to forgive. I hope we all get fed up with doing things our way and develop a hunger to do things differently. We need to be desperate for that.
Astonishing. Can you believe that? If you can't, then I'm glad you're reading this.
It's hard not to be skeptical. We're so used to our comfortable lives here that we probably lack the desperation for God and for healing that is prevalent in those who live in third-world countries. Most of us don't have many huge crises. If we get sick, we just take some medication. If we need food, we just go to the store and buy it. Now there still are instances in our country where we can find that desperation, such as in cases of a terminal illness, but for the most part, it's just not seen here.
So where does that leave us? And tell me again, why do I go to church?
I think we're all hungry for truth and for a purpose to our lives. I guess that's why we go to church. Do we think about that, though, as we sing songs and recite prayers on Sunday mornings? This is why many think religion has lost its relevance. Maybe they're right. We're just not very desperate for God. We've found fulfillment in other creature comforts and going to church tends to be more of a habitual thing, like brushing your teeth or going to the grocery store. My hope is that we can all start viewing church and our journey with God as something more like going to the gym. Just as with exercise, our journey with God is a slow, ongoing process that must be continually practiced in order to reap its rewards.
It's hard to see our need for faith when church seems so monotonous and repetitive. Although, we don't seem to mind repetitive actions when it comes to lifting weights and working out. That's because we know that exercise has to be ongoing and if we keep on the path, our bodies will show the results. It helps me to keep these types of things in mind as I go to church each week. I go to church not to be entertained, but as a life discipline. I need to be reminded that I need God. I need to receive forgiveness and I need to continually learn how to forgive. I hope we all get fed up with doing things our way and develop a hunger to do things differently. We need to be desperate for that.
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